Jai perked up visibly at the mention of gelato. ‘Gelato sounds good,’ he said, and regretted his words as soon as they were out of his mouth.

Arathi gave him a withering look.

‘Perfect, it’s decided then,’ said Habib. ‘Enjoy your lunch.’

Humaira was positively seething as they walked to their table.

‘What were you thinking, Habib?’ she asked through gritted teeth.

‘Yes, Abba, what were you thinking?’ echoed Irfan.

‘That was pretty random, Daada,’ said Inaya.

‘I think it was a lovely gesture, Bhaijaan,’ trilled Adeela.

Humaira clucked her tongue, making her displeasure known, loud and clear. ‘Well, you can go ahead then, I won’t be joining this merry get-together,’ she said.

Adeela shook her head sadly. ‘It’s all right, Bhaijaan—Inaya and you carry on. Humaira Aapa won’t let me hear the end of it if I go with you. We’ll see you at home after you’ve had your gelatos.’

Things weren’t too different at the Puris table either, where Arathi and Rajan turned on Jai.

‘Really, Jai?’ said Arathi. ‘After all that moaning about “Pesky Girl”, you subject us all to sharing ice cream with them?’

Rajan looked to his mother. ‘If it’s okay by you, Ma—can you take Jai and join them for this gelato thing? Arathi and I had planned on doing some shopping for gifts after lunch.’

‘All right, it’s just us then, Jai,’ said Toshi. ‘Brace yourself.’ She smiled to herself.

Little did Jai know what he was in for.

Fireflies

As soon as the four of them had got a table at the gelato café, Toshi took a deep breath and looked at her brother as a signal to say she was going to launch into the story. With the slightest nod of his head, Habib told her to go ahead.

Toshi turned to Jai, who was examining the menu card with the single-minded focus that Roger Federer displayed before serving an ace.

‘Jai, do you remember the story I told you about Tarlok?’ asked his grandmother, gently touching his arm. Jai looked up at her. He remembered it vividly. After his encounter with Ansh and the gang, he had often thought about Badi Ma’s brave little brother, who lost his life in the Partition.

‘Yes, Badi Ma, I do remember.’

‘Well—this is Tarlok, my younger brother.’

Jai looked at Habib and then at his grandmother.

‘Good one, Badi Ma!’ he said with a laugh.

‘I’m not joking, Jai,’ said Toshi. Something about her voice made Jai sit up straighter.

‘So, you’re saying that Pesk—Inaya’s grandfather is your brother?’

Both Toshi and Habib nodded.

Both Inaya and Jai were struck speechless. Jai was the first of the two to recover.

‘But you said your brother was . . . dead, Badi Ma.’

‘Hold on—did you just say that you two are sister and brother?’ Inaya butted in, her reaction slightly delayed.

Habib and Toshi looked at each other and nodded again, amused by their grandchildren’s startled expressions.

‘That’s right, Jai. I was mistaken all my life. Tarlok is alive and well,’ said Toshi.