The valet pulled my car around, and I opened her door before he could. Once inside, I reached over the console and took her hand in mine, threading my fingers through hers. She studied our hands, thoughtful. What went through her head?
“Where are we?” she asked when I pulled into a parking lot.
“The park.”
“Isn’t it dangerous at night?”
“Not here. Come on.” I pulled her out of her seat and grabbed a blanket from the trunk before trekking through the soft grass.
“You always keep a blanket in your car?”
“Yeah, for emergencies. Never know when you might need it. Food, water, first-aid kit, too.”
“Oh!” she grunted and caught my arm as one of her heels pierced the soft dirt and sank.
“You should take those off.”
“And walk around barefoot? Hello? Ever heard of hookworms and tetanus?”
“Ever heard of snapping your ankles as you fall flat on your face in the dark?” I asked as I squatted in front of her and slipped her foot out of the high heels.
“What are you doing?” she gasped, tumbling forward and grabbing onto my shoulders for support.
“Removing your obstacles.”
She landed a bare foot on the grass as I undid the other shoe. “So now I get tetanus?”
I looked up at her, my hands lightly stroking her ankles up to her calves. “You worry too much.”
“It’s a real risk. Ask Preeti.”
I stood slowly, moving up her body, and hovered above her.
“How…how far are we walking?” she asked.
“To the river.”
“In the dark?”
I nodded and handed her the shoes.
“Took these off and you won’t even carry them?”
“I’ll carry them,” I replied, swooped down, and threw her over the blanket on my shoulder.
Liya yelped. “Put me down!”
“So you can get tetanus?” I asked and walked toward the river.
She laughed. “I hate you!”
“You love it.”
She slapped my butt and then poked her pointy elbows into my shoulder as she arched her back. “Enjoying the view of my backside from over there?”
I slid my hand up the back of her thighs and tugged her dress down to keep her covered.
“This isn’t so bad,” she said.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” She slapped my butt again. “Giddyap!”
“All right. You asked for it.”
Her next words were swallowed up in a scream as I took off at a full sprint.
She gripped my shirt, clutching for my waist, as the breeze broke around us. I ran the short distance to the riverside in no time, slowing only when the moonlit gleam on the water’s surface appeared.
I placed Liya on the grass, but she swayed away. I grabbed her by the waist to steady her and chuckled. “Are you okay?”
“You try doing that upside down.”
After laying out the blanket, we sat arm to arm and watched the ripples on the water. Sitting soon turned into lying down. My head rested on my hand while Liya constantly shifted to get comfortable on the ground.
“Never been camping, have you?”
“Camping’s disgusting,” she retorted.
“Here.” I slid my arm beneath her waist and hoisted her against me so that she was on her side, her cheek against my chest. “How’s that?”
“Better,” she muttered.
After a minute, her rigidity faded, and her hand snaked over my stomach to find a comfortable resting position.
The stars twinkled around sparse, slow-moving clouds. The full moon shone bright. Crickets chirped in soothing harmony, a ballad of nature in the middle of a sleeping city.
“I had a good time tonight,” I admitted.
“Me, too.”
“Are we doing this again?”
“I hope so,” she said.
“Do you want to come to mandir tomorrow?”
“And worship with you? Be still my heart.” She laughed.
“That would be nice.”
“I’m never going to be a religious girl. Does that bother you?” she asked.
“Honestly, I’m not that into it, either. I go for Ma, and it’s family time.”
“That’s sweet. But I still don’t want to go.”
“I actually meant in the afternoon. We have a basketball tournament.”
“Oh. Maybe. Do you want me there?”
“Of course I do.”
“Okay.”
My competitive side roared to life during the three-game tournament. Sure, we were just a bunch of men from temple competing for a non-trophy, non-glory spot, but it didn’t mean that we didn’t go for it. But, since the game was held at mandir, we left the trash talk at home.
On the benches, the other teams watched along with friends and family. In the throngs of colorful clothes and sweaty jerseys sat Liya. She watched me with her head turned toward Reema, whispering and giggling. I knew she was throwing her don’t-care wall back up in this place. But that didn’t stop her from cheering when we made points or getting into the game.
In the end, we won, but it didn’t matter. Not because this was a friendly tournament, but because all of my focus was on the woman who rose in the parting crowds.
Kaajal appeared in my peripheral vision, but I made a beeline up the benches to Liya. She crossed her arms and hinted at a smile. “Congratulations.”
“Oh, that? That was nothing. I’m just a beast.” I grinned.
“A beast against non-athletes. I could’ve won. In my heels.”
“Ah, you think that’s funny?” I teased and swiped a sweaty forearm against her dry, smooth arm.
“Ew!” She jokingly gagged and wiped the sweat on my shirt, which just made her sweatier.
I laughed.
“Disgusting.”
She sucked in a breath when I made the last step and stood in front of her, heat exploding around us, my blood raging, my adrenaline still pumping on high. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
I cocked an eyebrow, parting my lips to say something smart-mouthed, when Mukesh Uncle cleared his throat at the bottom of the near empty bleachers.
“Your admiring groupie,” Liya muttered. “Listen, I need to practice dance with the girls for Reema and Rohan’s reception. I’ll talk to you later.” She trotted down the bleachers without another word, throwing serious evil eye at Uncle, who responded in kind. The hostility between the two was so thick, I could’ve choked.
I met the elder at the bottom, snatching my towel and water bottle. As I guzzled, he said, “Nice game.”
“Thank you, uncle.”
“Since we’re practically alone, I wanted to inquire on your thoughts about any interest in Kaajal.”
I sputtered. Well, that was certainly direct. “I never thought about it.”
“Really? When we met at Shilpa’s baby shower, I thought you were aware of our intentions. Your mother said you were available and that she’d discuss it with you.”
Every time I saw Ma, she either chatted with Liya during our family meals or earnestly prayed at mandir, and everything in between except bringing up Kaajal. We hadn’t discussed Liya, but Ma must’ve known with the regularity of having her at weekly dinners that something was happening between us.