11-10-2026, 12:01 AM
The afternoon was unusually pleasant in the village. After finishing their morning work, Padma, Geeta and Savithri decided to visit the nearby taluka headquarters. It was only a short journey from their village, and all three were eager to get out for a few hours.
They hired a local auto to reach the small town.
The road passed through areca-nut gardens, paddy fields and a few neighbouring villages. Savithri kept pointing out familiar shops and houses, while Geeta and Padma laughed at her running commentary.
Savithri: “Look at that shop! It wasn't there when we were in college.”
Geeta: “You say that about every shop we pass.”
Savithri: “Because this town is developing. Unlike you two, I keep track of important things.”
Padma: “Important things like shops selling hair clips?”
Savithri: “Exactly. A woman's education should never be wasted.”
All three burst into laughter.
When they reached the taluka headquarters, they wandered through the main market street, looking at clothes, bangles and household items. After some time, Savithri announced that she was starving.
Savithri: “Enough shopping. If I don't eat something now, I'll start eating these bangles.”
Geeta: “Please do. Then we can take you to the hospital instead of another shop.”
Padma laughed.
They finally settled on a small, familiar bakery near the bus stand. It had glass display counters filled with cream buns, vegetable puffs, biscuits, dilpasand and assorted sweets. The smell of freshly baked bread and hot samosas filled the little shop.
They found a table beside the window.
Savithri immediately ordered three vegetable puffs, two cream buns, a plate of biscuits and three cups of tea.
Padma stared at the order.
Padma: “Are we eating lunch or opening a bakery?”
Savithri: “Don't worry. I'll help you finish everything.”
Geeta: “That's precisely what we're worried about.”
The bakery owner brought their food, and for the next few minutes, their conversation revolved around the food, old classmates and the funny things they remembered from college.
Geeta recalled how their lecturer had once caught Savithri sleeping during a lesson.
Savithri: “I wasn't sleeping. I was concentrating with my eyes closed.”
Padma nearly choked on her tea.
They were still discussing the previous night's college function.
Padma: “Honestly, I didn't expect so many people to attend. Even the headmaster looked surprised when the crowd kept increasing.”
Savithri: “And you were acting like some famous television anchor! The way you held the microphone and spoke… everyone was looking at you.”
Padma laughed.
Padma: “Don't start again. I was nervous inside. I kept praying that I shouldn't forget the next announcement.”
Padma: “ But Where were you yesterday? Almost the entire village was at the college function. I looked around for you, but I couldn't see you anywhere.”
Geeta paused with her glass halfway to her lips.
Geeta: “Me? I… I had some work at home.”
Savithri immediately burst out laughing.
Savithri: “Work at home? Yes, yes! Very important work!”
Geeta shot her a warning look.
Geeta: “Savithri, just drink your tea.”
Padma looked from one friend to the other.
Padma: “What is going on? Why are you both looking at each other like that?”
Savithri leaned back in her chair, enjoying the moment.
Savithri: “How can she come to the college function? She must have been busy with her boyfriend!”
Padma's eyes widened. She nearly dropped the piece of puff in her hand.
Padma: “What? Boyfriend? Geeta has a boyfriend?”
Padma and Savithri talked about it earlier and Padma even witnessed their affair back in that cow shed!!
She turned towards Geeta with exaggerated surprise, as though she had never heard anything about it.
Padma: “Geeta! You? And you didn't tell me? Since when?”
Geeta's face immediately turned red.
Geeta: “Don't listen to her. She's talking nonsense.”
Savithri: “Nonsense? Shall I tell her his name also?”
Geeta: “Savithri!”
Savithri: “What? Why are you shouting? I'm only answering Padma's question.”
Padma placed her puff on the plate and leaned forward, pretending to be deeply offended.
Padma placed her puff on the plate and leaned forward, pretending to be deeply offended.
Padma: “Geeta, we've been friends since college. We shared our lunch boxes, our secrets, everything. And now you've found a boyfriend and kept it secret from me?”
Geeta: “I don't have a boyfriend!”
Savithri: “Oh, really? Then who is that person you keep messaging on your phone? And why do you suddenly disappear whenever someone mentions his name?”
Geeta stared at her, speechless for a moment.
Padma: “Wait, wait. You mean this is actually true?”
Savithri nodded proudly.
Savithri: “Of course! Our innocent Geeta has a secret love story.”
Geeta covered her face with both hands.
