Hiral Mama’s eyes widened. “Such disrespect. What would your father think?”
Dhillon stepped toward his uncle. No way was he bringing Dhillon’s dad into this. But before he could say anything, Dhillon’s mother stepped between them. “Hiral Bhai, okay, fine. I’ll do what you say. Just go.”
Hiral Mama inhaled, calming himself. He nodded at his sister. “Wise choice. I knew you wouldn’t hurt the family.” He threw a glare at Dhillon and left, ignoring Hetal altogether.
Once the front door slammed shut, Dhillon and Hetal turned to their mother.
“You’re not serious, Mom?” Hetal hugged her mother. “You can’t just stop seeing Dr. Shah.”
“I have to. You heard your uncle. It makes him look bad. It makes Dada and Dadi look bad.”
“Mom,” Dhillon said. “Dada and Dadi have been gone for ten years. And honestly, they would want you to be happy.” Maybe it had taken him a minute to get used to the fact that his mother was dating, but she was so happy. She deserved to have someone she could share her life with if that was what she wanted. Dhillon was furious that his uncle failed to take his own sister’s feelings into consideration.
She shook her head, swallowed tears. “No, it’s too much. It’s easier to just do what he says. It’s years of tradition. I can’t fight it.” She gently pushed her daughter back. “Come on, now. I need help with dinner.”
“Sure, Mom.” Hetal pulled away and went about gathering vegetables and flour and spices to make the evening meal.
Dhillon just stood there, seething.
“I’ll be fine.” She smiled, though it was obviously forced. “You look nice.”
“He’s got a date,” Hetal piped up.
His mother grinned. “Riya will love how you look, all dressed up.”
Dhillon sighed. “It’s not with Riya.”
His mother glanced at her daughter, puzzled. Hetal shrugged. “Riya’s dating someone else.”
“Oh. Well.” His mother turned back to him. “Lucky girl, whoever she is. Have fun.” She kissed his cheek.
“Yes. Have fun!” Hetal called as she pushed him playfully out of the kitchen. She whispered to him, “It’s okay. I’ll be here. Ryan’s on his way to pick up food. Go. Meet women.” She gave him a gentle push to get him moving.
He turned to look back. His mother was already chopping vegetables. Hetal made a shooing gesture at him. He sighed and turned away again.
He glanced quickly at the framed photos of his dad on the wall. One of his favorites was of the four of them. His dad had Hetal, then a toddler, in a carrier on his back, and Dhillon stood between his parents. They’d been hiking and camping in Shenandoah. Another photo showed just him and his father—even then, Dhillon had been his father’smini-me. They had left his mother and sister to play at the campground and the two of them had gone white water rafting together for the whole day.
“It’ll be an adventure,” his father had said.
And it had been. Neither one of them was experienced in white water rafting, but they paddled and navigated the rapids, stopping along the way to eat their packed lunch of spicy tepla and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Dhillon remembered how hard it was, but also how fun it had been to be on a true adventure with his father.
Even at thirty, Dhillon would not have minded having his dad around before he went on this date. He felt like a damn teenager.
“No need to rush home! Stay out as late as you want. Or don’t come home at all. We won’t worry,” Hetal called from the kitchen.
“That’s not what you said the last time I was out late,” Dhillon called back. He cringed as the words left his mouth.No need to bring up that night.
“Yeah, but you said you were with Ryan.”
“No, he wasn’t.” Ryan had just walked through the front door.
“He really wasn’t with you?” Hetal had walked into the family room. “He said he was having drinks with you. The night that Lucky died.”
“I did not—” Ryan started but stopped when Dhillon shot him a glare. “Oh, oh yeah. Right. Drinks.”
“What are you doing here?” Dhillon changed the subject before his sister, the FBI interrogator, asked more questions.
