“There is no competition here, Didi,” murmured Shobha soothingly. “He is yours and so am I. You can keep us and take us as you wish. If I can ha...e this kind of loving from you I don’t think I have any energy or need for anyone else.” She sighed contentedly.Those words reminded Dipti that there was a whole world around them, with others who were included in that definition of ‘anyone else’. She turned her head to survey the room and where they were lying. Cushions, clothes and furniture lay. He showed me one corner of the room where his wife was sleeping. He said she is feeling shy, so he covered her face with a towel. He asked me not to open the towel on her face. He sat beside her and asked me to come near to her.I sat beside her, and I was over the moon because, for the first time, I am going to touch a woman in all the places. His wife was in a skirt. He asked me to start the massage. I raised the skirt slowly and started touching her legs. She was also shivering as it is her. It is just that I need to go to the bathroom — I need to go to the loo to do my daily ablutions. And I cannot put any force on my right leg yet, he said.I told him I would help him. He was a bit embarrassed but he wanted to go to the potty quite urgently and he agreed to my help. Supporting him, we clumsily reached his bathroom. Near the loo, he said, Joyeeta, you will have to hold me while I take off my shorts otherwise I will fall.I held on to him, while he balanced on one foot, and undid the. ‘Is that how you got pregnant?’ The girl nodded silently, wiping another tear from her cheek. ‘I don’t want to go back. I won’t bother the men here, my lady, if that’s what you’re worried about. I just want honest work…and to keep my baby. Please, my lady, I will work hard.’ ‘What’s your name?’ ‘Annie Hamill, my lady.’ What was one prostitute to the household filled of ex-criminals? The girl seemed genuine in her want to work, so Vivian nodded. ‘I will have Pete go fetch your things and move.