Page 160 of One Indian Girl
‘Of course, it’s India. Has to be white. So you dancing and all? With all those hip moves?’ he said. I nodded.
Both of us laughed. For a moment it felt like old times, when he and I would chat over breakfast at the Goldman café.
‘Look, I don’t want to deny us a celebration. We can do a court marriage now in Hong Kong. Later, when the dust settles, we can have our own big fat Indian wedding. One in India and one in London, for my folks.’
I realized he hadn’t let go of my hand. He slid off the sofa and knelt down. He lifted my hand and kissed it.
‘My beautiful Indian princess, rather I should say smart, analytically sound and extremely beautiful Indian princess, will you marry me?’
My heart beat fast. Neel, unattainable crush of most Goldman girls who had met him, the man whom I loved, was in front of me on his knees.
‘Please, princess, say yes,’ he said.
My phone rang. I wanted a disruption to avoid answering Neel. I picked up the call without looking at the caller id.
‘One sec, Neel,’ I said.
‘Baby, where are you?’ Debu’s voice on the other side made me jump.
‘Hey, I got to call you back,’ I said.
‘Okay listen, I called home and...’
‘Talk to you later,’ I said and hung up.
‘All fine?’ Neel said, still on his knees.
I nodded.
He lifted my hand up again.
‘Radhika Mehta, I love you and will always do. Will you marry me?’
I pulled my hand back. I smacked my forehead.
‘Fuck, Neel. Really, fuck,’ I said.
‘What, Radhika?’
‘You had to do all this now? Where were you in Hong Kong, when I lay silently crying in bed next to you?’
‘You were crying? I couldn’t hear.’
‘Silently crying. And you said I am not the marriage type. What was that? I am not meant to be a mother?’
‘I freaked out. I didn’t want what we had to end. I couldn’t figure out how to keep you.’
I stood up.
‘How did you figure it out now?’ I said, or rather screamed, and pointed to the papers. ‘Did you even suggest any such options then? I was the young VP at work you slept with. That’s all I could be, right?’
‘I understand you are upset. I didn’t treat you right.’
‘I came to resign. It didn’t matter to you. The best you could do was to arrange a transfer. Wow.’
‘Why didn’t you shout at me then?’
‘Huh?’ I said, twisting my dupatta’s edge.
