I check to make sure my father’s facing forward, then I reach for Jacob’s hand, squeezing it tight. He interlaces our fingers, our palms touching, only letting go when we reach the entrance to the lobby.
We’ve managed to catch up with my father, so we’re all together when we see the woman with short, curling gray hair sitting in the lobby. Her hands are in her lap, twisting together, and she stands when she sees us.
My father goes still, frozen halfway across the room, but Maggie’s walking to him, her stride determined, her eyes misty. And when she throws her arms around his neck, my chest constricts, then loosens. I pull in a deep lungful of air.
It’s fine. All of this is going to be fine.
—
There are tears and apologies—from Maggie to my father, from my father to her—and Jacob stands beside me, the two of us watching, neither of us moving closer.
In my peripheral vision, Jacob raises his arm. He takes off his glasses, wiping the back of his hand against his eyes.
I lean into him, and he looks down at me, the corners of his mouth soft.
“I’m just so relieved,” he says quietly.
And I can’t help but reach for his hand, squeezing it again. “Me too.”
He smiles, and I drop his hand, but not before my gaze connects with Maggie’s.
She blinks, her eyes dropping for a second, then flying to Jacob’s face. Then to mine.
A tide of panic swells, and I try to stop it, pushing it down.
I sold Jacob on this being fun and casual. That’s all I can offer him. That’s all this can be.
I can’t allow this to become complicated.
I’m leaving at the end of this. And now that Maggie and my father have reunited, this probablyisthe end of this. Tonight is probably the last night we’ll have.
I sneak a glance at Jacob as he slides his glasses back on.
When I look back at Maggie, any surprise on her face has disappeared. She’s simply lifting a hand, smiling, waving at both of us to join her.
So we do.
She reaches for Jacob first, and he leans down, wrapping her in a hug. I hear his voice, mumbled and low, as he tells her he loves her. And I hear Maggie’s response, louder, the words watery. “I know.”She pulls back. “I love you too.” She pushes his hair off his forehead, the gesture so maternal it tugs at my heart. “I’m sorry for making you worry. I didn’t know how to—” She glances at my dad. “There’s so much I want to say.”
“We’ll have time for that,” Jacob says, straightening to his full height. “We’re just glad you’re okay.”
Maggie turns, her eyes coming back to mine, and I swallow, my throat constricting.
“I—” I start, but then she reaches for me, hugging me, and I go still. The embrace is over in a second, but I’m stunned, not moving even after it’s over.
“Thank you for staying, Neelu,” she says, her glaze flitting quickly to my dad. “For being here. For coming all this way.”
“Oh, it wasn’t—it was nothing.” Heat rises up my neck, and guilt pricks at me. She’sthankingme? After the things I said? When they might have been the reason she fled?
I swallow again, and I feel Jacob shift beside me, his presence closer than before.
“I wanted to say—” The heat travels, climbing from my neck to my face. “I’d like to talk to you. Later. Maybe, after—”
Her face softens. “Yes,” she says. “I want to talk with you too.”
I catch my father watching us, his brows creased, but they smooth out when Maggie turns back to him. “Should we go on that walk?” she asks, and my father nods.
“We’ll call when we’re back,” he tells Jacob and me. He pauses. “Maybe we can all meet later? For dinner?”
