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national government politicians like Rajiv Gandhi were against it, many ethnic Tamils in Tamil Nadu state supported the Sri Lankan Tamil cause. The Tigers knew they could come here to hide out and use the hospitals, to buy weapons and other provisions, and to plot and carry out an assassination. But this time the Indian government swore they would bring the Tigers to justice.
    Brindha said, “Achan, tell her about the death vows.”
    Sanjay uncle explained that the Tamil Tigers were known to take vows to commit suicide if they faced arrest. Each of them carried a cyanide capsule expressly for that purpose.
    Reema auntie said, “There must be a curse on that family. Nehru had a good long life, but to have his daughter assassinated, and now her son too …”
    Ammamma spoke for the first time at dinner. “It’s not a curse, it’s a blessing that Indira died rather than see what happened to Rajiv. No mother wants to outlive her child.” She gathered some empty dishes and shuffled off toward the kitchen.
    Brindha said, “You’re so lucky, Maya, you’ve seen more of the pictures than we have—they’ll only show a couple pictures on the television. Did they show you the fire and the explosion? Was there blood?”
    Reema auntie shook her head, as if she were shaking off a daydream. She said, “You mustn’t go on talking like this, Brindha. This is not one of your mystery novels or action movies. Let’s leave it to the police and not sit here conjecturing about it.” She got up to tell Matthew to clear the table.
    â€œAnd one other thing.” Sanjay uncle touched Reema auntie’s wrist to make her pause for a minute. “Don’t talk about these things around the servants or when guests are in the house. There are a few other out-of-staters like us, but most everybody around here is Tamil. Even though everyone is denouncing the murder, we can’t really know who is a Tiger sympathizer deep down. It is wiser to assume that anybody could be until this is all over.”
    Ammamma had Matthew bring out mango and pomegranate for dessert, Technicolor orange and red. Usually, there was no dessert, sweet things were eaten at teatime, not at night. But I loved mango, and she did not want me to have to wait until tomorrow.
    We finished eating. The lights had already dimmed because the electric company lowered electricity transmitted to each home when the usage was highest to avoid power outages. My aunt brought an oil lamp to put in the drawing room so my uncle could read the newspapers. Brindha took another oil lamp with her to her room where she and Rupa were trying to empty out a few more drawers for me.
    â€œCan Matthew heat some water for a bath?” I asked.
    â€œIt’s cool this late at night, you may catch a cold, don’t you think?” my aunt said.
    â€œI won’t be cold, you forget what I’m used to,” I said. “I have to have a bath after all this travel.”
    â€œBut still, the climate change is sudden, and then to go to sleep with wet hair,” my grandmother said anxiously. “It can’t be a good idea.”
    â€œJust tell Matthew to put on a lot of hot water, and I’ll make my bath warm enough. Don’t worry.”
    Ammamma still looked doubtful. “Make sure you dry your hair well. And be careful, the floors get slippery. Take an oil lamp in case the electricity goes.”
    Matthew brought a big bucket of boiling water to the bathroom off the hall from Brindha’s room. I didn’t want to ask Matthew because I was too embarrassed, but I called Rupa to come in the bathroom with me and look for insects. She had just stretched out on her floormat to sleep, but she jumped up right away, smoothed her petticoat down over her legs, and came to the bathroom. We shone a flashlight in the corners, and two lizards quickly crawled out of sight. There was one large brown-back beetle, and Rupa