Chapter 8

The twins had known Tara since childhood. When Naina was alive, Tara had frequently accompanied her elder sister to the Oberoi mansion. Joy, Jiya, and Tara had been of the same age, and the three had formed a little group of their own, spending afternoons in the garden, watching films, sharing secrets, and occasionally getting into trouble together.

After Naina's death, those visits had stopped. The last time Tara had come to the mansion was for her sister's final rites. Jiya still remembered how quiet Tara had been that day.

"Where is she now?" Jiya asked.

"At the hotel."

Vidya hesitated. "There's something else I need to tell you."

Rishi looked at her carefully. "What is it, Dadi?"

Vidya placed her cup on the table. "Neil married Tara tonight."

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then Joy blinked. "Sorry?"

"Neil and Tara were married a few hours ago."

Rishi stared at his grandmother. "Neil Dada?"

"Yes."

"Our Neil Dada?"

Vidya looked mildly offended. "How many Neil Dadas do you have?"

Joy turned towards Jiya. "Did you hear what I heard?"

Jiya was still staring at Vidya. "Wait. Tara Sen? Naina Baudi's younger sister?"

"Yes, Jiya."

"And Neil Dada married her?"

"Yes."

Joy leaned back against the sofa, looking completely bewildered. "Well, that explains why we're all awake."

Rishi did not laugh. He was still trying to absorb the information. "Dadi, how did this happen?"

Vidya explained the circumstances as carefully as she could. She told them about Samar's disappearance, the humiliation Tara had faced, her conversation with Neil, and the proposal she had subsequently placed before Tara and her parents.

She made it clear that Tara had agreed to the marriage herself. Nobody interrupted until she had finished.

Rishi leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "And Neil Dada agreed?"

"He did."

"Just like that?"

"Not just like that, Rishi. We spoke about it."

Rishi shook his head slowly. He had known his elder brother all his life. Neil was not a man who made impulsive decisions, particularly where his personal life was concerned. Since Naina's death, he had shown no interest in marrying again, despite repeated suggestions from well-meaning relatives.

And now, without warning, he had married Naina's younger sister. "Why didn't you call us?" Rishi asked.

"I wanted to. Neil wouldn't allow it."

"Why?"

"He didn't want to turn the ceremony into a spectacle. He felt it would be unfair to Tara, given everything that had happened."

Rishi remained silent, that sounded like Neil. Not the marriage itself, but the decision to keep it private.

Jiya finally spoke. "How is Tara?"

Vidya's expression softened. "She's had a very difficult evening."

"Of course she has."

"She needs some time, Jiya. I don't want any of you overwhelming her with questions when she arrives."

"When is she coming?" Ria asked.

"Tomorrow morning. Neil will bring her home."

Ria glanced towards her husband. Unlike the others, she had never met Tara. She and Rishi had married five years earlier, long after Naina's death and after Tara had stopped visiting the Oberoi residence. At the time of their wedding, both of Neil's parents had still been alive.

Ria had heard about Naina, naturally. Her photographs remained throughout the mansion, and although the family rarely discussed her death, her memory had never entirely left the household.

She also knew what that loss had done to Neil. And now the woman coming home as his wife was Naina's younger sister.

"Does Tara know everyone here?" Ria asked. "She knows the family very well," Vidya replied. "Except you, of course. You'll meet her tomorrow."

Ria nodded thoughtfully.

Jiya looked towards Joy. "I haven't seen Tara in ten years."

"Neither have I."

"I wonder if she's changed."

"People generally do, Jiya. It's called growing up."

She elbowed him. "Shut up."

Vidya watched the twins for a moment. They were just teenagers when Naina died, although old enough to understand the devastation that followed.

The entire family had suffered. Neil's parents had been particularly affected. They had adored Naina, and her sudden death, together with the loss of the unborn child, had shaken them profoundly.

Years later, Neil's mother had died unexpectedly after suffering a cardiac arrest in her sleep. His father had never truly recovered from losing her. He had withdrawn from much of his former life, gradually surrendering his interests, his routines, and the enthusiasm that had once defined him. His health deteriorated during those years, and eventually, he too died in his sleep following a cardiac arrest.

The family had endured more grief than Vidya cared to remember. Neil, being the eldest, had shouldered much of the responsibility. He had taken care of the business, his younger siblings, and the household without complaint. Somewhere along the way, his own life had become almost entirely devoted to work and family obligations.

Rishi looked at his grandmother again. "Dadi, are you happy about this?"

Vidya considered the question. "I'm happy that Tara will be with us. I've always loved that girl."

"That's not what I asked."

"I know."

She paused. "I wish the circumstances had been different, Rishi. For both of them."

Rishi nodded, he understood.

Whatever had happened at The Opera Grand, this was not a marriage anyone in the family had been anticipating. Neil and Tara would have to work out their own relationship, and there was no telling what form it might eventually take.

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