‘Actually, it was just fifty thousand.’
‘So you didn’t give him everything? Good for you!’
‘No, I did give all to that b-.’ Lata couldn’t bring herself to pronounce the B word.
‘What? I don’t understand…’
‘I never had a lot of jewellery.’
‘But you always had on a new piece for every function at the Club.’
‘Ajay asked me to exchange my old pieces for new ones and sometimes we even rented them for the really important events.’
‘That idiot! Come on!’ Rita jumped up, dragging Lata with her.
‘But the bill,’ said Lata tremously.
‘Oh, they’ll just put it on our account.’
‘Your husband knows that you come here.’
‘Of course, he does.’
‘And he doesn’t mind?’
‘That’s the least of his worries, if he wants to continue calling me his patni-devi. Now, let’s get Cindrella ready for the ball!’ replied Rita, pulling Lata into Lakshmi Jeweller’s.
***
Lata couldn’t help feeling that she looked like a bad version of Rita, who literally dragged her along, shouting ‘hello darlings’ right, left and centre. She was shorter and plumper than Rita, even if Rita had a harsher face. Their husbands followed a few steps behind. Ajay looked less confident than usual.
Lata wasn’t sure that her short new hair-style suited her, but she was convinced that her make-up must be sticking out by about six inches all around her face.
Rita had come early with her own beautician to get Lata all ‘dolled up’. But Lata didn’t exactly feel comfortable as the latest version of an Indian Barbie. She found the saree and the jewellery too flashy for her taste. However, Rita had insisted, as the maroon silk highlighted Lata’s milky complexion quite well.
She tottered a little on her high heels and was glad that Rita had her firmly by the elbow, as she dragged her forward to their table. Lata had instinctively covered the plunging neck-line of her blouse with her saree, although she wasn’t supposed to.
‘What are you doing here with that woman?’ Malini hissed in her right ear.
Lata turned to see Malini looking furiously at her, while Rita was occupied in greeting more friends. Their husbands seemed to be chatting about inanities.
‘You look awful!’ hissed Malini, even more furiously.
Lata was about to agree, when she caught the eye of the young, new waiter, gazing at her in admiration.
‘Do you have to make things worse by hanging around that woman? Haven’t you already heard millions of rumours about her?’ Malini dragged her away from Rita and their table to a secluded corner by the hedges.
‘You shouldn’t believe everything you hear…’ said Lata abstractedly, returning the smile of the young waiter.
‘I never really believed anything they said about you, you know.’
‘Is that why you called me only twice and never came to see me when I was supposedly ill?’
‘You know how it is with kids. They were sick, so I…’
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