Chapter Eighteen Rupi #2
Across the mob, I see Simi’s face go from heartbreak to terror. Anagha and an older woman walk up to her, and she struggles to smile at them. This has to be Dr. Karina Rai, Anagha’s mother and the boss who’s been making life hell for Simi. Where is Prem? Why has he left her alone?
I weave through the stampeding hordes and make my way toward her.
“Can I get you something, Dr. Rai?” I hear Simi say in a sickeningly simpering tone.
“I’ll take a chai,” the woman says dismissively, without bothering to look at Simi.
Simi runs off to fetch the demanded chai. I stop behind a potted fern, because the conversation that follows fills me with enough rage that I have to stop and breathe. And eavesdrop.
“Why is she dressed up like a guest?” Karina says to her daughter. “She’s the nanny. It’s tacky.”
“Because she thinks she’s family now,” Anagha says. “Prem’s with that trashy sister of hers, remember?”
“What is wrong with the Guptas?” Karina says.
“I thought they had some sense. I should have warned Tanuja. I could see the girl was trying to worm her way into their family. I knew it when she played the Indian card to get the nanny job. These new immigrants make us all look bad. When we came to America, we worked hard. We didn’t just take shortcuts. ”
Working three jobs is a shortcut? How has Simi not poisoned this witch’s chai yet?
Simi comes back with two cups and hands them to the two women. She’s all big empty eyes and blank smile. It’s her nervous face.
“Thanks for giving me another chance, Dr. Rai,” Simi says. “I promise I won’t let you down.” She needs to not just let the woman down but shove her to the floor and stand on her neck.
The woman doesn’t respond. She just makes a huffing sound as though Simi can’t possibly disappoint her more than she already has.
“I was waiting for the party. I couldn’t leave Preeti and Dr. Johnson in the lurch until that was done. I’ll take care of it this week.”
“I mean, it’s your life. I only care about the practice. I think our patients deserve nurses who put them first.”
“I do.” Simi swallows. “I will. Can you please tell me when the papers will be signed?”
“Our lawyers are looking at them. I’ll keep you posted.” With that, the nasty witches saunter away, leaving my sister in their wake.
My anger makes it hard for me to see straight. My entire body feels hot with it. I emerge from behind the fern. “What the hell, Simi!” I say.
She blinks up at me. We’re back in our building in Mumbai, with children dancing around her, calling her “motorcycle” and screaming stuttering sounds into her face. Before I beat the shit out of them.
“Did you need something?” she asks.
“Yes, I need you to start standing up to bullies.”
“Sorry?”
“You should be. For letting those women treat you like that.”
“She’s my boss,” Simi says.
“So?”
“So, she’s within her rights to fire me for not doing my job well.”
“Are you not doing your job well?”
She raises her chin. “I’m the best nurse they have.”
“I know! How is it you grew up with bullies and you still can’t recognize them?”
“Just because I can recognize them doesn’t mean I magically have their power,” she snaps and wrings her hands like a helpless waif.
I pull her hands apart and hold them steady.
“When you got done with your nursing course, you had three job offers in three different countries. Have you forgotten that? And that was before you had four years of experience. What is wrong with you? What’s the point of having power if you’re not going to use it? ”
“Use it how? By blowing up the only choice I have at this time?”
“How do you know that? You’ve said yourself that they’ve been looking for nurses for a year and found no one. You know you’ll get another job in a minute. Call her bluff.”
Her gaze burns angrily into mine. She scoffs out a laugh. “I cannot restart the green card process elsewhere. It takes too long. My job is my only path to a green card right now.” She doesn’t say “thanks to you,” but it simmers in her voice.
Now it’s my turn to scoff. “Way to go with the guilt trip. But I know choices, and this job isn’t your only choice.
Even if it were, the other doctors at the practice aren’t stupid.
They’re never going to let you go. Karina is yanking you around by a chain because you’re letting her.
That’s how bullies work. If you kneel to her now, you’ll never stop kneeling.
You love those girls. They need you. Why would you give up on them because this woman gets off on seeing you miserable? ”
“Who wants to see her miserable?” Mamma walks up to us. And lo and behold, on her heels follows our friendly neighborhood lawyer man.
He’s wearing a black-on-black kurta, much like me, and it irritates me more than it should.
“Everything all right, Simi?” he asks with such gentleness, his whole dark-angel vibe trembles at the threat.
He slides me a look. The next time someone looks at me like I’m stabbing pins into my sister, I’m going to actually stab them.
“Just some work stuff,” Simi says.
“No work talk. We’re here to have fun,” Prem’s mom says and looks from Saj to Simi with the most excited smile. “I saw that day that you two know each other already.”
“We do,” Simi says. “He’s Rupi’s lawyer. Prem introduced us.”
“So, you know he’s a lawyer.” Mamma’s eyes do a happy dance. “And you’re a pediatric nurse. Both professions where you help people. Isn’t that perfect?”
Oh! Saj is the “nice boy” she’s been wanting to set Simi up with. I press a hand to my mouth to keep from laughing.
Simi and Saj look like they’ve just figured it out too.
As if on cue, in walks Prem.
“Oh hey, Prem,” I say. “Just in time.”
“For what?” Prem asks.
“What do you think?” Tanuja says. “Now that you’re getting married, don’t you think your friend should also settle down? And Simi is also single.”
Prem’s mouth falls open. The man should never travel to a place with flies. “Mamma, please. You’re embarrassing them.”
She looks appalled at the accusation. “Well, that wasn’t what I was trying to do. I just think they would make such a cute couple. Look at them.”
Prem glares at her.
She ignores him and pats Saj’s arm and throws Simi a commiserating grin. “What’s the harm in going out and getting to know each other?”
Simi blushes, and Saj remains as impressively unmoved as ever.
“Look at them being all shy,” Tanuja says to me. “Rupi, aren’t nice boys hard to find these days? You tell your sister. I get a feeling she listens to you.”
“Simi knows her mind,” I say.
“You’re right, everyone should know their mind.
I’m so proud of you girls these days. Anyway, as the people closest to the bride and groom, they’re going to have to work closely together on planning your wedding.
So, they will have no choice but to get to know each other.
We’re going to need all hands on deck if we want to pull this off in two months. ”
“Two months?” Simi says. “You guys set a date?”
Prem and I look at each other. The family decided on a date two days ago. We’re getting married in two months. I haven’t told Simi yet. Obviously, Prem hasn’t either.
Simi’s expression is the exact reason why we haven’t.
“Yes, didn’t your sister tell you?” Tanuja says.
“She did,” Simi says, betrayal-filled eyes fixed on me, not even a glance spared for Prem. “But sometimes Rupi likes to yank my chain around just for fun, so I wasn’t sure if she meant it.” Did she just compare me to that bully Karina?
The look she gives me tells me that she did exactly that. Then she shakes my hand as though we’re meeting for the first time. “Congratulations, didi. Everything you’ve always wanted is about to be yours.”