‘No, I don’t know where it is.’ That was one of the few lies Anupama uttered in her life. Worried by the strange look on Anupama’s face, Girija asked her at once, ‘Anupama, have you seen my purse?’ Girija looked so innocent that, for a minute, she felt she had misjudged her. Who was the person Girija was going to meet? Was Radhakka aware of this?īy the time mother and daughter returned, Anupama had managed to calm herself. Confused, she sat in the car thinking about the note. When the driver returned to take the money, Anupama gave it to him. Finding the tablets in Girija’s purse had momentarily stunned her. What caught Anupama’s attention was a packet of oral contraceptives hidden inside with a note that said, ‘After 10 p.m.’.Īnupama had been taking the same tablets since her wedding because Anand had not wanted children so soon. It contained a mirror, a small comb, a packet of bindis, a handkerchief and some money. As Anupama replaced the money, she noticed that Girija’s purse was like that of any other college student. Anupama was disconcerted at the thought that she had handled someone else’s purse without asking. Anand had bought two identical purses when they had gone to Ooty on their honeymoon-one for Anupama and one for Girija. She had already taken out the money when she realized that the purse was not hers. Will you pay for the vegetables?’Īnupama went back to the car to get her purse. She told the vendor to weigh out the vegetables and was standing near the shop, lost in thought, when the driver asked her, ‘Madam, avva has forgotten to give me the money. I will be back with Girija in a few minutes.’Īnupama did not ask where they were going as she did not want them to think she was prying. So she said, ‘You buy some vegetables here. She did not want her to be dazzled by all the wealth on display and desire more than what was due to her. Radhakka was reluctant to take her new daughter-in-law to the jeweller with her. As they drove through the market, Radhakka remembered that she had to collect some ornaments she had ordered from the jeweller’s shop. Radhakka, Girija and Anupama had gone to the airport to see Anand off.
Shall we go now? It will be late by the time we reach home.’ Radhakka understood her confusion and reassured her, ‘Don’t worry, time will fly very fast. She had still not understood fully how that had happened. Anand had been a stranger to her three months back and now he had become the most important part of her life. She felt miserable and her heart was heavy.
Anupama stood gazing at the sky until she lost sight of the aeroplane.
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