But here I was being judgmental again. It didn’t matter what he looked like, or what he had become. What mattered was that he was probably the only soul in this entire country that I could ask for a favor.

“So, how are things?” I ventured.

“Shape, Akki. You know how it is, no? Same shit, different day. Colombo is Colombo.”

That’s what I was afraid of.

“And how’s work?”

Perfunctory questions, but small talk was good. Small talk distracted me from Colombo being Colombo, and why I was really here.

“Work is okay. Waiting for a tender to go through these days. Might need to call the minister again next week. You know how it is with these bloody buggers, no? Always looking to line their pockets only.”

Mahesh had been lining other people’s pockets for as long as I could remember. I didn’t think he would have any problems with his tender. He barely had any problems with anything. He always seemed to know who to charm, or bribe, or threaten to get what he wanted. Sure, he was good to me. We were family, like he said. But an undercurrent of something I could never quite put my finger on floated just under his mischievous smile. And that is why I knew, even though every fiber of my being screamed against it, that’s why I knew he was the only person I could ask for help.

My heart sped up at just the thought of it.

I took a deep breath.

“So, how are things with you?” Luckily, I was saved from having to answer this because he just kept talking. “I was so happy when you called, you know? We hadn’t heard from you in so long.”

“I kno—” I started, but he cut me off again.

“And your friend Kaavi. I can’t believe she’s getting married.” He turned around again and gave me a smile, though his raised eyebrows implied he wasn’t quite pleased about the upcoming nuptials.

“Ye—”

“You know, I used to have a bit of a thing for her, back in the day. Can you even imagine?” He gave a loud guffaw. A few beads of sweat had formed around the loose flesh on his neck despite the frosty air-conditioning.

“She’s a real piece of work, ah. Of course she’ll go and get herself hitched to a suddha.” A white man. The generic term for any foreigner. It wasn’t used as an insult, but it sure sounded like one coming from him. “Actually, I don’t even know why I’m so surprised. Those Fonsekas are so full of shit.” Definitely an insult, then.

I kept silent, not that Mahesh noticed.

“Sorry, ah. I know they are your friends. I just think they are hypocrites, men, that’s all. Actually, maybe that’s unfair. They are not all terrible. That second sister, Tehani, no? She’s quite sweet, ah. At least she doesn’t have a big head like Kaavi does. She can cut loose and have some fun every once in a while.”