He closed the door, walked back, and sat down. From the kitchen, his mother paused her chopping. She heard the sound—clear, steady, alive.
She closed her eyes and whispered, “He’s back.” dhina dhin dha
Then his right middle finger struck the rim. Dha. He closed the door, walked back, and sat down
Arjun wiped his eyes. He looked at his reddened palms, then at the tabla. For the first time in three years, he smiled. He closed the door
He opened the door. A man in a business suit stood there. “I’m here for the tabla.”