“Instead of me telling you all the time, I wanted to show you what it was like,” he replied.
“You’re a fucking jerk!” She marched a few more steps to her car, then stopped and marched right back. “I would have been better off not knowing. They have that every day.Youhave that every day…and you take it for granted!” She shoved her finger hard into his shoulder, struggling with every breath to keep her composure. “Your mom calls you all the time and you look for any excuse to end the conversation. You have both parents and siblings and nieces and nephews, this whole big fucking family and all of them love you…I would…I would give anything to have what you have.”
“I know. And I wish I could give you that, Jazz…but I can’t. All I could give you was this night of illusion…and I know it’s not enough, but—”
“It’s enough,” she sighed, meeting his eyes so he’d know she meant it. “It’s more than enough.”
He smiled as he grabbed the front of her jacket and pulled her towards him. “I know you’re one of them big dick motherfuckers and what I’m about to do is really not what you want right now, so I’m gonna make this as quick and painless aspossible. Just swoop down low and attack fast. You won’t even see it coming.”
Confusion wrinkled her face. “What are you talking about?”
The question wasn’t even fully out before both his arms wrapped around her shoulders, gripping her tightly against his chest. “There you go.”
“Are you…are you hugging me? After all that you have the nerve to hug me?”
“Yep,” he said, pulling her closer. “That’s a hug right there. And because you took advantage of this limited offer…” His voice became more dramatic, sounding very much like an exuberant telemarketer. “I’m going to throw in some cuddles absolutely free.” He plastered kisses on her cheek and nuzzled his face into her neck. “Oh, the cuddles. Don’t you love the cuddles?”
She did. She buried her face in his chest and hugged him tight. This night was perfect, so painfully perfect, but it would end soon and she would have to let it go, keep it only in her memory. Tomorrow this road trip, her time with him, was due to come to an end too and as she held him she realized that she was in no way ready to say goodbye.
December, 2
Atlanta, Georgia
Today was the day and Jasmin was anxious, on the verge of throwing up. They’d arrived in Georgia early this morning and virtually had to go on a wild goose chase. Her mother’s place of employment per her inactive Facebook account was Duncan’s Furniture Stores, but there were eight outlets across the city. They’d driven from one store to another, asking every manager if they knew a Jayshree Maraj, but no one had heard of her. It was only when they reached the sixth outlet that they found someone who knew her.
Her previous boss, Sally, told them that she resigned last year after she got married. She didn’t have any further details, but Jasmin asked to see her employment records so she could get an address or anything that could aid her search. At first Sally was reluctant because that information was confidential, but after some begging and pleading and puppy dog eyes, she relented and allowed them access to her mother’s file.
Having her address led to a twenty minute drive into the suburbs to an apartment building with a rather obnoxious landlord named Gavin. Gavin explained that her mother had moved after she got married tosome hot shot business mogul(those were his exact words). From store clerk to marketing executive of a large textile company called Tradeworks. Apparently she was living the life now.Guess it’s easy to get a high-paying job when you’re sleeping with the boss(those were Gavin’s words too). Tradeworks also had multiple branches and distribution centers, but Jasmin decided to try her luck at the head office first. The marketing executive would be athead office, not at any of the stores. It was almost four in the afternoon now, but she was hoping to get there before close of business.
“So we gotta go back the other way,” Jasmin said, strapping on her seatbelt. “And it took us forever to get here because of traffic.”
Kevin reached over and took her hand. “Just relax. At least you’ve got something solid now.” He let out a deep breath as if nervous to say what he was thinking. “So…uh…it’s getting late. Do you wanna drop me off at the bus station before you go there?”
Her hands were on the keys, but she didn’t start the car just yet. “I was…thinking about that. You don’t have to leave…today. I mean, it’s not like it was a concrete decision where we agreed that we’d end this trip in Georgia.”
He smiled. “That’s exactly what we agreed on…from the very beginning.”
She turned to look at him then, releasing an anxious sigh. “I want you to be there when I meet my mom.”
“Jasmin, that’s something very personal and—”
“I don’t want to do it alone,” she cut in. “I’m scared to do it alone.”
He didn’t need any more convincing than that and gave her hand another gentle squeeze. “Okay.”
She leaned over to kiss him on the cheek, then punched in the location of Tradeworks head office into the GPS and started the car. It took them half an hour to drive across town and her hands were sweaty and shaking as the parked in front of the tall building. She opened the car door and Kevin grabbed her wrist before she got out.
“Jasmin, you need to be prepared for anything.”
“I am. I’ve been preparing for this my whole life.”
He still looked uncertain as they jumped out of the car and headed up the stairs into the building. At the reception desk, they were greeted by a man dressed in a neat black suit, flashing them his friendliest smile. “Good afternoon and welcome to Tradeworks. I’m Leonard. How may I assist?” He spoke in a tone that was professional and rehearsed.
“Hi,” Jasmin greeted. “We’re here to see Jayshree Maraj.”
“Do you mean Jayshree Kapoor?”
She nodded, realizing that her mother had married last year. “Yes, Jayshree Kapoor.”
