Page 214 - Half Girlfriend

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Chetan Bhagat’s room,

Chanakya Hotel, Patna

‘You okay?’ I said.
He had paused to wipe his tears. I gave him time. He bit his lip but
it was a losing battle. Soon, he was crying like a two-year-old, his tall

torso slumped on the chair.

‘I don’t know why I’m crying. It was a long time ago,’ Madhav
said in between sobs.

‘How long?’
‘Two years and three months. Three and a half months, actually.’

‘Since she left?’
‘Yes.’

He excused himself and went to the toilet. I made two cups of
green tea. We had finished our first cup of chai a long time ago. He

came out in a few minutes. He had washed his face.
‘Sorry,’ he said.I lost it.’

‘Here, have some more tea.’

I gave a cup to him. He took a sip.
‘What tea is this?’
‘Green tea.’

‘No milk? No sugar?’ he said. He looked at me like I was a

vegetarian vampire.
‘It’s good for you,’ I said.

‘Is it? Anyway, thanks,’ he said.
‘So, Madhav. What happened then? You met the broker. You saw

her empty house. Then? Did you try to find her?’
He nodded.

‘I did. I called her company. They said she had submitted her
resignation and left, letting go of all her benefits in return for a shorter