Page 36 of Pillow Talk
They were in the firm’s conference room analysing documents for a criminal case his father was working on.
His father put the document down on the table and looked at Sen. ‘I’m serious. Why do you want to work this case? You gave up criminal law.’
Sen didn’t look up from the document he was pretending to read.
‘I didn’t completely give up,’ he replied.
‘Senthil, you did. Can you just tell me what’s going on?’
Sen put down the document and faced his father. ‘I just need a distraction.’
‘From what?’
Sen rolled his shoulders back. He’d been sitting for several hours.
‘Senthil, tell me from what?’
‘Dad, I need to feel alive.’
His father observed him over the rim of his reading glasses before asking, ‘Does this have something to do with Shona Shah?’
Sen’s eyes widened. ‘What makes you say that?’
His father shook his head. ‘You thought I didn’t know that you’re dating Shona Shah?’
Sen coughed. ‘I’ve never dated Shona.’
‘Okay, seeing Shona, in love with Shona, having a relationship with Shona…I don’t know what your generation calls it,’ his father replied.
Sen shook his head. ‘Dad, you’re off the mark. Shona and I are…were just friends. She has nothing to do with me wanting a distraction.’
‘Then why are you talking your grandfather’s ear off about her?’
Sen choked. His father pushed the water jug to him.
‘Don’t look so surprised. My father is not old and senile. He told your mother and I that you were obviously in love with Shona,’ he said.
Sen shifted in his seat. ‘Mom knows?’
His father nodded.
‘But there is nothing to know. I am not in love with Shona.’
‘So, you didn’t spend every waking hour of your summers with those two girls because you fancied one of them? You didn’t ask about Shona whenever you called home from school?’
Sen ran his hand through his perfectly styled hair.
‘Dad, they were myonlyfriends in Rally,’ he answered.
His father was in lawyer mode. ‘And now? No friends? Is that why you spend so much time with Shona?’
Sen looked away.
‘Dad! Our closest friends got married to each other. Of course we had to spend time together ahead of the wedding, and when we all meet,’ he argued.
His father’s eyes shone. Sen knew that look. His dad was goingfor the jugular. ‘So, Samuel and his wife, newlyweds, are there when you’re at Shona’s apartment almost every night?’
Sen’s eyes were as big as saucers. He was speechless.
