Book excerpt: In the city of Bhopal, where Gayatri lives with her Papa and Ma, mistresses are a common sight and her household is no exception. When Papa suffers a second cardiac arrest, he invites his young mistress, Anita to live with him. Ma retreats inside her room and Anita takes over: dancing in the lawn and attending to their guests. Gayatri is pulled in. After Papa sinks into a coma, Gayatri and Anita become friends. Meanwhile, Ma bonds with Sakshi, their neighbour’s youngest daughter who persuades her to take to spiritualism. With a dying patriarch, the women find solace in each other’s company.