Chapter 38 Honour
Thirty-Eight. Honour
Tamara
“Duuuude, this place is sick,” Vikram drawls. He charges into the apartment and collapses onto the couch. “Oh my god, this couch. Can I live here?”
“Fuck no. Take off your shoes,” Patrick calls out and I smile at how dad-like he sounds.
Everyone else piles into the flat as I pad barefoot to the kitchen to get myself some water.
Today was the baby shower hosted by Tessammai and Patrick’s mother.
They rented out a gorgeous house close to the beach and invited all our family and friends who live in the city.
The food was catered, there were games and the cake was made specially by Julia Christopher.
It was hot as fuck, but being surrounded by so many people who were excited for us and celebrated us was what mattered.
Since we’ve been so busy, Patrick and I didn’t set up a baby registry.
We told our guests they could either bring something they loved from when they were kids or donate to Patrick’s foundation, Reach for the Stars.
I know the time will come when we need to get the nursery ready, but right now it’s at the bottom of my list. Both of us have so much going on and work is taking all of our respective time.
Especially since the Julia Christopher project is finally underway.
After she approved my presentation and we spent a million hours together, we finalised the plans.
I knew she was going to be demanding and particular, which works perfectly well with my style as an architect.
So every time she made a ridiculous request, I countered it with a better suggestion.
After a week of this back and forth, we finalised the contract and I’ve been working tirelessly to get her bakery up and running.
After the festivities, we were sent off.
Despite every offer to help them clean up, the parental figures insisted we go rest. The cousins and siblings invited themselves to our place.
I realise in all this time, I’ve never had anyone but my girlfriends here.
Even then, it was only on nights when Kabir was out of town or ‘late at work.’
Since Patrick moved in, we’ve been going zero to sixty trying to figure out how to make things work.
While it’s a lot louder than I expected, I smile at the sight of Vikram and Nina fighting over the remote while Elias and Vera stand at the shelf of photographs.
Varun, in all his unflappable glory, sits quietly and admires my apartment.
“I think this was a terrible idea,” Patrick whispers as he comes up behind me, hands on my hips.
“I’m worried Vikram and Nina might break something.”
“I’ll make sure they replace it.” He chuckles and kisses the side of my head. “In case I haven’t said it enough today, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Daddy.”
He hums and kisses down to my neck, pressing his lips against my throat.
We made a deal this morning to pick each other’s clothes.
I already knew what I wanted to wear, but I still let Patrick think he was making the choice.
The pink dress called to me when I saw it in the store and knowing they had it in my size was an even bigger win.
With a sweetheart neckline and an A-line skirt, the dress was an absolute dream.
Plus, it curved over my growing bump beautifully.
I put Patrick in a light green printed shirt and brown trousers and insisted he tie his hair up.
As much as I love my long-haired Viking, the beauty of his face really comes through when his hair isn’t distracting you.
The sound in the flat suddenly explodes with the television coming on and Vikram hooting, which makes Patrick growl against my skin.
“Who should I kill first?”
I laugh and turn to face him. “Why don’t you offer everyone something to drink and sit down for a bit.”
“Where are you going?”
“To pee. Your giant baby is pressing against my bladder.”
He rolls his lips inward to stifle his laughter and I shake my head.
Once I’ve peed and gathered my hair into a messy bun, I return to find everyone sitting on the couch with their attention glued to the TV.
Well, everyone except Elias. He’s standing in the kitchen, typing away furiously on his phone.
“Not interested in...what are they watching?” I ask as I sidle up to him.
He chuckles and puts his phone away. “Sonic the Hedgehog. There’s a movie apparently.”
“And everyone cares about this?”
“Nina and I used to play the video games as kids. I’m guessing so did everyone else.”
I lean against the counter and watch as an animated blue creature runs around. I can’t hear the dialogue, but the subtitles tell me enough. I turn to Elias and nudge him gently.
“You doing okay?”
“Yeah, figuring out schedules and tournaments with Farhad.” I nod and watch him for a moment, smiling when he looks at me. “What?”
