The Price You Pay

The Price You Pay: Chapter 23

Mrs. Gomez is a kind woman. Her light hair is cropped into a bob, which emphasizes the roundness of her face. Through bone-rimmed glasses, wide eyes, looking at me with patience.

I sit in front of her in the living room where Maya has left us with coffee, to talk. I fidget, not knowing where to look. I am nervous because I don't want to know what she is going to ask. I am nervous because I am afraid something will change. I am nervous because I have spent the night wondering about my life here with the Malhotras, and because I have come to the conclusion that I'd like to stay here, if possible.

And I don't know if there is any chance I will be removed and replaced for whatever reason.

So yeah, I'm nervous.

Mrs. Gomez has a long form of questions she needs to go through, but she apologizes beforehand. She doesn't seem to be really bothered by the fact that I don't talk, she just looks up every time to see me nod or shake my head.

It's such a relief to be able to answer truthfully. There is no Rajeev sitting with me, sending me warning glances and touching my back where he kicked me just before the social worker came, just to remind me I wouldn't play any games, as he called them.

I turn my focus back to the questions of Mrs. Gomez. Yes, I like it here. Yes, I am being taken care of. No, I am not in need of anything. No, I have not been deprived of any care. No, I have not been hurt.

Yes, I want to stay.

After that last question, I am strangely relieved I have finally admitted it out loud. Mrs. Gomez beams at me and calls Maya into the room with us.

More questions, more glances. But there's no tension here. No threat.

I sit, just experiencing the atmosphere, and when Maya looks at me I know we are both thinking back on what happened in the kitchen yesterday.

And when she smiles at me, I smile back.

They talk logistics. Maya tells Mrs. Gomez what happened with the box, and the shock on the social worker's face is obvious.

I don't like this. And I don't understand why others can be so shocked about what happened. I mean, it's not like I didn't have it coming or anything.

"Have you gotten new things already, Riddhima?" Mrs. Gomez asks.

I nod. I have some stuff. I'll survive.

"We will go shopping as soon as she feels ready for it," Maya adds. "Until that time, we have provided her with a basic wardrobe and we have lent Riddhima clothes. Although I do believe she's more comfortable in her own things."

"That's understandable," Mrs. Gomez smiles at me. "It's good to see you are doing well. How is your health? Your throat?"

I nod to let her know it's okay.

"I see here you should be off the fluid food now. How is that coming along?"

I nod again. I'm good. No pain anymore.

"And your voice?"

At this my eyes fly up to hers, and I can tell she's surprised at my sudden reaction.

After a moment of awkward silence, Maya speaks very softly. "It works. When Riddhima was sick in her first week here, she hallucinated and she screamed."

Mrs. Gomez nods and scribbles something down on her form. The silence is heavy and I swallow thickly, trying to get rid of the sudden tension I feel.

"Very well. But you haven't talked yet?"

I shake my head as Mrs. Gomez nods and writes something down again.

"Maybe in time," she smiles. "I think we're done here, Riddhima. I would like to talk some more now with Maya in private."