Chapters (40)
- Cover
- Also by Saumya Dave
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Acknowledgments
- Readers Guide
- Discussion Questions
- About the Author
- What’s next onyour reading list?
DAD: Hope you are okay.
NATASHA: I’m fine. Sorry I missed the family phone call this week.
DAD: Don’t worry. Suhani said you have been busy and we should give you space.
NATASHA: Didn’t know she said that.
Ifeoma and Payal are staring at Natasha when she looks up from her phone.
“Sorry,” she says. “Just my dad. I guess my sister had my back when my parents tried to do a group phone call the other day and I wasn’t in the mood.”
“You still haven’t talked to them?” Payal asks.
Natasha shakes her head. “Suhani and I haven’t really been getting along. She’s been sending me job openings and judging my drinking and just always lecturing me about something.”
She stops herself from saying more. It doesn’t feel right to complain about Suhani. That’s one of the most confusing things about her sister. Just when she’s getting on Natasha’s last nerve, Natasha’s reminded of everything Suhani’s done for her.
“Look, yeah, Suhani can be intense and I get you saying she should calm down sometimes,” Ifeoma says. “But is it possible that she’s right about some of the stuff she’s telling you?”
“Like what? She has no idea what it’s like to deal with the shit I do. And all she does is criticize me when I need some support.” Natasha feels a prick of irritation as she pictures her pretty, smart, ambitious sister. Her untouchable sister.
“I don’t know if that’s all she does,” Payal says.
“Seriously? You’re taking her side?” Natasha asks, even though she shouldn’t be surprised. Payal is the most Suhani-like of their group, but all Natasha’s friends have revered her sister since they first met her. And while a part of her understands why, a bigger part wishes they’d see Suhani from her perspective for once.
“Of course not,” Payal says at the same time Ifeoma blurts, “Yes.”
“We have no idea what’s going on with you,” Ifeoma says. “You know we’ve always got your back. Always. But from my standpoint, you’ve broken up with your boyfriend, quit your job, and are crashing with your sister and brother-in-law so you can go after your comedy. I get why Suhani’s worried. I have been, too.”
“Worried? Why?” Natasha gives her best I’m-great smile. She’s become skilled at appearing more fine than she really feels.
“You’ve been sort of MIA on our text thread and we haven’t seen you in weeks.” Payal smiles. “With all the stuff that’s going on with you, we didn’t know if something was happening . . . again.”