“I’m pretty sure there’s no cricket happening for a few months, so what’s really going on?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “You can read minds, can’t you?”
“Lots of practice with your brother, maybe.”
“Vera doesn’t have this superpower, right?”
I cock an eyebrow and smile. “It’s a family secret, Elias.”
“All right, all right. I uh…Amma gave me my grandmother’s ring and I was thinking of how and when to ask her.”
I straighten up and at his firm head shake, I press my lips together and suppress the squeal on the verge of exploding. I close my eyes and suck in a deep breath, then exhale loudly as I focus on Elias.
“Wow, that looked like it hurt.”
I nod and with my hands on my hips, I give him my best threatening look. “If something happens to this baby, it’s on you.”
He snorts. “I promise to do whatever it takes to look after you and your child.”
“But seriously, you can’t drop that on me so casually!”
“Sshhh!” Elias hisses and I wince, looking over to find Patrick watching us with narrowed eyes. “My family knows. I haven’t spoken to Tessa or Jacob yet, but it’s on my list.”
“Do not ask them for permission.”
He frowns. “Why not?”
“Vera is not their property and I get the respect angle, but don’t do it.”
“Would they hate me if I didn’t?”
I shake my head. “No. I think you could tell them you want to marry her. And they’ll give you their blessing. My aunt and uncle love you, Elias. They’re not going to make you work for it.”
“Make him work for what?”
Elias jumps at his brother’s deep voice and I grin. “None of your business, Trick.”
Patrick narrows his eyes as he glares and I simply continue to smile.
Either amused or confused by his brother’s behaviour, Elias says, “If this is some kind of kink, I’d like to be left out of it.”
Patrick leans in and in a loud whisper says, “She likes to call me Daddy in bed.”
“For fuck’s sake, Pat.”
I snort out a laugh and cover my mouth as Elias shoves his brother aside and walks to the couch.
Vera’s soothing him instantly, glancing back at us with a smirk.
I love that my cousin met someone who wants to spend his life with her, someone who looks at her and sees the incredible woman she is.
I know Elias is going to love her better than anyone ever could.
Patrick squeezes my hips. “You good, Lo?”
“I am, honey. Tired, but really happy.”
“Go nap,” he says softly and I shake my head. “Or let me kick everyone out.”
“Stop it. You’re glad the people we love the most want to be with us.”
He smiles, eyes dancing over the five people in our living room.
We invited Millie, Krys and their husbands to join, but being a weekend, they had other family commitments.
So we promised to get together in a few weeks.
While I’m not antisocial, I’m not the biggest fan of being around people for too long.
At work, I lock myself in my office when I’m overstimulated.
In the short time we’ve been together, Patrick and I know exactly how to read each other and understand what the other needs.
So this is a lot, but like I said, they’re the people we love the most and knowing they want to be with us is what makes this worth it.
“Mathai is not a good name for a kid,” Vikram argues and Patrick flips him off. “Pick something like Vikram or Varun. Strong, sturdy names.”
“I like Mathai,” Varun supplies from the other end of the couch and Vikram groans.
“You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“What? It’s a solid name.”
Vikram waves him off and then continues. “Maybe you should go with something else from the holy book. Like Jonah or Moses.”
Nina smacks him with a cushion and shoves him aside. “How are you related to this guy?” she asks Vera, who is so busy laughing she can’t respond.
“We’ve got other options,” I say. Truth is, we’re not really thinking that far ahead. Patrick’s name choices are still at the top of my list, but until the baby is born and in our arms, I refuse to make any decisions.
“You know what I really want to know? Godparents,” Vikram says and at his smug expression, I glance at Patrick, our eyes widening. We never even considered it. While both of us were raised in Christian homes and went to church with our grandparents, religion has never been important to us.
“We’re not religious,” Nina says and Vikram scoffs.
“Neither are we. Tam designs sex rooms for crying out loud.”
“One, that’s fucking cool. Two, religious people have sex,” she counters.
