One man had actually asked her how often she throw her “gyan” amongst the family members. Priya had dismissed it as a joke. But now she knew that the man meant it seriously.

...unlike India family support wasn't available. The new parents were left to themselves and in such a situation it was often the woman who had to make a forced choice of quitting her career.

“Oh that explains a lot. That’s why, when Mama asked you to put away your toys, you suddenly started getting so angry and being stubborn, and then you started refusing to help with any household chores."

Aru imagined the sigh as a big dust ball accumulating inside her for years. There was a mixture of anger and regret in it. Aru wondered if she too would sigh like that years later.

The real pain had stood behind the momentary mask of her mother’s disapproval. Now that the mask was torn away, Sumana could not hold it in anymore. It was too much. Way too much.