"Not yet. I wanted to tell you first. I will tell them when I get home."
Puneet's expression shifted slightly, a hint of concern creeping into his eyes.
"And what if your aunt does not allow you to work? You know how she can be."
I had thought about that too. The worry had been gnawing at the back of my mind since I got the call. Aunty had never liked the idea of me having independence. She preferred to keep me under her control, dependent on her and Uncle for everything.
"Uncle will convince her," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "He has always supported my education. He will support this too."
Puneet did not look entirely convinced, but he squeezed my hand again.
"Listen to me, Viya. If your aunt tries to stop you, if she makes things difficult, you do not have to stay there. You can move in with me. I have a spare room. It is not much, but it is yours if you need it."
I stared at him, touched by his offer but also a little overwhelmed.
"Puneet, I cannot just move out. Uncle has done so much for me. I owe him."
"You do not owe anyone your happiness," Puneet said firmly. "You have spent years repaying a debt that was never yours to begin with. Your parents' death was not your fault—you were just a child. They took you in because it was their duty, and of course, they were receiving your parents' savings. You never owed them anything.”
I looked down at my coffee cup, his words hitting closer to home than I wanted to admit.
"I just want to see you happy, Viya," he said softly. "If you feel like this job is right for you, if you feel like this is what you want, then go ahead. Do not let anyone take that away from you."
I nodded slowly, feeling a lump form in my throat.
"I will. I promise."
We finished our coffee in comfortable silence, and Puneet walked me partway home before heading in the opposite direction toward his own place. As I walked the last few blocks alone, I tried to gather my courage. I needed to tell Uncle andAunty about the job. I needed to stand my ground if Aunty tried to object.
When I reached home, I went straight to Uncle and Aunty's room. The door was slightly ajar, so I could see inside before I knocked. Uncle was sitting in his favorite recliner near the window, reading the newspaper with his reading glasses perched on his nose. Aunty was on the bed, scribbling something on a piece of paper, her brow furrowed in concentration.
I knocked lightly on the doorframe.
Both of them looked up. Uncle smiled immediately, his face lighting up the way it always did when he saw me. Aunty's expression remained neutral, her eyes flicking over me with mild interest.
"Come in, beta," Uncle said warmly, gesturing for me to enter.
I stepped inside, my heart pounding. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could get a single word out, Avija came bursting into the room behind me, pushing past me so suddenly I stumbled slightly to the side.
"Mom, is the list ready?" Avija asked breathlessly, completely ignoring my presence. "The list of items we are going to serve on Friday? I need to finalize the menu."
Aunty started to respond, but then she seemed to remember I was standing there. She held up a hand to stop Avija mid-sentence.
"Wait, Avija. Viya, why are you here? Do you need something?"
Uncle looked at me with gentle curiosity.
"What is it, beta? Is everything alright?"
I looked at Uncle and smiled, drawing strength from his kind eyes.
"I do not need anything, Uncle. I am here to share some good news.”
I waited for a second to breath.
“I got a job."
There was a beat of silence.
