Page 49 of The Promise of a Traitor

“Oh my God!” Aastha said faintly.

Advik wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. “Welcome to the family darling.”

Chapter Thirty

Aastha

Exhaustion clung to every muscle in her body as she let herself into her home later that night. The event had been an incredible success, the biggest they’d had since opening the café. And she knew exactly who was responsible for that. Advik, his family and his friends. They’d turned up in droves, helped everywhere they could, and brought along everyone in their social circle to round out the numbers.

A soft smile touched her lips as she remembered Rehaan’s masterpiece of a dessert, a tiramisu that blew everyone’s minds. He’d served up slices for his family himself, watching as his father took a careful bite, savoured it and then smiled at him, astonished and proud. It had been a moment.

All of it had been a day. A day she would remember forever.

“Aastha!” Her mother’s strident voice shattered the warmth of the happy memories she was basking in. “What are you standing there for? Go shower, wash off that smell.”

“Most people like the smell of baked goods,” Aastha said mildly, walking past her mother and toward her room.

“I’m not most people,” her mother said waspishly, reaching for the secret stash of cigarettes in her kaftan’s pocket.

Not so much of a secret, Aastha thought, as Binita pulled one out and lit it.

“I thought you quit,” Aastha said, against her better judgement, pausing by her bedroom door.

“I did.” Binita blew out some smoke, her thin lips pursed. “But then my eldest daughter decided to be difficult.” She watched Aastha through that haze of smoke. “Again,” she said, anger tainting her voice.

“Ma please.” Aastha could feel all her excitement and happiness draining from her like air escaping a popped balloon. “Don’t do this.” She turned away from her mother, wishing she’d never stopped to bring up the cigarette issue.

“Amu didn’t look good earlier today,” Binita said carelessly. “So I gave her one of the new pills. Better safe than sorry right?”

Aastha stopped, her heart jolting in her chest. Horror suffused her. “That’s seizure medication. You can’t just dose her indiscriminately.”

Binita shrugged. “She slept well after that. So, I guess it worked.”

Aastha spun on her heel, shoving the bedroom door open and going over to the bed she shared with her sister. Amyra seemed to be fast asleep. She reached over and gently smoothened her sister’s hair back from her forehead. Amyra’s chest rose and fell in steady, deep breaths.

Exhaling hard, Aastha let her sleep. She’d speak to the doctor tomorrow and see what his thoughts were on her mother’s indiscriminate medicine usage. For now, she needed a shower and then some sleep. Before she woke up the next morning and did it all over again.

She stepped under the warm spray of her shower, allowing the water to stream over her, washing away the grime and fatigue of the day. Her mind slowly calmed, allowing herself to relive the best moments of the day. The laughter from the little kids as their magical chocolate carnival came alive, the patrons who’d complimented them effusively on their carefully chosen menu, Kabir’s impromptu gig, Rehaan’s glittering smile, Advik’s quiet one, Maya and Yash’s pasta fuelled battle, and last but never the least, the hard, feverish kiss Advik and she had shared before he’d dropped her home. Her body warmed at the memory and she turned the water from hot to cold, hoping it would send her body a message.

She left the shower feeling strangely restless and anxious, an adrenalin crash she reasoned. It didn’t help that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten anything. She’d taken a spoonful of Rehaan’s divine Tiramisu to taste but that had been it.

She climbed into bed beside Aastha, pulling her comforter over her legs, welcoming its weight on her tired limbs. Her phone display lit up on her bedside table. She glanced over at it and realised she’d been added to a new group.

The Shit Stirrers.

Someone must have added her by mistake. Frowning, she tapped on the group, looking to exit and delete. Before she could a message popped up…

Rehaan: @Aastha, welcome to the family!

She blinked, that strange warmth from before coming back in waves, swamping her. Before she could react, her phone began to vibrate continuously in her hand. She checked on the names and saved numbers so she would know who was saying what…

Advik: What the fuck are you up to, Reh?

Kimaya: Fixing your mistakes…Why haven’t you added her before this? Welcome, Aastha!

Advik: Not all of us live our lives on text and dm’s, Kimi.

Rehaan: You don’t live your life anywhere, ROBOT 101.