Chapter Seventeen #2
Roshan turned at the sound of her voice.
He was dressed in simple Indian clothes for the housewarming ceremony.
He wore a light green tunic that reached just above his knees and white pants that hugged his legs underneath.
The green looked amazing on him, but then most things looked amazing on him.
Nimita had opted for a simple sari the color of the ocean.
Of all the things her mother had wanted her to learn, putting on a sari was the one Nimita had paid attention to and learned to do well.
Something about the way a perfectly wrapped sari draped over her body made her feel elegant and beautiful.
Even Reena asked for her help.
Roshan drew his gaze over her from where he stood on a step stool affixing lights to the wall. “Hey.”
She was still hurt by his words during Holi, though she could admit her words must have stung, too. It was just as well. Reena had been right. Roshan was distracting her from what was really important. Not to mention, he was likely incapable of really seeing her.
“Oh. You’re here!” Malini popped out and hugged Nimita. “Your sari looks great!” She turned to her brother. “Okay, Nimita is here. Time for the tour.”
“Tour?” asked Nimita. “But haven’t we already—”
“A tour sounds great,” Roshan said with obviously forced enthusiasm as he finished the lights and came down from the stepladder. “Let’s do it,” he said as he put away the stepladder.
Malini beamed. “This is the hall.” They followed her. The hall was two feet long. “Here’s the bedroom.”
She and Roshan took turns peeking into the bedroom and bathroom.
“Very…efficient,” said Nimita, though she had seen this many times in the past few days as she helped Mali unpack.
She suspected that Roshan had as well. She cut her eyes to him without turning her head.
His gaze was on the ceiling, where a small round spot could be seen.
She elbowed him. He glanced at her, his mouth pressed together, but said nothing.
“There’s that circle up here,” Malini said pointing up. “See it, Bhaiya?”
“Hmm? Oh yeah.” He looked at the ceiling. “I see it.”
“I already asked the landlord about it. She’s looking into it.”
Roshan opened his mouth and closed it. “Yeah. Okay. Good job.”
Malini squeezed past them, back down the hall and pointed left, which was where they had all entered. “That’s the kitchen and the dining room.” The narrow galley kitchen and little dining room took up about a third of the space.
“Very nice.”
“Cute table.” That was Roshan.
Nimita met his eyes and mouthed, Cute table?
He shrugged and opened his palms. What was he supposed to say?
She stifled a giggle. She wasn’t surprised. He loved his sister. He couldn’t get her to not live here, so he might as well support her. As best he could, anyway.
“I know, right?” Mali’s enthusiasm was adorable. “I found it on the curb. Someone was throwing it away.”
Roshan and Nimita stared at her a moment. “That’s great, Mali,” Nimita said.
“Fabulous,” Roshan said, nodding his head with obviously feigned excitement.
“This, of course, is the living room.” This was where the puja was set up. Malini walked past the ceremony set up and opened the door to the balcony.
“This is my favorite part.” Malini beamed. The three of them walked out onto the balcony that overlooked the parking lot. Even with just the three of them out there, it was still a tight fit. Malini stood to one side, leaving Nimita and Roshan to squeeze into the remaining space. “Isn’t it great?”
“It’s fabulous!” Nimita said.
“Gorgeous,” Roshan said, nodding his head vigorously.
He really was trying.
“Look.” Malini pointed up to the ceiling of the balcony, where a surfboard was affixed.
“The other people forgot their surfboard,” Roshan said.
Malini beamed. “No. It’s mine.”
“You don’t surf,” he said.
“Not yet. I’m going to save up some money for lessons.” Malini beamed.
“Nimita can teach you,” Roshan said, without looking at her.
Nimita could not help her gasp of surprise as she turned to him.
Malini’s eyes lit up. “Seriously?”
“I taught him.” She thumbed behind her.
“You taught Roshan?”
“And it took him awhile.” Nimita grinned. She heard Roshan chuff behind her.
“She’s a great teacher,” Roshan said.
“Do you know how to swim?” asked Nimita, still confused about what was going on.
“Yes.” Malini was beaming.
The doorbell rang. Guests. Malini ran to answer the door.
“Thanks, for that,” Nimita said as they walked back inside to greet his parents.
“It’s true. You are a great teacher.” He shrugged. “If she insists on learning, she should be with the best.”
Nimita stared at him. “Wow. Helping her move and then not discouraging surf lessons? Where’s the real Roshan?”
“Ha ha,” he deadpanned.
“Ah! Hello!” Malini and Roshan’s father was jovial and lighthearted. Tall and thin, he had a full head of salt-and-pepper hair and Malini’s hazel eyes. He hugged his children in turn. Clearly he had come to terms with this move.
“This is my friend, Nimita,” Malini introduced her.
“Wait. You tutored Roshan in high school, na?” his mother said. Ketki Auntie was quite stylish in her sari, her hair in a high bun.
“You remembered.” Nimita grinned.
“Remembered? Beti, I need to thank you.” Auntie laughed and hugged her. “You pushed Roshan to excellence.”
She saw Roshan snap his head to his mother from the corner of her eye, a look of complete surprise on his face. Clearly, she had never said those words before.
“So you were the one who graduated first in the class, eh?” his father said. “I remember your valedictory address. Very smart.”
She shot a quick glance at Roshan. The moment was gone, and he was once again stoic. “Thank you.”
“And what are you doing now?” Uncle asked. “Doctor, lawyer, saving the world?”
“I am in between jobs right now,” she said.
“Between which jobs?” he asked.
Before she could answer, Roshan spoke up. “Dad. Some things are personal.”
“What?” he asked, looking around the room. “It’s a legitimate question.”
“I went to school to become a biomedical engineer and worked at a big firm for a few years. But I took a few years off to be a flight attendant.”
Uncle looked at her blankly, like he did not know what to make of that answer. “Why would you become a flight attendant if you have a degree in BME?”
“Dad!” both of his children chided him. He waved them off.
“I needed to figure out some things,” she said.
“Did you figure them out?” he asked.
“I’m working on it,” she answered.
“Okay.” He eyed her with complete bewilderment.
“Let’s start the puja,” Malini said as she brought a tray of sweets into the family room.
They prayed to Lord Ganesha to remove all obstacles before performing the housewarming ceremony.
The smell of incense and ghee took Nimita back to her childhood.
When she and Reena were a team. They had sat through many a puja like this, and Reena had always had a hard time sitting in one spot.
To occupy her, Nimita taught her sign language, and they would play silent games together.
She had adored her little sister. In fact, Reena had adored her back then, too.
She missed that time with Reena. When they were friends, a team even. It was time.
It was time to focus and make things right with her sister.