Page 140 of One Indian Girl
‘It’s just I never thought of you as the maternal type. I don’t know if you were even meant to be a mother.’
I felt my face turn hot. My whole body began to quiver. Neel figured he had said something really, really wrong.
‘Okay, that did not come out right.’
‘Get out,’ I said, my voice calm.
He didn’t move.
‘Please leave my apartment, Neel. Get out now.’
‘Come here, I will make you feel better,’ he said, leaning forward. He tried to kiss me.
Slap! I gave him a tight one across his face. I didn’t care who the fuck he was.
‘How dare you? How dare you fucking say that?’ I said.
‘I am sorry.’
‘Just leave. Or I will send an email to all of Goldman Sachs tomorrow. About us. Would you like that?’
He slithered out of bed. I kept a stern gaze on him as he dressed, picked up his laptop bag and left.
I curled up in bed, tears rolling down my cheeks. I cried and cried. I buried my face in the pillows, including the one that smelt of Neel, and just cried.
You are so stupid, Radhika,I said to myself.
What was I thinking anyway? Neel and I would walk off into the sunset? He thinks I wasn’t meant to be a mother. How could I ever love this man? Did I not know this day would come?
My stomach hurt. When I went to the bathroom I discovered that Neel was right. Itwasthat time of the month. In the middle of all this drama I had to deal with the first day of my period. Did I tell you it sucks to be a girl sometimes?
‘What’s this?’ Neel said, surprised.
He slid the letter on his desk towards me.
Josh Ang,
Distressed Debt Group
Goldman Sachs
Dear Josh,
I would like to submit my resignation from the position of vice president in the Distressed Debt Group.
Thank you so much for the wonderful experience.
Radhika Mehta
‘That reached you real quick,’ I quipped.
‘Of course. I have to sign off on it,’ Neel said.
‘Can you please do that, sir?’
‘Will you stop it, please?’ Neel said, his voice low.
‘Fine. Whatever. I’ll be quiet.’ I exhaled and kept quiet.
