Chapter 9: The shopping
The message glowed on his screen, a bright rectangle of betrayal in the dim parking lot. Dhurandar movie tickets confirmed.
Two tickets.
Priya watched his face change. “What is it?”
The flickering neon sign buzzed like a trapped insect. A shopping cart, left against a concrete pillar, rattled in a gust of hot, petrol-scented wind.
“Nothing. Movie confirmed at 5 pm today after your lingerie shopping ,” Rohan said, locking his phone. The lie was ash in his mouth.
“Hmm.” She didn’t believe him. She started walking toward the car, her sandals clicking on the pavement. “We need to go to one more shop. Downstairs. The big one.”
“Ma, we have the shawl. We should get home. Dad…”
The elevator doors opened, empty and bright. They stepped in. The word ‘after’ hung in the sterile air. After the hospital. After the procedure in Kolkata. After things changed forever.
The store downstairs was a cavern of fluorescent light and overwhelming choice. Racks of bras in every conceivable color stretched toward the ceiling. Priya moved past them without a glance, her focus absolute. She focuses on buying good panty and bra