Geeta: “I should never have come out with you two.”
Padma laughed, then gently pulled Geeta's hands away from her face.
Padma: “Come on, Geeta. Look at me. Who is he?”
Geeta shook her head.
Geeta: “Nobody. There is no one.”
Savithri: “Mahesh.”
The name came out so suddenly that Geeta froze.
Padma's smile disappeared into a look of genuine surprise.
Padma: “Mahesh? Our Mahesh? From college?”
Savithri: “How many Maheshes do you know?”
Padma: “Oh my God!”
She looked at Geeta again, now with a mixture of disbelief and excitement.
Padma: “You and Mahesh? I never imagined this! You used to argue with him every time he borrowed your notes.”
Geeta: “That was years ago!”
Padma: “Exactly! And now?”
Geeta glanced towards the bakery entrance, checking whether anyone from the village was nearby. Then she lowered her voice.
Geeta: “Please don't talk so loudly. Someone might hear us.”
Savithri's teasing expression softened a little.
Savithri: “All right, we'll keep our voices down. But you can't deny it forever.”
Geeta stirred her tea even though she had already added enough sugar.
Geeta: “We started talking again a few months ago. At first, it was just ordinary messages. Then we began talking more often. That's all.”
Padma: “And you never thought of telling me?”
Geeta: “How could I? You live in Bangalore, you're married, and I didn't even know how you would react. Besides, I don't know what this relationship is going to become.”
Padma studied her friend's face. Beneath the embarrassment, she could see something else—affection, nervousness and a fear that Geeta was trying hard to hide.
Padma: “Do you like him?”
Geeta didn't answer immediately.
Savithri stopped smiling and waited.
Finally, Geeta gave a small nod.
Geeta: “Yes.”
Padma: “And does he know?”
Geeta: “I think he does.”
Savithri: “Think? You both have been talking for months, and you still don't know?”
Geeta: “It's not as simple as you think! We haven't decided anything. We just… enjoy being together.”
Padma gently smiled.
Padma: “All right. We won't tease you anymore. But you should have told us, Geeta. You don't have to hide everything from your own friends.”
Geeta looked at Padma with relief.
Geeta: “I wanted to tell you. I really did. I was just afraid.”
Savithri picked up another piece of puff.
Savithri: “Fine. Now that the secret is out, I have only one question.”
Geeta narrowed her eyes.
Geeta: “What now?”
Savithri: “Yesterday, while everyone was sitting in the college function, where exactly were you and Mahesh?”
Geeta almost choked on her tea.
Padma burst into laughter.
Geeta: “Savithri! You're impossible!”
Savithri: “I'm asking a perfectly reasonable question.”
Padma: “No, no. Let her answer. I also want to know!”
Geeta looked at both of them, realised she had no chance of escaping, and finally gave a helpless smile.
Geeta: “You two are worse than the village gossip committee.”
Savithri: “Then give us the truth before we start investigating.”
For the first time that afternoon, Geeta laughed without looking worried. The conversation had begun with embarrassment, but now she was surrounded by the two people she trusted most.
Still, as Padma watched her friend smile, she wondered how much courage it took to admit that someone had begun to matter more than expected.
And somewhere beneath that thought, a memory of the previous night's college function stirred in her own mind.
She quickly reached for her tea.
Padma: “All right, Geeta. Start from the beginning. And don't leave out anything important. And you should these kind of things with your close buddies ”
Geeta groaned.
Geeta: “I knew this outing was a mistake!”
Savithri: “Too late. You're not leaving this bakery until we hear the whole story.”
The three friends burst into laughter, their voices blending with the familiar noise of the little bakery.
Savithri suddenly remembered something.
Savithri: “By the way, Padma… did you notice Rajan yesterday?”
Padma's fingers stopped moving around her tea glass.
Padma: “What about him?”
Geeta: “How can we not notice him? The moment he arrived, half the people were greeting him. After all, everyone knows his family.”
Savithri: “I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the way he was looking at you.”
Padma forced a little smile.
Padma: “He was watching the programme. I was on the stage, wasn't I?”
Savithri: “Don't act innocent. He wasn't watching the programme. He was watching you as if he could eat you with his eyes!”
Geeta laughed briefly, but then her expression became serious.
Geeta: “Actually, I noticed that too. Whenever I looked towards him, his eyes were on you.”
Padma lowered her gaze to the table.
