“I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” Nayna ran her hand down Raj’s back.
He leaned into her for a second before leading her to the waiting area.
Sangeeta Sen took one look at her and burst into tears. Enclosing her in her arms, Nayna rocked the older woman while Raj took care of his baby sister. More family arrived as time passed—Raj’s father had two younger brothers, and Raj’s mother had an older sister. All but one came with their spouses.
Jitesh Sen’s remaining brother was based in Taupo, several hours south of Auckland, and was already on his way—with his wife and Raj’s paternal grandparents. Depending on traffic, they’d reach the hospital in about two and a half more hours.
The only one still in the wind was Navin.
Komal, dressed in the dark blue of a nurse’s scrubs, had a pinched look about the eyes when she walked in to give them the news that the surgery was progressing well. “Navin’s not replying to my messages,” Nayna heard her whisper to Raj. “He’s probably drunk. That’s what he does when out with that group.”
“I’ll keep trying to track him down,” Raj said. “Give me the numbers you have for his friends. Nayna, do you have a pen?”
Digging one out of her purse, Nayna walked over. He took the pen and pressed a kiss to her temple before returning his attention to Komal, who gave Nayna a jagged look. Then the other woman was passing on the numbers, and Nayna went to sit with Sangeeta and Aditi again. When Raj’s sister curled against her side, Nayna threw her coat around the teenager and hugged her close.
Aditi fell asleep for about forty minutes, woke fuzzy-eyed and in need of the restroom.
As she wandered off in the right direction, Sangeeta Sen, her face wan, said, “Raj beta, Nayna bitia, can you find some strong tea?”
The two of them left to see what they could rustle up. Once away from his relatives, Nayna took Raj into her arms again, running her hands up and down the powerful column of his back. She’d noticed how everyone leaned on him, the older adults as well as his younger sister. They all looked to Raj as if expecting him to have the answers.
Even the cardiac nurse who was liaising with the surgical staff spoke to Raj, so the immediate family must’ve nominated him as their lead contact. Twice, after speaking to the nurse, Raj had taken his mother aside and talked to her alone. Decisions being made, Nayna had realized, the doctors asking for Sangeeta Sen’s approval of certain actions.
Sangeeta relied visibly on her eldest son, her hand clenching on his arm, and Nayna had the feeling Raj was the one who’d made the final calls, taking that burden from his mother. If something went wrong because of a certain decision, he’d bear that too.
“You don’t have to keep up the front with me,” she murmured to him. “I just want you to know that.” She’d had a stark display tonight of the position Raj occupied in his family—the anchor, the one who kept the entire family stable. Whether that meant making the toughest decisions of them all, tracking down his absent brother, or running the family business.
He wasn’t allowed to crumple. He wouldn’t let himself crumple.
She wondered if he’d ever trust anyone else enough to be the vulnerable one, trust enough to share the load. “You’re my rock,” she whispered, “but I can be yours too. Let me.”
Raj shuddered out a hot breath that ruffled her hair; his muscles didn’t relax, but he said, “I’m so fucking glad you’re here.”
Nayna’s eyes burned as his arms locked even tighter around her.
* * *
They found the tea, got enough for the group, and returned with disposable cups that put a little heat into everyone’s bodies. It wasn’t long afterward that Raj’s father came out of surgery. The surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Olivier, was still clad in his scrubs when he came to talk to them—but he had a smile on the craggy lines of his face.
“A triple bypass is always complicated,” he said to Raj and his mother.
Aditi stood between her mother and brother, tucked under Raj’s arm, while Nayna stood on his left, her fingers linked to his. Komal stood on his mother’s right side. A distraught Navin had finally responded, calling Raj to say he was on his way, but that had only been twenty minutes earlier.
“The good news,” Dr. Olivier said, “is that it all went perfectly, and barring any unforeseen complications, Mr. Sen should recover fully.”
Raj’s fingers squeezed tight on hers even as he calmly asked the doctor more detailed questions about what they could expect going forward. The overriding theme—aside from dietary changes on which they’d be further advised by a hospital nutritionist—was that his father would need lots of care and wasn’t to do anything strenuous for a number of months.
“Mr. Sen will also need to manage his stress levels,” Dr. Olivier added. “Stress is terrible for the heart, and speaking from two decades of experience, I can tell you it’ll impede his recovery.”
The doctor, tiredness apparent in his own features, looked around. “Now, I think you should all go home and get some rest. Mr. Sen is in intensive care and will stay there for at least forty-eight hours.”
