Naina’s arms went around herself as she looked from Chandni Auntie to Ma, who didn’t even spare her a glance. Which was entirely unlike Ma.

“Thank God Farah called us,” Ma said, while Naina’s mother looked on with a hand fluttering at her chest.

“Thank God we were at yoga studio.” As soon as the words left Chandni Auntie’s mouth she slapped a hand across it. India Dashwood’s yoga studio was minutes from the hospital.

Ma looked at Chandni Auntie as though she’d just revealed that they’d been conspiring to murder Naina in her sleep.

Naina looked like that was exactly what they’d been doing. How could her own mother be going to India’s yoga studio? Uncontrollable rage rolled through Vansh. Did they think she was a damned punching bag?

Control yourself.

He never had to tell himself that. Ever.

Instead of her fiery glare, Naina threw him a pleading look. For the two mothers who didn’t seem to notice any of her feelings, she manufactured a smile.

“You go to India Dashwood to learn yoga?” he said to Chandni Auntie, unable to hide his incredulousness. This was her mother!

“Vansh, please.” Naina’s voice was barely a whisper, but the way she said his name seemed to hit Ma and Chandni Auntie like a grenade.

“We were lucky to be close enough when Farah called us.” Ma tried to sound imperious, but she knew how ridiculous this was. She had to.

“Why would Dr. Warsi call you?” Vansh said, with all the incredulousness he was feeling.

They all knew the answer, of course. Farah Warsi believed it was part of the Auntie Code. Friends kept an eye out for each other’s children. Also known as the spy network that plagued desi kids across the world, and apparently didn’t let up even after they weren’t children anymore.

Ma doubled down on the imperiousness. “You’re our children! And you didn’t tell us you were at the hospital.”

“We brought a friend to the hospital,” Vansh said. Naina seemed to be having a hard time making words. “We are just fine. You didn’t have to drop everything and run over.”

“Yoga class was done,” Chandni Auntie said. “Very hard to leave in middle. That teacher—you don’t know her—make us leave phone out.” If her words hadn’t made Naina wilt like a plucked flower, Vansh might have thought it was funny. But this level of insensitivity wasn’t funny. It was cruel.

“I know you were at India’s studio, Mummy. It’s okay. I don’t care. I have nothing against India. You know that.” She said that last part to Ma. Who still hadn’t acknowledged her.

Her mother looked unsure, as though she wasn’t exactly ready for Naina to forgive India. Which again was absurd given that she was patronizing India’s business.