She had noticed it as well. Even when she was speaking into the microphone, she had been aware of where he was sitting. Whenever she glanced towards the audience, she found him looking at her with that same intense expression.
She had tried to convince herself that she was imagining it.
But she wasn't.
Savithri leaned closer.
Savithri: “Padma, you remember what happened in college, don't you?”
Padma's stomach tightened.
Padma: “Of course I remember.”
Geeta: “How could we forget? He tried to cross his limits with you, and you slapped him right in front of everyone.”
Savithri: “That slap became the talk of our college for days! Nobody expected you to do that.”
Padma managed a faint smile.
Padma: “He deserved it.”
Savithri: “Absolutely. You did the right thing. Just because his family had money and influence, he thought he could behave however he wanted.”
Geeta: “After that incident, I thought he would never dare to come near you again.”
Savithri: “But yesterday, he was sitting there staring at you as if all those years had meant nothing.”
Padma felt the familiar discomfort return.
She remembered Rajan's eyes following her across the stage. She remembered the compliments he had whispered when they were alone, the power cut, and the confusing moment when she had leaned towards him. Then came the memory she was trying hardest to push away: her own voice asking him to leave her alone, and the way he had held her despite her resistance.
Her friends knew the Rajan from college.
They didn't know what had happened after the programme.
And Padma wasn't ready to explain it.
Geeta watched her carefully.
Geeta: “Padma, did he talk to you yesterday?”
Padma looked up too quickly.
Padma: “Who?”
Savithri raised an eyebrow.
Savithri: “Who else? Rajan!”
Padma : No … yes ..
Savithri : No .. yes ?!!! what is that No or yes ?!!
Padma : He said Hii to me and I said hello .. then how are you.. that’s it I said am busy have to go for next announcement..
then he left that’s it ..
Geeta : That’s it ?
Padma : ya then I become busy in anchoring..
Savithri : Yes I wanted to ask you one more thing for last 5 - 6 programs another teacher anchored !!! You were no where to be seen !!! ?
Padma : Ya … ha … I was … she .. she told she will do ya and HM said her to go to stage as well.. that’s it ..!
Savithri : But you were not seen nearer to stage.. even Rajan was not seen..
Padma : yes that time only he said Hii and then he went away… he want to home early probably??!!
Savithri : No where were returning he black SUV was there.!!
Padma: Hey that I don’t know ..
Padma's heart began to beat faster.
The questions were coming from two people who had known her since childhood. They knew her expressions, her habits, the way she spoke when she was hiding something.
She couldn't simply brush them off.
Padma: “I was tired. There was a lot of running around, and I needed a little rest.”
Savithri: “Tired? You were perfectly fine when you came to the function.”
Padma: “Savithri, must I give you a report of every minute I spend?”
Savithri blinked, surprised by the sharpness in her voice.
Padma immediately regretted it.
Padma: “Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I'm just tired of all these questions.”
Geeta's teasing expression disappeared.
Geeta: “All right. Don't get upset. We're only asking because we care about you.”
Padma looked at Geeta and felt a wave of guilt.
That was precisely the problem. They were not strangers trying to uncover gossip. They were her friends, the people who would listen if she told them the truth.
But what truth could she tell them?
That she had felt drawn into a conversation with a man she had once despised?
n curiosity from her anger at his behaviour?
She had no clear answer for herself. How could she explain it to them?
Savithri spoke more gently.
Savithri: “Padma, did he say anything about the old college incident?”
Padma shook her head.
Padma: “No.”
Geeta: “Did he apologise at least?”
Padma hesitated.
Padma: “No. Not really.”
Savithri's face hardened.
Savithri: “Then what does he want now? For sure he gone to backstage to talk to you only.. Did he try anything .. but he cannot behave like that in college, disappear for years, and suddenly come back staring at you as if he has some right over you.”
The words struck Padma more deeply than Savithri realised.
Some right over me.
That was exactly what had frightened her. Rajan sometimes spoke as if the years between them had been a temporary obstacle, as if his feelings alone could determine what happened next.
Yet Padma couldn't deny that she had been affected by his attention. That was the part she found most difficult to understand.
Being affected by someone didn't mean giving him permission.
Feeling curious didn't erase the past.
And a moment of closeness didn't give him the right to ignore her when she said no.
Padma slowly placed her empty tea glass on the table.
Padma: “I don't know what he wants. And I don't want to discuss him anymore.”
Geeta studied her for a long moment.
