“You...” Dev leaned forward in his chair. “Wait, did you sayhedid? Like you had no part in disowning my parents?” He regretted the words as soon as he said them. One of the silent understandings of their relationship was that they didn’t talk about the past. “Never mind.”
She blinked rapidly. “No. No, let me clear something up. What say did you think I had in that house? Your grandfather sent my baby boy away, and kept my grandsons from me as well, and then your parents died there, far from me. You were so grown-up and distant when you came back. I had a chance with Rohan so I gave him as much money as I could, trying to make up for everything. And even that was wrong, because all it did was spoil him, like it spoiled...”She took a deep breath and looked back at her computer. It was a credit to her years of acting that she was able to recover her composure so quickly. She typed something on her keyboard and then closed her laptop. “The lawyers will have the prenup ready by morning.”
Were they done talking about the past? Because for once, he wanted to pry into that box. “No prenup.”
“Yes, prenup. Or she could take you for half your wealth a week after marriage.”
“I don’t care if she does. That money isn’t mine.” If anything, it was a relief that she’d get something out of this if he wasn’t a perfect husband. Dev braced his hands on the arms of the chair. “Go back to what you were saying.”
She made a dismissive noise. “There’s no need to dwell on the past. There are, of course, things I wish I’d done differently in life. Things I wish I’d said. But those things can’t be done or said now.”
“Why not? We have time. Say them. Do them.”
Shweta looked away, blinking, then shook her head. “No. I don’t think so.”
She sounded final, so he dug out another box. “Luna told me you paid Rohan to keep her. Is that true?”
Shweta pressed her hand to her chest. “How on earth did she find that out?”
“Is it true?”
Shweta’s lips thinned. “Luna is family. I couldn’t tolerate the thought of family being raised somewhere else, like you were. Rohan was a good boy, just selfish. He needed some urging, and I gave it.”
“Did he keep her tucked away for her own protection or because he was ashamed of her? Because she didn’t fit the perfect Dixit mold?”
Her face dropped, and for a second, she wasn’t a Bollywood legend, but a tired older woman. She’d shrunk, he realized, in the past year, her shoulders growing more stooped. “I think you know the answer to that.”
Dev’s grip tightened on the arms of his chair. He did know, and he hated it. “I miss him, but I also didn’t like him very much.”
Her smile was wry. “Welcome to being a part of a family. We don’t choose every member, unfortunately.”
People come in and out of our lives, and we have to enjoy the parts in the middle. But I think it’s okay to not enjoy all the parts.“You’re so close with Luna. She hasn’t hugged me the way she hugs you.”
Shweta feigned interest in her nails. “I do miss her.”
“Why didn’t you fight me on custody?”
“I fought your uncle once for custody of you because I was selfish. I didn’t encourage him to see you. I regret that. Adil is a good man and would have raised you and Rohan to be good men.” His grandmother gave a tired shrug. “I love Luna like she’s the daughter I never had. But I knew she’d be better off with you. I knew you would give her the best home you possibly could, and you’d protect her.”
Dev frowned, disquieted. He didn’t like that his distant relationship with his grandmother had blinded him. He’d taken Luna across the world from the one person who had shown her unconditional love.
“Speaking of Luna, perhaps you should go tell her about the wedding? She’ll be excited.”
Dev didn’t know about that. She’d reacted so poorly to the news of the engagement. And given what Aji had confirmed about Rohan, he didn’t blame her. Still, it was his responsibility to tell her. “You’re correct. Are you going to bed?”
His grandmother got a faraway look in her eyes. “No. I sleep late. I’ll go listen to the ocean. It sounds different here, no?”
“Very different. Different isn’t bad.”
“No, it’s not.”
Dev hesitated, but there were so many more things he wished to say to his grandmother, he didn’t know where to start. So he ended up only wishing her good night.
The house was big enough that he didn’t come across any Ahmeds on the way to Luna’s bedroom. The door was slightly ajar, and Luna and Arjun sat on the end of the bed, controllers in their hands, both of them intent on the racing game on the television. “You’re still playing,” he said.
Arjun raised a finger. “Hang on, I’m about to— shit!”
“Language,” Dev reminded his cousin, but it was drowned out by Luna’s whoop of victory.
