‘Are you done yet?’ asked Akash.
‘No,’ said Shreyasi. ‘Just this terribly written book is left. But I don’t want to get this signed. I will get it signed when he rewrites it or redeems himself in the next book.’
Akash frowned. ‘That’s no way to talk to someone.’
Just then, Ram Prakash came looking for Daman. ‘Oh, you’re signing books here. We were waiting for you inside.’ That’s when Ram Prakash noticed Shreyasi. They exchanged smiles and shook hands. ‘What you did at the book launch was uncalled for, Beta. He’s a new writer, why heckle him with questions?’
‘I am sorry, Uncle,’ she said.
‘I haven’t seen you in days. I hope you’re not buying e-books, are you?’
‘No, Uncle. Never,’ said Shreyasi. ‘And I am sorry I took away your author. I was just getting something signed.’
Ram Prakash looked at Daman and said, ‘I told you, she’s one of our most regular customers.
That’s why I couldn’t shut her up there. She was really excited when your book came out. But I don’t think she liked it.’ The man laughed throatily. He looked at Shreyasi and told her, ‘I have asked him to write the second book quickly.’
‘I hope he doesn’t make the same stupid mistake again.’ She looked at Daman. ‘I will be looking forward to it. Try not to screw that up or . . .’ she said. ‘Anyway, I won’t take any more of your time. Can I hug you before I leave?’ Before Daman could say anything, she had already stepped forward. As she hugged him, she whispered, ‘Best of luck, baby. I hope you will give me what I want.’
‘Me? Is that what you want?’ whispered Daman into Shreyasi’s ear.
She whispered back. ‘I could have you any moment I want to, Daman. You’re not difficult to get.
What I want is to have our love story back, not this pile of garbage you wrote. I live for our story.
Do you understand?’ She stepped away and smiled at Daman.
Akash remarked, ‘Happy now?’
‘Yes.’
Akash thanked Daman for his time and left with his wife, Shreyasi. Ram Prakash and Daman returned to the back office.
‘Have you met her husband before?’ asked Daman.
‘Yes, a couple of times. I went to their wedding reception as well. He’s a nice, cultured guy. Her parents were concerned about her marriage for a long time. People say she had a boyfriend who was in the hospital and that’s why she was stalling the marriage for a long time even after being engaged to the boy. They are a lovely couple though. God bless them.’
17
‘So where do you want to go?’
‘Anywhere other than Summerhouse,’ said Avni, pre-empting Daman’s choice. ‘I heard you were mobbed by a girl when you left the back office? Celebrity, eh?’ She nudged him mischievously.
‘Was she hot? Did she make you sign her cleavage?’
‘She was with her husband,’ clarified Daman. He toyed with the idea of coming clean about
Shreyasi, and telling Avni about the reappearance. He dropped it when he thought that word might reach his family and Sumit. All hell would break loose then. He decided to wait till he figured out what was it that she really wanted and where she’d been all this time. He needed to talk to her, sit with her, and figure this out.
Thirty minutes later, Daman and Avni were in the parking lot of Hauz Khas Village drinking warm vodka and coke out of plastic tumblers. Daman just had the one peg. He had to drive later, he said. Together, they checked the pictures D