Geeta: “All right. We won't force you to tell us anything.”
Savithri nodded, though her curiosity had not disappeared.
They hired a local auto to reach the small town.
The road passed through areca-nut gardens, paddy fields and a few neighbouring villages. Savithri kept pointing out familiar shops and houses, while Geeta and Padma laughed at her running commentary.
Savithri: “Look at that shop! It wasn't there when we were in college.”
Geeta: “You say that about every shop we pass.”
Savithri: “Because this town is developing. Unlike you two, I keep track of important things.”
Padma: “Important things like shops selling hair clips?”
Savithri: “Exactly. A woman's education should never be wasted.”
All three burst into laughter.
When they reached the taluka headquarters, they wandered through the main market street, looking at clothes, bangles and household items. After some time, Savithri announced that she was starving.
Savithri: “Enough shopping. If I don't eat something now, I'll start eating these bangles.”
Geeta: “Please do. Then we can take you to the hospital instead of another shop.”
Padma laughed.
They finally settled on a small, familiar bakery near the bus stand. It had glass display counters filled with cream buns, vegetable puffs, biscuits, dilpasand and assorted sweets. The smell of freshly baked bread and hot samosas filled the little shop.
They found a table beside the window.
Savithri immediately ordered three vegetable puffs, two cream buns, a plate of biscuits and three cups of tea.
Padma stared at the order.
Padma: “Are we eating lunch or opening a bakery?”
Savithri: “Don't worry. I'll help you finish everything.”
Geeta: “That's precisely what we're worried about.”
The bakery owner brought their food, and for the next few minutes, their conversation revolved around the food, old classmates and the funny things they remembered from college.
Geeta recalled how their lecturer had once caught Savithri sleeping during a lesson.
Savithri: “I wasn't sleeping. I was concentrating with my eyes closed.”
Padma nearly choked on her tea.
They were still discussing the previous night's college function.
Padma: “Honestly, I didn't expect so many people to attend. Even the headmaster looked surprised when the crowd kept increasing.”
Savithri: “And you were acting like some famous television anchor! The way you held the microphone and spoke… everyone was looking at you.”
Padma laughed.
Padma: “Don't start again. I was nervous inside. I kept praying that I shouldn't forget the next announcement.”
Padma: “ But Where were you yesterday? Almost the entire village was at the college function. I looked around for you, but I couldn't see you anywhere.”
Geeta paused with her glass halfway to her lips.
Geeta: “Me? I… I had some work at home.”
Savithri immediately burst out laughing.
Savithri: “Work at home? Yes, yes! Very important work!”
Geeta shot her a warning look.
Geeta: “Savithri, just drink your tea.”
Padma looked from one friend to the other.
Padma: “What is going on? Why are you both looking at each other like that?”
Savithri leaned back in her chair, enjoying the moment.
Savithri: “How can she come to the college function? She must have been busy with her boyfriend!”
Padma's eyes widened. She nearly dropped the piece of puff in her hand.
Padma: “What? Boyfriend? Geeta has a boyfriend?”
Padma and Savithri talked about it earlier and Padma even witnessed their affair back in that cow shed!!
She turned towards Geeta with exaggerated surprise, as though she had never heard anything about it.
Padma: “Geeta! You? And you didn't tell me? Since when?”
Geeta's face immediately turned red.
Geeta: “Don't listen to her. She's talking nonsense.”
Savithri: “Nonsense? Shall I tell her his name also?”
Geeta: “Savithri!”
Savithri: “What? Why are you shouting? I'm only answering Padma's question.”
Padma placed her puff on the plate and leaned forward, pretending to be deeply offended.
Padma placed her puff on the plate and leaned forward, pretending to be deeply offended.
Padma: “Geeta, we've been friends since college. We shared our lunch boxes, our secrets, everything. And now you've found a boyfriend and kept it secret from me?”
Geeta: “I don't have a boyfriend!”
Savithri: “Oh, really? Then who is that person you keep messaging on your phone? And why do you suddenly disappear whenever someone mentions his name?”
Geeta stared at her, speechless for a moment.
Padma: “Wait, wait. You mean this is actually true?”
Savithri nodded proudly.
Savithri: “Of course! Our innocent Geeta has a secret love story.”
Geeta covered her face with both hands.
Geeta: “I should never have come out with you two.”
Padma laughed, then gently pulled Geeta's hands away from her face.
