by Nalini Singh
Nayna clenched her stomach to quiet her rage. “Did it happen again?”
“Yes. Not all the time. Couple or three months between each time, so I could ‘forget.’” She smiled. “I’m not like you, Ninu. You would’ve kicked ass and taken names. I was too scared of being on my own to walk away.”
How very strange that her often flighty sister would say that on the verge of Nayna’s decision to step out into the world on her own. “Promise me that if Sandesh ever hurts you, you’ll tell me.”
“Promise,” Madhuri said at once.
“Do you want to pursue anything against Vinod now? A police case?” There probably wasn’t much the police could do with the evidence of violence long faded, but laying the complaint could help Madhuri heal.
Her sister shook her head. “No. It probably makes me a coward, but I just want to move on.”
“It doesn’t make you anything of the sort,” Nayna said fiercely. “You have to look after yourself and heal the best way you can.”
Madhuri shuddered out a breath, as if Nayna’s words had taken a weight off her shoulders. “Ninu? I’m sorry you didn’t get to go to parties, or on that exchange trip you earned.”
It was an apology that had come years too late, but Nayna had already forgiven her sister, had no more resentment in her heart, only love and hope that Madhuri’s second marriage would be as joyful as her first had been horrible. “It’s okay, Maddie.” She rose onto her knees to hug her sister.
After they parted, Madhuri returned her attention to the mirror to do the final tweaks to her makeup. “This time around, I picked a good man,” she said. “Just like you have.” Smiling with a determined brightness that thrust the past away, she lifted up her wrist. “Look what Sandesh gave me as a present after I accepted him,” she whispered conspiratorially. “I haven’t told Ma or Dad. They’d be scandalized.” A giggle.
Nayna’s eyes widened. “Are those diamonds?” On Madhuri’s wrist was a bangle that blended in with all the others except that the fire in the stones was icily real while the others were all pretty fakes.
“Of course they are.” Madhuri put down her lipstick. “I’m marrying a filthy-rich man. And he knows how to treat me.” A frowning glance in the mirror. “Oh my gawd, I just realized what you’re wearing. Go, change!”
* * *
Nayna dressed quickly in an ombré-blue half sari with pearlescent beading, the skirt swirling around her ankles. Though this kurta was longer than her usual preference, it was cut to flatter her figure, and once she pinned the gauzy white dupatta in a front-facing style, the outfit turned quickly elegant.
Hair up in a bun, a dash of makeup, and she was done.
Walking out to the kitchen, she helped her mother arrange the last of the snacks. “Thank you, Ninu,” Shilpa Sharma said with a quick side hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Nayna’s stomach hurt.
Smiling through it, she picked up the tray of sweets and took it out into the living area, her mother bringing the savories. Raj managed to brush his hand over her hip as he ducked into the kitchen to carry out the tea and cups.
That was when her mother announced that Madhuri’s affianced was bringing along his elderly parents as well as two siblings and their wives and children.
“Our living room isn’t that big,” Nayna muttered to Raj while her parents were distracted. “Why is he bringing so many people?”
“Probably because he wants to show off his fiancée.” Raj’s dark gaze was solemn. “You doing okay?”
She just had time to nod before her mother waved frantically. “I think I hear their cars! Go make sure your sister is ready!”
32
Extreme Danger Warning: Duck for Cover
Nayna didn’t have another chance to talk to Raj in the two hours that followed. Dr. Patel’s family exclaimed over Madhuri’s beauty with plenty of “Wah, wah, etna sundar” and “Poora film star!” Being told she was as beautiful as a film star was nothing new to Madhuri, but Nayna’s sister managed to produce an excellent facsimile of a meek and blushing bride overcome by their compliments.
Nayna elbowed her at one point. “You’re laying it on a bit thick, Maddie.”
A soft giggle. “I thought about pulling my dupatta across my face, but who wants to get condensation marks on a new silk dupatta?”
Nayna’s lips twitched.
