“What makes you think I’ll forgive him?” Nimita sipped her wine. “And what makes you think I need to forgive him?”
“Because your eyes go all soft when you talk about him. Not to mention, he would be a fool to let you go again.” Reena raised her eyebrows and finished her wine. “And I’m still your sister. I know you.”
Nimita shrugged. His words had hurt. She wondered if he had come to realize that his worth wasn’t tied to his work or even how well his sister was doing. His worth was…him. And even if she did forgive him, he still had no idea what she had done. What would happen when he found out?
* * *
Nimita was at the hospital first thing the next morning to check on her father and, hopefully, bring him home.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” She put down the carafe of chai that she had brought.
“I’m not sleeping. The nurse already took my vitals. You don’t want to know what that woman did to me.” He widened his eyes as if it had been a terrifying experience. He caught sight of the carafe. “Is that chai in there?”
“It is.”
He crinkled his eyes at her. When had he gotten so many laugh lines? “Did you make it inthepan?”
“Of course.” She stepped closer and checked his readings. “How are you feeling?” she asked as she poured them both chai in a paper cup.
“Fantastic. They said I get to come home today.”
Nimita sat down. “Fabulous. I’ll just work here until it’s time to go.”
“What are you working on?”
“I’m house hunting.”
“You don’t have a job yet,” her father pointed out.
“I’m working on that as well. And I can rent to start off.”
“Renting is throwing away money,” her father started.
“Hey.” A knock and familiar voice from the door. Saving her from the rental lecture.
She’d know that voice anywhere. Her heart raced.
“Ah! My gardening buddy!” her father exclaimed. His eyes and face lit up as Roshan walked in.
Roshan was in scrubs and sneakers and his white doctor coat—as stunning as ever. Her smile was automatic. She was sure her face revealed her feelings. “So Roshan has been coming by to water and feed the garden.” She looked at her dad. “You know, while you’ve been taking it easy in here.”
“I needed a break, what?” Her father shrugged one shoulder, and the mischief on his face made Nimita so joyful. “Much appreciated.” He nodded at his visitor. “You need chai.”
“It’s my pleasure, Uncle,” Roshan said, his voice deep and smooth. Pretty much how it sounded when it haunted her in her dreams. “I love gardening, so it’s a win-win.”
Nimita handed him a paper cup of chai. His fingers grazed hers as he took the cup. Of course they did. Why not have that torture along with everything else about him?
“Particularly so because if it was left to my daughters, all the plants would die.”
Nimita feigned indignation, dropping her jaw open. “That is not true…all the time.” She chuckled.
Her father rolled his eyes. “I could tell you stories…”
Roshan sat on the edge of her father’s bed, glancing at the monitors, sipping his chai. “Do tell, Uncle.”
“Oh, Papa should rest,” Nimita jumped in. No need for childhood stories.
“I am having chai with the young man,” her father said. “He gets a story. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be looking for a job and a house?”
