She pauses at a collage of family photos that she put together years ago, after she learned through Natasha’s classmate’s mom that this is the type of thing American mothers do. She found it sweet, especially since she could never imagine Ma sitting at a table, going through pictures, and cutting them into the exact sizes to fit. Bina went to Michaels and bought the biggest frame she could find. The project was done by the end of the week. They couldn’t afford a nice camera back then, so all their frozen moments look slightly jaundiced. Bina studies the mosaic of birthday parties at skating rinks, Diwali celebrations, and graduations. Anita’s in so many of them. Her hair is fluffier and there’s an eagerness in her eyes that’s dimmed over the years.

Devi was right, as always. She and Anita have to put an end to all this already. Anita is her family, her constant.

Ten minutes later, Bina is in her gray Audi. It’s only when she pulls out of their driveway that she remembers she hasn’t heard from the girls in days. She dials Suhani’s number.

“Hey, Mom.” Suhani’s voice fills the car.

“Hi, beta. What are you up to today?”

“Not much. Just, you know, hanging out. Typical Sunday.” Suhani’s voice has a forced nonchalance.

“Natasha’s sitting next to you, isn’t she?” Bina asks.

“No! What makes you think that?”

“I can tell when you’re trying to cover something up.” Bina turns out of the neighborhood. She puts her hand on the Tupperware container of chutney sandwiches she packed for Anita.

“You can tell over the phone?” Suhani asks. “How?”

“Please.” Bina scoffs. “You think I don’t know when my daughters are lying to me? And covering for each other on top of that? How do you think I was able to figure out all those times you both were running off with those troublesome boys when you told me you were going to the movies?”

Bina is taken back to the slew of infuriating moments when she discovered Natasha and Suhani were dating behind her back. Despite how obedient Suhani was, the one way she continuously defied Bina was by having secret boyfriends. But the worst was when she and Natasha would lie for each other. Bina didn’t realize how scared she’d be until both her daughters got their driver’s licenses.

“That’s all old news,” Suhani says. “What are you up to? Wait, how was your meeting? That was today, right?”

Bina gives her a summary of the afternoon, a briefer and more filtered version of the one she gave Devi. “So, now I’m going to see if Anita Auntie wants to talk to me.”