Across from them, Madhuri’s doctor—a distinguished older man with wings of gray in his hair and a rangy frame—couldn’t take his eyes off her. And every so often, Madhuri would shoot him a private look that gave Nayna hope her sister’s marriage would be a happy one.
As for Raj, her father introduced him to the guests as his younger daughter’s fiancé. Nayna’s fingers clenched in the folds of her skirt, but there was no way she could correct her father in front of strangers. Raj captured her eyes in the aftermath, gave a tiny shake of his head, a silent reminder that she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want.
Her lungs expanded, her mind clearing.
Just as her father stood up and clapped to bring the meeting to attention—after returning from a private chat with the doctor. “My future son-in-law has asked permission to marry my daughter far more quickly than would usually be acceptable. It turns out he’s just been offered a prestigious position at a teaching hospital in London.”
Everyone gasped. Madhuri did a good job of appearing shocked and amazed.
Nayna had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
“However, the problem is that he has just tonight been informed that he must take up this position in two months’ time rather than the six months that was initially agreed. He also needs to go over earlier to set up his living situation. As a result, he’s asked my permission to have the wedding in the next six weeks.”
Everyone gasped now—Madhuri included.
To their father’s credit, he did glance at her and got her nod before continuing. “Sandesh has a good friend who owns a large hotel that’s used for weddings, and this friend is willing to squeeze us in on a date five weeks from now. The hotel ballroom is more than large enough for our guests, and Sandesh tells me that he also has friends and acquaintances who will step up for the decorations and catering.”
Gaurav Sharma shifted his attention to the man who sat in a chair beside Nayna’s end of the sofa. “Raj, we might have to ask your help in moving things here and there, and perhaps with building the mandap if we can’t hire a nice one in time.”
“That’s no problem,” Raj said at her father’s reference to the wedding pavilion in which the bride and groom would sit with the Hindu priest. “Anything I can do to help.”
“What about Madhuri’s wedding suit?” Nayna asked, well aware of her sister’s priorities; Madhuri was nearly bursting with horror at the idea of being married in anything but the latest fashions, but for her to ask now would make her look bad in front of her future in-laws.
Her younger sister asking was another matter altogether—siblings got a much freer pass in such things.
Madhuri shot her a grateful look, mouthing, “Owe you, Ninu.”
It turned out Madhuri’s doctor was ahead of them. “I’ve asked a business acquaintance of mine who owns a sari shop to organize a special shipment of designer saris and wedding suits from India,” he declared. “You’ll be able to choose whichever one you want from among them, and it will be fitted exactly to you.”
Madhuri beamed at her suitor. “Oh, Sunny, you’re so wonderful,” she whispered.
Sunny?
Nope, Dr. Sandesh Patel didn’t strike Nayna as a Sunny, but it intrigued her that he was that to Madhuri. The entire Patel family, meanwhile, broke out in huge smiles, utterly charmed by Nayna’s sister.
And so it went, until he and his family left.
The rest of them relaxed, talking over the events of the night—with Aji relaying how Madhuri had first shocked them all with the news of Sandesh’s proposal. “I nearly fell down dead,” their gra
ndmother said, one hand on her heart. “And now the excitement of a wedding so soon!”
“It’ll be good practice for Nayna’s and Raj’s wedding,” Shilpa Sharma commented with a laugh. “We’ll know what not to do by then!”
Nayna looked at Raj. She couldn’t stand it anymore, had to clear the air before this went any further or she might find herself in the midst of a double wedding. “I have some news too.”
The laughter morphed into Cheshire cat smiles—she knew everyone in her family expected her to announce that she’d formally accepted Raj. “I’ve decided that before I make any decisions about the rest of my life, I need to find out who I am.”
A scowl replaced her father’s smile. “What were you doing these past days? Did you not figure all that out already?” A huff of air. “You modern girls. Look at Madhuri. So well settled now.”
Nayna didn’t even bother to roll her eyes at how quickly her sister had been turned into a paragon. Beside her, Madhuri bit off a squeak. At least her sister found that comparison a little over the top too.
