Fishy Chronicles 24: Clearing The Fog

I waited a day to call Roma. I tried a couple of times.

By chance, I saw Aunty Glory lugging groceries home. Uncle John was in Goa - I had noticed her in the balcony many times during the day, catching sight of the cigarette smoke from between her potted plants on the balcony's ledge. Her cigarette was usually balanced on a tiny blue enamel ashtray, wedged between two flower pots so that it wasn't blown away.

How did she start smoking, I'd asked Papa. "Oh, it was glamorous in those days. But Glory just wanted to shock people's pants off, and then got hooked."

I was shocked at what Papa said, but I shouldn't have been.

Illustration by A. Peter

"What's the latest on the holiday drama, my dear?" Aunty Glory asked.

"Eva's getting along a friend - a man."

Aunty laughed. It was like many ducks quacking. Very unladylike, my mother in law - ex - had sniffed once.

"Roma's very disturbed and Genie upset her more. She didn't pick up my calls today."

"Well, she must be busy," Aunty said.

"Probably." I felt better.

"What did Genie say to throw off Roma? Hard to imagine him upsetting her. They have such great chemistry."

I dropped one of Aunty's bags. "Er, chemistry?"

She was rummaging through her handbag, looking for her key. The lift door opened and I hefted the bags to Aunty's door and waited.

"You didn't notice?" Some shrill quacks. "Oh, my darling, you don't notice a thing! They're attracted to each other. And what's not to like. At another time and place, they might have got together. Maybe. But probably not."

"Why not?"

"Well, for one, their paths should cross. Roma's parents married her early, as did all you girls."

I nodded. That great Indian tradition of marrying a woman off as early as possible. Ninety percent of the time the marriage worked. But really, who knew. A few years on the chance of a happy marriage might be an unusual theme only found in old books.

Aunty continued, "Don't worry, dear. She's too rational to fool around. And despite those silly people she lives with, she seems to manage them well. Yes, my dear, manage them. Not a bad thing at all, but not everyone's cup of tea."

"You mean manipulation, no? However hard I tried, I couldn't please anyone," I mumbled.

"Well, don't have a pity party. Better to end it than be unhappy forever." My friend Anjali had put it baldly. "You got your life back." Only, it had made me miserable to hear her say it. But as the years passed - and I settled into my singleness and caught my balance - I understood what she meant.

"Is their divorce final?"

I felt shock course through me. I thought of Roma and Georgy splitting and then realised Aunty was asking about my cousin Eva and her husband Ashok.

"N-No, Aunty. Not that we've heard of."

"Oh... Oh!" Aunty opened her mouth several times, but no words came.

"What, Aunty Glory?"

"Nothing, dear."
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This is a fictional series surrounding the narrator and her former manservant, and now friend, Genie.

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"Why did you run off yesterday, Roma?" I managed to pin down my cousin in the evening.

"I didn't."

"You ran like Satan was after you."

"Hahaha! I was in a hurry to get home. I realised today that if I manage my time better, I can sit in the BMC park for a bit - before I have to get home."

"Why would you do that?"

"I want to hear myself think," Roma said.

"Come here if you want to spend time away from everyone. You know you can come here - anytime."

"Oh... darling! You're so sweet. Of course, I'd come to you. Or I'd just kick someone's butt. That seems way easier than running away."

"It's not running away!" I protested.

"I know, I know. That came out badly. I meant I'd only run if Georgy was with me. And imagine what my kids would do to Fish if I turned up there."

"Okay. Are you going to tell Eva to stay away?"

"No. She can screw herself however she likes. And we're both going to be there to watch."

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