Maya handed her a tissue. She turned to the chai mixture, which was now emitting the warm aroma of cinnamon and cardamom mixed with the sharp scent of peppercorn. She poured some milk into the pot, until the mixture was the medium brown color of a walnut.
“Sugar?”
“If you like it.”
Maya sprinkled sugar with an experienced hand. While she waited for the mixture to come to a rolling boil, she turned back to Sam’s mother, who was blotting her eyes and fighting for her composure.
“I thought I should at least explain to you why I did what I did. You were young, and I took advantage. I apologize for what I did to you all those years ago. For what I did to my son.” A small sniffle escaped her. “I don’t know what I was thinking, coming here. I should go.” She stood and gathered her coat.
“No. Wait. The chai is ready.” Maya turned off the heat and strained the chai into two mugs. She handed one to Hema-auntie and sat down, motioning for Sam’s mother to join her. The older woman remained standing for a moment, seemingly—and uncharacteristically—unsure of what to do.
“Please, sit.” Maya motioned once again to the chair. “If I haven’t bitten you yet, I probably won’t.”
This elicited a small but grateful smile that transformed Hema-auntie’s face. “It’s more than I deserve, but the chai smells wonderful.” She removed her coat and sat down, wrapping her hands around the mug. She inhaled deeply before taking her first sip. “This is wonderful, Maya, thank you.” Her gaze rested on Maya’s, warm and grateful. It was clear she was talking about more than just the chai.
“Well, the ultimate decision to keep Samantha from Sam was mine, so there’s more than enough blame to go around. Thankfully, I’m not that young girl anymore.” Maya sipped her chai, and enjoyed for a moment how the cardamom and cinnamon hit her tongue and the way the milky liquid warmed her.
“I was not a young girl. I let my own ambitions and needs get in the way of what truly mattered, and that was my son’s happiness. The truth is—” she paused, and Maya could have sworn she was swallowing back more tears “—you were the key to his happiness.” Hema-auntie regained her composure and finished her chai.Maya was dumbstruck by her words.Shewas the key to Sam’s happiness? Well, not anymore.
“You probably still are.” It was as if Hema-auntie could read her mind. She fixed Maya in her gaze. “I hope that one day you will see fit to accept my apology.” She stood and gathered her coat.
Maya was struck for the first time at how small and fragile Sam’s mother seemed. She had always seemed so powerful, so strong. But here she was, trying to right the wrongs of her past—and why? Suddenly it was clear.
“Auntie, do you want to stay for dinner? Samantha says she hasn’t seen you in a while.”
Hema-auntie looked away from Maya, suddenly preoccupied with buttoning her coat. “Sam doesn’t want me to see her.”
“Oh, I’m sure he didn’t mean that. He was probably just angry. And I am her mother, after all. Stay for dinner. Tell Uncle to join us, as well. Samantha will be thrilled. Did he come up with you?”
Tears filled Hema-auntie’s eyes again. “I suspect he’s been staying with Sam for the past few days. When I told him about that check, he packed a bag and left.”
“You told him?”
Hema-auntie nodded. “Yes. The truth was out, and I couldn’t leave him in the dark. Even though I knew he would be angry with me.” She swallowed hard, and this time, Maya saw tears for sure. “I love him. But he’s never left like this before.”
Silence. Maya had no idea how to process this new side of Sam’s mother. Though maybe it wasn’t that new.
Hema-auntie turned to leave again. “Thank you for the invitation for dinner, but—”
“Apology accepted.” Sometimes Maya blurted things out and she instantly regretted them. This was not one of those times. This happened to be one of those times she was grateful she could blurt things out without overanalyzing.
“What?”
“You heard me. I accept your apology. Now we’ll move on.” Maya smiled and reached out for Hema-auntie’s coat. This woman had lost one son years ago, and now her other son wouldn’t talk to her. Her husband had left, and she had been banned from seeing her granddaughter. Maya might not have been able to do anything about Arjun, Sam and John, but she could certainly allow a grandmother to see her grandchild. “You’ll have dinner here, with us.”
“So I suppose all that ‘We’re both her parents and we need to consult with each other about matters regarding her’ only applies to me.” Sam’s voice boomed through the kitchen as he walked back to them. “Youcan do whatever the hell you want, apparently.”
Maya had been so distracted by this new version of Hema-auntie that she hadn’t heard the door chime. She now turned to face Sam, and found his father standing next to him, looking grim-faced.
Sam stood tall and broad-shouldered, filling the small room like he filled up any space he was in. Eyes flaming, his mouth in a tight line, he stared Maya down, not even acknowledging his mother’s presence.
“It’sdinner. I’m not running away with her.” Maya faced him. “And you didn’t consult with me, either.”
“It’s dinner with my mother, who I decided does not get the grandmother privileges that she so easily tossed aside.”
“Sam, she apologized. Tome. We have to give her a chance.”
Sam’s eyes flicked momentarily to his mother and softened for an instant, before they hardened again, and he turned back to Maya. “No, we don’t. Second chances aren’t always offered.”
