The only one of “the children” who still lived at home was Esha, Shree and Bram’s oldest brother’s daughter. Esha and their grandmother occupied a suite in the uppermost floor of the mansion. Esha hadn’t left the estate in close to thirty years because of a condition where she couldn’t handle any stimulation outside of what was familiar.

Every time Mina Kaki worried about Ashna, she tried to convince her to sell the Palo Alto bungalow. But the bungalow and Curried Dreams were all Ashna had left of Baba. Without them she had no idea who she’d even be. It was like asking her to cast off her body and rely on the promise that her soul would still be here. Or maybe it was like losing her soul and being left with only a body. Well, she’d never have to find out.

“Mom called,” she said to her aunt as she followed her up the sweeping marble stairs. “To tell me about the Padma Shri.”

Her aunt stopped midstep and studied Ashna as though she were an event spreadsheet from one of her fund-raisers.

“I’m happy for her,” Ashna said, hoping like crazy that her voice sounded happy. “I really am.”

“I know you are. It’s huge.” Pride flashed in Mina Kaki’s eyes. She and Shobi were inexplicably close. Ashna had always wondered what someone who treated motherhood as sacredly as Mina Kaki did had in common with Shobi, who treated it like nothing more than bondage.

Mina Kaki sank down on the spotless marble staircase and Ashna sat down next to her.

“She wants me to come to India and speak at the ceremony.”

“That’s nice, right?” Mina Kaki took Ashna’s hand.

“She wants me to shut down the restaurant, move there, and get involved in her work.”

The pressure of Mina Kaki’s grip on Ashna’s hand tightened. “Shobi said that to you?” Irritation slipped into her voice.

“I said no.”

That got Ashna a tilt of the head. An impressed and slightly disbelieving tilt. “And Shobi agreed?”

“Well,” Ashna chewed her lower lip. “I told her I’m working on a Food Network show.”

“No!” Mina Kaki threw her head back and laughed. “I can’t believe Trisha and China pulled that off.”

“They came to you first to try to convince me?” Of course Trisha would try that first. Trisha knew Ashna would do it if Mina Kaki asked her. But Mina Kaki must have refused, and that made Ashna want to hug her aunt.

Her aunt smiled. “Trisha really wants DJ to do that hosting gig. But she also believes it’s the perfect solution for Curried Dreams.”

“I know. I don’t think I can do it, though,” Ashna said.

Her aunt pulled her hand to her lips and dropped a kiss on her knuckles. “Are you joking? You’re going to be spectacular. You’ve done far harder things.”