No sooner did Paige leave than Hema-auntie entered the kitchen. Maya was pleasantly surprised at the absence of lavender scent that usually accompanied the older woman. Hema-auntie was not dressed in a sari, but rather in a simple red-and-gold embroidered kurta top and dress pants. “Hello, Maya.”
The sound of Hema-auntie’s voice was enough for Maya’s shoulders and back to tense, and her jaw to clench. Maya glanced over her shoulder. Paige was in the bathroom in the back. She hadn’t been alone with Hema-auntie in over fifteen years.
Hema-auntie took a few steps toward Maya. Her smile was nothing like her son’s. It was something that was done with only her lips; her eyes were not involved in the gesture. “It’s been a long time, Maya. Truthfully, I did not think I would ever see you again. In fact, that was part of our agreement, was it not?” Her black eyes flashed with hard amusement.
Maya said nothing.
“I mean, you took the check. Yet here you are today.”
“You know I never cashed it.” Maya surprised herself with the confidence in her voice. Young Maya would have fallen apart by now.
“True, but Sam does not know about any of this.” The smile disappeared. “If he finds out what happened all those years ago...”
Maya shrugged. “I have no desire to hurt anyone. Your secret is safe.”
“What secret?” Paige had returned from freshening up and looked from Maya to Hema, her features betraying that she’d heard more than she should have. Maya shot a look at Hema-auntie, daring her to tell her future daughter-in-law what she was capable of.
“Oh, nothing. We were simply discussing the possibility of Maya making your cake, but not telling Sam. It might be—awkward—for him.”
Paige looked again from Hema-auntie to Maya, clearly not buying it. “Yes, it would be awkward.”
“But I don’t mind.” Maya blurted out.What?“I mean, it’s a pretty high-profile wedding, it could mean a lot of business for me.” She stopped and addressed Paige. “If you’re okay with it, of course.”
“Are you sure?” Paige’s eyes lit up. “I mean I love your work, but if it’s weird, I get it.”
“Yes, I’m sure. I have some sketches, and we can look at them this week if you want.”What was she getting herself into? Was she actually going to make Sam’s wedding cake?
Paige smiled. “I’d really love that. Thank you.” She hugged Maya, and Maya returned the hug. If things were different, they might have been friends.
“Well, now, that’s settled.” Hema-auntie grinned, but kept her gaze on Maya for a beat too long. She motioned to Paige. “Come, we’ll have some food. I understand Maya is quite the cook as well as baker.”
Paige followed Hema-auntie to the door, glancing back at Maya with a puzzled look on her face. Maya’s heart sank. How much had she really heard?
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
MAYA
Maryland, 1996
MAYASHUTTHEdoor behind her and leaned against it as a wave of nausea overcame her. How had she been able to tell Sam she didn’t love him? She would never know. What she did know was that she wasn’t going to wait for him to resent her and then abandon their child. She’d spent her childhood waiting for her father to return to her. He never had. She couldn’t risk putting her child through that.
The vibrations from his fist pounding against the door shivered all the way through her. He called out to her, his voice at first strong and demanding, but eventually giving way to desperation. It was the love in that desperation that ripped open her heart. Her hand flew to the knob. All she had to do was open the door.
She’d tell him she’d made a mistake. That she was sorry she’d hurt him. She’d tell him about the baby, and they could be together. All she had to do was walk out there and tell him that she’d lied, that she really did love him—that they belonged with each other—and the pain in her chest would go away. And the pain she was putting him through would go away, too. She turned the knob just as her mother’s hand covered hers.
Sunita’s eyes met Maya’s, and she nodded her head to indicate that Maya should step aside. A fresh wave of nausea sent Maya running for the bathroom. She collapsed on the bathroom floor and retched the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She thought she could still hear him calling out to her.
Long after her stomach was empty, long after Sam’s voice could no longer be heard, she continued to retch as sobs racked her body. She doubled over on the cold tile of the bathroom floor and cried, hoping the pain would leave her.
It never did.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
SAM
New York, 2012
“MOM! SERIOUSLY,SHE’Syour granddaughter!” Sam ran a hand through his hair. His mother was going to be the death of him. “It doesn’t matter how you feel about Maya. Samantha ismydaughter.”
