CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I didn’t realize that it was possible that the mere existence of man in the same city as I, could cause such grief. Sameer was like a rash that just would not go away. The next morning I slept late, and didn’t see Arnav before he went to work. When I did wake up, however, I found a text from Sameer on my phone­­—a good morning message. My mind was clouded with that look on Sameer’s face when he said he’d missed me. Did he really miss me? Did I really care?

My doorbell rang before I was even fully out of bed. I jumped out of the bed, threw on my robe over my nightie and raced to the door, expecting maybe Arnav was back. Sameer was the last person I was expecting to see that morning, and yet, there he was, standing on my doorstep.

 “Arnav’s not home,” I stated in blatant defiance. “Why are you here?”

“I just wanted to visit my Bhabhi.”

I wanted to slam the doo