Page 61 of Pillow Talk
Eleven
Shona beamed as she closed her door. Esha couldn’t get over her altered veil. She thanked Shona far too many times.
Now that the veil was out of her hands, Shona had to deal with the complications in her life.
She dialled Aruna’s cell number. It just rang. She had to speak to her sister. She couldn’t ignore the situation any longer, so she sent a text inviting Aruna for lunch at her apartment during her break. She didn’t receive a reply.
A few hours later, she was ordering fabric online when her doorbell rang. She adjusted her summer T-shirt dress and opened the door.
Aruna stood there looking at her feet.
Shona murmured a greeting.
Her sister nodded.
‘Come in … please.’
‘You said you wanted to see me,’ mumbled Aruna as she entered.
‘Yes, I did. Let me make us some lunch and we can talk,’ Shona replied.
‘No thanks. I’ve already eaten.’
Shona nodded, not knowing how to approach this. After amoment’s hesitation, she stepped forward and said, ‘Let’s sit down and talk.’
Her sister complied. Aruna was so graceful, so beautiful and so aloof.
‘I want to apologise. Last time I saw you, I said some things that may have been harsh. I shouldn’t have,’ Shona said.
Aruna looked up. The surprise on her face made Shona sad. Did her sister really think she was incapable of love, care and apologising?
She continued, ‘I’m sorry, Aruna. I just couldn’t take the shop. And now I see that I boxed myself in there.’
Aruna didn’t say anything.
‘I took out my frustration on you,’ Shona acknowledged.
Aruna shifted in her seat.
‘I’m sorry too. I should have respected your decision to leave,’ she said after a brief hesitation.
‘Can I ask you a question, Aru?’
Her sister nodded.
‘Why did you stop dancing?’
Aruna looked away. Shona regretted asking her; it was clear it was a sore point. Her sister wiped a tear away before turning back to Shona.
‘I didn’t have a choice,’ she said.
Shona was taken aback. Of course she had a choice. Her parents never complained about her dance schedule or even the expensive traditional outfits she had to have.
Aruna sighed. ‘Does it matter now, Shona?’
The sadness on her sister’s face showed that it still mattered.
‘I know you don’t want to talk about it. But Aru, over the last few months, I’ve come to realise that talking can help one heal,’ she encouraged.
