‘When was the last time you saw her?’ he asks curiously.
‘I haven’t seen her since I was ten. Something happened and one day she was no longer there.’
‘All right, go and see her. I’ll arrange a ticket back for you for the day after tomorrow. Don’t let me down.’
‘I’ll never let you down.’
‘Chitra’s poor, isn’t she?’
‘Very,’ I say sadly.
‘Would you like to give her some money?’
Immediately my eyes fill with tears. ‘Yes,’ I say, swallowing hard, unable to believe that he would be so generous to someone he had never met.
‘Oh, sweet Snow. What a soft-hearted thing you are.’
‘Thank you, Shane. You have no idea what this means to me.’
‘Here’s what I want you to do. I want you to go see her and give her enough to change her life. Buy her a little house or something. You decide what is best for her, OK?’
I stare at him in astonishment. ‘You’d do that for a total stranger?’
‘You’re my baby and you love her. So she becomes part of my family.’
OMG! He called me his baby! I feel so happy I think my head is going to burst. And I almost blurt it out that I love him then, but I don’t. I just don’t have the guts.
‘You’re leaving tonight?’
‘Yeah. My brother’s secretary has already booked me a flight.’
I nod. ‘Go and meet the old devil.’
‘I really wanted you to come.’
‘I know, but I’ll be there the day after tomorrow.’
‘I will arrange for you to be picked up at Heathrow and brought to my grandfather’s place. Have you got a mobile phone?’
‘I haven’t got around to getting a new one yet.’
‘I’m going to transfer some money into your account tomorrow. Get a mobile phone immediately so you can call me, and more importantly I can call you anytime I want,’ he says with a grin.
‘OK, I will.’
We make love one more time. My body tingles, and then it is time for me to go. It feels strange to let him go again. At the door, I lay my cheek against his chest. I can hear his heart pounding, and wish I could stay there forever just listening to its steady beat.
‘Hey,’ he says softly. ‘It’s only two days. Nothing can keep us apart again.’
Thirty-nine
SNOW
To my horror, Kupu takes me to the slums in the outskirts of the city.
‘Chitra lives here?’ I ask in disbelief.
‘Yes, Snow,’ he says as if living in this rubbish heap is normal. ‘She lives here now.’