Chloe in India (14 page)

A group of women behind them
was
crying, letting out loud wails that set off tears in the babies they clutched to their hips. It was pandemonium.

“Here, come,” Lakshmi said. She pulled me by the hand toward a small house. It was brick like the others but painted a bright spring green. Anna and I stepped inside. The interior walls were whitewashed, but the floor was gray concrete. The only pieces of furniture were a metal trunk and a small bookshelf crammed with dictionaries and workbooks I recognized from school. The top of the bookshelf was covered in old Thums Up bottles filled with plant cuttings. In one corner was the kitchen: a gas cylinder, a two-burner cooking range, and a red plastic bucket full of water. A metal frying pan and some cooking utensils hung from nails hammered into the wall. There was only one picture in the whole place—a photo of a young couple, sitting stiffly in their wedding clothes. The woman wasn't smiling, but she had Lakshmi's laughing eyes.

“Please,” Lakshmi was saying. She pointed at our feet. “Your shoes.”

“Oh, sorry.” We slipped off our school shoes and placed them in the doorway.

Kali was sitting sentinel outside, her back straight and ears up. She reminded me of the foo dogs outside our favorite Chinese take-out place in Boston. I stifled a giggle. It was my nerves. This whole crazy afternoon was getting to me.

Lakshmi had pulled a collapsed cardboard box into the middle of the room. She motioned for Anna and me to sit on it, so we did.

My eyes landed on the logo printed on one corner of the box: a smiley face with
LIFE'S GOOD
in cheerful pink letters underneath.

Really?
I thought.
Life is good? Here?

“You take water?” Lakshmi gestured to the red bucket.

Anna shook her head. “No, thanks. We're fine.”

Lakshmi sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of us.

“What's going on, Lakshmi?” Anna said. “Who were those men? And why are all those women crying?”

Lakshmi bit her lip.

“C'mon, Lakshmi.” Anna put her hand on Lakshmi's knee. “You can tell us.”

Lakshmi picked at the end of one of her braids for a moment. Finally, she spoke. “These goondas, they come. You see them?”

We nodded.

“One smaller and one big, big man. He even have gun.” Lakshmi puffed out her chest and pointed her index finger toward her hip, as though putting a revolver in a holster. “My father, he not here. He outside. Working at school—you know?—making preparation for Annual Day…”

We nodded.

“This big goonda, he say my father house—this house—um…” Lakshmi hesitated, searching for the right word. “He say our house not with law.”

“Not legal?” Anna said. “It's illegal?”

“Yes!” Lakshmi said. “He say our house illegal. This DDA land—Delhi Development Authority.”

“Okay…,” Anna said.

“He say I do dancing and they take this land—our house and our neighbor houses—and they build megamall this place.”

“What?”

Lakshmi swung one arm in a digging motion. “Machine,” she said. “One big machine is coming next day. One—”

“Wait, hold on, back up,” Anna said. “What's this about dancing? What exactly did the man say?”

“He say I quit Annual Day.” Lakshmi shrugged. “I not do dancing.”

“But
why
?” Anna was shaking her head, trying to understand. “Let me get this straight: if you participate in the Annual Day show, someone is going to come tomorrow and demolish your home?”

Lakshmi nodded.

“This guy was threatening you?” Anna persisted.

I couldn't help myself. “Meher told me, Lakshmi,” I burst out. “She said you already quit the show, that you weren't going to show up tonight anyway. Is that right? Were you really going to skip out on us?”

“Are you kidding me, Chloe?” Anna glared at me. “Lakshmi just told us her home is about to be bulldozed and all you can think about is your stupid dance routine?”

“It is okay,” Lakshmi said to Anna. She placed one hand on my forearm. It felt cool and rough. “Chloe,” she said quietly.

I nodded.

