‘Sweet chap, that Orangedrink Lemondrink fellow,’ Ammu said. ‘Chhi!’ Baby Kochamma said. ‘He doesn’t look it, but he was surprisingly sweet with Estha,’ Ammu said. ‘So why don’t you marry him then?’ Rahel said petulantly. Time stopped on the red staircase. Estha stopped. Baby Kochamma stopped. ‘Rahel,’ Ammu said. Rahel froze. She was desperately sorry for what she had said. She didn’t know where those words had come from. She didn’t know that she’d had them in her. But they were out now, and wouldn’t go back in. They hung about that red staircase like clerks in a Government office. Some stood,
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