Ah, God. This was tough to watch. Sejal didn’t know much about maternal love, but she knew it when she saw it, and it oozed out of Aarthi. And Sejal was the reason for that worry. Sejal and her family.Maybe you are like them.
No.“Uh, let’s take a break and—”
Krish shifted his weight. “Were you able to get the things we need?”
Aarthi wrung her hands in front of her. “I did, yes.”
“Then I think it’s best we leave right away.”
Aarthi drew back, probably at the finality in Krish’s voice. “Krish—”
“Son,” Patrick rumbled. “Eat first, at least.”
Sejal wanted to leave this place ASAP. She wasn’t dying to have Krish’s mom question her any more, or to keep on being constantly reminded that she didn’t come from the kind of family anyone would want around.
But she couldn’t help but see the torture in Aarthi’s eyes, soshe opened her big fat mouth. “Listen, your mom is making your favorite dinner. Why don’t we stay the night and leave first thing in the morning?”
Everyone’s attention shifted to her, Aarthi’s and Patrick’s eyebrows raised.
Krish had no expression on his face. He didn’t look like the man she’d spent the whole day with, who had handed his secrets to her over a game. “We’ll leave now.”
Sejal rubbed her neck, Aarthi’s gaze crawling over her. “But—”
“I thought you’d want to get on the road.”
Yes. She should. She did! If they drove all night, they could get to Vegas by morning, and then this whole thing would be over, and she’d never have to deal with Krish or his mysteries or his lips again. That was what she wanted.
Sejal nodded, reluctantly. “I do. Yes.”
“Why don’t you go get anything you’ve left in the room.”
Gah. “Okay.”
Only, she didn’t do that. She walked out, turned the corner, and paused. As soon as she left, the room erupted.
“Son, I think you should listen to your mother,” Patrick whispered. “She suspects this girl is not who she says she is, and I agree. I’m not pleased you brought her here and compromised this place.”
Patrick had probably taken Krish to the barn specifically so Aarthi could corner her and interrogate her. Traitor.
“I’m not worried about being compromised,” Aarthi said, with no small degree of arrogance. “But I am worried about you, Krish, and her. My gut is screaming that she is trouble, and what little she’s said about her family tells me they are a mess.”
Sejal pressed back against the wall and placed her hand overher stomach. Odd that a total stranger saying that hurt. She’d heard it all her life, had even said it to herself. Why did it matter what Aarthi thought?
“I trust her. She’s not her family.”
Sejal stared sightlessly into the mirror across from her in the hallway. She knew Krish had said that to get his mom off his back. Obviously, he wanted to continue on this journey to catch her aunt, and this was the way to do it. He would say anything. She couldn’t let those words be important to her.
“I know you’re hiding something. You’re not cut out for this, you’re not built to go up against professionals. You’re not like your brother. Avi—”
“Mom.” Krish’s voice cracked between them.
Oh, that was too bad. Aarthi had used Krish’s first name for the first time, so Sejal was curious what she’d been about to say.
“I know I am not my brother,” Krish continued. “You have spent your whole life making that clear.”
“You should be proud to not be like him now.”
Sejal frowned. Now she was growing more curious about the brother.
