In this story by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, an Indian-American woman struggles to come to terms with the failure of her arranged marriage and her Americanized teenage son’s increasing withdrawal. After an unexpected visit from her closest childhood friend and rival, now a highly successful single businesswoman, she realizes that, despite the different directions their lives have taken, both have ended up lonely and disillusioned. Fortunately, after considering suicide, she recognizes that no life is perfect and decides to face up to her problems. Themes include cultural conflict, gender roles, arranged marriages, identity, generation gap, single motherhood, rivalry, pride, loneliness, disillusionment.
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