Chapter Thirty
Thirty
When Priya returned to Moksha, she spotted a few cars still parked outside.
That’s odd, she thought, letting herself in through the side entrance, her mind still replaying the conversation with Ethan’s dad.
As she climbed the stairs, a memory surfaced—of leading Ethan up these very stairs when he’d shown up with Brooke.
Her hand instinctively sought out the star pendant at her neck, a bittersweet reminder that somehow still grounded her.
At the top, she slipped off her shoes and entered the apartment with a soft sigh.
“There you are!” Puppa called, sounding overly cheerful.
Priya stepped into the living room and froze. Her parents sat on the couch with a man who looked vaguely familiar, though she couldn’t place him.
“We have guests, beta.” Mumma smiled tensely, gesturing toward a chair across from the couch.
Priya followed the direction of her mother’s gaze and froze when she saw Ravi Tiwari seated in the corner. Before she could recover, Puppa chimed in.
“Look who else is here.” Puppa nodded pointedly at another chair.
Manoj swiveled around in his chair and gave her an awkward wave.
Priya blinked, stunned. Is this some kind of ambush? A guy from my childhood, who still seems to carry a torch, and my ex-husband sitting together in my parents’ living room? She glanced between Ravi and Manoj, trying to make sense of the moment.
“And this is Dinesh Verma,” Puppa explained, motioning toward the stranger. “We met him at Vinod Uncle’s.”
The name landed, and Priya connected the dots. This was the guy in the photo Deepa had sent—the one her parents were trying to set her up with.
“Um, hi,” she said as Dinesh got to his feet.
“Nice to meet you,” he replied. “I hope I’m not intruding. I was in the area and thought I’d drop in.”
“Not at all!” Mumma interjected cheerfully. “You’re always welcome. Priya, you sit here!” She patted her seat as she rose. “I’ll go and make some tea.”
Priya offered Dinesh a tentative smile and took a seat.
Her eyes drifted to Ravi, then Manoj. An awkward silence hung in the air.
Dinesh pretended to admire the apartment.
Ravi focused on the carpet as though it held the answers to life, and Manoj stared at the small Ganesh figurine on the family’s altar.
Meanwhile, Puppa kept nodding his head like a bobblehead doll.
Priya glanced at her feet. In a congregation of socks, she was the only one with bare feet.
She cleared her throat. “So, um. Ravi, Manoj—what are you doing here?”
Before they could answer, Mumma called her to the kitchen.
“Coming!” Priya leaped to her feet, grateful for the excuse.
“Can you grab that pot for me?” Mumma asked, her voice loud enough for everyone to hear. Then under her breath, she hissed, “Why is Ravi here? And what on earth is Manoj showing up for now?”
“I have no idea,” Priya whispered back. There was a time when all her parents wanted was for her to patch things up with her ex-husband, not that they knew what had really happened. But now that they’d met Dinesh, their priorities seemed to have shifted.
“Thank you, beta,” Mumma said, continuing the charade. Through clenched teeth, she added, “Get rid of them.”
“Okay, okay. I’ll try,” Priya replied. As she returned to the living room, Mumma swept past her, extending her hand to Dinesh.
“Come, beta. I must show you our balcony,” she said. “You can pick some herbs to take home.” Leading Dinesh away, she gave Puppa a meaningful look and gestured toward Ravi.
Puppa caught on and cleared his throat. “Ravi,” he said. “Have you seen Moksha’s new electrical panel? It’s quite impressive! Come, let me show you.” He got up, put on his shoes, and waited by the door.
Ravi shot a puzzled look at Puppa, then at Priya, and back again. “Alright,” he agreed, a little perplexed, before getting up and putting on his own shoes.
“We won’t be long,” Puppa declared, nodding toward Manoj and winking at Priya as he led Ravi out.
Priya sighed. Here goes nothing. Her mission was to politely get rid of Manoj.
“Finally, some privacy,” Manoj said, letting out a relieved breath.
Priya sat on the sofa across from her ex-husband and looked at him. “What exactly are you doing here?” she asked.
“I brought you a certified check for your share of the company.” Manoj extended an envelope.
“Thank you.” Priya glanced at the number on the check before closing the envelope again. “But you didn’t have to fly all the way from Calgary to deliver this; you could just have transferred it, like we agreed.”
“I know. But I wanted to see you, Priya. I meant what I said on the phone. I’m hoping you can give us another shot. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to make things right.”
