Husband For Hire

33. First Day In India

33. First Day In India
She was a homebreaker, but I couldn't find it in me to be mean to her.

* * *

"Who are they, Ashar?" The old man who had been too busy hugging Ashar missed our introduction. He had to ask Ashar again about me and Jhanvi.

Ashar stared at my face dumbfounded. Until the girl repeated our relation aloud once again did Ashar make a movement.

"Baba, this is Anmol . . . my wife," Ashar said blinking in disbelief. He gestured to Jhanvi who posed immediately into a namaste stance. "Her sister, Jhanvi."

Sister-cousin, close enough.

Hold on.

He called the man baba.

It was his father and step-mom shedding happy tears in front of the crowd. Oh, his father faked his own illness. Then, Jhanvi and I showed up at his doorstep unannounced.

Ashar was going to chew us alive once he got past the shocks.

Ashar's dad put his hand on my head and then Jhanvi's giving us blessings. His stepmom did the same. The crowd continued cheering. Ashar's stepmom spilled some oil on the sides of her doorway before ushering us inside. Apparently, it was tradition.

All of us took seats in the living room with off white walls, a brown couch, and a swing bed. His parents sat down on the swing bed across from from us. A woman in her late forties brought us all water first and then chai with biscuits, samosas, sweets, etc.

"How was your trip?" Ashar's baba asked. He spoke in fluent English now, making me remember he had spent a long time in the US before settling back in India.

"Flight was good," Jhanvi said beating Ashar. "But the roads here . . . The bus ride almost gave me a headache."

This girl drooled the whole bus ride. She was merrily munching on a samosa now.

"Bina is setting up your rooms," Ashar's baba said. I hoped whoever Bina was, would quickly get the rooms ready. "We thought Ashar was traveling alone."

"So did I," Ashar said under his breath.

"Some last minute change of plans," I said rather honestly. "How is your health, uncle?"

"Call me baba," he said. "You're my daughter-in-law. I'm perfect now that I saw my son and his wife."

He smiled at us with glassy eyes.

I almost had a glimpse of my father, but then I remembered this man cheated on his wife when Aara was three. Maybe he regretted it now? He seemed happy with his second wife.

"Didn't you say you couldn't get up from your bed let alone walk?" Ashar asked him. "Also, you were on your way to ask my ma for forgiveness."

"I changed my plan," his dad said. "I have to see my children and apologize to them first."

Ashar's face remained blank from all the surprises he had met today. I finished my chai and saw Jhanvi finish her food. It was time for serious conversation.

"Beta (son), your father had two heart attacks this year," said Ashar's step-mom in Punjabi. I figured her English wouldn't be as fluent as her husband's. "It's a miracle he's alive and sitting here in front of you. He's still recovering and at risk. He wanted to meet you, Arsalan, and Aara one time."

Again, no mention of Rosie.

Did they know who she was? Was there a reason they didn't tell them about her?