“Why?”
Meghna lifted a shoulder. “Well, because my work is fun.”
Karthik laughed and helped her into the car. “Well, believe it or not, I think my job is fun too.” After one last kiss, he told her to travel safe, closed the door, then waved goodbye.
Meghna waved through the window and smiled. She still didn’t see how Karthik managed to find engineering “fun,” but she had to admit that he was enjoying his new job a lot more than his old one. Since joining the biomedical team, Karthik had been coming home excited and eager to talk with her about his latest projects. The work was hands-on and creative, and the robotic surgical assistant he’d been working on was in its final stage of beta-testing. If everything went according to plan, it would soon be out in the market.
Meghna loved that he was happier, but she hated that he had to stay back in New York and work this weekend. Thankfully, her flight to Dallas passed quickly, and soon she was exiting the airport, keeping an eye out for her parents’ car in the pickup line. She couldn’t wait to see them, even though she had to mentally prepare herself for the incoming questions.
Her mother kept asking when she and Karthik would getmarried, and Meghna was never sure how to answer. Honestly, she had no idea when, or if, she and Karthik would get married.
True to his word, Karthik had been trying to work through his reservations about marriage. Almost eighteen months ago, he’d told Meghna that he wanted to start going to therapy. There was so much unresolved with his father, and though he didn’t want to believe it, he still had a lot of fear that he’d turn out like him. Meghna had been supportive of Karthik’s decision, and it had helped them have a lot of conversations about marriage and the future, though they rarely discussed anything concrete.
But Meghna wasn’t in any kind of rush. She loved Karthik. And their life together. She would love to be married to him one day, but she didn’t want to hurry anything along. She wanted to marry him whenever he was ready. And she was more than willing to wait for whenever that was.
“Meghna,” her father cried, waving at her from the passenger seat. She went over to greet her parents and climbed into the back. On the drive home, they caught up, talking about their plans for her father’s small birthday celebration at home. But for some reason, Meghna’s mother was uncharacteristically quiet, leaving Meghna and her father to carry the bulk of the conversation.
It wasn’t until they pulled into the driveway that her mother finally started talking.
“You know, I wouldn’t normally do this, beta, but is there any chance you’d be interested in a rishta?”
Meghna just stared at her mother, confused by what she was hearing.
“I mean, it’s been two years,” her mother continued. “And you should know that you have options if Karthik won’t propose.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, a friend’s son came to visit and we thought you might like to meet him. He was going to be in town anyway, so what’s the harm?”
“Theharmis that I’m not interested, Mom,” Meghna said. “It’s a waste of time.”
“But how do you know that?” her mother asked. “Without meeting him?”
“Because I’m with Karthik!”
Her mother breathed out a world-weary sigh. As if she was the one with something to complain about.
“Fine,” she said. “But he’s already here. His mom’s an old friend from college. She asked if he could come by for tea, and I said yes. He’ll only be here for a short time. But I think he’s a great catch, Meghna.”
Meghna gritted her teeth, following her parents into the house. She didn’t know what her mother was possibly thinking. Sure, her mother made hints and asked questions and pushed every now and then, but she had never done anything likethis.
“Do you mind getting him?” her mother asked as she poured herself a cup of chai from the teapot on the table. “He’s in the study.”
Meghna tossed up her hands in frustration, but walked the short distance there. The sooner she got him, the sooner this could all be over.
—
Karthik ran his fingers over the ring in his pocket as he paced back and forth in the study. The study where he and Meghna had really talked for the first time. Where they’d realized they both had feelings for each other. The study where he was about to propose.
Technically, this would be his third proposal to Meghna, if he included the initial fake one on their first video call and the other fake one in Nashville. But this was the first time he would really mean it. The first time he would propose marriage without any fear. All he felt now when he thought about marrying Meghna was anticipation. Excitement. He couldn’t wait to begin this new chapter of their lives, and he wanted to start it now.
The door to the study swung open, and Meghna walked in quickly before coming to a sudden stop.
“Karthik? What are you doing here?”
He didn’t say anything. He just smiled, walking toward her eagerly. He’d made plans for what he would say. How he would do this. But he couldn’t resist moving closer, drawing her in for a kiss. She responded, moving her mouth against his, but after a moment, she pulled back, her face slightly confused.
“What are you doing here?” she asked again. “I thought you had to stay back in—”
