Chapter 20
*****
Distant noises brought her back from her suspended state. The sounds were distracting at first but as she tried to go back to sleep, the next set of noises were familiar. Her eyes shot open when she realized who was the source of her wake-up call.
“Vaish, where are you?”
Isha froze when she heard Ashok’s voice and the next moment, she felt tiny fingers grab onto her hand. The little girl was climbing up to her bed and that very sight made Isha ease a bit. She gave the young one a slight pull and she was on the bed and was laughing like she climbed a mountain.
The joy on the baby’s face made Isha feel at ease suddenly. “What’s so funny?” she whispered gently, poking one of the chubby arms.
“You think you can hide from me?” Ashok did not sound amused.
Isha’s back stiffened and all good feelings left her body when she heard him approach her room. Thankfully, he stopped at the door.
“Vaish, let’s go. You need to eat lunch.”
Lunch? Had she been sleeping that long?
Her eyes fell on the clock and there it was 11:11am and her stomach dropped. Remembering what Chandini said, she quickly made a wish. For Ashok to not demand an explanation for her irrational behavior or worse misunderstand her intentions.
As if in response to her uncle’s words, Vaish moved closer to Isha like she wanted to be with her.
“Vaish?” his voice was firmer.
The girl did not budge and he stood there silently, his eyes on the baby.
Isha finally gathered some courage and said, “I’ll bring her downstairs in a few minutes.”
He hesitated just for a moment. “Okay.”
Ashok had taken a couple of steps away before Isha called out to him. She could not bear putting off the topic another second.
“Yes,” he said while out of sight.
“Can we talk?” She started to shake and as if for support, wrapped her arms around the baby who felt like a shield in that situation.
“Later?” he still was not in her line of sight as he stood just outside her door.
“Now.” She paused and added, “Please.”
A moment passed before he reappeared at the doorway. She could not tell his expression from his position. But she knew he had to be pissed about what she did.
Slap him and then kiss him.
“I…I’m…I’m sorry,” she swallowed a sob as she said those words.
Ashok did not move. He stood in the doorway and Isha couldn’t think of saying anything else.
“Let’s talk after lunch.” With those words he left swiftly like he didn’t want to be around her even for an extra second.
The babbling of the twin sitting next to her distracted her. She looked at her and the adorable little face brought a smile to her face. “Yup, you and I both are in trouble with your uncle. I don’t think my wish is granted.”
The baby gave her a response that she could not understand. She gathered the child into her arms and led her to the bathroom. She let the little one hang around as she freshened up before heading downstairs.
Isha took her time to go down the stairs, indulging in the twin’s need to walk down the stairs with support. At the bottom of the stop, Vaish crawled back to where her brother was and started to play with the toys.
One soft step at a time, she made her way to the dining area, expecting to see Ashok in a grumpy mode. It was anti-climatic to not see him around. It was just the staff in that space.
One of the staff handed her a coffee mug. “Ashok sir is in his office.”
“Ok, thanks.”
It was time to rip the bandage off even if she had to beg for his forgiveness!
She took a few moments to take a couple of sips of coffee before walking toward the office. Prepared to have the most embarrassing conversation she knocked on the glass door. He looked up from his computer screen and gestured to her to come in.
Feeling nervous for the first time in such a situation, she entered the office. She placed her coffee mug on the desk in front of her before taking the chair across from him.
“I made travel arrangements for you to fly back to San Francisco. The jet will leave whenever you are ready.”
She almost choked on the coffee in response to his dart like words. “What?”
“Yes, anytime. Just give the team a few hours’ notice.” His face was like a mask.
Isha was still processing his words.
He wanted her to leave?
She was not prepared for what he said, and all the prep to have the conversion about the fiasco the previous night was futile.
“No,” she managed to say. “I’m not leaving.”
His eyes narrowed at her. “Didn’t you tell me you wanted to leave?”
She held his gaze. “That was weeks ago. I…I’ve changed my mind. I’m not leaving until…” her voice trailed off unsure when it would be a good time for her to leave.
“Until?” It was a taunt.
Instead of getting worked up about his tone, she took a deep breath to counter the anger that threatened to rise. “Until your family situation is figured out.”
He raised an eye brow, part surprise and rest provocation. “My family situation?”
“Yes,” she managed to keep her voice steady.
