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their heads. And what do you think they do? They allow their imaginations to rush in and fill those holes with the most impossible fantasies. At least I haven’t done that. But I do need to know the truth now, Mum. And there’s no one who can tell me but her .’ By now, Sonya had released Laura and they stood looking at each other by the dishwasher, both their eyes full of angry tears.
    After a pause, Laura bent to collect the dishes. ‘The truth can sometimes hurt terribly,’ she muttered softly. ‘And that’s what we’re scared of. Dad and I simply couldn’t bear to see you get rejected a second time over, darling.And by the same woman. I mean, you were such a darling little baby. Only someone truly cold and heartless could have picked you up and given you away. And then walked away from you without once turning back to enquire after your welfare.’
    Sonya looked down at the floor tiles. Then she picked up the tea towel and wiped the casserole dish, before kneeling to put it in its usual place. After a few minutes, she looked up at her mother and said softly, ‘I know, Mum. I know you and Dad have only ever wanted to shield me from painful stuff. And you always have. But I’m eighteen now. About to leave for uni. You won’t be able to protect me from everything, y’know.’
    â€˜Well, you can’t blame me for trying. I might not be your biological mother but I doubt anyone will love you as much as I do,’ Laura replied defiantly.
    Deciding to lighten the mood, Sonya turned her expression impish. ‘Perhaps I should smuggle you into Balliol and have you set up home under my bed? With a little hob and a little kettle so you can be ready with one of your famous cuppas at a moment’s notice? Bet you’d like that, wouldn’tcha?’ Sonya got to her feet and stuck her forefinger into Laura’s soft belly, trying to make her laugh.
    â€˜Go on, you,’ Laura said gruffly, pushing Sonya’s hand away, but Sonya could see her mother was now smiling, albeit reluctantly. She sighed under her breath, glad that the present crisis had blown over. Growing up with a rather over-emotional mother, Sonya had grown adept at spotting a tantrum brewing from miles away and she knew it wouldn’t be long before another bout of maternal tears emerged from somewhere. And who knew what her impending chat with Tim would do to Mum and to her? One bout of tears in a day was more than any girlought to deal with, for Chrissake. Perhaps she ought to disappear into her room and do something really innocuous like read a book! Oh yeah, or do her packing … Dumping Tim could wait for another day or two, really.

Chapter Seven
    On the evening after her dinner party, Neha mustered the energy to visit her parents. She had not seen much of them in the past week, busy as she had been, calling and reminding all her guests of their party invitations and getting the house and garden spruced up. Besides, she needed to tell her parents she was leaving for Ananda the following day. Neha hoped her mother would not ask to come along, seeing what short notice it was and how little she had enjoyed it on the one occasion Neha had taken her along. This time she really did need some space to sort out the mess in her head.
    As the car pulled into the porch of her parents’ small and neat Kailash Colony home – the house in which Neha had grown up – her mother’s trim figure emerged from indoors, followed as usual by the family’s two boxer dogs whose stubby tails started wriggling furiously at the sight of Neha’s car. Neha made her habitual fuss over the dogs, both of whom adored her, before she briefly hugged her mother.
    â€˜You look tired. Too much partygoing, huh?’ her mother said.
    Neha shot her a glance to assess whether she was being sarcastic or disapproving but her mother’s handsome face was impassive. ‘Where’s