Interlude 6
Sandesh was so preoccupied at lunch time, that he didn't notice the glow on Shama's face, the spring in Shama's steps, the happiness in Shama's speech, the shine in Shama's eyes. He was so preoccupied that he didn't find it amiss when Shama didn't object to his not attending to his daily fatherly obligation to his daughter.
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Shama was having bouts of anxiety.
She had brought her daughter with her to the shop counter with the dual aim of not letting her sleep in the afternoon, and of letting Sandesh sleep peacefully. The former was so that the child would tire early and sleep soundly. The latter so that the father would leave early and return late.
At around five pm, Mansoor came out of the guesthouse. Seeing Shama along with her daughter at the counter, he came over and started chatting with Shama's daughter. After a while, he asked the child if she wanted to go with him for a walk, which she readily agreed. So the duo left.
Shama opened the garage door, then shut down the shop and went inside. Her anxiety abated as she prepared the prayer spread for her husband's monthly religious activity.
When Sandesh left and she was alone in the house, she picked up her phone instrument and messaged.
S: He has left. How is she?
M: Good. Enjoying vanilla milk shake.
S: How long?
M: 20 minutes?
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When Mansoor returned with the toddler, it was past six pm. While he was playing with her on the lawn, the other occupants of the guesthouse returned. They saw their Mani Sir playing catch-me-if-you-can with the landlord's daughter. Some of the married tenants stopped to watch and smiled, as Mansoor jogged ahead theatrically, making funny noises, and the child running behind him on her tiny legs, trying to catch him. He made a big fall to allow her to jump on him and claim victory. What innocent fun!!
But she was tired. Mansoor dropped her at the door of her home and went back to the guesthouse. He spent some time with his subordinate workers and made a show of leaving for a late night movie show-the same which some of the workers had seen over the weekend. As they were cooking their dinner and preparing to retire for the night, he left the guesthouse, locking the gate behind him.
It was eight pm.