“Manoj, I need to stop you right there,” Priya said. “I know you’re sorry. And I’m sorry too. The truth is you weren’t the only one to blame for our marriage ending. I wasn’t completely present in our relationship, even before you cheated.”
His face clouded with confusion. “I thought we were fine. Until I…well, until I ruined it.”
Priya sighed, searching for the right words. “We were fine on paper, Manoj. We had the same background, the same interests…Our families got along. I told myself that would be enough. But deep down, I know now—I didn’t marry you for the right reasons.”
A puzzled look crossed Manoj’s face. “What do you mean?”
“I was looking for something safe. Something uncomplicated. And you gave me that,” she admitted gently. “But my heart has always belonged to someone else, and I didn’t face that until I returned home.”
“Someone else?” Manoj rose from his seat, his voice filled with disbelief.
“I don’t get it, Priya. I was your first kiss, your first boyfriend…
The only person you’ve ever been intimate with…
” He trailed off and stopped pacing. “This has to do with your parents.” He frowned, his gaze sharp and searching.
“You told them I had an affair, so now they’re setting you up with someone else, right?
Is it that guy?” He gestured toward the balcony. “Or the one who left with your father?”
Priya shook her head, but before she could reply, the door swung open.
“We’re back,” Puppa announced, leading Ravi through the door.
Manoj closed his eyes and swore under his breath. “Well,” he said, his lips pressed tightly together. “I guess this is it. I’ve said what I needed to, but it looks like you’ve moved on.”
Priya’s eyes met his in a silent apology, and he looked away.
Turning on his heel, he headed for the door where Puppa and Ravi were taking off their shoes.
The three men jostled for space in an awkward dance of elbows and apologies.
Finally, Manoj put on his shoes, tipped his head in a mock bow, and strode out.
A smug smile spread across Puppa’s face. “I think I’ll join your mother and Dinesh.” He sent Priya a quick glance in Ravi’s direction, a silent cue to get rid of him too.
“Please give my regards to your family,” he added to Ravi.
Ravi chuckled as Puppa disappeared onto the balcony. “I’ve had a lot of introductions in my time. Parents, siblings, even a family astrologer once, but never to an electrical panel. That was a first.”
Priya smiled. “Yeah, my dad’s obsessed with it.”
A small pause settled between them, the silence stretching out a little too long.
Priya cleared her throat. “I’m sorry for not getting back to you. It’s been a bit crazy around here.”
“I bet.” Ravi let out a short laugh. “You were hosting Ethan Knight of all people, and then the media practically set up camp at your door. Remember when computer camp was the most exciting thing happening around here? Now look at you—front-page gossip, rubbing shoulders with the paparazzi.”
“Not by choice, believe me.”
“I didn’t think so,” Ravi said. “Although you’ve come a long way from the Priya I used to know.
I was surprised to hear about your divorce, but not exactly heartbroken over it.
” His lips quirked into a small smile. “I’ve always liked you, Priya.
” He let the words hang in the air for a moment before continuing, his tone more casual.
“Anyway, I’m in town for a few days and thought maybe we could grab dinner? ”
Priya smiled, shaking her head. “Do you really think your mother would approve of you wining and dining a divorced woman from a lower caste?”
“If I stuck to my mom’s approved list, my dating pool would be about this big.” He pinched his fingers together.
Priya laughed. “Oh, I’m pretty sure Shrutiji has a whole spreadsheet of approved partners lined up for you. You’re her golden boy, Ravi. We both know she has plans for you. And they don’t involve someone like me.”
“I think you’re giving my mom way too much power.”
“Am I?” Priya arched an eyebrow. “You and I grew up the same way, Ravi. First-gen kids whose parents uprooted their whole lives so we could have a better one here. But let’s be real.
We’re not as free as we want to believe.
We may not care about things like caste or race or religion, but they still do.
They may not say it out loud because they know better than to be that obvious.
Dating is one thing, but actually committing to someone?
Bringing them home to meet the family? That’s where it all starts to unravel. ”
“Isn’t that where we come in though?” Ravi said. “To push through all that?”
Priya gave him a small smile. “You’re right.
And maybe you’re ready to take on that fight, but I’m not.
I feel like all I’ve done lately is try to prove myself—to my family, to the media, to people who don’t even know me.
I’ve been through enough to know exactly what I don’t want.
” Her voice softened as she continued. “My life isn’t perfect, but it’s mine, and right now, the only fight I have left in me is for myself.
I’m sorry, Ravi. I hope you find what you’re looking for. ”