She swallowed hard and continued on into the silence, very aware of Raj seated in the chair next to where she sat on the sofa. His presence gave her confidence as she continued. “I’ve decided I need to move out and live on my own for a little while.”
Chaos erupted. Everybody started talking at once. Her sister, her father, her mother, even her grandmother. The tone was incredulous in general, and shocked beneath it. Even Madhuri, wild girl that she’d been, looked as if Nayna had dropped a brick on her head.
“No.” Her father’s voice cut through the din. “This is ridiculous. You’re a good girl. You’ll get married and have a respectable life.” His tone made it clear that was that.
But when he rose as if to leave the room, Nayna said, “I’m sorry, Dad, but I have to do this.”
Her father spoke not to her but to Raj. “I thought you were going to talk some sense into her.”
Raj got to his feet. “Sir, I don’t want Nayna to be my wife if she doesn’t want to be my wife. And she needs this time.”
Her father’s jaw tightened. “Are you telling me you’re supporting this nonsense?”
“I’m supporting Nayna,” Raj said, still polite but refusing to back down.
“Get out,” her father snapped. “I thought you had some spine.”
Raj stood his ground. “I’m here for Nayna. I’ll always be here for her.”
Her father shifted his attention to Nayna, his hard eyes meeting her own. “If you do this, you’re no daughter of mine.”
Though Nayna had expected as much, it was a kick to the heart nonetheless. Nodding, she rose to her feet, so grateful for Raj’s big body right next to her, her shoulder brushing his arm. “I’ll pack my things.”
“Rubbish!”
Everybody stared at Nayna’s mother, who was up on her feet with her hands clenched by her sides. But she wasn’t yelling at Nayna. She was yelling at her husband. Nayna’s eyes widened. She’d never in her entire existence seen Shilpa Sharma raise her voice to Gaurav Sharma. When she glanced down at Madhuri’s seated form, her sister reached up and linked a hand with hers. Madhuri’s eyes were as huge as Nayna’s felt.
Raj lowered his mouth to her ear. “This wasn’t in the script.”
Nayna pressed her lips together to keep from bursting into hysterical laughter.
Across from her, her father finally found his voice. “Shilpa?” he asked, not in anger but in stunned shock.
“Nayna, you sit down!” her mother ordered. “Raj, don’t you move!”
Nayna sat. Raj didn’t move.
“And you, Gaurav Sharma, you listen to me!” Her mother waved a finger in front of his face. “I let you do this the first time and I lost my Madhuri for six years.” She beat a fist against her chest. “I followed my husband because I was brought up to believe my husband knew best. I was told a good wife stood always by her husband’s side. And I missed my eldest for six long years. I cried for her for six long years. Now you want to take my baby from me?”
Shilpa put her hands on her hips and shook her head. “No. As long as I live, Nayna will be welcome in this house and she will be welcome to every family event, and if you have any argument with that, I suggest you move yourself to the spare bedroom and stay there!”
Absolute and utter stunned silence.
Nayna didn’t know where to look. She kind of felt like she should disappear out of the room, but she didn’t want to move and make a sound. From the frozen way Raj was standing and Madhuri was sitting, they felt the same. Only her grandmother continued to rock in her chair, seemingly unconcerned with the explosion from her mild-mannered daughter-in-law.
“Gaurav beta, Shilpa bitia,” she said gently. “I think you need to take this somewhere else.”
“You both stay here,” Nayna’s mother ordered Nayna and Raj before she stalked out of the room and slammed into the kitchen, her husband following.
Nayna opened her mouth, shut it again. Raj, who was still standing, ran his hand over her hair. Her grandmother watched him, a slight smile on the seamed lines of her features.
“Well,” Aji said, “this is exciting.”
Madhuri giggled, and suddenly Nayna was giggling too. Raj looked at the two of them in bemusement, especially when their grandmother slapped her thigh and joined in the laughter. Meanwhile, from the kitchen came silence. After a while, Raj walked back there and leaned against the door while they all held their breath, then came back to tell them, “I think they’ve gone in the backyard. Can’t hear anything from the kitchen.”
