I dragged the towel down my face and neck. “I appreciate the consideration, but I’m not interested.”
“Oh? Why not?”
I shrugged. “Your daughter’s lovely, respected, accomplished, and any man will be lucky to marry her, but at this point, I’m not drawn to her.”
Something changed in his appearance: a narrowing of the eyes, a flare of the nostrils, a clench of the jaw? Something that skewed his polite features. “I understand that at one time, Pranad Thakkar presented Liya.”
I nodded, not particularly happy about his venturing into my personal life.
“You speak to her often?” he inquired.
“Yes.”
He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as if speaking to a child in need of much discipline. “You should be aware—”
“I’m aware,” I interrupted.
“That she has quite the negative reputation? And you continue to talk to her? If you know, then did she refute or acknowledge her behavior?”
“She told me what I needed to know.”
“You must be careful not to fall into her traps.”
“What traps?” I snapped.
“If you know her reputation, then you know what I mean. It would be unfortunate to be sullied by her.”
“While I appreciate your concern, I think you should focus more on bringing people to God rather than gossip.”
That was the end of that…for about ten minutes.
When I caught Mukesh Uncle talking to Ma, inciting varying levels of alarm and embarrassment in her, I stormed toward them.
“If you can just speak to Jay, help him see reason,” he said.
“Speak to me about what?” I asked, trying to remain calm.
He spun around, his face a combination of dark brown and bright red. “I was suggesting that your mother speak to you about reconsidering Kaajal.”
“Didn’t we just have this conversation?”
“You’re a young man, brash and not seeing the future, someone who benefits from the mature advice from his trusted mother. She has one son taken care of. Only one left.”
“Don’t harass my mother,” I said, irritated.
“Beta,” Ma warned.
He backed away. “I only meant for you to consider Kaajal.”
“Seeing that you and I already discussed this, we have nothing else to say.”
He shook his head and glanced at Ma with a look that said, What sort of rude son did you raise?
I stepped in between them, and stared at him until he turned from us.
Before facing Ma, I released a breath and then apologized for whatever he said that made her upset.
“What did he say?” I asked calmly.
Ma replied, “He wants me to encourage you to marry Kaajal.”
“What else?”
She looked at my feet.
I lifted her chin with my finger and leaned down. “You can tell me anything,” I said gently.
“He warned me about Liya.”
“What exactly did he say?”
“That she’s a rude, hardheaded girl who does nothing but argue. She’s not marriage material, or good daughter-in-law material. She’s…very American,” she whispered.
I didn’t need any further explanation to know what “American” meant. It meant Liya wore revealing clothes, partied, drank, had sex, cursed, everything anti-traditional. I kept my fists from clenching, kept my body from tensing. Was Ma traditional? Yes. But not close-minded, not judgmental, not persuaded by gossip.
Unfortunately, Liya’s words echoed through my thoughts. Of course I’d support Liya and stand up for her no matter what. I’d like to believe that Ma would, too. But Liya worried that such a sweet woman like Ma would get the short end of the stick and have to deal with all of this. Was she right? Or would Ma back Liya up?
I knew Ma better than anyone. “I’m sorry if that upsets you. Are you okay?”
She nodded and touched my arm. “Beta, I’d already heard this about her.”
“You have?”
“Mukesh had mentioned this to me months ago when I told him about meeting Liya and her parents. He advised against it.”
“I’m confused. If you heard so much negativity about Liya, then why did we go to her house to meet with her and her parents?”
“Because you never judge someone based on rumors. This girl hadn’t hurt us. I haven’t seen her doing any of the things he claimed.”
I released a pent-up, anxious breath. God, I loved Ma. Now if only everyone else around here would have her logical point of view. “What do you think of her now?”
“After the debacle of our dinner, of course I felt humiliated. And what sort of girl would do such a thing to her parents? But she apologized as soon as she saw me at mandir. Her behavior at the dinner was brash, but her way of apologizing was mature. She’s been a very sweet girl, although honest and forthright, but since when is honesty a bad thing? I’ve seen her angry, that time you fought outside your apartment during dinner. She’s not perfect, but she’s human, and a good person. She’s full of life. Otherwise I would not have her at our dinners and I would’ve told you to leave her alone.”
“Does it bother you that our community thinks the worst of her?”
She took my hands in hers. “I trust my son. You’ve always made good decisions, made me proud. So if you see enough good in her to be with her, then who cares what others say? You’re with her, not with all these fickle, judgmental people,” she said matter-of-factly.
“So you don’t care?”
She waved in Mukesh Uncle’s general direction. “What I don’t care for is some man talking to me like that, telling me what to do with my sons.”
I chuckled. I loved that Ma didn’t take any crap. Oftentimes, I was so occupied with protecting Ma that I forgot just how strong a woman she was.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Liya
Are you and Jay still talking?” Reema asked as she stuffed noodles into her mouth with chopsticks. She sat on the floor across from me, eating her dinner on the coffee table in my living room.
“Yes,” I replied, and she stared at me.
“Uh, okay, well, do tell. God, it’s like prying teeth with you. You’ve never closed up about a guy before. You’re usually very…graphic…”
I laughed, and Reema added, “Are you two dating? Friends? Thinking about something serious? What? Have you had sex?”
“No,” I admitted, feeling heat prickle my neck.
“Because…?”
“He’s different.”
“He seems more traditional. As in serious. He doesn’t seem like the fling type. I’m guessing if he had sex with you, things would have to be very serious, like impending engagement and wedding serious, and holy crap, he’s madly in love with you serious.”
“You’re right, which is why we’re never doing it. I’m still waiting for him to change his mind about me.”
“Why do you say that? You’re a true catch, Liya. Brains, beauty, independence, street smarts, you can take care of yourself. Are you worried about him finding out about all the guys you’ve been with?”