Or did she? Nimita was the one who pushed her father into doing things that ended up making him happy. It was Reena always putting on the brakes.
Was he Reena?
He grabbed a T-shirt after freshening up and walked down to the kitchen to find Malini packing another box.
“Are you taking everything?” he called out.
“Everything that’s mine. That I bought with my own money from my full-time job. Is that a problem?” she said as she walked out and placed the box in the trunk of her car. He walked outside and peeked in the car. There were three more boxes in there.
Of course it wasn’t a problem. She could have whatever she wanted of his, too.
He needed coffee. He followed her back in. “So, everyone knew you’re moving, except for me.”
“I didn’t tell Nimita.” She eyed him like she knew something. The sound of her name was jarring. He said nothing. She continued, “As predicted, you did not take news of my move well. In fact you are probably scheming on how to get me back here right now.” She raised her eyebrows at his silence. “I love you, Bhaiya. So much. But I need space. I just want to be on my own.”
“You only have one more year of tests, then—”
“Then I’ll be at the five-year milestone, Iknow,Bhaiya. And obviously I want that. But also, what if my CBC comes back abnormal in three months or six?” She said it so calmly, so matter of fact, but the words put his stomach in knots and made his heart ache. She stared at him. “See? You should see your face right now.” She shook her head. “I’m not waiting to be cancer free to be me, to live my life. What you do not understand is that I am okay withnotbeing cancer free. That’s how I can live my life. I can’t do anything to prevent it. I’ll fight it, but I am going to enjoy every moment I’m breathing.”
“I cannot stand by and watch, Malini.” He ground the coffee and scooped some in the filter.
“Yes, you can. You’re stronger than you think.”
“You’re having a housewarming party with a puja?” Roshan asked, changing the subject a little as he watched Malini raid their kitchen. His kitchen, now. He turned on the pot. “You’re taking that?” She was holding a potato masher.
“When was the last time you mashed anything?” she challenged.
“When was the last time you did?” The coffee was finally done brewing. This conversation was extra painful without caffeine.
She remained silent but dropped the masher in her box and opened another drawer. “Yes, I’m having a puja. That was the point of inviting Mom and Dad here,” Malini said as she pushed aside utensils while she decided what to take. “Plus, you haven’t been to see it,” Malini insisted as she dropped a spatula in her box.
How could he? He’d just found out about it. “That’s my favorite egg spatula,” he said.
She grinned. “I know. It’s mine, too.”
Malini was going to do as she pleased. Nimita was gone. He watched her a moment before he realized that he had no control. No choice.
“Okay. Let’s have a party.” He sighed his acquiescence and sipped his coffee, even as a sense of panic fell over him. First Nimita. Now Malini. His house of cards was falling.
“Bhaiya.” She sounded serious.
“What?”
His sister caught him in her hazel eyes, her chin jutting in a defiant gesture. “Are you ever going to look at me and NOT think about cancer?”
“What?”
She opened cabinets and grabbed his favorite coffee mug. “Why did you become a pediatric oncologist?”
He stared at his sister. “That is a crazy question. What else would I be?”
“Anything.” She threw her hands out. “You could be a soccer player, an artist, a writer…”
He pressed his mouth into a line. “I always wanted to go into medicine.” That was true.
“Fine.” She found the pan he used for his daily omelet and dropped it in her box. He said nothing. “Even in medicine, you could have been a cardiologist. Or an orthopedist. Or even an ophthalmologist. I hear they have good hours.”
He stared at her. He had never answered this question. Likely because no one,no one, not his parents, not Vishal or Karan, not even Roshan himself had asked that question.
