Chapter Seven #2
Priya’s thoughts were derailed by the doorbell.
Normally, Mumma would yell for her to answer it, but ever since last night’s sangeet, her parents hadn’t been speaking much to her.
Silence had always been their favorite form of control—cold, heavy, and impossible to ignore.
Growing up, Priya and her sisters had learned that their parents wielded it both as a weapon and a shield.
All she could do was wait it out until their anger had cooled.
With a weary sigh, Priya made her way downstairs and answered the door.
“Priya Solanki?” a man in a delivery uniform asked, glancing at the screen of his handheld device.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Special delivery. I’m going to need some ID.”
“Sure, I’ll be right back,” Priya said, heading back upstairs. Crazy that Ethan can’t even use his name for something as simple as a delivery. What other compromises does he have to make?
The delivery man checked Priya’s ID and then motioned for her to follow him outside. As soon as she saw the brand-new motorcycle parked beside a transport truck, her jaw dropped. It was a dead ringer for Ethan’s old bike, complete with a matching helmet.
She scribbled her signature on the paperwork, her mind still spinning. As the truck rumbled away, Mumma descended on Priya. Still angry from their argument the night before, her voice escalated to a new level.
“Aa su?” Her hands flew to her hips. “You bought a motorcycle?”
“Actually, Mrs. Solanki, I did,” Ethan’s smooth voice interjected.
Mumma and Priya whirled around.
“Oh, how lovely it is!” Mumma’s hands quickly relocated to her chest, her change of tune about as subtle as a Bollywood dance number at a funeral.
“Glad you approve,” Ethan replied, his lips curling into a grin. “Let’s see how she sounds, shall we?”
Mounting the motorcycle, he revved the engine, unleashing a deep rumble that vibrated through Priya’s shoes. She barely had time to wince before the funeral home door swung open and Puppa stepped out.
Uh-oh, she thought.
“My apologies, Mr. Solanki.” Ethan killed the engine and climbed off the motorcycle with a sheepish smile. “It seems I’ve once again disturbed the peace with my bike.”
“Not at all,” Puppa said. “Moksha is officially closed. I was just meeting with the contractors.” He gestured toward the van parked nearby. “They’ll be tearing out the old wiring, then moving on with the rest of the renovations.”
“More noise,” Ethan remarked.
“Well, not for another two weeks. That’s the earliest they can get to it. Some areas may be off-limits while the crew is here, but I’ll make sure it doesn’t interfere with your plans.”
“I have plenty of commitments I can handle off-site on those days. As long as my privacy isn’t compromised, it’s all good.”
“Of course,” Puppa replied, but then his expression changed. “Should I have them sign something? A confidentiality agreement?”
“That’s probably a good idea,” Ethan said, slowly nodding his head. “I’ll have my assistant look after it.” Shifting his attention back to his new motorcycle, Ethan caught Mumma checking out the saddle. “I apologize, Mrs. Solanki, if the leather offends you.”
Priya winced, knowing her made-up story claiming her parents hated leather was about to fall apart.
Mumma waved off his concern. “I was just admiring how neat the stitching is. Our car’s seats are leather too. Secondhand car, so we didn’t have much of a choice. But thank you for being so considerate.”
Ethan tilted his head toward Priya, and when their eyes met, he raised an eyebrow.
He’d caught on to her lie, and she could already sense payback brewing.
She glanced at her parents, but they were too busy admiring the bike to notice.
Had it actually belonged to Priya, frugality would rear its penny-pinching head, and both parents would probably have passed out on the spot.
“I’ve never been on a motorcycle before,” Mumma confessed.
“Is that so?” Ethan replied. “How would you like to join me for a ride?”
“Oh, no!” Mumma declared, shaking her head. “Motorcycle riding at my age? Baap re. Maybe in another life.”
“Ah, Mrs. Solanki.” Ethan grinned. “You’ve ruined my winning streak. It’s been a while since someone turned me down.”
Priya watched in amazement as Mumma’s cheeks bloomed with a full-on blush.
“What an idea.” She laughed self-consciously. “Me refusing you.”
“I can tell there’s an adventurer in you, Mrs. Solanki, and now’s her chance to shine. What do you say?”
Priya snorted quietly. Adventurer? Please. Mumma got nervous switching brands of atta.
“Without a helmet?” Puppa cut in. The Solankis weren’t exactly thrill-seekers—they approached new things with plenty of hesitation and a whole lot of caution.
“She can wear mine,” Ethan offered. “It won’t fit perfectly, but we’ll just go for a quick spin around the grounds.”
Puppa gave a hesitant nod, and Priya waited for her mother to dismiss the idea—a predictable No, thank you. Instead, Mumma’s face lit up like a sunflower turning toward the light.
