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It took Reevaanother hour to get a proper explanation out of Saraswati. Even then she had to listen to half an hour of Bollywood gossip before she got to the point: The movie had ended early because one of the stars had been found in bed with the director. His wife, who also happened to be financially backing the movie with her father’s money, had not been impressed. Everything had come to an instant halt while they tried to find a solution, so Saraswati had spontaneously flown to London.Because she couldn’t get through to Reeva, she’d decided to get a taxi straight to her door.
“But... why didn’t you go to the house in St. John’s Wood?Yourhouse?”
“I was worried about you!” cried her mum. She was now lying on Reeva’s sofa with a cashmere wrap flung over her shoulders becauseThis flat is so chilly, darling; you really need underfloor heating.“You didn’t answer your phone, and when I messaged your sisters, they said you’d stormed off back to London.”
“Wait, you came here because you wereworriedabout me?”
“Of course! I don’t think you’ve ever not answered a call from me before. I presumed the worst.”
This was typical Saraswati. She thought her charm would mitigate the drama she brought into everyone’s lives and persuade everyone to do whatever she wanted. Reeva had fallen for it in the past, but she was determined not to get taken in by it this time. “Right. Well, as you can see, there’s no need to worry. I’m very much alive.”
“Barely! You’re bald!” Her mum shook her head despondently. “I can’t believe it. But Raj’s wig will be here soon. It’ll be all right. You’ll just have to stay at home till then. No wonder you’re here all alone.”
“Well, I actually wanted to be alone. That’s why my phone is off.”
Her mum’s eyebrows tried to lift. “But you’re always alone. You live alone. Why do you needmorealone time? If anything, you need to party more, Reeva. Why don’t you let me call my friends to take you out? The gays would love to show you a good night out.”
This time Reeva couldn’t help rolling her eyes. “Seriously, Mum?”
“Why do you keep saying ‘seriously’ like that? You sound like Jaya.”
“I don’t want to talk about her,” scowled Reeva. “Or anything, really. Look, if you want to stay here, I’ll make up the bed in the guest room. But you’ll be more comfortable back at yours. I can call you a cab if you want?”
Her mum tutted. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, Reeva. We need to talk.”
“We already have, and I agree with you; I have zero plans to leave the house till I have some hair.”
Saraswati crossed her arms. “What happened with your sisters? Why did you leave them?”
Reeva put her chamomile tea down. “I really don’t want to talk about this.”
“Tell me or I’ll call them and make them tell me. Whose version do you want me to hear—yours or theirs?”
“Oh, for god’s sake! Mum, you’re worse than a child.” Reeva shook her head. “You know what? Fine. I’ll tell you. What does it matter anyway? I’m sick of secrets. Especially other people’s. And you know it all anyway.” She took a deep breath. “I figured out what Dad did.”
“I know. You told me.”
Reeva frowned and then her brow cleared. “Oh! I forgot. I lied to you back then. When we spoke on the phone, I was pretending. I hoped you’d let it slip.”
“Wait, so... you don’t know?”
“Nope. We thought Dad had had an affair with Leela and that you’d gone mad and made him fake his death.”
Saraswati snorted. “Leela! She’s a raving lesbian!”
“Yes, I know that now,” said Reeva. “Though I’m not sure you can really say it like that. But she seemed so close to Dad, and...you seemed to be jealous of her. Also, you said ‘if it wasn’t for her,’ so we assumed the secret was linked to her.”
A look of naked fear flashed across Saraswati’s face, but it was gone so quickly that Reeva thought she’d imagined it. “Darling, you know I don’t do jealousy,” she laughed lightly. “Especially not with someone who buys their clothes in supermarkets.”
“But why did you say that then?”
“Oh, you know what your dad was like!” Saraswati had the decency to blush when she realized what she’d said. “I mean... he was always sosuburban! He always wanted to talk, eat meals at home, and watch sports together. I can’t do any of those things! So Leela did them with him. And he idolized her for it. You know, he once had the audacity to ask me why I couldn’t be more like Leela!” Saraswati shook her head in delicate disgust. “He always did have terrible taste.”
Reeva frowned. “Wait, so did something happen between them? Did you always know she was gay?”
“Well, no.” Saraswati smoothed her trousers. “She hid it from everyone, because that’s what people did in those days. Except Hemant. For some reason, he was her confidant. But I had no idea because nobody bothered to tell me, and when I’d ask him what they were speaking about late at night, he’d refused to tell me! Of course I became suspicious.”
Reeva felt a desperate spark of hope that Nick had been up at four a.m. speaking to Hot Lips about her sexuality. And then she remembered the singer’s dating history—men, men, men.
