‘ She said she didn’ t care. She said the landlord could keep the deposit.’
He unlocked the apartment. We went in. Her furniture and TV were all there. I went to the kitchen, Everything seemed to be in its place, from the condiments to the appliances. The utensils and the gas stove were still there. I went to her bedroom. I only found her clothes’ cupboard empty.
‘ She’ s left most of her goods here,’ Hemant said.‘ She said I could sell them.’‘ She did?’‘ Really, she did,' Hemant said, worried I might stake a claim.‘ Madam said I could sell these goods to cover any costs of breaking the lease or finding the landlord a new tenant.’‘ What else did she say?’ I said.‘ Sir, l can keep these things?’‘ Hemant, tell me exactly what she said. Did she say where she was going?’‘ No, sir. Sir, even the TV I can keep?’‘ Hemant,’ I said, grabbing hold of him by the shoulder.‘ What else did she say?’‘ She said she wouldn’ t be coming back as she has quit her job.’ ' Did she say where was she going?' I said, shaking his shoulder.‘ No, sir,' Hemant said, looking scared,‘ Sir, you want some of these things? Really, I am not that type of person, She did say I could keep them.’
I ignored him and went to the balcony. I looked down at the street. I took out the letter from my pocket and read it again.
' I love you,’ it said at the end. I had read that line over a hundred times on my way to Patna.‘ Not fair, Riya,’ I said out loud,‘ not fair.'‘ Sir?’ Hemant came out to the balcony. ' If you hear anything from her, her company, her friends or anyone, let me know,’ I said.
‘ She said she didn’ t care. She said the landlord could keep the deposit.’
He unlocked the apartment. We went in. Her furniture and TV were all there. I went to the kitchen, Everything seemed to be in its place, from the condiments to the appliances. The utensils and the gas stove were still there. I went to her bedroom. I only found her clothes’ cupboard empty.
‘ She’ s left most of her goods here,’ Hemant said.‘ She said I could sell them.’‘ She did?’‘ Really, she did,' Hemant said, worried I might stake a claim.‘ Madam said I could sell these goods to cover any costs of breaking the lease or finding the landlord a new tenant.’‘ What else did she say?’ I said.‘ Sir, l can keep these things?’‘ Hemant, tell me exactly what she said. Did she say where she was going?’‘ No, sir. Sir, even the TV I can keep?’‘ Hemant,’ I said, grabbing hold of him by the shoulder.‘ What else did she say?’‘ She said she wouldn’ t be coming back as she has quit her job.’ ' Did she say where was she going?' I said, shaking his shoulder.‘ No, sir,' Hemant said, looking scared,‘ Sir, you want some of these things? Really, I am not that type of person, She did say I could keep them.’
I ignored him and went to the balcony. I looked down at the street. I took out the letter from my pocket and read it again.
' I love you,’ it said at the end. I had read that line over a hundred times on my way to Patna.‘ Not fair, Riya,’ I said out loud,‘ not fair.'‘ Sir?’ Hemant came out to the balcony. ' If you hear anything from her, her company, her friends or anyone, let me know,’ I said.