“And?” Suhani taps her foot. Her jade-green heel makes a clack, clack, clack sound against the marble floor. What else is new? Mom and Natasha are constantly getting into fights. Dad and Anuj can listen to them and try to calm them down, but Suhani always finds herself getting riled up. It only occurs to her now that maybe this is why she’s always friends with passionate women.

“It’s worse than usual,” Natasha says. “Like, way worse. She’s really upset about the whole Karan thing and my job situation. She told me I’m wasting my life away.”

“What did you think would happen when you moved back home and quit your job and had a breakup with her best friend’s son?” Suhani checks her phone and is surprised to see that there aren’t any missed calls or texts from Mom.

Zack gives Suhani a look that says, Calm down.

“I don’t know. I thought they’d see that I’m trying to do something that really matters to me. Alexis Diaz lives at home with her parents.”

“Does Alexis Diaz have a mother like ours? One who turns up the drama to full force if she thinks one of her kids has embarrassed her?” Suhani raises an eyebrow. “But I do see your point. It has to feel shitty to know Mom is judging you every second.”

“Just stay with us,” Zack says at the same time Suhani blurts, “You should talk to her.”

“I can’t talk to Mom! You know that.” Natasha throws her hands into the air.

“Have you even tried? To calmly explain where you’re coming from?” Suhani asks with an emphasis on the word “calmly.”

“There’s no point! She just wants to be dramatic all day,” Natasha says.

“Then you’ll feel much better at our place,” Zack says as he puts his hand on her shoulder.

Suhani ignores the brief panic that overcomes her. Preparing for a Natasha visit is a process, and now she doesn’t have time to hide the clothes that her sister will definitely “borrow” or put away the expensive wine that she’ll “sample.”

But then she sees the slump in her sister’s back. Suhani feels a rush of protectiveness, the kind she used to have when Natasha would ask her questions like if it was scary to wear a tampon or how to kiss a boy. Questions Suhani had to learn the answers to alone, since Mom always told her that all that mattered was how she did in school.

The three of them step into the elevator.

Natasha rubs her eyes, which are red and splotchy. “I really needed this.”

“And we’re here for you.” Suhani pulls her sister into a hug and doesn’t say another word.

Eight

Bina