Page 70 of Scars and Crowns

Sara freezes. "Really?"

Her eyes become impossibly wide. I smile. "Really." The grin that spreads across her face is so enormous it seems physically impossible for one small child.

She throws both arms into the air. "Yay!" Then immediately launches herself sideways into me, hugging me with enough enthusiasm to nearly knock me off balance. I laugh despite myself and hug her back.

Anamika is staring at me. Her mouth has actually fallen open. "Yuvaan . . . "

There it is.

"You don't have to—"

The sentence I've heard in a hundred different versions over the past few weeks. You don't have to pay the school fees. You don't have to open the bookshop. You don't have to help. You don't have to care.

I look at her and smile. "I want to." The same words she'd heard from me in the polo tent. Recognition flashes across her face. Then, almost despite herself, she smiles too. It's small. Reluctant. Still carrying traces of surrender. She doesn't continue the argument. Which, with Anamika, is practically the equivalent of winning it.

"Oh, wonderful!" Maa claps her hands together happily. "We haven't had a proper family holiday in years." She turns toward Kairav. "When was the last one?"

He groans dramatically. "The hill station."

"Oh dear."

"The one where it rained for four straight days." Maa bursts into laughter. "The guesthouse roof leaked."

"And there were monkeys." Kairav groans, "They stole my breakfast."

"They stole your breakfast because you kept feeding them," Maa reminds him.

"I was making friends."

"You were encouraging criminals."

"They were adorable criminals."

Maa stares at him. He finally gives up arguing. "Fine."

He reaches for another roti. "I'm coming. I need a break anyway.” He takes a big bite. “Amish can manage the shelter for a few days."

From the phone comes an indignant, "I can hear you, idiot."

"I know." Kairav grins. "That's why I said it."

Anamika looks from one face to another. " . . . You're all coming?" There's genuine surprise in her voice.

Maa blinks. "Of course." She gently places the spoon down. "As a matter of fact . . . " She frowns lightly. "What sort of family holiday leaves half the family behind?" The word hangs gently in the air.

Family.

I glance toward Anamika.

Her expression changes so subtly most people wouldn't notice. I do. Hesitation etches her face but soon it softens into something almost impossibly gentle. Like she's still getting used to hearing herself included inside that word without conditions.

Without explanations. Without anyone adding . . . except. Sara, meanwhile, has abandoned all interest in dinner.

She is now drafting what appears to be a legally binding holiday itinerary.

"We'll swim." She counts on one finger. "I'll ride horses." Second finger. "There has to be a bonfire." Third finger. "We'll roast marshmallows." Fourth. "If there are monkeys, we feed them."

Kairav immediately points across the table. "See? Even Sara agrees with me."