So Sweet a Changeling: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 6)

Chapter Seventeen: Harpreet, Wednesday

Naomi stared off after her mom and her aunt as they walked through the patio door onto the lawn. "What's Zia Val so sad about?" she asked.

Tosh shrugged. "Maybe it's about Nonno."

Harpreet wished the two of them a thousand miles away, but in order to be alone with Logan, Emma would also have to go, and so would Ajit. So many eyes on them, making sure they were being good.

After a few minutes, Naomi's uncle came down the stairs, looking frantically around, and when he saw Naomi's mom and her aunt on the lawn, he went out there, and the uncle and aunt began talking heatedly, with Naomi's mom in between them, a hand on the arm of each, as if breaking up a fight.

"This is getting awkward," Harpreet said. "Does anyone want to move out of sight of this?"

"But then we'd have to go upstairs," Naomi said, "and it's all adults up there."

"There are the bedrooms down the hall. We can watch videos on your devices, Naomi," she said hopefully. One step at a time.

"But I have to go upstairs and get them," Naomi whined.

"I'll go with you," Emma said, getting up. Would Tosh and Ajit go too?

"Could you get mine?" Tosh asked. "I give you permission to go into my room this one time only." 

Naomi looked at Tosh, then at Harpreet and Logan, and smiled mischievously. "Sure," she said. "You and Ajit keep an eye on these two."

Harpreet watched Naomi and Emma leave with dismay. She hadn't missed the hug Logan had given Naomi at the cemetery, nor the triumphant look Naomi had given her. She was sure Logan had just been doing the right thing, offering comfort, and Naomi had turned it into romance. Now Naomi was as good as declaring to the others that something was going on between Logan and Harpreet. Not that Ajit needed telling. He'd been teasing Harpreet relentlessly like the little turd he was ever since he'd found out on Saturday.

To Harpreet's surprise, Tosh said, "You two? Really?"

Logan shrugged. The adults were still arguing outside, and Harpreet got up and walked down the hall, uncomfortable watching it.

To her relief, Logan followed, but so did Tosh and Ajit.

"I don't suppose you two want to go into one room and let us have a little privacy in the other?" Harpreet asked.

"I don't think Mom and Dad would be happy with me if I did," Ajit said.

Harpreet crossed her arms. "We just want to talk."

"I'm sure you two talk over text all the time."

They all stood there, in the hallway, in tense silence until Naomi and Emma returned with the devices.

"Can I speak with Logan and Harpreet in privacy, please?" Naomi asked. 

Ajit and Tosh looked at the three of them, assessing what kind of hijinks they could get up to if all three of them were in one room rather than just two.

"Are you okay, Naomi?" Emma asked.

"I'm fine. Could you just hang out with Tosh and Ajit for a few minutes? I won't be long."

"Okay. Then we can watch our favourite video together?"

Naomi smiled. "Sure thing."

Harpreet felt a cold stone in her belly as she followed the other two into one room, Naomi closing the door behind her.

Then Naomi said something that surprised her.

"I found out on Sunday that my mom and dad cheat on each other, and they're okay about it."