“It not matter what happen between us. I cannot go to show tonight. I cannot do dance. Before, I did not want to and now I really cannot. I already tell goondas I stay here. I cannot let them touch my father house. Not after everything. Not after…” Lakshmi paused for a moment. Tears filled her eyes. She lowered her head. In all my time with Lakshmi, I had never seen her cry.

“Lakshmi?”

She raised her eyes to mine.

I hesitated for a moment.

“One of those guys—the big one—did he have a tattoo on his arm?”

Lakshmi nodded slowly.

Anna stared at me.

“A tattoo of a dagger?”

Lakshmi nodded again, faster.

“With a curved, pointy end?”

“Yes!”

“Chloe!” Anna jumped in. “What on earth? What's going on? Do you know those guys?”

“I think I know who they are,” I said. “And I think I know who's behind them, who's threatening Lakshmi's house. And I think I know why. Which means I might know how to stop them too.”

It was like what happens in cartoons: a lightbulb had come on in my head.

I turned to Lakshmi. “But you'll have to trust me, Lakshmi. Can you trust me?”

Lakshmi and Anna were both staring at me like I was crazy. But I wasn't. In fact, a plan was already piecing itself together in my mind.

“Can you trust me, Lakshmi?” I repeated.

There was a long pause.

“First you tell me,” she finally said. “Then I decide if I trust you, Chloe.”

I nodded. “Okay,” I said. “That's fair.”

And then I told them everything I knew.

Anna was doing my makeup in the bathroom when we heard pebbles on the window:
tap, tap, tap.
She checked her wristwatch: six o'clock on the dot, just as we planned.

I ran to the window and waved to Lakshmi. She pointed to her dad's bike and then to the side of the house—she would hide the bike around the corner. I gave her a thumbs-up.

Mom was at her computer and Dad was helping Dechen wrestle Lucy into her pajamas, so Anna and I snuck downstairs without anyone noticing. While Anna distracted Vijay, I eased the car trunk open and beckoned to Lakshmi. She dashed over and slipped into the trunk, folding herself up like an umbrella to fit behind the backseat. She had to put her head on Vijay's motorcycle helmet and wedge his tiffin under her knees. Good thing she was so skinny.

I eased the trunk closed, wincing as it clicked, but Vijay didn't seem to notice. As I headed back up the stairs, I gave Anna a thumbs-up behind Vijay's back.

Phase one complete.

Mom and Dad were treating Annual Day like a big family occasion. Mom made me pose for a bunch of photos in my costume and full makeup. I had so much eyeliner and sparkly eye shadow on that it looked like I was dressed for Halloween. She herself was wearing a brand-new kurta and dangly earrings. Dad wore a tie. He had made himself and Mom a gin and tonic each before we set out, so they were in high spirits, chatting away in the car.

“Here's the irony,” Mom was saying. “He's the minister of housing and urban poverty alleviation and we pull up and he's got this Lutyens bungalow on—what do you think, Vijay?—maybe two acres? I mean, he's drowning in green lawns. Flowers are everywhere. It was just like Shreya said it would be. He even served me tea on the veranda!”

“So, you got a good quote for the story?”

Mom grinned and rubbed her hands together. She reminded me of Lucy when you put a bowl of ice cream in front of her. She was practically drooling. “Oh, it gets even better. He gives me this whole speech about how he's going to make Delhi slum-free in five years. I mean, he's handing the story to me on a silver platter….”

I exchanged a smile with Anna. This was too good.

We parked and I distracted Mom and Dad by asking them to take a photo of me with Vijay, while Anna snuck around to the back of the car and let Lakshmi out of the trunk. As we walked toward the school's front gates, I kept glancing back to make sure Lakshmi was following us. There she was, keeping to the shadows.

“You nervous, honey?” Dad said. He took my hand.

“Uh, why?”

“ 'Cause you keep glancing around…” Dad gave me a funny look.

“Just looking for friends,” I said. (It wasn't a complete lie.)

