She rolled her eyes, clearly doubting his words. “Might as well read to me, if you’re going to be here,” Malini said, nodding at her romantasy book.
“Fine.” He opened the book and started reading. He got two paragraphs in and stopped.
“What?”
He leaned toward her and whispered, “I am not reading this sex scene to my little sister. I have no problem with sex, but reading about ‘velvet covered steel’ and ‘slick folds’ to you?” He shook his head. “No. Not going to happen.”
Malini stared at him. “Yeah. No. I don’t want to hear about that in your voice, either. I’m already traumatized by the words you just said.” She shuddered. “I’ll read it on my own.”
There was a knock at the door. Roshan turned to Malini as he stood to answer the door. “Holding office hours?” He opened the door to find Nimita standing there, holding a box of decorations.
Her eyes widened when she saw him, and she flushed. “Hey.”
“Hi.” Her hair was in that ponytail, she had on shorts and a T-shirt. She was clearly here to help Malini decorate the apartment. His heart thudded; he had no idea what to say to her.
“Bhaiya,” Malini called. “Let her in.”
“Oh. Right.” He stepped aside and took the box from her. “Come in. Want some chai?”
She nodded at him as she entered the apartment, a smile on her face. “Yeah. Thanks.” She stood awkwardly in the little entryway.
He handed her a mug of chai.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
He smiled. “Of course.”
They were polite. Like she was his sister’s best friend.
Nimita greeted Malini, then took her chai on to the balcony to greet his parents. Their faces lit up at her arrival. A big change from the hospital. He watched as she chatted with them.
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re not in love with her,” Malini said.
“Shut up.” He tore his gaze away from her. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Whatever you did, Bhaiya, fix it.” She glared at him.
“What makes you thinkIdid something?” He attempted to glare back at her.
His sister raised her eyebrows at him.
“Yeah. Okay. I did something,” he confessed.
“Fix it. And I don’t mean apologize. That’s not enough.” Malini’s voice was hard.
He took in his baby sister. She was fierce and tough and beautiful. “When did you get so nosy and so…”
“So what?” she asked.
“So smart,” he said softly. “And tough?”
She smiled at him. “I’ve always been nosy and smart. I learned how to be tough from my big brother.”
He rolled his eyes for her. “So I guess you’re all grown up, don’t need looking after anymore.” The ground crumbled beneath him just to say it.
“Not true,” she said. “I’ll always need my big brother. I just need room to live my life.” She paused, met his eyes. “Think of all the free time you’ll have.”
“Pftt.” He shook his head. “What am I going to do with all that?”