Priya blinked in surprise, watching as Ethan secured the helmet under Mumma’s chin and helped her onto the bike.
“Don’t be shy. Hold on tight,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. “Ready?”
“Ready.” Mumma’s voice was a blend of fright and delight. She wore a cardigan over her salwar khameez, her dupatta tucked securely to keep it from fluttering in the wind.
With a reassuring nod, Ethan turned the engine on. Mumma let out a gasp. Her hands, perched like timid sparrows on his shoulders, suddenly bear-hugged the life out of him.
Taking off slowly, Ethan guided the bike along the winding paths of the property, weaving around flower beds bursting with the orange and yellow marigolds her parents planted each year. Mumma squealed as they veered left, then right.
“She’s having fun,” Puppa said, the frosty tension between him and Priya thawing as they watched.
“Yeah…” Priya shook her head with a smile. “Would you look at that?”
Mumma’s nerves melted, and her grip relaxed. She wasn’t just tolerating the ride. She was loving it! Eventually, Ethan steered the motorcycle back to its starting point. Glowing with excitement, Mumma thanked Ethan and dismounted.
“Rakesh, that was incredible!” she said excitedly to Puppa. Priya glimpsed a completely different side of her mother—a woman with a spark for life, not just the strict parent she’d always known. It made Mumma feel far more relatable than Priya had ever imagined.
“Priya, did you see me?” Mumma nudged her daughter with her elbow, a sign that she’d moved past their argument.
“I did, Mumma. You looked like you were having a blast.” Priya looked over at Ethan and gave him a grin, part gratitude and part surprise.
Mumma turned to Ethan, her eyes shining. “I will have Priya bring you a special lunch tray,” she said, eager to spoil him the only way she knew—with food.
Ethan smiled but shook his head. “Thanks, Mrs. Solanki, but I think I’ll just stick with dinner. You’ve filled up my fridge so well, I’m good to handle breakfast and lunch on my own.” Then, noticing Mumma’s disappointed expression, Ethan quickly said, “But I’d love to join you for dinner.”
Mumma and Puppa shared a brief, uncertain look—they both had assumed Ethan’s meals would be delivered to the coach house.
“We’d be honored to host you,” Puppa said hesitantly, “but our home is far more modest than the kind of places you’re probably used to. If you don’t mind, we’ll dine in Moksha’s hospitality room.”
“Your home is more genuine and inviting than many places I’ve been to,” Ethan said. “Dinner at your table would be a real treat.”
Priya was caught off guard by the softness in Ethan’s tone. He didn’t sound like he was just being polite. He sounded…grateful. As if he really meant it. Her chest felt strangely tight, and when her eyes met his, her heart stumbled all over again.
Puppa and Mumma glowed with quiet pride. “Then it’s settled,” Puppa said. “We’ll see you upstairs this evening.”
“Excellent,” Ethan replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to test my new wheels. Want to hop on, Priya?”
Before Priya could respond, Puppa intervened. “I think my family has already taken up enough of your time.”
Ethan looked at Priya with a hint of surprise. He hadn’t expected her father to speak for her. Still, he waited until Priya gave him a tiny shake of her head. Hosting Ethan came with a to-do list a mile long, and she knew her parents needed her help to pull off dinner tonight.
Looking slightly disappointed, Ethan fastened his helmet and pulled the visor over his face.
Its glossy surface hid his face and mirrored the scene around him—the gray building, the tulips bordering the driveway, the three figures looking on.
Gravel crunched under his tires as he guided the bike toward the driveway.
Then, revving the engine, he let the motor growl before taking off in a blur of motion.
The hum of his motorcycle faded as he sped away.
Mumma, Puppa, and Priya remained rooted, as if enchanted by a lingering cloud of stardust.
Standing beside her parents, Priya couldn’t help but notice the smiles on their faces.
Ethan had brought new energy into their lives and to Moksha, a spark of excitement they hadn’t felt in a long time.
She wondered what her parents would say if they knew how she felt about him, how she’d always felt.
To them, the idea of something romantic between her and Ethan wasn’t just far-fetched, it was absurd.
He wasn’t simply an outsider. He existed in an entirely different world.
Yet in his presence, Priya’s world transformed into a kaleidoscope of sensations.
When their eyes met, goose bumps swept over her.
His voice electrified her. Her pulse raced whenever he was around.
The years had only intensified her attraction to him.
But even as she felt it all so deeply, Priya knew their time together right now was nothing more than a brief intersection.
Once Ethan left Moksha, their worlds would drift apart again.
All Priya had to do was hold herself together until then.
She had already lost her marriage and her career.
Her heart was all she had left, and if she wasn’t careful, it would be the next casualty.