Forgetting Billions | ✓

23 | Forgetting Confrontations

AFTER TWO parathas, a bowl of Hyderabadi biryani, and six jalebis, Jasmine decided she was full. She spent the past hour sitting with Sadia at their enormous dinner table, and while she enjoyed listening to the drama that came with being a third grader, it wasn't what she had expected to be doing when she snuck out.

She remembered that she had her phone powered off since the morning and that her parents must be worried sick. Feeling like she was about to vomit, Jasmine excused herself from the table and pulled out her phone when she was safely hidden away in the guest bedroom. Once it was on, she was bombarded with over thirty text messages and about ten missed calls.

She groaned out loud before calling her mother, who picked up on the first ring.

"Jasmine! Where are you?" her mother screamed into the phone, choking on her words as if she couldn't get them out fast enough.

"I'm at a friend's house, Mom."

"Which friend? Who's house? Where are you?" she repeated.

"Here, let me hand the phone over." Jasmine sighed and left the guest bedroom. As she walked, she whispered into the phone, "I'm safe. You have nothing to worry about."

Jasmine moved the phone away from her ear when she heard an even louder string of words to fall from her mother's lips. She jogged down to the dining room and all heads turned to her. Flashing the guests a small smile, she made her way to Maya and tapped her on the shoulder. She mouthed the word 'Mom' and Shayan's mother understood instantly, excusing herself from the table within seconds.

Maya took her phone and left for the backyard, her other hand taking Jasmine's arm. She placed the phone on speaker, with an eyebrow raised like she dared Aishwarya Karesh to disrespect her.

"Ash? It's Maya Khan here," she said coolly, her eyes inspecting her fingernails with great detail. Jasmine flinched at her tone and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to create a barrier between her and the two women. And yet, she couldn't help but wonder how close her mother and Maya were. No one called her mother by that nickname other than close family. Jasmine tried to think back to her childhood, trying to find some hint of a disturbance in Maya and Aishwarya's friendship.

She couldn't think of anything.

Her mother halted her rant for a brief second and silence washed over them like a powerful wave before high tide. Aishwarya's voice cracked as she spoke, suddenly much quieter.

"Maya. How nice to finally hear from you," Jasmine's mother whispered.

Maya rolled her eyes. "There's no need for passive aggression, Ash. You can yell at your daughter so effortlessly. Why don't you do the same for me? Say what you want."

"You're lucky Varun isn't here to hear this. He would-"

"He would what? Scream at me louder than you?" Maya taunted.

Jasmine scrunched up her nose in disgust. They sounded like teenage girls.

"You want me to say what I want? I don't like your son. I think he's a bad influence on Jasmine's values." She took in a deep breath. "I'm angry that you're judging me for chastising my daughter when your son runs around her like a lovesick puppy. If anyone needs to teach their child a lesson, it is you."

She continued, "And one more thing. I don't appreciate you hiding my daughter from us. I'm picking her up, now."

Jasmine sank to the ground and yanked a fistful of grass out of the dirt.

Maya's thundering expression softened when she saw Jasmine picking at the ground like her anxiety was already getting the best of her. "No."

"What did you say to me?" Aishwarya growled.