She navigated her way around the clusters of people before finally making it over to her aunt. She hugged her tight and took in her calming scent, a combination of baby powder, Avon hand cream and frying oil. It was a scent as calming to her as her own mother’s. She deftly avoided the hot skimmer that kaki was using for frying samosas. Veena-kaki was rounder and shorter than her mother, but she and Naya shared those gray eyes that stunned anyone who saw them. She positioned her gray gaze on Annika now.

“Annika, beta. So good to see you.”

Honestly, she just saw them, but it was becoming clear that her family was worried about her.

“You, too, Kaki. Here—” she reached for the skimmer “—let me help you.”

Veena-kaki carefully moved the utensil away from her. “Nonsense. You enjoy. I have my friends here to help.” She jutted her chin toward the aunties rolling out the dough. “And your parents are coming soon.” She shoved a plate of samosas at Annika. “Here, eat a few while they are still garam-garam, before everyone else eats them all.”

“Thanks, Kaki.” She smiled to herself as the words hot-hot flashed through her mind. She couldn’t help it. Annika took the plate and moved out of her way.

Annika greeted a few more uncles and aunties while she hunted for her favorite cilantro chutney. She finally located both the savory cilantro chutney and the tangy-sweet tamarind chutney while catching up with some friends she hadn’t seen in a long time. Naya still hadn’t arrived.

Her garam-garam samosas were lukewarm by the time she finally got a small break and was able to take that first bite. She was just enjoying the tang of the tamarind chutney mixed with the spices inside the samosa when a familiar voice called to her.

“Hey, Annika.”

Sajan. She should have known her kaka and kaki would invite his family. The rest of town was here, after all.

Annika looked up at hazel eyes grinning at her, her mouth filled with samosa, and managed a nod while she chewed.

“I was a waiter for a while, and they trained us to talk to people just as they were putting food into their mouths.” He grinned at her.

Annika managed to chew and swallow without incident before she greeted him. “I’d say you learned very well.”

He chuckled and looked around. “It’s good to see you again. If I didn’t know better, I’d think some of these aunties were having parties just to put us together.”

“They’re bored. They need excitement.” Annika tried to laugh off Sajan’s comment, but she knew it really could be the truth. She put nothing past these women.