Us Against the World

49. The Power

When I was in college, a lot of stuff happened. There were tests, projects, parties, and a lot of dating. Actually, half of the girls in my dingy high school went to college with only the prospect of dating (after all, they had said, college boys, are much hotter than high school boys, which I can agree with).

But with dating came the nightmare that is being with a cheater. It's happened a lot, not to me, but to Chandini and every other girl in their late teens to early twenties. College is a playground for cheaters because the campus is so big and nobody can be in the same place at once.

When Eli's girlfriend cheated on him and transferred colleges shortly after, he told me (through gulps of alcohol) that he would never get any closure now that she was gone. I didn't question it then - after all, I had to make sure he didn't wind up getting into any fights. However, his words found their way into my mind, ringing like a bell at random moments in my life. For the longest time, I've pondered what he meant by the closure. Was a relationship like a book? When one ends, does the book just finish?

It isn't until a week later when Chandini returned home from the hospital with baby Abhay, and I'm sitting on the couch with Aceline, that Eli's words come back to haunt me. Unlike before, I have someone to talk about it with now, and when I tell Aceline, she goes quiet.

"Have you ever been cheated on?" She asks, tapping her chin. "No, right?"

I shake my head. "My only relationship before Ezra was with Raymond, and I know he didn't cheat on me."

"I'm not sure, then," Aceline says. "What brought it up all of a sudden?"

"I don't know." I shrug. "It pops into my mind every now and then. It's probably nothing."

"Most likely, it is," Aceline agrees. She plays with the tube that's connected to my BiPAP, studying the water that sloshes inside the small box. "So...has Ezra been better since...?"

"He's improving," I say. "I think after catching the culprit, he's been a lot better than he was before. It's like it's eased some kind of guilt that was weighing on him before."

"Probably." Aceline reaches into her backpack and pops chocolate into her mouth. "Want some?"

"No, I'm fine." I take the BiPAP from her and put it to the side. Abhay gurgles in his car seat, fumbling with the plush that Chandini has left him with.

"You think he can understand us," Aceline asks, peering into Abhay's dark eyes.

"He's not even two weeks yet," I sigh. "I doubt he understands anything yet."

"You don't know that," Aceline says. "Babies are very intelligent."

"This is Chandini's baby. I doubt that."

"Well..."

"Stop smack-talking my kid." Chandini stomps into the room and plops on the couch. The burning fury around her seems to make her melt into the cushions as she becomes a puddle of acidic bitterness in front of us.

"What happened to you?" I ask, impassively raising my brow. "Did you shower with cold water again?"

"No. Jakob hasn't texted me since yesterday!" Chandini whines. "Where is he? What could he be doing that's more important than talking to me?" She gasps. "Do you think he's with another girl?"

"And the old Chandini has returned," I mutter. "Stop worrying so much and take care of your kid. You're lucky Aceline and I are both home today or else you'd be screwed."

"Shut up." Chandini scowls, but she does take Abhay from his car seat. He giggles and lifts his small, chubby hands in the air, grasping at Chandini's face playfully.