Vikram’s stunned into silence and busies himself by drinking his beer—I’m not sure where it came from since this house has been alcohol-free for months. I look at the people gathered and know our kid would be so lucky to have all of them as godparents. But if I was to pick one…
“Varun,” I say and he turns to me. “I’d be honoured if you would be our baby’s godfather.”
“What?” He looks and sounds so confused. Vera and Vikram look at their brother with proud smiles and instantly I know I made the right choice.
“When I was a kid and first living with your family, you were the one who protected me from the monsters in the closet. You were there when I would wake up crying every night. You reminded me that even though my parents were gone, you would always be there for me. You’re my hero.
” I sniffle and see tears in Varun’s eyes.
“And I know you’ll do the same for my kid when the time comes. So what do you say?”
He nods and I push to my feet as he rounds the coffee table to give me a hug. He’s as tall as Patrick, but broader and hugging him is like embracing a cuddly bear. He squeezes me once more before pulling away.
“It would be my honour,” he says roughly and kisses my forehead.
As he returns to his seat, I wipe my face and look at Patrick. We might not have discussed this, but on some level we always knew who we’d pick. He blows out a breath and smiles.
“Ninan…”
“Oh fuck no,” she mutters and all of us laugh.
“Love you, kid,” Patrick says with a smirk.
“You’re an asshole. I will spoil the kid rotten, but that’s a responsibility I’m not ready for.”
Everyone laughs and Patrick turns to my cousin, her eyes watery and wide. “Vera, there’s honestly not a single other person in the world better suited to be their godmother.”
She blinks and nods, fanning her face like it’ll stop the tears.
“When Tamara and I first met, she talked endlessly about her sister and best friend. How no matter what happened in the world, you’d always be there for her.
And over the past few months, I’ve seen how much joy and love you bring into my little brother’s life.
If our kid gets even an ounce of that, they’d be the luckiest human in the world.
” Patrick reaches over and squeezes Vera’s hand and she smiles.
We let the moment settle into our bones before phones start pinging. Vera’s eyes widen at whatever she sees over Elias’s shoulder and Vikram’s reaction echoes in the room.
“I’m going to kill that fucking asshole.”
Nina peers into his screen and swears under her breath. “Returning Indian captain Kaia Philip reminds us why she’s the bad girl of cricket,” she reads. “Her ex leaked nude pictures of her early this morning.”
Now I understand Vikram’s rage—Kaia’s his best friend.
When he started playing cricket, she would always come around the Thomas house looking cute as a button and ready to take on the boys.
Their friendship has clearly stood the test of time if he’s ready to burn down the world for her.
It’s not Vikram’s reaction that has me intrigued, it’s Varun’s.
I’ve known him my whole life and I can read the tension in his body, the tight way he’s holding himself as he uses his thumbs to slowly type out a message.
Then he stands up, eyes fixed on his device.
“I’m going to head out,” he says, his deep voice softer than usual. He looks up and forces a smile. “Thank you for having me over and I’m really excited. And honoured.”
Before any of us can say anything, he walks out of the apartment.
Vikram follows minutes later, still grumbling and grunting under his breath.
The rest of our family leaves soon after and I shift to the couch.
Patrick sits down and lifts my feet into his lap, massaging them slowly.
There were days when I was worried Kabir would share nudes he had of me from early on in our relationship.
I realised pretty quickly he didn’t want revenge.
He wanted to do his own thing without being beholden to anyone.
I hate this happened to Kaia—no woman should ever have her body and privacy exploited by someone else. Especially someone they once trusted.
“I only know of Kaia, do you know her?”
I nod. “She and Vik played cricket together for years. She’s quite amazing.”
“Fuck her ex.”
“She’s already been through so much. This makes it worse.”
He sighs, but continues kneading my tired feet. I lean against the back of the couch and watch him, glad he’s mine. Patrick turns to me and smiles when he notices my expression.
“You okay, Lo?”
“I love you, Trick. So much,” I whisper and his expression softens. “Still have to stop and remind myself this is real.”
“The realest thing, sweetheart.”
“Good.”
He squeezes my ankle. “I’m looking forward to doing this with you forever.”
“Me too, honey.”