Page 196 of 12 Years
‘Okay,’ Payal said. ‘That’s fine. In that case, I should make my way back …’
‘I’ll tell you what I want,’ I said, interrupting her.
‘Yes, please.’
‘I don’t want to have sex. I want you to sleep here tonight, though, next to me, holding me.’
She looked at me, surprised.
‘That’s all I want. One night with you. No sex … just to sleep holding each other.’
‘Okay,’ she said after a pause. ‘Sure.’
‘Come, I’ll give you some clothes to sleep in.’
She went to the bathroom to change, and came out wearing my oversized T-shirt.
I tucked her into bed, drew the curtains close and turned off the lights. I came and lay down next to her. I kissed her forehead. We held each other like we used to in my Bandra home twelve years ago. Within minutes, we fell asleep.
That night, for the first time ever, my ten-thousand-square-feet designer Palm Villa house felt like what it had never felt like before—home.
‘Good morning,’ I said when Payal walked down the stairs, rubbing her eyes, looking silly and cute in my oversized T-shirt.
I sat at the dining table, drinking a cup of black coffee and eating an egg-white omelette.
She yawned. ‘What time is it?’
‘Ten,’ I said. ‘Come, have some breakfast.’
‘Ten? I’ve never slept in this late. Wait, I have a flight this evening, right?’
‘Yes, it’s at 7 p.m. Relax, you have time. Come.’
‘I haven’t even packed,’ she said, sitting down across from me. ‘I’m so hungover,’ she said. She poured herself some coffee.
‘Something to eat?’ I said.
She shook her head, cupping the coffee mug with both her hands.
‘Anything at all? Pancakes? Nutella toast? Poha?’
‘Don’t tempt me. I’ve already eaten so much on this trip,’ she said, sipping her coffee.
‘Shanti didi can make something for you.’
‘Maybe later,’ she said. ‘You’re the same, aren’t you?’
‘Same, as in?’
‘Caring. Keen to feed me. Providing a million choices for breakfast.’
I smiled.
‘Thank you though. It’s sweet,’ she said.
My phone rang. I had kept it on the dining table. Tania’s face flashed on the screen. Payal glanced at my mobile for a second and looked away.
Damn, why do iPhones have this stupid feature?