“Dr. Olivier, my mother needs to see my father.” Raj’s voice was firm.
The doctor took in Mrs. Sen’s tear-worn face and said, “Please come with me. For now, you’ll be the only visitor.” His eyes met Raj’s. “The staff will let you know as soon as the rest of your family is clear to go in. It’ll be immediate family only until he’s out of ICU.”
Raj let go of her hand to take care of the goodbyes with his uncles and aunts, promising everyone updates as soon as he had them. Aditi stayed with Nayna. Komal, meanwhile, kept glancing at her watch, then over toward the nearby elevators.
Raj’s brother walked out of an elevator ten minutes after the extended family had departed. His eyes were hollow. “Bhaiya?” he said, looking at Raj.
“Dad’s fine, recovering in ICU. Ma’s with him.” Raj squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “Komal’s been with us all night, decoding the medical jargon.”
Navin went immediately to Komal, wrapping her up in his arms. The other woman didn’t hesitate to hug him back, and Nayna’s heart sighed.
“Maybe we’ll get a happy ending for those two after all,” she murmured to Raj while Aditi was distracted and collecting her coat from the chair where she’d left it.
Raj took in his brother and sister-in-law in silence before hugging Nayna close. When Aditi came over, the two of them stretched out one arm each and brought her into the embrace. And though Raj held them both, he allowed Nayna to hold him in return. Her big, tough lover let her see his need.
And it smashed another wall in her heart.
40
A Scene Fit for Bollywood
Nayna parted ways with Raj in the hospital parking lot. He was driving his mother and sister home. Komal and Navin were heading out in Komal’s car as Navin—afraid he was over the alcohol limit for driving—had caught a ride in with a friend.
After settling his mother and Aditi in his truck, Raj took the time to walk Nayna to her car. Sangeeta Sen had been in full agreement when he stopped Nayna from going off on her own. “It’s still dark outside,” she’d said sternly. “Aditi and I will lock the truck doors and wait for Raj to return.”
The parking lot was awash in light, but Nayna didn’t reject the offer. Mostly because she wanted to have a moment alone with Raj. “Get some rest, all right?” she said to him when they stopped by her car.
He leaned into her for a second before leading her to the waiting area.
Sangeeta Sen took one look at her and burst into tears. Enclosing her in her arms, Nayna rocked the older woman while Raj took care of his baby sister. More family arrived as time passed—Raj’s father had two younger brothers, and Raj’s mother had an older sister. All but one came with their spouses.
Jitesh Sen’s remaining brother was based in Taupo, several hours south of Auckland, and was already on his way—with his wife and Raj’s paternal grandparents. Depending on traffic, they’d reach the hospital in about two and a half more hours.
The only one still in the wind was Navin.
Komal, dressed in the dark blue of a nurse’s scrubs, had a pinched look about the eyes when she walked in to give them the news that the surgery was progressing well. “Navin’s not replying to my messages,” Nayna heard her whisper to Raj. “He’s probably drunk. That’s what he does when out with that group.”
“I’ll keep trying to track him down,” Raj said. “Give me the numbers you have for his friends. Nayna, do you have a pen?”
Digging one out of her purse, Nayna walked over. He took the pen and pressed a kiss to her temple before returning his attention to Komal, who gave Nayna a jagged look. Then the other woman was passing on the numbers, and Nayna went to sit with Sangeeta and Aditi again. When Raj’s sister curled against her side, Nayna threw her coat around the teenager and hugged her close.
Aditi fell asleep for about forty minutes, woke fuzzy-eyed and in need of the restroom.
As she wandered off in the right direction, Sangeeta Sen, her face wan, said, “Raj beta, Nayna bitia, can you find some strong tea?”
The two of them left to see what they could rustle up. Once away from his relatives, Nayna took Raj into her arms again, running her hands up and down the powerful column of his back. She’d noticed how everyone leaned on him, the older adults as well as his younger sister. They all looked to Raj as if expecting him to have the answers.
Even the cardiac nurse who was liaising with the surgical staff spoke to Raj, so the immediate family must’ve nominated him as their lead contact. Twice, after speaking to the nurse, Raj had taken his mother aside and talked to her alone. Decisions being made, Nayna had realized, the doctors asking for Sangeeta Sen’s approval of certain actions.