“You have no idea what you’re signing up for. It’s best that you leave.”
She held his gaze in challenge. It was time she addressed her erratic behavior so he would not think, she would kiss him at the drop of a hat.
She slowly shook her head. “Listen, what happened yesterday was unfortunate. I should not have raised my hand and then…” What was she supposed to say?
“It won’t happen again,” she declared and saw something flicker in his eyes.
“What won’t happen again?”
If he was pressing her to apologize it was time. “I’m sorry, I slapped you and then kissed you. It was uncalled for but I was extremely upset about the plan.”
He kept his eyes trained on her but did not show any emotion nor did he accept her apology.
“I’m staying,” she said, refusing to budge.
She should be taking the option to go back. She was useless anyways but she could not get herself to leave.
When Ashok remained silent, she took the opportunity to get to the point. “Let’s talk about getting your family support.”
He did not respond but just looked at her, no readable expression.
“Where is your family?”
He pulled his hands together to steeple his fingers. “Do you know why my family is estranged?”
She shook her head. “I…didn’t realize you had a family. Ravi never mentioned anyone other than you for Sami.”
He took a deep breath. “Samikhya and I have three other siblings and my entire family all live together and not too far from here.”
His words made her eyes widen. “What?” Was he just making up things?
He stood up to walk toward a shelf and reached for something that was laid flat. A picture frame.
Ashok placed the picture in front of her. “This is my immediate family.”
Isha swore she saw over fifty people in the picture.
He placed his finger on the center of the picture. “My father is the Chieftain of Devendraseema. An island off the western shore of India and it’s a union territory.”
That kind of stuff still exist?
Ashok pointed to everyone and started talking about his sisters and their families. Isha gathered that Ashok had three older sisters and her sister-in-law, Sami was the youngest of the five children.
“Vish and Vaish need to be with their family. Not here with us who have no idea how to create a good environment for them.”
He was right and all she could do was nod in agreement. “Why didn’t they come to see Sami…” she choked on her sister-in-law’s name and added, “no one showed up for Ravi and Sami’s last rites.”
He looked up and she noticed how his Adam’s apple slid down his neck as he swallowed painfully. “Sami chose love over a promise she made to my father.”
Isha was sure she heard something incorrectly. “I don’t understand.”
“It is not customary for the women to leave the island for education. Samikhya was an exception and when she convinced our father to let her go out for education for a new experience, she promised him she would marry the man of his choice. My father didn’t ask her for it; she made that promise to him since both my sisters chose their husbands on their own and she knew how much he wanted to have the experience.
And then,” he paused like he didn’t need to explain anything further.
Isha nodded. “I still remember the day Ravi met Sami. He told me she was the one.”
Ashok nodded.
Isha could only imagine why Ashok was also estranged from his family. “Did you or Sami not try to make contact with them in all these years?” It had been five years since Ravi and Sami got married.
Ashok shook his head. “Samikhya did, quite a few times. Just never got a response.” He paused for a moment and added, “She had planned to invite my folks over for the twins’ first birthday party and then decided she didn’t want to be disappointed.
That’s when they chose to celebrate with you all in San Francisco. ”
Isha looked up at the ceiling, batting away her tears. “How mad can they be with her, even when she is not around?”
Ashok did not respond to her immediately.
“Samikhya was everyone’s favorite. Growing up, she could do no wrong in spite of how adamant she could be.
” He let out a small laugh. “And she and Ravi were crazy about each other and I knew that. When she broke the news to my father, he went silent and my older sisters were the ones who made the call to banish Samikhya from the island. The home we grew up in. I chose to leave with her.”
“And you accepted that decision?” Isha wondered why anyone would not sort it out, especially when they seemed to be such a close-knit family.
“Samikhya felt guilty about it. She wanted them to be angry with her for a bit but that decision on her part and my part only angered my family further. Well and here we are. What we had hoped for a short separation to sort things down, just enough time for everything to calm down ended up being a lot longer.”
“That’s a shame.” Something tugged in her stomach when she caught the sadness in Ashok’s eyes. “I will do whatever it takes to help you reconnect with your family.”
Ashok nodded.
“Time to host that birthday party.” Not exactly what she had hoped to do but now she had no choice but to go with it.
She was just glad there was no awkwardness from the previous night. Thank goodness!