Sobati

04

"Hi, Praju mavshi!" Maitreyi smiled.

It had been a tiring day. She felt like she had lost all ability to sit for 4 consecutive lectures with just a 10 min break in between. How did she do this in school?

She settled down cross-legged on a bench opposite the Chemistry department building in her college. It hadn't rained that day, so the ground was dry. Maitreyi loved the rains; they reminded her of new beginnings - the start of the academic year, fresh trees with glistening leaves, the fresh smell of rain on dry ground.

She heard a chuckle from the other end, "I'm okay, manu. How are you? Are you still in college? Did you have lunch?"

Maitreyi couldn't help but laugh, "Why do you always ask about lunch? Should I tell aai that you don't trust her to give me lunch every day?" "I never said that." Her aunt laughed. "Kids your age often are so lost in their world that they forget all worldly things they need to do to sustain. Drink water at regular intervals, have lunch at the proper time, take an umbrella when going out in the rain. You know, stuff like that."

Maitreyi rolled her eyes with a small smile on her face, so typical of her aunt. "Yes, I had lunch, Praju mavshi. I also finished my entire bottle of water. I will now fill it again. And yes, I'm still in college. I am waiting for a friend because he has my library book." She absentmindedly tucked her right bra strap inside the sleeve of her kurti, and adjusted her bag that was sprawled on her left on the bench "What about you? Is it your break right now? How come you called me before 9 pm?"

Her aunt laughed again, "It's a Saturday, manu. I don't have work today. Pity you guys have college today."

"I know, right?" Maitreyi whined. "I just don't understand why they had to keep so many lectures on a Saturday."

"Anyway, how is your mother? It's her birthday coming up in a month, you do remember, right?"

"Of course I remember. Do you remember? My memory is strong. On the other hand, you are getting old." Maitreyi giggled. She could practically hear her aunt rolling her eyes and laughing. "I mean, next time I visit, I can simply decide not to bring those biscuits you like so much that are only available in a store near my house."

Maitreyi smiled, "Okay, no. You're not old and I believe you when you say you remember her birthday." She could hear a chuckle, "That's better."

The line was silent for a few moments, and then she heard a sigh from the other end, "When's the last time you spoke to Gautam? Does he even call you himself?"

Here we go. Maitreyi played with a stray thread from her kurti as she answered, "I last spoke to baba 2 days ago." And it was almost always Maitreyi calling him. She didn't need to add that, she was pretty sure her mother told her aunt about it. When her mother and father divorced, they had been the talk of their society. She was too young to feel anything more than sadness then.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing much. Just the usual. His work, how is college going, how is aai..." Maitreyi involuntarily shrugged, her eyebrows furrowed. "It's been a while since he's told me a good gossip story about his neighbors. He's been busy, that's what he said."

"Hmm."

The line went silent again. Maitreyi loved talking to her aunt, but there were certain things she liked to keep to herself. "Have you talked to baba after the divorce?" The question was not answered for a few more moments and then her aunt finally sighed, "I think I last spoke to him 3 years ago. We don't really talk much. Your mother and he have a call every few months though. To talk about you, mostly."