Read Online A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry - Free Book Online Page A

blue frock. Ruby admired it, and praised Dina’s cooking. She said that the pulao-dal was really tasty. Dina replied graciously that she had learned a lot from her sister-in-law. “But I still have a long way to go before reaching your standards.”
    For the two boys, who were only six and three, Dina had cooked separately, without spices. But Xerxes and Zarir insisted on having what the adults were eating. Ruby allowed them a taste of it, and they wanted more despite their tongues hanging out.
    “Never mind,” said Dina, laughing, “the ice cream will put out the fire.”
    “Can I have it now?” chorused the children.
    “Rustom Uncle has yet to go and get it,” said Dina. “We don’t have an icebox like yours to store it. Here, have this for the time being,” and she popped sugar crystals in their mouths from the ceremonial tray of garlands and coconuts.
    Later, while she cleared the table with Ruby helping, Rustom decided it was time to go for the Kwality Family Pack. “In case they don’t have strawberry, which one – chocolate or vanilla?”
    “Chocolate,” said Xerxes.
    “Lanilla,” said Zarir, and everyone laughed.
    “Lanilla!” teased Rustom. “You always have to be different, don’t you?”
    “I wonder from where he got the trait,” said Nusswan. “Certainly not his father,” and they all laughed again. He seized the opportunity to add, “But what about you two, Rustom? Time to start a family, I think. Three years is long enough for a holiday.”
    Rustom only smiled, not wanting to encourage a discussion. He opened the door to leave, and Nusswan jumped up. “Shall I give you company?”
    “Oh no, just relax, you’re the guest. Besides, if we walk, it will take too long. Alone, I can go on my cycle, return in ten minutes.”
    Dina set out clean plates and spoons for the ice cream, and put the kettle on. “The tea should be nice and ready by the time he is back.”
    Fifteen minutes later, they were still waiting. “Where can he be? The tea is getting so strong. Maybe you two should drink yours now.”
    “No, we’ll wait for Rustom,” said Ruby.
    “There must be a big rush or something at the ice-cream shop,” said Nusswan.
    Dina boiled a second kettleful to dilute the infusion. She returned the pot under the tea-cosy. “Forty-five minutes since he left.”
    “Maybe it was sold out at the first place,” said Nusswan. “Strawberry is very popular, always out of stock. Maybe he went somewhere else, further away.”
    “He wouldn’t, he knows I would worry.”
    “Maybe he got a puncture,” said Ruby.
    “Even walking back with a puncture would take only twenty minutes.”
    She went to the verandah to see if she could spot him pedalling in the distance. It reminded her of the nights when they would part after the concert recitals, and she would be on the upper deck of the bus, trying to keep his disappearing bicycle in sight.
    The memory made her smile, but it quickly faded under the present anxiety. “I think I’ll go and see what’s the matter.”
    “No, I’ll go,” offered Nusswan.
    “But you don’t know where the shop is, or the road Rustom would take. You might miss each other.”
    In the end they both went. Seeing how tense Dina was, he kept repeating, “Has to be a perfectly simple explanation.” She nodded, walking faster. He had to make an effort to keep up.
    It was after nine, and the streets were quiet. In the lane at the end of which stood the ice-cream shop, a knot of people had gathered by the footpath. As they got closer, Nusswan and Dina noticed that the police were also present.
    “Wonder what’s going on,” said Nusswan, trying to conceal his alarm.
    Dina was the first to spot the bicycle. “It’s Rustom’s,” she said. Her voice had turned into a stranger’s, sounding unfamiliar to her own ears.
    “Are you sure?” He knew she was. The bicycle was mangled but the saddle was whole. He pushed his way through the crowd towards the policemen. A