“I want to say hi.”
“I thought I could talk to you first while they were occupied. Once they see you, it’ll be like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube.”
Gabe shrugged. “What’s up?”
Terry looked at Rina and then back at her son. “I don’t know where to begin.”
A moment later a door opened and a little boy ran out, an ear-to-ear smile on his face. Sanjay was dark complexioned with big brown eyes and black hair. He was built thick and short and was the image of his father. He ran to Gabe and threw his pudgy arms around his knees. Gabe picked him up under his shoulders and planted a kiss on his forehead. “How’s my boy?”
“Are you staying?”
“For a little bit.” He turned and faced his sister. Juleen’s complexion was halfway between his mother’s and Devek’s skin tones. She was a delicate little thing, thin and waifish, with dark hair and eyes a shade darker than gold. She seemed aloof and reserved, standing near the doorway. Gabe said, “You’ve grown.”
Juleen gave him an appraising look. “You haven’t.”
“Ha ha and ha.” Gabe walked over to her and gave her a peck on her forehead. “How have you been, beautiful?”
“Fine.” A glance at Rina. “And this is your other mother?”
Terry winced. Rina said, “Foster mother. It’s nice to meet you, Juleen.” She offered her hand and the girl took it.
“Gabe speaks highly of you.”
A pointed comment, to be sure. Rina said, “The feeling is mutual. He often talks about Sanjay and you. He misses you very much.”
“Perhaps.”
“Not fair, girl,” Gabe said.
She returned the comment with a sad smile. Then her eyes welled up. Gabe knew there were problems in the marriage, but he felt he was witnessing a tipping point. His heart bled for his sister. “We’ll talk later.”
“Perhaps.”
Sanjay said, “Can you play Firefox with me?”
His favorite video game. “Sure, but first I have to talk to Mom.”
“Why?”
“Sanjay,” Terry said. “Go back to the bedroom and finish your TV show.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so!” Terry was kneading her hands.
Juleen took his hand. “Let’s go, Sanjay. We’ll have time with our elusive brother later.”
“Thank you, Juleen,” Terry said.
“Of course.”
After the two children went back into the bedroom, Gabe said, “Where’s your husband? Or is he the reason you want to talk to me.”
Rina said, “Gabriel, let her get her story out, okay? I want to hear what she has to say.”
“I’m just helping her find a starting place.”
“No, you’re not. You’re being sarcastic.”
Gabe smiled. “A little.”
“Thanks for the help, Rina,” Terry said. “You and the lieutenant have always been so kind.” She lowered her head as tears fell down her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“No apologies necessary,” Rina said. “Did you leave your husband, Terry?”
“Of course she did.” Gabe looked at his mother. “Did he beat you as well?”
“Gabe, stop!” Rina called out.
“Just stating fact.”
Terry snapped. “Okay, Gabriel, you win. I’ve made lousy choices in men. Now, do you want to hear me out, or do you just want to rub my nose in my idiocy? Which, by the way, you don’t have to do because no one feels as idiotic as I do.”
“Spare me your righteous indignation.”
“It’s not for me.” Terry’s eyes overflowed with tears. “I asked you here because of the children.”
“Such a caring mom,” Gabe muttered.
“But you’re not bitter,” Rina told him. “Stop sniping at her.”
“She just makes it too easy,” Gabe said.
“You’re just like your father!” Terry shot back.
“You mean the one who’s been supporting me the last decade?”
“Stop it, both of you.” Rina sighed. “Terry, honey, you know how angry he feels. He’s never been subtle. You must have expected this when you asked him to come.”
“You’re right.” A pause. “And he has every right to be angry. I deserted him. But I was truly afraid. He beat me up!”
“I know, I was there, remember?” Gabe sighed. “I don’t mean to be so harsh . . . well, maybe I do mean . . . just a little.” He sat in an armchair with black lacquer arms. The cushion was rock hard.
Rina looked at Terry. “Go on.”
Terry looked at her son. “You know as well as I do, I had to get away from Chris. He would have killed me. I was pregnant with another man’s child!”
“He wouldn’t have killed you. He would have killed Devek, but not you.”
“We’re Catholic. I would’ve had the baby. Then he would have made me give her up for adoption. I wanted my baby. At least I knew you were in good hands.” She wiped her eyes. “You tell me. What should I have done?”
Gabe said nothing. Terry was breathing hard. “Devek isn’t Chris. When I met him here—in America—he was kind and sympathetic. He was courtly and gentle and soft-spoken. He’s not a cruel man, but he is weak. And like all weak people, when he’s backed into a corner, he turns ugly. Self-preservation and all that.”
Gabe closed his eyes and opened them. “What happened?”
“I’ll try to keep it short. When I moved with him to India, everything was fine up until maybe four years ago.” Tears continued to run down her cheeks. “It was like a light switch, Gabriel. He turned controlling and demanding. Not unusual in his entitled family. But it was distressing because he had been very loving. Suddenly he becomes this harsh taskmaster especially with the children. You’ve seen Juleen. Do you think she behaves like a normal eleven-year-old?”
Gabe’s face hardened. “He isn’t hurting her, is he?”
“No, no, no,” Terry said. “Nothing physical. He’s just so stern. She can’t move without his permission. I’ve tried to talk to him, but something happened with the way he sees her now that she’s on the verge of puberty. His family is old-fashioned. Lots of Indian fathers are obsessed with virginity. I’m worried that he’s thinking about an arranged marriage for her.”
“You can’t allow that,” Gabe said.
“Why do you think I’m here?”
There was silence. Rina said, “Do you know what brought on the change of personality?”
Terry sighed. “Devek had a big gambling problem. Apparently, he’s always had a problem. His family knew it but I didn’t. He was able to abstain here in America. The casinos weren’t at his fingertips in downtown Manhattan. He was a well-respected man here, and he wanted to make a good impression on everyone. He was able to stop for a while. Then, four years ago, he got a job in Goa as head of Cardiology in a very prestigious hospital. Goa is about three hundred miles from where we were living. He used to leave Sunday night by train and come back on Friday.”