the room began objecting. They pulled on earlobes, muttering, ‘Toba toba.’ It was a terrible omen. Anu swooned, wondering if this was the doctor’s doing. Was he trying to interfere with her plans?
‘Stop it!’ Nissrine’s mother commanded again.
Dia whispered something that sounded like, ‘It’s only a cat’s paw.’
Daanish and several other men entered the room. Two uncles, determined to enforce order, began pushing into the circle surrounding the two girls. But the women barricaded them. ‘Go back,’ they shouted. ‘We know how to handle this.’ An argument erupted between the aunts and their husbands.
Dia was now holding Nissrine’s hand and seemed to say, ‘Catch a petal.’ With her other hand, she pointed at three plump white strings close to the wall. Other eyes settled confusedly on the objects.
‘What’s going on?’ an uncle demanded.
‘What’s wrong with those two girls?’ another pitched in.
The women tried again to send the men away. Daanish, Anu saw, was staring at Nissrine’s friend. His lips disclosed a hint of a smile as he inched closer to the circle. Anu rushed in after him.
Dia’s nose was flushed with excitement. Her blue dupatta had fallen off her shoulders. She kept looking toward the writhing objects on the floor, shaking Nissrine and saying, ‘Stupid, they’re only caterpillars. Silkworms.’ Then she looked around her, stuttering to Nissrine’s mother, ‘I’m so sorry. Sorry. Really, very sorry.’
Daanish was moving in closer. Someone stopped him. ‘Ay haay, hato na! It’s not right for you to be here.’
‘I know what’s right for me,’ he answered firmly, causing both girls to look in his direction. When she saw him, Nissrine started weeping.
‘Oh Nini, let’s just go,’ Dia said. They collected their bags and prepared to leave, hastily bidding Anu farewell. Nissrine was sobbing loudly now, Dia apologizing, Nissrine’s mother enraged and incoherent.
‘Shameful,’ Anu muttered to Nissrine’s mother.
‘Please,’ she replied. The rest of her speech ignited in a ball of fire on each cheek.
Daanish picked up the larvae. ‘What should I do with them?’ he called out to Dia.
At the door, she turned around. Her eyes were large and russet, with dark flints of defiance burning at the center. ‘Find out yourself!’ Then her face crumpled. ‘We didn’t mean this. And we’re really sorry about your father.’ She hurried away.
Anu bolted the door behind her.
‘Look. I said I was sorry.’ Dia leaned into the wall of the dining room, popping mulberries with one hand, holding the phone with the other. The cook was in the next room, watching cricket. No, watching ads. Dia tilted her head and saw the TV: two women were waiting to be interviewed for an airhostess’s job. Cut to the next scene. The one who got it revealed her secret to the loser: a tube of skin-whitening cream. Now she could fly!
Nini’s voice on the receiver was weak from crying. Dia chewed nervously. They’d been on the phone an hour, but her friend had unwavering stamina.
It hadn’t gone the way she’d expected at all. The caterpillars were meant to tweak Nini, not cause such a scene. At the thought of the widow, Dia’s stomach ached. She listened to Nini and it ached even more.
The two had put themselves in many ludicrous situations before, often without the other one’s consent, but it had never caused such a rift. She wondered if this was what happened to women on the verge of twenty.
Desperate, Dia popped three spongy berries at once. She exhaled loudly. The hair framing her forehead fluttered. ‘Listen, Nini. Let’s not make the mistake of falling out because of a man. How many times have we seen that, huhn? And yes, it was rather extravagant of me to put not just one but three dozing silkworms down your kameez but you have to admit you only started screaming when I told you what they were. But forget that now. Just say what you want me to do. I said I was sorry. I’ve said it a thousand times. And I mean it.’
‘How did you come up with such a hideous prank, Dia? You know I hate bugs.’ Nissrine blew her nose loudly.
‘Elephant,’ Dia hissed under her breath. Out loud she said, ‘Yes, I know you hate them. And Inam Gul knows too. When you won’t be my partner in crime, he’s always there for me.’
‘Tell him from me: Grow up.’
Dia popped another berry. It was the sweetest of the lot. She chewed loudly, secretly rather proud of the cook for coming through with yet another wicked plot. If Nini had blown it out of proportion, it wasn’t his fault.
In the other room, a milk commercial was in progress, featuring a heavily made-up woman only too delighted to have her day interrupted by a slew of visitors. This way, she got to make them tea!
‘You don’t understand.’ Nini blew her nose again.
‘What don’t I understand? What? You keep saying that but you won’t bloody-well explain what.’
The whimpering subsided into stifled chokes. Finally, Nini cleared her throat and said in a cool, decisive tone: ‘That boy’s mother sent a proposal for me.’
There was silence. Then: ‘God.’
‘Don’t have a heart attack for me.’
Dia shook her head. Then for who else?
‘My mother asked me. I thought about it. And I decided, well, why not?’
Dia spat the pink fruity mass out and screamed, ‘Why not? Why not? Is that all you can say? Nini, who are you?’
Nissrine clicked her tongue. ‘I knew I’d get a lecture from you. That’s why I kept it to myself.’ She sighed and her voice softened. ‘I want more from life, Dia. I’m sick of being stuck in this house doing what I’ve always done. I want something different.’
‘Oh, Nini. Is any change better than none? What makes you think marrying a stranger will give you the kind you need?’
‘Don’t worry,’ she answered bitterly. ‘After what happened yesterday, his mother will probably rescind.’
‘I would never have gone if I’d known.’
‘I know. That’s another reason I didn’t tell you. I wanted you to see him, Dia. I wanted us to gossip. I knew we wouldn’t if you knew.’ She added dreamily, ‘Even after our marriage. If …’ Her voice trailed.
Dia paced, disgusted. Nini needed to be shaken back into her old skin. But it was as Nini said: now that Dia knew her intentions, she’d no idea what to do. Walk around Nini
