Malayali in London ~ Part-40

Chapter -10:

...Times Change, Times Grow...

I close the shop and go to Jennie’s house. Sawyer is already there by the time I make it. Jennie greets me with a smile. I walk straight to the kitchen. Jennie tried to protest but I shut her up. I sort of needed something to calm me down since I had gotten into a pretty serious argument with that customer. Back in Kerala, it was usually the noise of the sea that used to be that distraction. Now I have to manage it in other ways. Cooking is one of them. After I take my anger out on the poor vegetables, I set some oil on a pan to heat up on the stove. Jennie walks in and asks, “Had a tough customer today?” I nod and then we laugh. Sawyer looks up from his phone at us, raises an eyebrow and then goes back to scrolling. He is pretty used to me and Jennie having inside jokes that he isn’t a part of. So is Theo actually. Speaking of the devil, there is a knock on the door after Jennie and I are done laughing. Jennie rushes to open it and I drop the onion and chilli into the pan, the oil sizzling when I do so. Jennie doesn’t even let Theo come in before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him right there in the doorway. I don’t blame her. Theo’s last visit was over a month ago. Sawyer walks over to the kitchen and asks what’s for dinner. I tell him that I’m making sambar and rice as I put the rest of the ingredients into the pan. “What smells so good?” I hear Theo ask Jennie as he takes his shoes off. Sawyer quickly kisses the side of my head and begins walking out of the kitchen. But Theo was already walking towards it. He stops in his tracks when he sees me in the kitchen. He clearly wasn’t expecting us. I give him a smile and slightly wave at him. He returns my smile and then turns to hug Sawyer. They all sit down in the living room. I put the cooker with rice on the stove next to the sambar which I set to boil and walk to the living room fifteen minutes later. They’re all talking when I get there. Theo turns to me and says, “I didn’t know that you and Sawyer were coming too.” I shrug, “Jennie called us last minute, she needed someone to cook. But we could leave early if you had other plans for tonight.” The colour from Theo’s face drains as I make a crafty smile and look at Jennie, who’s blushing. He sort of seemed a little offended by my comment. But Jennie’s laugh takes my mind off of his unexpected reaction. We all had a really fun time. Sawyer and I left at around eleven after dinner. I asked Sawyer to drive me home as I had called an Uber here. Sawyer takes a turn that isn't going towards my house and then I say, “That’s not the way to my house.” He makes a crafty smile and says, “Yes it’s not. We're taking the long way home.” He grabs my hand without once taking his eyes off the road and it’s the most heartwarming thing ever. I’d say that other than that stupid customer I had today, this is one of the best days of my life.

.       .       .

        (August, two years later.)

        I sign a book for a kid and then walk into my apartment. I’ve published quite a few books by now. Few of which have become bestsellers. Every now and then, someone or the other walks up to me asking for an autograph. I don’t exactly like being famous, but it’s not bad, to be honest. My first novel to get published, ‘Return’ has done extremely well. It sold a few million copies in about four years. My business is also doing well. I’ve opened two new bookstores and a library in the past year alone. I’m really happy with how life is right now, to be honest. My phone rings after I get home. It's my publisher, the one who used to own my first bookstore before I bought it. I answer it and prop it up against my ear as I search for my keys. “Hello there Miss Harvey! It’s been a while.”

        “Hello Mr Walton, it’s nice talking to you again. How may I help you?”

“Well, you could help me by checking your email. I heard there is something very important that you’ve received.” I’m confused by what he means by ‘something important’ but I tell him I’ll check it anyway. I open my email once I get settled inside. I see the most recent email in my inbox and I’m wonderstruck. I immediately called Mr Walton again. He picks up in the second ring and says, “So? How was it?” my mouth is still open from the shock of it all. Mr Walton is a really big publisher and it would make sense if he had a say in this but I’m still shocked. “You submitted my novel ‘Return’ for the booker prize?” I ask with my voice still shaking. I can tell that he’s smiling on the other end when he says, “Yes, and look! Your got novel got selected!”