“That’s great,” she says gently. “I am happy for you.”
I swallow. A lump forming in my throat for some reason. “And Dhruv?” she asks.
I smile without meaning to. “Annoying. Kind. Overbearing. Protective. Irritatingly perfect.”
She laughs again. “Ah. You like him.”
“I always liked him,” I state, the only difference is now it’s more than liking a friend. I roll my eyes even though she can’t see me. “Don’t start though.”
“I’m not,” she says, feigning innocence. “I’m just stating facts.”
There’s a beat of comfortable silence. Then her tone shifts, casual but purposeful. “By the way… Devraj and I are attending a charity event this weekend.”
My pencil stills. “Oh?” I say, trying to sound normal.
“Yes. It’s for rural education initiatives. Big turnout. A lot of familiar faces will be there.”
My heart thuds a little faster. “You’re going?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” she says dryly. “Your bhai-sa refuses to escape public appearances even when he doesn’t like them.”
I smile at that image. Then the real reason for the flutter in my chest settles in. “Devraj bhai-sa will be there?” I state thoughtfully but it comes out as a question.
“Of course,” she says. “He’s one of the main patrons.”
My grip tightens on the phone.
“You haven’t seen him since the wedding,” Bhabhi-sa says gently like she’s reading my thoughts.
“No.” I sigh. Sure, I talk to him almost every day, but it’s still not enough. I miss them. All of them.
There’s a pause. Then her voice turns playful. “Well… maybe you should come too.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you,” she says, like it’s obvious. “You’re married now, Sitara. Public appearances are part of the deal.”
The thought makes my stomach flip. Excitement and nerves tangling together. “I don’t know if Dhruv—”
“Ask him,” she cuts in smoothly. “And before you panic, yes, he’s invited too.”
That makes me smile, she knows me too well.
“I’ll ask,” I say.
“Good,” she replies. “I’ll see you there then?”
I hesitate. Then, softly, “Hopefully.”
After we hang up, I sit there for a moment, phone resting in my lap, heart doing that annoying fast-slow thing it does when something matters too much.
Public appearance.
First one after marriage.
Seeing Bhai-sa.
The thought alone makes my palms feel clammy when I hear familiar footsteps behind me.
