'Yeah, but it's urgent,' Maya raises her voice toward the phone resting on the kitchen slab as she kneads the flour dough with the heels of her bare hands—no rings, no bracelets.

A muffled disturbance crackles over the speaker.

Finally, a timid female voice answers, 'Hello?'

Maya wipes her hands on the kitchen towel.

'Hi, Shikha, it's me. Dhruv's sister.'

A brief pause. Then, a soft and tentative, 'Hi, Di.'

Maya picks up the phone, switches off the speaker, and says, 'Shikha, can we... can we talk?'

'Uh... Di... about that day. I... we...' She pauses, small huffs audible over the line, then exhales and speaks clearly, 'He didn't expect me to show up at your door first thing in the morning. That was all me. I had this sudden frustration about the lack of closure I got from him, and I needed to vent. I know perfectly well that nobody's at fault here. He explained things, and I know I'm ready to wait.'

'Ready to wait? Knowing he can't afford a girlfriend right now and that it could take an indefinite amount of time for him to get a job?' Maya asks.

'Trusting that he will make it—and that we'll be together again,' Shikha replies, her voice steady and confident.

Maya doesn't respond immediately. She chews on Shikha's words, giving them the sincerity they deserve.

'Okay,' she says finally, then adds, 'I hope I didn't do anything to hurt you. And if you did feel that way, just know it wasn't my intention. I'm really sorry. I just want my brother to focus on his career before anything else.'

'I know, Di. I know this needed to happen. He wasn't doing well, and my presence wasn't helping. It's for the best. We're fine. And we won't meet until he stands on his own two feet.'

'Thank you, Shikha,' Maya says.

'It's... alright, Di.'

Maya doesn't hang up just yet, drawing in a deep breath to say something reassuring. But before she can, the faint shuffling of footsteps sounds outside the apartment—Dhruv is back from the errand she sent him on. She quickly hangs up, slips the phone into her pocket, and retreats to the kitchen just as the door swings open.

Dhruv strides in, a plastic bag of Amul Gold in hand, and places it in the refrigerator.

'Here's your doodh. I think it's paneer for lunch, considering the milk was curdled?'

'Oh, yes, yes,' Maya replies, smearing oil on the dough before covering it with a lid, though her gaze flits toward the uncurdled milk sitting on the counter.

Dhruv drags his feet as he exits the kitchen. Maya watches from the corner of her eye until the faint sound of the door shutting echoes through the apartment. Only then does she dart toward the milk. She'd forgotten to curdle it, and lunch was riding on it now.

She's still in the kitchen when her phone pings.

It's Siddharth.

Hi!

Bit occupied.

Just wanted to confirm our date tomorrow?

It's not a date.

Kid yourself

Then it's not happening.

Kidding*

It's on.

Phew!!!

******

A/N

10/22 is here!

Cheers!!!

XOXO
Shailey