Page 175 of 12 Years
‘Now?’
‘Yes.’
I turned to my mother. She looked away.
Without another word, I went to my room, packed a few clothes and left.
Tears rolled down Payal’s face. She looked at me and smiled. ‘I’m sorry, Saket,’ she said. ‘I didn’t realize I would get emotional talking about it.’
‘It’s understandable,’ I said. ‘You’ve been through a lot.’
‘Yes. Things are better now though,’ Payal said.
‘They are?’
‘Much better. Two years have passed since our divorce. Parimal has accepted it.’
‘What about your parents?’
‘Things improved between us. It took another crisis. You remember Vansh?’
‘Your brother?’
‘Yes. He had a drug problem. Had to go into rehab.’
‘Oh no!’
‘Yeah, and for my parents, more than the drug problem itself, it was the social shaming that they feared. What would people say if they found out that their son has a drug problem? They didn’t keep him in rehab for too long.’
‘He’s okay now?’
‘Sort of. They brought him home. Then six months ago, they reached out to me, asking if I wanted to move back to their house. Mainly to help take care of Vansh.’
‘You agreed?’
‘Yes, I live with my parents now.’
‘What about your friend Akanksha? How is she?’
Payal looked up at me and gave me a wry smile.
‘What?’
‘She and I aren’t friends anymore.’
‘Why?’
‘Her husband, Suraj …’ Payal said and stopped mid-sentence.
‘What about him?’
‘He hit on me once at a party. Made a move. I told Akanksha.’
‘Oh. And?’
‘Akanksha withdrew from me after that day. Eventually, she cut off completely,’ Payal said, pursing her lips.
I nodded, unable to figure out an appropriate response. I checked the time on my watch.