Padma: “Come on, Geeta. Look at me. Who is he?”
Geeta shook her head.
Geeta: “Nobody. There is no one.”
Savithri: “Mahesh.”
The name came out so suddenly that Geeta froze.
Padma's smile disappeared into a look of genuine surprise.
Padma: “Mahesh? Our Mahesh? From college?”
Savithri: “How many Maheshes do you know?”
Padma: “Oh my God!”
She looked at Geeta again, now with a mixture of disbelief and excitement.
Padma: “You and Mahesh? I never imagined this! You used to argue with him every time he borrowed your notes.”
Geeta: “That was years ago!”
Padma: “Exactly! And now?”
Geeta glanced towards the bakery entrance, checking whether anyone from the village was nearby. Then she lowered her voice.
Geeta: “Please don't talk so loudly. Someone might hear us.”
Savithri's teasing expression softened a little.
Savithri: “All right, we'll keep our voices down. But you can't deny it forever.”
Geeta stirred her tea even though she had already added enough sugar.
Geeta: “We started talking again a few months ago. At first, it was just ordinary messages. Then we began talking more often. That's all.”
Padma: “And you never thought of telling me?”
Geeta: “How could I? You live in Bangalore, you're married, and I didn't even know how you would react. Besides, I don't know what this relationship is going to become.”
Padma studied her friend's face. Beneath the embarrassment, she could see something else—affection, nervousness and a fear that Geeta was trying hard to hide.
Padma: “Do you like him?”
Geeta didn't answer immediately.
Savithri stopped smiling and waited.
Finally, Geeta gave a small nod.
Geeta: “Yes.”
Padma: “And does he know?”
Geeta: “I think he does.”
Savithri: “Think? You both have been talking for months, and you still don't know?”
Geeta: “It's not as simple as you think! We haven't decided anything. We just… enjoy being together.”
Padma gently smiled.
Padma: “All right. We won't tease you anymore. But you should have told us, Geeta. You don't have to hide everything from your own friends.”
Geeta looked at Padma with relief.
Geeta: “I wanted to tell you. I really did. I was just afraid.”
Savithri picked up another piece of puff.
Savithri: “Fine. Now that the secret is out, I have only one question.”
Geeta narrowed her eyes.
Geeta: “What now?”
Savithri: “Yesterday, while everyone was sitting in the college function, where exactly were you and Mahesh?”
Geeta almost choked on her tea.
Padma burst into laughter.
Geeta: “Savithri! You're impossible!”
Savithri: “I'm asking a perfectly reasonable question.”
Padma: “No, no. Let her answer. I also want to know!”
Geeta looked at both of them, realised she had no chance of escaping, and finally gave a helpless smile.
Geeta: “You two are worse than the village gossip committee.”
Savithri: “Then give us the truth before we start investigating.”
For the first time that afternoon, Geeta laughed without looking worried. The conversation had begun with embarrassment, but now she was surrounded by the two people she trusted most.
Still, as Padma watched her friend smile, she wondered how much courage it took to admit that someone had begun to matter more than expected.
And somewhere beneath that thought, a memory of the previous night's college function stirred in her own mind.
She quickly reached for her tea.
Padma: “All right, Geeta. Start from the beginning. And don't leave out anything important. And you should these kind of things with your close buddies ”
Geeta groaned.
Geeta: “I knew this outing was a mistake!”
Savithri: “Too late. You're not leaving this bakery until we hear the whole story.”
The three friends burst into laughter, their voices blending with the familiar noise of the little bakery.
Savithri suddenly remembered something.
Savithri: “By the way, Padma… did you notice Rajan yesterday?”
Padma's fingers stopped moving around her tea glass.
Padma: “What about him?”
Geeta: “How can we not notice him? The moment he arrived, half the people were greeting him. After all, everyone knows his family.”
Savithri: “I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the way he was looking at you.”
Padma forced a little smile.
Padma: “He was watching the programme. I was on the stage, wasn't I?”
Savithri: “Don't act innocent. He wasn't watching the programme. He was watching you as if he could eat you with his eyes!”
Geeta laughed briefly, but then her expression became serious.
Geeta: “Actually, I noticed that too. Whenever I looked towards him, his eyes were on you.”
Padma lowered her gaze to the table.
She had noticed it as well. Even when she was speaking into the microphone, she had been aware of where he was sitting. Whenever she glanced towards the audience, she found him looking at her with that same intense expression.
