He does. This is not cruelty; it is respect. In India, to pay the asking price is to insult the dance of commerce.
Kavya returns, throwing her helmet on the sofa. She is arguing on the phone about a legal precedent for her moot court. She uses words like “locus standi” and “ultra vires.” Ramesh doesn’t understand, but he feels a burst of pride so fierce it hurts his chest. He offers her a sip of his chai . She takes it, rolls her eyes, but takes it. Dinner is the only time all five are together. Aakash is awake now, groggy but present. The TV is on—a news channel shouting about a political scandal no one believes. The dining table is a round, chipped plastic one. bhabhi ki nangi gaand
“We’ll manage.”
“And Kavya’s college fees are due next month.” He does
“Hmm.”
“Hmm.”