Ria Malhotra Part 1: Monsoon Mornings The rain had arrived early in Mumbai this year. Not the aggressive, stormy kind, but a soft drizzle that hung like a veil between the living and the past. The street outside “Chapter & Chai” glistened under the dull gold of the morning light, and the faint aroma of wet earth seeped through the bookstore’s open windows. Ananya adjusted the handwritten sign near the entrance: Today’s Brew: Masala Chai & Murakami Underneath it, she scribbled in smaller letters: Umbrellas welcome. So are old friends. It wasn’t just marketing—it was habit. Ever since her daughter,…