She had tried to convince herself that she was imagining it.
But she wasn't.
Savithri leaned closer.
Savithri: “Padma, you remember what happened in college, don't you?”
Padma's stomach tightened.
Padma: “Of course I remember.”
Geeta: “How could we forget? He tried to cross his limits with you, and you slapped him right in front of everyone.”
Savithri: “That slap became the talk of our college for days! Nobody expected you to do that.”
Padma managed a faint smile.
Padma: “He deserved it.”
Savithri: “Absolutely. You did the right thing. Just because his family had money and influence, he thought he could behave however he wanted.”
Geeta: “After that incident, I thought he would never dare to come near you again.”
Savithri: “But yesterday, he was sitting there staring at you as if all those years had meant nothing.”
Padma felt the familiar discomfort return.
She remembered Rajan's eyes following her across the stage. She remembered the compliments he had whispered when they were alone, the power cut, and the confusing moment when she had leaned towards him. Then came the memory she was trying hardest to push away: her own voice asking him to leave her alone, and the way he had held her despite her resistance.
Her friends knew the Rajan from college.
They didn't know what had happened after the programme.
And Padma wasn't ready to explain it.
Geeta watched her carefully.
Geeta: “Padma, did he talk to you yesterday?”
Padma looked up too quickly.
Padma: “Who?”
Savithri raised an eyebrow.
Savithri: “Who else? Rajan!”
Padma : No … yes ..
Savithri : No .. yes ?!!! what is that No or yes ?!!
Padma : He said Hii to me and I said hello .. then how are you.. that’s it I said am busy have to go for next announcement..
then he left that’s it ..
Geeta : That’s it ?
Padma : ya then I become busy in anchoring..
Savithri : Yes I wanted to ask you one more thing for last 5 - 6 programs another teacher anchored !!! You were no where to be seen !!! ?
Padma : Ya … ha … I was … she .. she told she will do ya and HM said her to go to stage as well.. that’s it ..!
Savithri : But you were not seen nearer to stage.. even Rajan was not seen..
Padma : yes that time only he said Hii and then he went away… he want to home early probably??!!
Savithri : No where were returning he black SUV was there.!!
Padma: Hey that I don’t know ..
Padma's heart began to beat faster.
The questions were coming from two people who had known her since childhood. They knew her expressions, her habits, the way she spoke when she was hiding something.
She couldn't simply brush them off.
Padma: “I was tired. There was a lot of running around, and I needed a little rest.”
Savithri: “Tired? You were perfectly fine when you came to the function.”
Padma: “Savithri, must I give you a report of every minute I spend?”
Savithri blinked, surprised by the sharpness in her voice.
Padma immediately regretted it.
Padma: “Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I'm just tired of all these questions.”
Geeta's teasing expression disappeared.
Geeta: “All right. Don't get upset. We're only asking because we care about you.”
Padma looked at Geeta and felt a wave of guilt.
That was precisely the problem. They were not strangers trying to uncover gossip. They were her friends, the people who would listen if she told them the truth.
But what truth could she tell them?
That she had felt drawn into a conversation with a man she had once despised?
n curiosity from her anger at his behaviour?
She had no clear answer for herself. How could she explain it to them?
Savithri spoke more gently.
Savithri: “Padma, did he say anything about the old college incident?”
Padma shook her head.
Padma: “No.”
Geeta: “Did he apologise at least?”
Padma hesitated.
Padma: “No. Not really.”
Savithri's face hardened.
Savithri: “Then what does he want now? For sure he gone to backstage to talk to you only.. Did he try anything .. but he cannot behave like that in college, disappear for years, and suddenly come back staring at you as if he has some right over you.”
The words struck Padma more deeply than Savithri realised.
Some right over me.
That was exactly what had frightened her. Rajan sometimes spoke as if the years between them had been a temporary obstacle, as if his feelings alone could determine what happened next.
Yet Padma couldn't deny that she had been affected by his attention. That was the part she found most difficult to understand.
Being affected by someone didn't mean giving him permission.
Feeling curious didn't erase the past.
And a moment of closeness didn't give him the right to ignore her when she said no.
Padma slowly placed her empty tea glass on the table.
Padma: “I don't know what he wants. And I don't want to discuss him anymore.”
Geeta studied her for a long moment.
Geeta: “All right. We won't force you to tell us anything.”
Savithri nodded, though her curiosity had not disappeared.
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