Priya’s room in the marriage hall was a warzone. Shoes were tossed around, an avalanche of clothes barricaded the balcony door, and a minefield of open suitcases occupied every square inch of the floor. Small tiptoed in. “Have you noticed anything strange around you, Priya akka?”
Jamie’s sister didn’t respond, but carried on staring at the wall. “She’s not normally like this,” Jamie whispered. “I think she’s very sad about the wedding getting cancelled. Maybe we should come back later.” Small nodded. She asked if she could use the toilet. Small noticed how clean and free of clutter Priya’s bathroom was. She inspected the pipes and the flush. She walked up to the mirror and found half a bar of soap, a kid-sized toothbrush, and a newly opened tube of paste for sensitive teeth by the sink. She turned the tap clockwise and then counter clockwise. There was no water. She tried to flush the toilet. Nothing happened.
She pulled out her notebook and began scribbling.
• No water in the toilet
• Messy room
• Priya doesn’t want to talk to us!
“Your sister is such a messy person!” Small whispered as she and Jamie left the room. “Priya’s usually a neat freak. She’s constantly forcing…
