Chapter 1: Introduction
The sun had begun setting behind the neighborhood's block of houses, their white stucco walls glowing a warm peach before turning into the cool blue of shadow. The party had been in full swing for a few hours already. Ribbons of smoke from the grills cut across the backyards; kids chased each other with toy swords while mothers called out tiredly from the sidelines. Here and there, red plastic cups littered grass and tables like miniature pinpricks of color, too many empty bottles filling trash cans around us.
Seeta baamma, an elegant woman in her sixties dressed in a hot-pink saree, her hair pulled back into a loose braid, moved gracefully from one group to another, dispensing snacks and smiles in equal measures. I noticed Jane, a voluptuous, introverted woman with striking green eyes, huddled alone in the corner playing on her phone, looking rather forlorn.
Curiosity piqued, I made my way over, an easy grin on my face. "Mind if I crash the party?" I asked gently.
Jane looked up, a bit startled, then smiled. "Of course not. I'm just people-watching."
"Ah, the wallflower approach," I chuckled. "I've been there once or twice." I glanced slyly at her screen. "Playing Candy Crush, are we?"
She blushed. "How could you guess?"
"Lucky guess." I grinned. "Care for a partner? I promise I won't judge if you beat me!"
Her eyes widened, but she couldn't help laughing.
"I'd love that. The competition could be fierce, though."
So there we sat, side by side, thumbs flying over the screens of our phones, the glow of the screens bathing our faces as the laughter and clinking of glasses from our fellow neighbors blurred into the background.
"You know, I can't help but notice that your husband is away quite often," I murmured, glancing at her left hand and back, trying not to sound too obvious. The words just slipped out; perhaps I truly wanted to understand how someone like Jane dealt with loneliness.