There's Something About Sweetie(102)

“You got a standing ovation … at Band Night?”

Sweetie nodded.

Amma sank onto Sweetie’s bed, her hands limp in her lap. “You didn’t tell me that. Sweetie …”

“Yes, Amma?” Sweetie sat too, across from her mother.

When Amma looked at her, tears sparkled in her eyes and she smiled, blinking them away. “Sweetie … you are already doing it,” she said wonderingly, shaking her head. “You already have everything I want you to have.” She swallowed, and added in a tiny voice, “And I missed everything. Because of my stubbornness, I missed everything.”

“You missed some pretty big things,” Sweetie agreed, scooting closer. “But, Amma, you don’t have to miss anything else, not if you don’t want to. And you’re right, you know. I do already have everything you want me to have. So you don’t have to worry about me anymore, Amma. It’s not doing anyone any good. You have to stop worrying.”

Nodding, Amma closed her eyes as a tear slipped down her cheek. “I have to stop worrying,” she said softly. Then, opening her eyes, she pulled Sweetie toward her and tucked her face against her neck. She kissed the top of Sweetie’s head and said, “I have to stop worrying because you’re okay. You’re going to be fine.”

“I’m going to be more than fine,” Sassy Sweetie said. “Amma, I’m going to live my best life.”

They walked downstairs together, and Amma walked right to the Patels (who were now in the dining room with Achchan, Anjali Chechi, and Jason Chettan, looking rather glum) and said, “Sunita, Kartik, Ashish, I apologize. I behaved badly, and you have been gracious. Will you please forgive me?”

Sunita auntie gave Amma her warmest smile. “As long as you forgive us, too.”

Amma turned to Ashish. “You. You have been very good to my daughter.”

“I’ve tried,” Ashish said, looking at Sweetie in complete shock. She shrugged back and grinned. “But it’s nothing more than she deserves.”

Amma smiled. “Correct answer. Good.”

“And, Auntie, Uncle,” Ashish said, looking at Amma and Achchan in turn. “I want to apologize, too. For dating Sweetie behind your backs. It won’t happen again.”

Achchan grinned and clasped Ashish on the back.

Amma let out a deep breath and grabbed one of Ashish’s hands and one of Sweetie’s. “Now everything is settled. Why don’t we all have some lunch? We have Sweetie’s favorite dessert—pal payasam. And after that, my daughter needs to get ready for prom!”

Sunita auntie laughed. “That sounds like the perfect way to celebrate.”

“Wait.” Achchan stood. “I have something to say.” He walked forward, took Sweetie by the shoulders, and led her a few feet away, to a quiet corner. Then, taking a deep breath, he shook his head. “Sweetie … you are a piece of my heart. I never knew how much pain you were in. I should’ve said something. I should’ve told you that I … I disagreed with your mother a lot. I think you are perfect as you are. As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. I’m sorry, mol, for not being stronger for you.”

Sweetie hugged her father, her throat painfully tight. “It’s okay, Achcha,” she said hoarsely. “It’s okay.”

As they trooped outside to lunch, the girls came running up, their faces anxious. It was clear they’d been watching the back door like hawks. “So?” Kayla asked. “How’d it go? You need us to drive your getaway mobile?”

Sweetie laughed as her family passed her on the way to the food table. Ashish was hanging back, a few paces away, trying to give her her privacy. “No. It went well. Really, really well.”

Her friends, her girls, grinned at her. And then they were all hugging and laughing. “Yo, Ass-sheesh!” Izzy called. “You’re one of us now. Okay?”

“Does that mean your shoes are staying on?” he called back dryly.

“My mom ordered a lot of food, you guys,” Sweetie said, laughing. “Please eat or she’ll be foisiting heaping plates on you before long.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Suki said, and she led the charge to the buffet table.

Once they were gone, Sweetie turned to Ashish, a shy smile on her face. “You know, you’re not so bad at laying it on thick. That speech you gave in the study? Impressive.”

“And I didn’t even have to play my ‘cute butt’ trump card.” Ashish took her hand. “Seriously though, I wasn’t laying it on thick. Everything I said, I meant. One hundred percent. I’m the luckiest guy on the planet, Sweetie. Actually, scratch that. I’m the luckiest guy in the multiverse.”

Sweetie felt the heat rush to her cheeks. Forget Ashish. How on earth had she gotten so lucky?

They decided to leave for prom directly from the birthday party. By the time the last guests had cleared out and Sweetie had opened all the presents (Ashish had given her a simple silver chain, no pendant, which, while beautiful, left her a little disappointed at its genericness), Amma was totally on board with the prom plan.

“I cannot believe he asked you using parrots!” she said as she helped Sweetie do up her hair. Anjali Chechi was redoing her makeup.

Ashish and his parents were out at their car, conferring about something, while Jason Chettan and Achchan were downstairs talking.