“Slander. If you walk through these doors again, I will make sure everyone knows of your little treacherous, lying tongue,” he said calmly, implying that he would finally tell people what had happened between us…his story, anyway. A story of a little “slutty” girl who came on to him. A story of a “pious” man who rejected the advances and kept it secret to protect my parents.
“They’ll hear the truth.” The truth that Mukesh had sexually harassed and assaulted me as child. The truth that he hid, in partnership with my father, to make the few who knew about the assault believe that I had done something to provoke him.
He barked, “What is the truth? Will they accept the dirty words from a foul girl or the story from their most respected elder? The girl who hardly attends worship and is known for her perverse lifestyle, or the man who is here every day, working, praying, associating, building?”
I gripped the door handle when he let go.
He dared me. “Go ahead. Go to him. And watch his face as he realizes the horrors and reproach that you bring when I tell him your accusations against me. Or do you think that he cares so much for you that he’ll believe you instead?”
“You know nothing.” Because I knew Jay would believe me, that he would side with me.
“Then if you believe he’ll take your side, stand up to me in front of his mother and family, and stand beside the known whore…by all means, Liya. Go to him. Interrupt my daughter. Become the center of a spectacle. Throw your parents, your poor mother, into another scandal. But what happens if he doesn’t take your side? Will you crumple and die from heartache? Will your mother die from heartache? Hmm. Perhaps it is better if you go to him. I’d love to see how fast you shrivel.”
I tugged on the door, breathing fast, hot air. My jaw clenched, and he was lucky I didn’t punch him in the throat for bringing my mother into this.
Until he added, “You wouldn’t be the only one to shrivel. Your mother…women like her tend to unfold quickly.”
“What do you mean like her?” I snarled.
“Quiet, shy, submissive, concerned with what others think. Would be a shame if she couldn’t come here again, lose all of her friends. I let it pass before, when you accused me of trying to defile you. Your parents and I kept your lies between us. But now you’re disrupting my family…” He tsked.
“Threaten my mother again, jackass.”
“You can take my words because you don’t care about anything, but stop and think what it will do to her. That is, if you even care for her.”
I blinked. I could take the humiliation, the turmoil, the attention if Mukesh told everyone that I came on to him. I might’ve been able to handle Jay publicly siding against me, not that he would believe Mukesh. But my mother?
My hand fell from the door handle.
“That’s a good girl. Run along.”
“This isn’t the end,” I promised through tight teeth.
“It is tonight.”
I straightened my back. “One day…I’m going to ruin you, and I’ll enjoy watching everyone realize the truth of what a disgusting, pitiful, lying blob of walking crap you are.”
“Watch your words at mandir.”
“Watch out for your soul at mandir.” I stormed away but added over my shoulder, “Oh, and since you dragged my mother into this, I’m going to have a fun time dragging your daughter through this.”
He seethed, and I tossed him a promising smile with a hint of malice. He threatened my mother? I was going to rip through his family and leave nothing untouched by these sullied hands. Jackass thought he could manipulate me? Mandir was off limits?
I’d have to text Jay and have him meet me outside. I wanted to be there for him while he grieved, but I couldn’t risk the chance of Mukesh trying to publicly humiliate my mother. I muttered all the way to my car, yanked the door open, slipped inside, and slammed the door.
“Whoa!” a voice yelled.
I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. Someone knocked on the window. I intended to ignore him, until he leaned down and revealed his face. Instantly, every drop of anger leaked away.
Rolling down the window, I said, “Sorry!”
“Where are you going?” Jay asked.
“I’m sorry. I have to leave. Come with me. Please tell Shilpa I suck because I couldn’t go inside.”
He opened the door and crouched. “I saw you talking to Mukesh Uncle. Did he say something that upset you?”
“When does he ever not upset me?”
He growled, “What is his deal?”
“Isn’t it obvious? He thinks I’m a dirty whore and that you should marry Kaajal.”
He gripped the door. “Are you kidding me? He said that? I’m going to talk to him again. This is harassment, and I’m not having it.”
I grabbed his arm as he straightened. “Don’t bother.”
“He said something to Ma that upset her over this, and now to you?”
“He talked to your mother?” Horror engulfed me, but she already knew the worst about me, didn’t she? She must’ve heard the gossip.
“She dismissed him,” he added. “She takes you for how you treat us, not for what others say. And then I put him in his place, but apparently that didn’t get through to him. I’m sorry, babe.”
“Did you just call me ‘babe’?” I twisted my mouth.
“Yeah.”
“Oh. Okay.” I smiled.
“Guess who’s watching?” He pulled me out of the car and hugged me in full view of Mukesh and Kaajal.
I laughed, taking in his scent and feeling the strength of his body.
“Do you have any last gestures for them?”
“Am I allowed to? In such a holy place?” I teased, watching them scowl and mutter.
“It’s just a parking lot.”
I kissed his neck and tossed Mukesh the middle finger as Jay swung me around and settled me back inside the car. “Let’s get out of here.”
“What about being at mandir to help you cope with your grieving?” I asked.
“No chance that’s happening right now. Besides, my family isn’t even here. Shilpa was too tired to leave the house, so the whole family stayed home to help her and the baby.”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Your place?”
“Sounds perfect.”
He closed my door and gave a wave to Mukesh and Kaajal as he jogged to his car and followed me home. That was almost as satisfying as an orgasm.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jay
Giving Mukesh Uncle a clear message was a lot of fun, but the solemn ride to Liya’s wasn’t. My heart sagged with all the emotions that gathered and overflowed at this time of year. Mandir helped to lift some of the burden. I wasn’t religious, but it made me feel closer to Dad on the anniversary of his death.
Jahn and Ma had Shilpa and Josh to ease any suffering. I had them, too, but my pain couldn’t level out around them right now. All I thought of was how Dad would’ve loved seeing his first grandchild, holding him, spoiling him from day one, and showing him off to everyone he saw. He should’ve been here to complete the picture.