Taking credit isn’t how Suhani got to this point in her career. Sheer hard work and discipline pull her out of bed every morning. This is how she has always been, obsessed with achieving the next thing, as if at any moment, it can all be taken away from her.

“Hey, I met some of the plastic surgeons and dermatologists. They told me to let them know when I’m ready to make a Botox appointment, which I took as a hint.” Zack points to the faint lines emerging on his forehead.

“I love your face. You don’t need to get anything.” She runs her manicured hand over his sexy two-day stubble and then across the pressed collar of his light gray suit jacket. Zack always knows how to look effortlessly polished.

He leans into her as Mom starts talking to Dad’s former boss.

“I’ve gotta do whatever I need to do to keep up with you. You look so sexy in this dress.” He moves his hand below her waist and gives her butt a quick covert squeeze. “I can’t wait to take it off later.”

“I know,” Suhani says. “It’s been way too long. I’m so worn out by the time I get home.”

She recently read an article about the “normal” number of times newlyweds had sex. Are those people not working? Was nobody else in residency? Or simply exhausted? By the time she’s done with twelve hours at the hospital and forty-five minutes at a Pure Barre class, she barely has enough energy to scarf down a boxed salad.

“Well, let’s see what we can do about that,” Zack whispers. “You’re mine as soon as when we get into our apartment.”

Suhani is about to tell him she’s especially tired today but decides it’s better not to. She has to be the woman Zack had just two months ago on their honeymoon in the Seychelles, when they couldn’t keep their hands off each other for ten days. They spent every waking hour with their limbs intertwined on the plush king-size bed that overlooked the Indian Ocean. The entire trip was a blur of smells: cocoa butter lotion; champagne; sweat; and warm, salty air. Suhani wished she could bottle them all up, preserve them forever.

“Ha, I knew it!” Mom shoves her cell phone into Suhani’s and Zack’s faces. There’s a text message from Anuj: Natasha and I are going to a bar soon. We’ll be back late so don’t wait up.

“Knew what?” Zack asks.