She furrowed her brow. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, everything I have ever done has been—”
“For me.” She sounded so sad. “I know. Which is why it’s time for you tonotdo that.”
He just stared at her.
“Why not find something that is yours?” she continued, energized. “Not a person, not Finn. Something that has nothing to do with me.”
“Like…a hobby?”
“Maybe.”
“Gardening.”
“No.” She shook her head at him. “That is connected to me being sick.”
“Fine.” He shrugged. He needed to be out of this conversation. “I’ll think of something. I need to get to work.” He drained his cup and washed it.
“Whatever. Just make sure you do it, Bhaiya. Find something that is yours, that you love. That is not associated with me.” He hadn’t seen Malini this adamant about anything, ever. “I care about you, and you need to live your life, too.”
Nimita came back in from the balcony. “Leaving so soon?”
“I have a full day.” Roshan gave her a tight smile. He walked to the car, Malini’s request echoing in his head. Nimita had said as much. It was certainly no coincidence that the two women he loved most had made the same request of him.
Maybe he really did need something for himself. Maybe once he found it, he’d be worthy of both of them.
Chapter Twenty-two
Nimita was back on the beach in Hawaii, Roshan by her side. She was light and happy. He pulled her to him and leaned down, his mouth millimeters from hers—
“Didi! Wake up!” Reena burst into her room.
Nimita sat up as Roshan’s kiss melted away with the beach and her dream. Her heart thudded from being awakened so abruptly. “What?”Did Reena just call her Didi?
“The hospital called. Papa is short of breath and…and…something. One of us needs to get there now, and I have Naya and—”
Nimita was already up and throwing on leggings and a T-shirt. “Okay. I’m going. Can I take your car?” She headed for the bathroom. Reena followed.
“Yes. Hiral is still sleeping from being on overnight,” Reena said. “The nanny should be here by nine, then I’ll take a cab to join you.”
“Don’t worry,” Nimita said around her toothbrush. “I’ll take care of it and call if I need you.” She stared at her sister who was standing next to her in the bathroom. “I have to pee.”
“Right.” Reena nodded and left.
Twenty-five minutes later, Nimita was through the double doors of the cardiac ward. She entered his room and found a technician rapidly typing away on a laptop. She took in her father before she leaned over the tech’s shoulder. He was making adjustment to settings on the pacemaker in her father’s chest.
“The settings were off?” Nimita said as she read the screen.
The tech gave her a once-over.
“I used to work on these,” she told him and turned back to the screen. “If you adjust this…” She pointed to the screen and guided the technician through the fix.
“Thanks,” he said as he packed up his laptop thirty minutes later. “This was actually helpful.”
“Just making sure my dad’s pacemaker is working.” Nimita nodded.
“You’re a natural,” her father said to her once the tech had left.
