“No, but also yes. They won yesterday’s game. Sometimes they can even win by a lot. Last month, there were two games in a row where Chicago had seven-point games. That’s a lot for a single game. Julian says that ‘once in a blue moon’ they play as a team and when they do, they come together really well. But then they sleep and they lose that cohesion the next morning.”
“That’s incredibly frustrating,” Sona says.
I nod in agreement. “You should see how it affects the players. Julian says that so much of hockey is a mental game, so when defeat and sense of failure messes with them mentally, it only adds to their downward spiral.”
“Incredible,” Kiaan says. “What a strange game, though curiously fascinating to watch.”
I grin. He’s not wrong.
“When are you coming home to visit?” Navi asks.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“I think I can speak for everyone when I say we want to meet your partner.” He grins hugely.
I roll my eyes. “Okay. I’ll bring Julian home whenyoudecide on a partner,” I counter.
Veer, the brother who hasn’t spoken yet and is usually very quiet, snorts and nods in agreement. Sona tries to hide her laughter behind a poorly executed cough.
Navi rolls his eyes. “I’m talking to someone now.”
“Your lack of enthusiasm really emphasizes how much you’re into her,” Ishika deadpans.
I glance at my parents. Both are amused as they listen. Dad once told me he loves when we all come together. Not justbecause he loves to have his family together, but also because siblings have a way of pulling out reluctant truths in a way parents do not.
Navi huffs. “She’s perfectly nice,” he states.
“That’s perfectly clinical,” Kiaan says.
“Why are we ganging up on me? Arush is the one who’s thousands of miles from home!” Navi argues.
“Arush isn’t going through women like they’re dirty socks,” Ishika says.
“Or guys,” Sona points out. While I know that we’re not looking directly at each other, I know she turned her eyes to my block on her screen and flashes me a wide smile. I return it.
Navi sags. “Look. Maybe I’m not ready to get married. Maybe I’m just not into being someone’s husband. I thought that maybe when I metthe one, I’d feel differently and I’m trying to feel differently. I keep telling myself that maybe I can just make it work, but then I think that I’m going to spend my life miserable if I do that, so I freak out and tell Dad I don’t like this one.”
Dad bows his head. He all but said the other day that Navi didn’t want to be in a relationship.
“Navi,” Ishika says, her eyebrows knitting together in concern.
“Why didn’t you just say something?” Mom asks.
Navi shakes his head. “Do we have to talk about this now?”
“No,” I tell him, and he gives me a grateful smile. “But for the record, if you want to just vent about how you’re feeling, I think any one of us would listen. You were only fifteen and listening to me vent and carry on about the unfairness of my situation with Jash, and I really needed someone to just listen and agree with me.”
“I did agree with you,” Navi says. “I still do. That’s kind of shit, Arush. I still think his parents were crappy to do that to you both.”
“Jash is happy, isn’t he?” Sona asks.
“He is. And so am I. Should it maybe have happened differently? Yes. I think someone somewhere in the Jash household was really a jerk. That jerk might actually be Jash.” I shrug. “It’s fine. In the end, we weren’t meant for each other.”
“Because he was just experimenting with you and didn’t know how to get out of it?” Mom asks. “So he had his parents arrange his marriage and they’ll happily take the blame for hurting you?”
I know I’m not the only one who looks at Mom with surprise.
“Do you know something?” Kiaan asks, eyes narrowed.
