Page 39 of 12 Years
‘Amazing.’
‘Okay, I’m happy to hear that,’ she said.
She yawned. I found that cute as well. Was I falling in love with her? Wait, was I already in love with her?
‘Sorry, but I’m feeling sleepy. I’d better go,’ she said, sitting up and searching for her clothes in the darkened room.
‘Go where?’
‘Home, where else?’ she said, picking up her dress from the floor.
‘It’s two in the morning.’
‘So? It’s okay. Mumbai’s pretty safe.’
‘Just sleep here, Payal,’ I said.
‘What? How?’
‘I’ll give you a T-shirt to sleep in.’
‘It’s not that. I’ve to go to my parents’ house in the morning. I don’t have my Indian clothes here.’
‘Just go to your Parel flat in the morning and then to your parents’ place. It’s Sunday. There won’t be any traffic.’
Payal continued to hold her dress and sit. She spoke after a pause, ‘Fine, but I’ll leave early.’
‘Sure,’ I said.
I got up and went to my closet. I came back with an old T-shirt from Gold’s Gym, San Francisco. On me, it looked fitted. On her, it felt massively oversized.
‘Sleep now.’ I stroked her hair.
‘You’re really nice, Saket,’ she murmured, drifting off to sleep.
‘Good morning,’ I said cheerfully.
Payal dragged her feet into the living room, rubbing her eyes and squinting as she adjusted to the bright sunlight. A small bulbul was perched on the window grill, its sweet cooing filling the room.
‘Good morning,’ she said in a sleepy voice. ‘What time is it?’
‘Eight.’
‘Damn, I’m late,’ she said. She noticed the spread on the dining table. ‘What’s all this?’
‘We have toast, jam, butter, Nutella, cheese and peanut butter. I have cereal and milk. There’s Greek yogurt, cut fruitsand some fresh orange juice as well. I also made some poha. There’s tea and coffee. And guess what? Everything is Jain-friendly,’ I said with a grin.
‘Wow. Why so much?’
‘I didn’t know what you’d like for breakfast.’
‘When did you wake up?’
‘Six. Couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d make us some breakfast.’
She looked at the flowers on the dining table. ‘And these flowers? I didn’t see them last night.’
‘No, I bought them now. When I went down to get stuff for breakfast. You like them?’
