The Monsoon Rain Read Online Free PDF

had been waiting for her to come downstairs to have lunch. She wanted lunch desperately—and a big cup of milky coffee! The aroma of freshly baked bread was making her hungry.
    “I’ll get lunch and bring it out,” Miranda said and ran indoors by the back patio doors to the dining room. The wide patio doors were open, and part of the dining room was flooded in sunlight.
    “Why can’t it be like this always?” she mused, opening the fridge. The salad was already mixed and waiting. She took it out, cut some lemon, and also brought out cold chicken and bread. That was it and a bottle of milk in the fridge to go with it. Mira placed it all on a tray and carried the laden tray to the garden and placed it on the table under the umbrella. Molly was already seated in one of the cozy chairs waiting for her daughter.
    “So tell me all about it, darling. How was it?” She helped herself to some bread as Mira proceeded to tell her mum all about it: Derek, the drive along King’s Road, and his beautiful flat on a side street off King’s Road—of course leaving the events of the end of the night untold. Those details she kept buried in the deep recesses of herheart. She could not talk about it, least of all to Mum. Not even Charu would ever know what had occurred that night.
    The afternoon was hot, and mother and daughter felt reluctant to go inside. They both dozed off, and it was dark when they woke up from their afternoon siesta feeling very contented and happy.
    “Let me give you a hand carrying the dishes in,” Molly said, stacking the dishes.
    Miranda did not expect to see or hear from Derek again, and she tried to push the entire incident to the back of her mind. Trying to analyze the situation was of no help. She was very depressed, upset and angry with herself for giving in so easily to him. Why had she agreed to go out with him? Was she falling in love? And so easily? Couldn’t she have resisted him? He had not bothered to call her, and she had expected an apology. What a silly thought! How could she be so very silly?
    She clutched the steering wheel very tightly, angry. She should have been determined and forceful. No meant no.
    She was driving her little Mini. Usually she took the tube to work which was easier as she did not have to look for a parking space, but if it was too cold or she felt a bit lazy she did drive her little car to work, which was seldom. She remembered right after her driving test when she’d opted to buy the Mini—what a lot of toing and froing! Mum asking the neighbors, should she or should she not. However, as usual, Miranda had her way, and she bought the Mini, with some financial help from Mum. But at this moment she was in a world of her own.
    “Are you home, darling?” she heard Molly’s voice call from the back of the house as she entered. It was her mother’s usual greeting even though her mother knew full well that the only person it could be was her daughter. But it was a greeting of endearment, a mother’s love.
    Molly was busy folding the clothes and linens she had spread on the clothesline to dry that morning.
    “By the way,” Molly said as she walked in from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, “a very nice young man by the name of Derek called. He was looking for you. I told him you had not got back from work. He will call again, that’s what he said.”
    Miranda was stunned. The audacity of the man. How dare he!
    “He came here? You mean, Mum, that he came to this house?” Miranda stopped in her tracks. She went crimson, feeling the heat of color gradually starting to creep up her face. She could hardly believe her ears! “You mean, Mum, that he knocked on our door?”
    “You are repeating yourself, dear,” Molly said. “He was awfully nice. I asked him in for a cup of tea. I was having one so I asked him to join me, and he agreed!”
    Miranda could hardly believe what she as hearing. Was it a dream or was it really happening?
    “You offered him