Jana’s first trip to Tanzania had been when she was fifteen, and it was their last holiday before Dad died. It was a big trip like this one—Kamila’s family and Rohan’s family had been with them, too. Jana’s father had always been an animal lover—and excitedly looking for big game with him in one of those safari vehicles was one of her favorite memories of Dad. Jana’s father was a lot like her—the quiet one in the noisy world. When everyone around him was playing cards, or singing Bollywood songs, or gossiping, he was always happy on the sidelines. She’d found it so comforting—he belonged there with the others even if he wasn’t like them.
Jana missed her father so much. And maybe in the back of her head, she’d been hoping that she would be able to feel as comfortable and content on this trip as he had seemed back then, despite being surrounded by people. But now she wondered if Mom had brought some extra emotional baggage along, too, because the last time she was here, her husband had been alive.
Mom was a widow, and she had only one child—Jana. And Jana was in the enormous wedding of Mom’s two closest friends’ kids. It was wrong that society had taught Mom that marriage and babies were necessary to consider her daughter a success, but Jana couldn’t exactly blame her mother for being a product of her culture and her generation.
Jana rubbed her temples. She was much too tired to deal with this. She wanted a bed, not a crisis. “Ugh. I just want this to go away for now. I need to get some sleep.”
Kamila nodded. “We got you, Jana. We can make this go away. I’ll have Elsie make some changes to the schedule and keep you, your mother, and Anil away from Sam Uncle until you decide what to do. He won’t even realize you’re here at the wedding.” She thought for a moment. “Elsie can probably keep you all apart for the whole trip. Let your mother have her little lie. Elsie has us scheduled down to the minute, anyway. Then if you get the job, you can explain that it was a misunderstanding and you were never legally married.”
“And what about Anil?” Shelina asked. “He knows they were never married.”
Asha shrugged. “Just tell him what’s going on. He’ll go along with it.”
Jana winced. “No. I can’t ask Anil to lie for me or my mother. It’s out of the question.”
“Why?” Shelina asked. “I thought you two got along?”
Yeah, theydidget along…the way distant colleagues working on a joint project got along. Asking Anil to lie for her would change their dynamic, and Jana didn’t want that.
When Jana said nothing, Kamila stood. “Let’s go, ladies. I need to have a word with my wedding planner. I am positive she can fix this. Sam Uncle won’t even know that Anil is Imani’s father.” She headed out of the elephant room and her bridesmaids followed.
Jana went with them, but she didn’t see how this plan could possibly work. She should just go out into the Serengeti and fulfil her childhood dream of living with elephants.
When she got to the lobby, Jana practically walked right into her mother talking to Dr. Samuel Lopez and Farzana Aunty.
Shit.
In a last-ditch effort, Jana said a silent prayer that Dr. Lopez wouldn’t recognize her.
“Dr. Suleiman, is that you?”
Double shit. The bridal party all scattered from the awkward situation, but Kamila stayed. Jana was incredibly proud that she didn’t turn around and run straight out into the wild when Dr. Lopez said her name.
“Ah! How wonderful!” Mom said, briefly putting her hand on Jana’s arm. “You’ve met my daughter!”
There was a beat of silence. Two beats. Jana had no idea if she was supposed to say how she knew the man.
Dr. Lopez finally smiled. “Yes! I had the honor of hearing your daughter speak a few years ago. I see why you’re so proud of her,” he said, grinning at Mom like Jana was his own daughter. It was disconcerting how much he reminded her of her father when he smiled. Or…maybe Jana was imagining it. She’d been thinking about Dad a lot today.
But also…wasn’t Dr. Lopez going to mention that she was interviewing for a position in his organization?
He looked back at Jana, and she thought something passed over his face. ADon’t worry, I can keep a secretlook. “How delightful to see you here!” He pointed to the#BRIDALBRIGADET-shirt she was still wearing. “And a member of the bridal party?”
“Yes!” Kamila said, because Kamila was always able to speak. “Jana and I have known each otherliterallyforever. She’s amazing. Such a great…person. And brilliant, too! She’s in such high demand. Honestly, Jana Suleiman is an asset to any…wedding party.”
Oh my god. That was as subtle as the color of Kamila’s sweatshirt. Jana closed her eyes and counted to ten. Maybe if she clicked her heels together, she would disappear from this place and be absolutely anywhere else. Like…Siberia. She’d been there—it wasn’t as bad as people expected. She didn’t mind the cold. The mountains were nice. She loved the isolation.
Jana needed to say something—anything—or her friends would keep digging this hole. “Dr. Lopez! So nice to see you here!” Jana’s hand fisted as she struggled for a way to get out of this conversation.
Fate stepped in, because Elsie then announced that the room assignments were ready. In the chaos of key cards being distributed and luggage being sorted, Jana was able to escape from Dr. Samuel Lopez.
She doubted it would be that easy for the whole trip, though.
Chapter 7
Jana cornered her mother out of earshot of anyone else as soon as she could. “Mom, why are youstilltelling people I’m divorced?”
Jana’s mother frowned. “It’s okay, beta. It’s not important.”
