Page 156 - Half Girlfriend

She became quiet.

'You want anything sweet? They have kulfi and gulab jamun,' I
said, desperate to change the topic.
‘We got divorced,’ she said in a calm voice, as if she had expressed

her sweet-dish preference.

I didn’t have anything to say. Apart from shock, I felt a warm
tingle at the back of my neck.

Had I just felt happy at what she said? I clenched my teeth. I didn’t
want my smile to leak out.

Oh my God, that is the best news I have heard in years, a cheerful
voice spoke inside my head. Even my soul jumped about in

excitement.
I tried to look as serious as possible.

‘That’s terrible,’ I said at last.
She nodded.

‘Sweet dish?’ I said in a soft voice. Well, the occasion did deserve

something sweet.
She shook her head. She looked upset, on the verge of tears. I
wanted to touch her hand, but I restrained myself.

‘What happened?’ I said, my tone as genuine as possible.

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
I nodded. Typical Riya, I thought.

‘Can we talk about something else, please?’ she said.
‘Yeah, sure. What?’

‘Anything?’
‘You want kulfi?’ I said.

‘No, Madhav, I don’t want kulfi. Or anything else to eat. Can you
talk about something else, please?’

I thought I had talked about something else. Doesn’t the topic of
kulfi count as something else? Well, who can argue with girls?

‘How long are you in Patna for?’ I said.
‘My job is here. I have to find a place to live, actually.’

‘Really? Which company do you work for?’