I snort before I can stop myself. “You say that now.”
“Oh no,” she says solemnly. “I’ve been waiting years to take sides against him.”
I laugh—properly laugh—for the first time since yesterday, and the sound feels unfamiliar but good, like stretching a muscle I forgot I had.
For a fleeting second, my mind drifts to Ayush’s family. The stiff smiles. The measuring glances. The constant reminder that I was never quite right. I shove the thought away. I don’t want to think about him. Not today. Maybe not ever.
The phone buzzes on the table, and I glance at the screen.Bhai-sa.
My heart stutters.
“Excuse me,” I murmur, already standing.
Yagini waves me off. “Take your time.”
The moment I pick up, the screen fills with the chubby, beautiful face of my niece, Aadhya, her cheeks round and her hair sticking up in places.
“Awwww,” slips out of me before I can stop it. Long. Unapologetic.
She giggles, reaching toward the screen. “Bui bui!”
“She’s been asking about you since last night,” Meher bhabhi-sa’s voice comes from behind the camera as she takes the phone gently from Aadhya’s hands. I regret not talking to her before leaving, but I knew if I did, I would never step out of that house; she’s just my absolute favorite human on this planet.
I laugh, wiping at my eyes. “I can’t help it if I’m a cool bua.”
She smiles fondly, then tilts the camera, and suddenly Bhai-sa is there.
He looks tired. The kind of tired that settles into the eyes and doesn’t leave.
“How are you?” he asks immediately.
“I’m fine, Bhai-sa,” I say, too quickly.
His brow furrows. “You don’t look fine.”
I shake my head, lips trembling despite my best efforts. “I am. I just… miss you guys.”
His face softens, and I watch him gulp, hard, like he’s holding something back. It makes my chest ache. “Hey,” I say softly. “It’s okay. I’ll visit soon.”
He nods, then abruptly hands the phone back to Bhabhi-sa. “He’s just not used to not having you around,” she explains gently.
Tears prick my eyes. I know neither am I.
I lost Baapu-sa early. Maa-sa was never really around for me emotionally. Bhai-sa has always been my constant. My protector. My anchor. He always sat with me when Maa-sa scolded me for looking the wrong way or being stuck on my tablet instead of socializing with the other princesses. He didn’t utter a word, but he always showed me that no matter how I looked or how socially awkward I was, he was still there for me. In his own grumpy way, he always soothed me. So, seeing him like this hurts in ways I don’t have words for.
“Give him a hug from me,” I sniffle.
She nods, eyes shining. “Everyone misses you, Sitara. I truly hope you find happiness there.”
I see Aadhya waddling around in the background, babbling, and it makes me laugh through my tears.
“We’ll call tonight?” she asks.
I nod. “Definitely.”
The call ends.
I sit there for a moment longer, staring at my reflection on the dark screen. Then the tears finally spill, hot and unstoppable, as I bury my face in my hands.
