His smile returns then. “I’m hoping the rules from last night don’t apply anymore, so…” He stretches his hand out, and I take it for a firm handshake. “Jacob Cherian,” he says. “I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you again.” He pauses, averting his gaze. “Truth be told, I’ve been kicking myself a bit all day, wishing I’d explained myself better, or figured out how to—I don’t know.” He looks back at me, his expression plain and honest. “I don’t like the way that I left things. And I haven’t stopped thinking about it.” His thumb brushes the back of my hand. “About you.”
My pulse is loud, thrumming in my ears.
“I’m Neelu,” I say. “And I’ve been thinking about it too.”
His smile falters. “Neelu?” He says my name slowly, as if he’s sounding it out. “You’re…you’re Ajit’s daughter?”
“Yeah. How do you know him? Do you work with him or something?”
“I…no.” He looks slightly dazed. “I’ve known Maggie for along time, and she introduced us. That’s how I know your dad.” He pauses. “And you.” His voice is strained as he says, “He’s mentioned you before.”
“Oh,” I reply, a little flustered.
We both go silent after that. Jacob’s looking at me differently, his earlier enthusiasm gone, his expression slightly wary, and it’s chilling. Goosebumps form on my upper arms, and I try to rub them away.
“Neelu?” a voice calls, and I turn to see my father. I can’t remember the last time I saw him in person. Maybe at my college graduation. It’s been nearly a decade, and his hair’s thinned out significantly since then. I scan for signs of illness or exhaustion, but he looks happier than I’ve ever seen him. His eyes are bright with excitement, and he’s holding the hand of an equally excited woman.
They hurry over to me, but Maggie breaks away from my father and reaches me first. Before I can brace myself, she’s wrapped me in a hug.
“I’m so happy you could make it,” she says, squeezing me tight then pulling away.
I offer a smile, pushing my unease down. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to RSVP. I didn’t know I could come until it was too late, but—”
“Not a problem,” Maggie says. “We’re just glad you’re here.”
My dad nods, having caught up to our little group. “Right. Yes. Thank you for coming.”
He lifts his arms, an invitation for a hug, and I react accordingly, returning the gesture. But the embrace is stiff, our limbs locked, allowing distance between our bodies. Before we break away, one of his hands lifts, awkwardly patting me on the back, and bitter tears prick the corners of my eyes.
A parent’s wedding shouldn’t feel like this, I think. My mother’s didn’t when she got remarried. There was no awkwardness, nopretense. I felt nothing but joy, gathered with all of our friends and loved ones, celebrating my mother finally finding a partner who loved and cherished her. Who would actually stand by her.
I don’t know this man. I don’t know how to be happy for him.
My gaze meets Jacob’s, and behind his glasses I see something cool and sharp and entirely unfamiliar.
A lump forms in my throat.
My father steps back, taking Maggie’s hand in his, and the way his face transforms when he sees Jacob, the way hebeamsat him, digs at me.
“Neelu, let me introduce you to—”
Jacob raises a hand. “No need, Uncle. We just met.”
I almost flinch, his lie hitting me square in the chest. Almost like he’d lifted both hands and shoved me.
But what else could he have said? That we met last night? That we woke up together this morning?
Still, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s shifted horribly. That something is wrong.
“Congratulations, by the way,” Jacob says, shaking my father’s hand. Then he leans toward Maggie, giving her a hug. He says something to her in a hushed tone, and she nods, her eyes glistening as she blinks quickly.
“It really was nice of you to come all this way,” my father says, and I turn to face him.
“Of course,” I say.
My father clears his throat. “We asked Jacob to give a toast tonight, since we’re not doing anything like that during the reception, but if we had known you were coming, we would have asked…” He fidgets with the cuff of his shirt. “Would you like to give a toast?”
“No, that’s fine,” I say quickly. “Thank you.” I have no idea what I would even say.