Mom put her arm around my shoulders. “We're so proud of you, Chloe,” she said. “You're adjusting so well to school, making all these new friends.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said.

Families were streaming toward the school gates, moms decked out in sparkly saris, dads in designer jeans.

There was excitement in the air. The school was floodlit and festooned with garlands of yellow and orange marigolds. Huge sponsorship banners covered the facade. I glanced up and spotted Anvi's, looming above the others:

C
ongratulations to
A
nvi

O
ur
L
ittle
S
hining
S
tar!

F
rom
P
apa,
M
ama
&
S
axena
E
nterprises LLC

G
rowing
I
ndia
O
ne
M
ega-
L
uxury
E
xperience
A
t
A
T
ime

Mrs. Anand was positioned at the entrance in a red sari with gold trim, welcoming parents.

She smiled when she saw us. “I understand Chloe is making a special contribution tonight,” she said.

A gong sounded.

“Please take your seats,” Mrs. Anand said, ushering us toward the amphitheater. “Chloe, you may join your class backstage. Anna, I have one special job for you. Please find me once you've deposited your sister.”

Mom and Dad each gave me a kiss and then headed toward the theater to find Shreya. As soon as they melted into the crowd, Anna and I sprinted up to the second floor. It was empty except for Lakshmi, who was waiting for us in the supply closet. The plan was going smoothly.

“We did it!” I squealed as we hugged each other. “Oh, Lakshmi, you made it!”

“C'mon, Chloe,” Anna said. “We'd better get you backstage. Lakshmi, I'll come back to do your costume and makeup as soon as I can.”

Lakshmi nodded. Then she reached into her pockets and pulled out two long garlands of jasmine flowers. She handed one to me. “We wear these tonight,” she said. “For my mama.”

I nodded. The gong sounded again and Anna pulled me out of the closet.

Mr. Bhatnagar was pacing backstage.

“These people, they show no respect, no respect!” he muttered as he pushed and pulled us into position. “How could she do this? How
could
she not show up? I knew I shouldn't have picked her! You give them one chance and this is how they repay you! They should never be allowed in this school. Never!” He glared at Meher, who was sniffling in the corner.

Poor Meher. Lakshmi had wanted to let her in on our plan, but I said we couldn't risk it.

Mr. Bhatnagar walked over to Anvi and Prisha. His voice softened, “Here,
betas.
You come here.” He pulled them forward, placing them first in line. “Now
you
will have to be our stars tonight. You will save the show for us, won't you? You will do the spins?”

Anvi and Prisha nodded, flashing him angelic smiles.

As soon as he turned away, Anvi put her lips by my ear. “You can't say I didn't warn you about them,” she hissed, tilting her chin in Meher's direction.

I couldn't help but notice—Anvi looked gorgeous. Her black hair was in a special updo. Her makeup was perfect. And her mother must have hired a tailor to alter her costume, because it hugged her body, making her long, slender arms and legs even more spidery than usual.

I tugged at the fabric around my bum where the bulky costume bagged and sagged. I was like an elephant next to Anvi.

Anvi reached up and fingered the end of the jasmine garland, which Ms. Puri had strung through my pudgy blond ponytail. She raised her eyebrows. “This is pretty,” she said. “Where'd you get it?”

Class Four was already halfway through its routine. My class was poised in the wings, ready to go on next. I was starting to sweat.

Where was Lakshmi?

Anna was supposed to get her and bring her backstage.

I craned my neck, trying to see up the back stairwell. They should have shown up by now. We had to cut it close, of course, but this was
too
close.

Where were they?

I looked around for Anna, but I couldn't see her, either. She was supposed to be an usher tonight. What if she got stuck somewhere?

“Looking for your sister?” Anvi whispered.

I nodded.

“She's with my parents.”

“Huh?”