That only made the three of them laugh even harder. When it was all over and they’d finally caught their breath, Nayna looked at her grandmother.
“I’m sorry, Aji,” she said. “I didn’t mean to mess everything up.”
Her grandmother waved away her apology. “Oh, mere laal,” she said with deep affection, “all I’ve ever wanted was happiness for you.” Her eyes went to Raj. “You’re a brave boy to stand up to Gaurav, and you’re the kind of boy her father should want for her. He’ll realize that when he calms down.”
Nayna wasn’t so sure, but she didn’t interrupt her grandmother.
“My boy has always been obstinate and perhaps a little judgmental,” Aji said. “You, Madhuri, didn’t help by running off. Why did you ever do such a silly thing? You know if you’d brought the boy home, you’d have eventually talked your father into a proper marriage!”
Madhuri winced. “I was young and stupid,” she said, propping her chin in her hands. “It seemed a good idea at the time.”
Funnily enough, that was such a Madhuri thing to say that it made perfect sense.
Reaching for the snacks she’d ignored until now, Nayna picked up a samosa that had gone cold. Half-wrapping it in a paper napkin, she handed it up to Raj, who’d perched himself on the arm of the sofa beside her. It put one of his powerful thighs temptingly close, but Nayna behaved herself.
“Eat,” she said. “You must be starving.” Neither one of them had eaten anything through the entire talk with Sandesh Patel’s family.
He accepted her offer, then watched as she took a samosa for herself before eating. The two of them filled their stomachs in silence for a while before Raj said, “So, who do you think will come out the winner?”
“I’m not taking any bets.” Madhuri held up her hands, palms out. “I have never seen Ma get this mad. Never.”
Nayna nodded. “Our mother doesn’t get mad,” she told Raj. “She gets disappointed or sad or maybe a little bit annoyed, but she doesn’t get angry. And she doesn’t yell at our father. Ever.”
A loud clanging sound reached them just then.
“You go,” Madhuri hissed at Raj.
Nayna started to argue, but Raj brushed his knuckles over her cheek, then bravely—and cautiously—went through the kitchen door to find out what was going on.
33
Shilpa Sharma Is Not Joking
Raj returned with the
news that her mother had apparently thrown the lid of a metal trash can at her father. “It looked like it hit the fence and not him,” he said. “Your father seems to be trying to calm her down.” A pause. “It’s not working. Last I saw, she was grabbing peaches from under your tree to throw at him.”
Nayna gave him a bhajia to eat while Madhuri, now that she knew the coast was clear, snuck into the kitchen to reheat the chai, and they all had cups of that while they waited. And waited. And waited.
“It doesn’t matter what happens, Ninu,” Madhuri said at one point, a mulish tone to her voice. “You’re going to be at my wedding. If they say you can’t be, I’ll say I’m not getting married.”
Eyes burning, Nayna hugged her big sister.
Aji was smiling widely when they separated. “Shall I bring my boyfriend to your wedding?”
Madhuri almost dropped the teacup she’d picked back up. “Aji!”
Nayna giggled as Aji settled in and regaled her flabbergasted eldest grandchild with stories about her beloved Mr. Hohepa.
“We go for midnight walks some days,” she told Madhuri, a twinkle in her eyes. “A good thing about getting old is not sleeping so much.”
Nayna thought Aji’s eyebrow waggle nearly slew Madhuri on the spot.
Raj, meanwhile, was focusing strictly on the seina Nayna had passed him, as if it was a gourmet delight that required his utter and unflinching attention. Poor Raj. He’d gone looking for a traditional wife and found a drama of Bollywood proportions. But he was still here. Still standing by Nayna’s side.
Her parents pushed through the kitchen door while she was fighting the urge to hug Raj. Nayna saw a smile on her mother’s face, a somewhat befuddled, dazed look on her father’s.
“We will help you move out, beta,” her mother said to Nayna, bending down to give her a kiss on the cheek. “Did you already find a place? Tell us all about it.”
Feeling a strange kinship with her dumbstruck father, Nayna did.