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“Not that I could imagine him ever preferring Leela to me,” continued Saraswati. “But you know what men can be like. So, well, we did argue a lot about it, especially when he’d been, well, you know. That’s what we were arguing about when...”
Reeva’s face cleared. “Oh my god. You were arguing aboutLeela when it happened! That’s why you said, if it wasn’t for her. She’s the reason Dad got so angry.”
Saraswati flushed. “Well, it doesn’t matter now, does it? It’s all in the past.”
“Uh, it kind of does,” said Reeva. “Because I’ve spent the last week practically pulling out my hair trying to figure out why you and Dad faked his death and ruined our lives.” She paused as she realized her unfortunate choice of phrasing. “Look, Mum, I only figured things out at the funeral. With Kavita Kaki’s help.”
Saraswati tutted. “Oh, that busybody still loves a gossip, doesn’t she?”
“Well, it’s thanks to her that I worked everything out. In full. What Dad did. When I was five.” Saraswati inspected her manicure, deliberately avoiding Reeva’s eyes. “Mum, I’m not mad at you for what happened. It’s all Dad’s fault. But I’m mad you kept it a secret. I wish you’d just told us the truth.”
“How could I!” Saraswati dramatically looked up, her hands lifted up to the ceiling in full Bollywood matriarch mode. “You were all so young!”
“Well, when we were a little older then. It’s not like Sita or Jaya would have even cared. Neither of them thought the truth was a big deal.”
Saraswati gasped. “No! Reeva—tell me you are joking. What’s wrong with them?! I knew they were self-centered, but this is ridiculous.”
To her surprise, Reeva found herself agreeing with her mum. “I know. They thinkI’mselfish, but they’re the ones who’ve put themselves first at every opportunity. You know Jaya’s pregnant? With Rakesh’s baby?”
Her mum shrugged. “She did say something, but I neverknow with her. I couldn’t tell if she was saying she was trying or she was already pregnant. She’s not very articulate, is she?”
Reeva shook her head imperceptibly. “Okay. Well... she is pregnant.”
“Don’t worry; it’s unlikely it will get her genes—Rakesh’s seem much more dominant. And he’s so hairy andrectangular. I don’t think it will be a very pretty baby.”
Reeva let out a shocked laugh. “Mum! You can’t say that!”
“What? It’s my grandchild. If I can’t be honest, who can?”
“Well, anyway. That’s what’s happening. And she’s furious with me because I told everyone at Dad’s funeral. About her and Rakesh. I didn’t go into details about Dad, but... I kind of told everyone there that he wasn’t a nice person.”
Her mum sighed loudly. “He had his problems. A lot of them. But despite his issues, he did love you. All of you.”
“It doesn’t matter. How can I forgive him? What kind of monster hurts a harmless tiny being like that?”
“I know.” Saraswati looked down at her diamond rings. Her voice was quiet. “It was awful to watch.”
“I can imagine,” said Reeva, moved by her mum’s subtle emotion. “The poor cat.”
“Oh, that bloody cat,” snapped Saraswati, sharply looking up again. “If it wasn’t for the cat, we’d all be fine.”
Reeva’s mouth dropped open. “Mum! It’s not the cat’s fault that Dad decided to kill it.”
Saraswati snorted in annoyance, waving her hand in the air. “Don’t be so dramatic; he wasn’t trying to kill the cat.” She halted, her hand slowly lowering. “But he never should have... He didn’t realize you... It was... It was all a terrible, terrible accident.”
“Well, even so, I don’t know if I can forgive him for it.” Reeva wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her knees up toward her chest. “Hurting a cat is unforgivable.”
Her mum stared at her in silence. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer than Reeva had ever heard it before. “Reeva, beta. It wasn’t the cat he hurt. It was you.”
CHAPTER 20
Day 11
Reeva was sittingon the sofa in disbelief. Her mum had dropped her bombshell—and then gone to answer a phone call from MJ. She was now in the kitchen talking to him, makingmwah-mwahsounds, and acting like a teenager in love. It would be inappropriate at the best of times, let alone when Reeva was still trying to process the fact that her dad had not killed her cat; he’d almost killedher.
“Mum! Mum, can you come back into the living room? We need to talk!”
“I’m on the phone! Don’t be rude, darling.”
