Shelina, Zayan, and Dad turned up at the house around two, after Kamila had nervously cleaned Dad’s room, the kitchen, both bathrooms, and the living room. She didn’t enter the guest room—she wasn’t ready for that yet. But she did want all the areas Dad would see to be as spotless as possible when he got home. Anything to keep his stress down.

But weirdly, he looked far from stressed when he walked in. In fact, the only word Kamila would use to describe her father’s mood was…giddy.

“Kamila! Beti!” He gave her a big grinning hug, then patted her cheek. “You must have been so worried! Imagine, everyone thinking I had a heart attack when it was just heartburn! It sounds like a Fawlty Towers joke.”

“It wasn’t just heartburn, Dad,” Shelina said as she took off her shoes. “You had a panic attack.”

“Well, who wouldn’t?” He waved his hand. “Being rushed to the hospital like that. But how great for me that Jana was there! Such a good girl. I’m lucky I have all you girls to look out for me. Who needs sons!” He chuckled as he glanced at the TV. “I can stream my show now, right? I missed the semifinals yesterday. You know, Shelina, my friend’s daughter won this competition last year. Kamila, you should enter next year with Rohan. Kamila has become quite the cook. You should have seen the perfect momos she made. She made some bad ones first, but then Rohan saved the day! They were better than—”

“Dad,” Kamila interrupted, “sit. Watch your show.” She turned on the TV and switched to the FoodTV streaming service.

He nodded as he sat in his chair. “Yes. Thank you.”

Kamila looked at Shelina with an expression she knew her sister would understand as What the heck is going on with Dad?

Shelina shook her head and pulled Kamila into the kitchen, where hopefully Dad wouldn’t hear them. Zayan followed.

“First of all,” Shelina said, pulling Kamila into a hug, “it’s good to see you, Sis.”

Kamila hugged her back. Kamila wasn’t super close with her sister—it was hard to be when for years Kamila thought Shelina believed her little sister was a disgrace to the family. But they’d talked it out and Shelina had apologized in family therapy. Apparently, Shelina had coped with the tension in the family by staying out of it as much as possible.

Kamila would have preferred her older sister had stood up for her instead, but she forgave her and assumed if they lived closer together now, they would be friends. But even if they weren’t really tight, Kamila loved her sister and was happy to see her. Zayan, too, who was a great guy and a loyal brother-in-law.

She hugged him, trying not to think about what she’d been doing with the man’s brother only hours ago.