Sangeeta relied visibly on her eldest son, her hand clenching on his arm, and Nayna had the feeling Raj was the one who’d made the final calls, taking that burden from his mother. If something went wrong because of a certain decision, he’d bear that too.
“You don’t have to keep up the front with me,” she murmured to him. “I just want you to know that.” She’d had a stark display tonight of the position Raj occupied in his family—the anchor, the one who kept the entire family stable. Whether that meant making the toughest decisions of them all, tracking down his absent brother, or running the family business.
He wasn’t allowed to crumple. He wouldn’t let himself crumple.
She wondered if he’d ever trust anyone else enough to be the vulnerable one, trust enough to share the load. “You’re my rock,” she whispered, “but I can be yours too. Let me.”
Raj shuddered out a hot breath that ruffled her hair; his muscles didn’t relax, but he said, “I’m so fucking glad you’re here.”
Nayna’s eyes burned as his arms locked even tighter around her.
* * *
They found the tea, got enough for the group, and returned with disposable cups that put a little heat into everyone’s bodies. It wasn’t long afterward that Raj’s father came out of surgery. The surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Olivier, was still clad in his scrubs when he came to talk to them—but he had a smile on the craggy lines of his face.
“A triple bypass is always complicated,” he said to Raj and his mother.
Aditi stood between her mother and brother, tucked under Raj’s arm, while Nayna stood on his left, her fingers linked to his. Komal stood on his mother’s right side. A distraught Navin had finally responded, calling Raj to say he was on his way, but that had only been twenty minutes earlier.
“The good news,” Dr. Olivier said, “is that it all went perfectly, and barring any unforeseen complications, Mr. Sen should recover fully.”
Raj’s fingers squeezed tight on hers even as he calmly asked the doctor more detailed questions about what they could expect going forward. The overriding theme—aside from dietary changes on which they’d be further advised by a hospital nutritionist—was that his father would need lots of care and wasn’t to do anything strenuous for a number of months.
“Mr. Sen will also need to manage his stress levels,” Dr. Olivier added. “Stress is terrible for the heart, and speaking from two decades of experience, I can tell you it’ll impede his recovery.”
The doctor, tiredness apparent in his own features, looked around. “Now, I think you should all go home and get some rest. Mr. Sen is in intensive care and will stay there for at least forty-eight hours.”
“Dr. Olivier, my mother needs to see my father.” Raj’s voice was firm.
The doctor took in Mrs. Sen’s tear-worn face and said, “Please come with me. For now, you’ll be the only visitor.” His eyes met Raj’s. “The staff will let you know as soon as the rest of your family is clear to go in. It’ll be immediate family only until he’s out of ICU.”
Raj let go of her hand to take care of the goodbyes with his uncles and aunts, promising everyone updates as soon as he had them. Aditi stayed with Nayna. Komal, meanwhile, kept glancing at her watch, then over toward the nearby elevators.
Raj’s brother walked out of an elevator ten minutes after the extended family had departed. His eyes were hollow. “Bhaiya?” he said, looking at Raj.
“Dad’s fine, recovering in ICU. Ma’s with him.” Raj squeezed his brother’s shoulder. “Komal’s been with us all night, decoding the medical jargon.”
Navin went immediately to Komal, wrapping her up in his arms. The other woman didn’t hesitate to hug him back, and Nayna’s heart sighed.
“Maybe we’ll get a happy ending for those two after all,” she murmured to Raj while Aditi was distracted and collecting her coat from the chair where she’d left it.
Raj took in his brother and sister-in-law in silence before hugging Nayna close. When Aditi came over, the two of them stretched out one arm each and brought her into the embrace. And though Raj held them both, he allowed Nayna to hold him in return. Her big, tough lover let her see his need.
And it smashed another wall in her heart.
40
A Scene Fit for Bollywood
Nayna parted ways with Raj in the hospital parking lot. He was driving his mother and sister home. Komal and Navin were heading out in Komal’s car as Navin—afraid he was over the alcohol limit for driving—had caught a ride in with a friend.
After settling his mother and Aditi in his truck, Raj took the time to walk Nayna to her car. Sangeeta Sen had been in full agreement when he stopped Nayna from going off on her own. “It’s still dark outside,” she’d said sternly. “Aditi and I will lock the truck doors and wait for Raj to return.”
The parking lot was awash in light, but Nayna didn’t reject the offer. Mostly because she wanted to have a moment alone with Raj. “Get some rest, all right?” she said to him when they stopped by her car.