Anvi rolled her eyes. “The
guests of honor
?” she said. She pointed toward the balcony. “Up in the platinum sponsor box…”

I followed Anvi's finger. There was Anna, sitting on a raised platform way up in the balcony. She was perched on an armchair between Mrs. Anand and an oversized man in a sky-blue turban: Deepak Saxena. Anna's face was white. Her hands gripped the armrests.

I waved wildly.

“I don't think she can see you,” Anvi said.

What could I do? How would I get Lakshmi? It was too late to leave. I'd miss my entrance.

I had no choice. I had to get help.

It took Ms. Puri about five seconds to understand what had happened. She sent the fastest boy in the class: Dhruv Gupta. He returned with Lakshmi just as our music was starting.

“Lakshmi!” I yelped.

I only wish I had had a camera to capture the look on Anvi's face when she turned and saw Lakshmi in full costume and makeup, sprinting down the stairs toward us. But there wouldn't have been time anyway. The music soared, the lights lowered, Lakshmi grabbed my hand, and we stepped out onto the stage together, hand in hand.

You know on TV, when they do a slow-motion replay and you see the football leaving the quarterback's fingers—spinning slowly, slowly in perfect spirals through the air? That's what it was like for me. Time stopped. There was just Lakshmi and me. The stage lights blazing down upon us. The music soaring. I saw her white teeth. Her black eyes, shining at me. I saw her skirt flare out as she spun on the stage. Her braids flying out around her. Lights, lights, lights.

The faces of the audience blurred together like cars whizzing by on the highway at night.

And then, bang. It was over.

We were frozen in our final pose. The music had stopped. The audience was cheering.

Lakshmi was saying something to me, reaching out for my hand so that we could step to the front of the stage and bow together.

She dropped my hand to curtsy by herself and the audience roared its appreciation.

It was obvious to everyone: she was the star that night.

“The spins, the spins! You did them, girls! They were perfect!”

Dad had managed to push his way through the crowd.

He and Mom gave us both huge hugs.

I introduced Lakshmi to Shreya, who wrapped her arms around both our waists, giving us tight squeezes.

“I've heard so much about you!” she said to Lakshmi, who was still grinning like crazy.

“You were wonderful, girls,” Mom said. “Just wonderful.”

“Is your dad here, Lakshmi?” Dad asked. “We'd love to meet him.”

“Um…” Lakshmi and I exchanged glances, but before either of us could answer, Ms. Puri walked up. She had Dhruv beside her.

“Mr. and Mrs. Jones,” she said, “thank you for bringing Lakshmi. I didn't know what to think when she didn't show up at first but then—”

“But we didn't,” Mom interrupted. “We didn't bring Lakshmi.”

“Here we go…,” I whispered.

All eyes turned to Lakshmi and me.

“We…um…I…,” I started to say.

“Chloe?” Mom said. Her voice was sharp. “Could you please tell us what is going on?”

“I can explain.” Anna stepped forward.

Mom stared, one hand clamped over her mouth, trying not to interrupt as Anna told the whole story: how Lakshmi had planned on quitting the show, how we had gone to the
basti
to try to change her mind, how the goondas had shown up and threatened to tear down her home, Lakshmi's change of heart when I explained who they were. How we told her she couldn't let the Saxenas bully her into abandoning the show just so Anvi could steal the spotlight. She couldn't let them win.

Anna told them about how we had smuggled Lakshmi to school in the trunk of the car so that the goondas wouldn't know (“She was in the back, right behind us, during the whole ride?” Dad said. We all nodded.), how we had tricked everyone into thinking that Anvi and Prisha would star—until Lakshmi stepped onto the stage at the last possible moment….

“When Anna not come, I sneak into washroom and do my hair and makeup and costume all by myself,” Lakshmi said proudly. “And then I wait and I wait and I wait and then Dhruv Gupta come to get me….”

“I couldn't believe it when Mrs. Anand told me to accompany the Saxenas to their seats,” Anna said. “I was trapped up there! Thank God for Dhruv.”