Chapter 34

Thanksgiving had come before they knew it. Since the start of college Nandani had always gone to Mukti's place for the break. Mukti's family was not perfect, but they were united. Her mom Neyonika, and dad, Raj Malhotra, had always been amazing to Nandani. They had always been welcoming her, since the first time Nandani came for an unprepared sleepover in primary grade school.

Unlike Nandani's mom, they seemed to take everything in stride. Including Mukti's early venture into fashion. Like the time Mukti had nabbed their second-grade teacher's scissors and done some improvised styling on Alice Gray's corduroy jumper at recess. Alice was their classmate. It had ended up sleeveless with a serrated edge. Alice had loved it. Though Alice's parents, not so much.

It was only a thirty-minute drive from the hostel to Mukti's place. Even though they had a perfectly good washing machine at their rented apartment, Mukti insisted on taking laundry home at least every couple of months.

"Mom misses me. This is one of the ways she copes," Mukti insisted, dropping the world's largest hamper into the trunk of Nandani's car before sliding in. Nandani passed her the tin of cookies she had made that morning for safekeeping on the ride.

"Somehow I doubt your mom is waiting with bated breath on your dirty sheets and tights," Nandani told Mukti.

Nandani's fight with Manik was still on top of her mind. They had not made up and it was eating at her. Though she knew he too was going home for Thanksgiving, they had only a brief exchange in the week since, and it had been by text. He said to her that he would see her at home, but had an assignment due.

It was the "I am not avoiding you, I am studying" excuse. And the fact that he was using it with her drove her crazy.

"Should we pick Manik up?" She asked Mukti casually. "I mean if he is going?"

"I think his girlfriend, Maria, is dropping him off. " Mukti leaned forward and clicked on the satellite radio.

Nandani hit the brakes. Literally.

"Nandani, what the hell?"

Mukti looked shocked and someone behind them honked. Fortunately, they were on a side street and the speed limit was thirty. But reason had vanished from her brain and something else had entirely taken over.

"Sorry, I thought I saw something. A dog, probably?" Nandani said.

Was he actually seeing someone else? Or had he just given the excuse because he could not avoid the scrutiny any longer? Nandani kept thinking. She pushed the news out of her mind as they neared Malhotra House.

"Nandani, honey, you look terrific." Neyonika Malhotra was short and shared the same coloring as Mukti. Manik had taken after his father. "Glad to see you bounce back."

Neyonika Aunty wrapped one slender arm around Nandani's shoulders, took the cookies from her with the other.

"What am I?" Mukti called from behind her.

"I love you too." Neyonika tossed over her shoulder. "I will love you even more if you stop bringing your laundry home."

Until noon they helped Mukti's mom prepare for dinner. Raj Uncle made a few appearances to check on the turkey. Nandani tried not to think of what Manik had said about his father. It shifted the way she saw him. "She won't let me at anything." Raj Uncle winked conspiratorially while Neyonika swatted him in the shoulder.

"That is because the last time you made cranberry sauce, you put salt in place of sugar," Aunty said.

"An honest mistake," he protested mildly. He grabbed a spoonful of pumpkin pie filling before Aunty could stop him.

No matter his faults, Nandani still marveled at the way they interacted with each other, with Mukti. They were so sweet. This was the kind of family she had always wanted. And in a way, she guessed that she had them.

Just as Aunty was about to comment, opening her mouth, the door opened.

"Saved by the bell!" Raj Uncle exclaimed. "Son, your timing is perfect."

Nandani's ears perked up until she heard Manik's cousin, Dhruv's smooth voice coming from the foyer.

Dhruv came into the kitchen with a gallon of cider in one hand. He leaned down to give a one-armed hug to his Aunt before sliding the jug into the fridge.

Mukti had enough of helping for now, and Aunt assured them it was fine. Mukti, Dhruv, and Nandani went into the living room, curled up on the sofa and armchairs. Mukti put on some music, Dhruv opened a beer, and they caught up. They laughed and enjoyed themselves. This was a family.

After a while, Nandani heard new voices in the kitchen, and Manik turned up at the door of the living room. He probably must have come through the back door next to the pool. Their eyes met and held.

"Hey, bro, missed you." Dhruv raised a toast but did not get up. "I thought you were going to be playing rugby this winter. Don't you have to work out for that?" Dhruv asked Manik.

"I missed you too, asshole." Manik's grin was slower than usual to come, but when it did it was real. Nandani felt a little pang because it was the first she had seen him smile like that in days. And it was not at her. "You know the season does not start for months. And I go to the gym," Manik replied.

Manik grabbed the beer out of his brother's hand and dropped himself into the empty chair.

"So how is the cheerleading squad this year?" Dhruv did not mince words.

Mukti was in on the teasing too. "Yeah, Manik, why is not Maria coming for dinner?" Mukti's eyes were bright with mischief.

"Maria?" Dhruv turned to Mukti, who nodded in confirmation. They both were clearly content to leave Manik out of the conversation entirely. "Sounds hot. I like her already," Dhruv said.

This experience of siblings playfully ganging up against one another was one of the things Nandani had missed out on as an only child. But it was hard to appreciate given the topic of the conversation. Nandani had nothing to add besides glaring at Manik until he melted into the ground, so she sipped her cider, trying to look impassive.

"She is hot. And she dropped Manik off here today," Mukti played her trump card, sharing a victorious smile with Dhruv.

Manik looked uncomfortable at their provocation. His long body relaxed, one ankle crossed over his knee, and his arms dangling off. But he did not look directly at Nandani when he said, "It is no big deal."

There was a block of ice in the pit of Nandani's stomach that refused to move. A small part of her wanted to run out of the front door and not look back. She hated feeling this way. Her thought process was interrupted when Neyonika Aunty called them for dinner.