The Singles Table (Marriage Game #3)(85)

“These are people we’re talking about, not a few dollars to buy myself a treat.”

“They are Patels.” Taara Auntie’s voice was firm. “And they have security cameras because I spread the word on my social media channels. We’ll find them all and bring them to you so no other families have to be afraid in their houses and our Zara can have her job.”

“It’s a nice thought but . . .”

Lakshmi patted her hand. “It will all be good. Trust your aunties. Also, wear flat shoes. You’ll never get where you want to go if you have to run in heels.”

After leaving her aunties, she climbed the stairs and found her father in his studio, practicing his beats. He wore a long plain white kurta that went down to his knees and loose pants that gave him room to move when he was playing his dhol.

“I’m giving a show for the family to celebrate Darpan’s good grade,” he said. “I need some practice before I perform at Avi’s wedding next week. I hear I’ll be sitting alone at dinner.”

“Who told you that?” Like she had to ask. The Patel gossip mill never stopped.

He grinned as he pounded softly on the drum. “You know how the family is. Everyone saw you with that nice boy at Rishi’s wedding, the one who was at the gallery until you ran into the door. And then I heard you asked Mehar to look in on his mom at the hospital after she was in an accident. Once your aunties were involved . . .” He pounded out a drumroll. “It was all over for keeping it secret after that.”

Zara bristled. “There is nothing to keep secret. We’re not together.”

“Why would you ask Mehar to visit his mom in the hospital?”

Zara shrugged. “I didn’t want her to be alone. And I only mentioned it to Mehar Auntie. She was visiting a friend in the hospital and I saw her in the hallway. I told her about Padma and how she didn’t have family and the next day Padma’s room was full.”

“Exactly.” He punctuated the word with a loud bang on his drum.

“We were friends, Dad. We had a . . . thing.”

“A thing?” He raised a brow. “Sounds serious.”

“It wasn’t. I mean it was, but it wasn’t. The idea of getting that close to someone gives me hives. I don’t want to spend my whole life just waiting for the day it’s going to end.”

“I married your mother believing it was forever,” he said. “I loved her. I still do.”

This was her chance. She’d never had the courage to ask him about the divorce, assuming it was a memory too painful to discuss. “What happened?”

With a sigh, he put down his sticks. “Your mom and I had much in common when we got together,” he said. “We were both professionals, both first-generation immigrants, both focused on our goals and being the best we could be. My art was just a hobby then and something I planned to pursue when I retired.” He removed his shoulder strap and put his drum on its stand. “Then I was in the car crash and my entire world changed. I lay in my hospital bed thinking that if I had died, I would have had only one regret—that I didn’t pursue my dream. So after I recovered, I quit my job, built the studio, and started to paint.” He paused to take a sip of water. “Your mother thought it was just a phase, but I had changed after the accident and she had stayed the same. She resented me for it. She said I’d emotionally abandoned her. She couldn’t see what I’d seen—that life is short and you have to live your truth, embrace your joy, and pursue your dreams.” He gave a wistful smile. “I wish I could have brought her on this journey with me.”

“How did it end?” She’d known about her father’s epiphany but not how her mother had felt betrayed.

“We were living an illusion because we couldn’t face the reality that we had lost each other and didn’t know how to find each other again. And then one day she decided it had gone on too long. I don’t know why it was that day or why it was so sudden. She came home from work, walked into my studio, and told me it was over and it was time for me to go.”

“I’m so sorry, Dad,” she said softly. “I can’t imagine how that would have felt.”

He was silent for a long moment, staring down at his empty hands. “I only wish we could have given you and Hari some warning, let you get used to the idea, but I was in shock. I couldn’t think. I loved your mother. She is a strong, intelligent, beautiful woman who used to sing like an angel and give Mehar a run for her money on the dance floor. But she lost herself in work and forgot what is important in life. If I could turn back time, I would still choose to marry her.” His expression was almost wistful. “We had some good times together.”

“But you would lose her again,” Zara protested. “You would get hurt again.”

“But I would have experienced love,” he said. “And love is worth the pain.”





? 26 ?



Jay was dreaming of being lost in the forest when someone shook him awake.

“How long have you been sleeping in the office?” Elias pulled the blinds, flooding the office with light.

“A couple of days.” He sat up on the couch, rubbed his eyes. Truth was, he was afraid to fall asleep in his apartment without Zara there to keep the nightmares away. He’d come to the office on Saturday after visiting his mom and worked until he was so exhausted, he couldn’t keep his eyes open. Rinse. Repeat.