CHAPTER 1

The last thing Ashwin expected to see was Silver Moon. Yet there she was, calmly sitting in the hallway just outside his apartment, nursing her newborn son as if this was something she did every day—blatantly nursing her newborn son in a public hallway while she waited for her ex-fiance to come home. Ashwin didn't know whether to be irritated or alarmed as he stopped at his front door and inquired, “How long have you been sitting there?”

Silver Moon shrugged, not looking up from her task of nursing as she replied, “I don't know. A few hours, maybe.”

“What are you doing here?”

Silver Moon finally raised her head to look at him. “I just needed to get away for a little while.”

Ashwin sighed as he glanced at his two newest, unwelcome visitors. Silver Moon looked a bit disheveled and tired, but her son seemed content and on the verge of falling asleep as his mouth slackened around Silver Moon's nipple. He leaned against the wall and inquired, “How did you know where to find me?”

Silver Moon gave a nonchalant shrug. “I have my ways.”

Ashwin shook his head and added, “How long are you planning to stay?”

Silver Moon shrugged again. “I don't know.”

“Do you have a place to stay?”

“No. I just got in this evening.”

From the opposite end of the hallway, Ashwin heard the distinct sound of a drink tumbling down through the vending machine, then running footsteps. Moments later a young boy appeared, a young boy who looked like a mirror image of himself at that age. Ashwin watched as the boy approached Silver Moon and said, “They didn't have Pepsi, so I got you a Coke. Is that OK?”

Silver Moon nodded and took the soda from the boy, then glanced at Ashwin as she twisted the cap off the bottle of Coke. “Ashwin, this is my son, Sani.”

Ashwin nodded to the boy and extended his hand for a handshake, and he was surprised that the child had such a firm grip. By now Silver Moon was on her feet, her newborn son cradled in her arms as she slowly walked over to Ashwin. She glanced down at Sani and smiled, then turned her attention to Ashwin before she said, “Ashwin, this is your son.”

Ashwin's face darkened as a frown creased his brow. “What do you mean, this is my son?”

Silver Moon gave an exasperated sigh before she said, “Can we discuss this inside? I've had a very rough day and I'm tired.”

Ashwin's frown deepened at her terse words and snappish manner, but he said nothing more as he unlocked his apartment and wearily walked inside. By now it was getting close to one a.m., and he yearned for the comfort of his bed as he tossed his keys on the counter and turned to face Silver Moon. She sat down at his kitchen table and said, “Thank you for letting us stay here tonight.”

“I think you have some explaining to do, Silver. Now is as good a time as any.”

Silver Moon nodded and said, “Remember when you left the reservation ten years ago to come here?”

Ashwin nodded.

“I found out I was pregnant two months after you left.”

“So, why didn't you contact me then?”

“I didn't know where you were.”

Ashwin frowned again as he desperately massaged the bridge of his nose with his fingers in an attempt to ward off the massive headache he felt building. “My mother knew where I was, Silver. So did you. You saw the letter I received from the hospital here, welcoming me aboard.”

Silver Moon was unfazed by his response. Instead she leaned against the counter and said, “I figured you wouldn't be willing to give up your important, big-city job to come running back home to me and your unborn son, so I just kept my mouth shut and dealt with it.”

Ashwin sighed and opened his fridge, then grabbed a bottle of water and downed it in a few gulps. After wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he pinned Silver Moon with a look that was none too friendly and harshly inquired, “So why did you wait ten years to bring this little surprise up? What is it you want from me, Silver? A hefty child support payment? A declaration of my undying love? Do you want me to say how heartbroken I was over the fact that our relationship ended, when YOU were the one who refused to leave the reservation?”

Silver Moon appeared to be surprised and hurt by his sudden outburst, and her voice faltered a bit as she replied, “Ashwin, no...you've got it all wrong.”

Ashwin folded his arms across his chest and pinned her with that scathing look again.

“Do I, Silver?”

Silver Moon gave an uncertain nod. “Yes, you do.”

“OK, then, explain it to me...tomorrow. It's late and I have to be at work early.” He threw the empty water bottle into the trash and turned to Silver Moon. “You can sleep on the couch, but it's for tonight only. Goodnight.”

Silver Moon watched as he stormed off to his bedroom and slammed the door, but fortunately the noise didn't wake the baby. She sighed as she glanced down at his sleeping, angelic face, then settled Sani and the baby on the living room floor before she sank, exhausted, onto the sofa. Moments later she was fast asleep.

Ashwin sighed as he lay in bed, his body weary but his mind too busy to allow him to sleep. Why was Silver Moon here? What did she want from him? And was that boy really his child? He sighed again and shook his head, frustrated over the lack of answers and his desperate need for sleep. He was sorely tempted to call his mother, then thought better of it as he glanced at the clock on his nightstand. Whatever Silver Moon wanted would soon be revealed, he thought as he punched his pillow and tried to find a comfortable position. With a deep, weary sigh he forced the troubled thoughts from his mind and closed his eyes, and moments later he was fast asleep.

Ashwin groaned when his alarm clock sounded at five a.m., and after a few minutes of dreading the upcoming day, he reluctantly got out of bed and took a quick shower before he appeared in the living room. Silver Moon was already awake, quietly tending to the baby as Ashwin made a bee-line for the coffee pot. She said nothing as she covertly watched him from her vantage point on the sofa, but after five minutes of silence, she finally sighed and said, “I'm really sorry for imposing on you like this, Ashwin. I promise we'll all be gone today.”

Ashwin sighed as he glanced at her. “No. I'm sorry for the way I acted last night. I was tired and frustrated, and that was no reason to take it out on you. We obviously have some things to discuss. We'll do that tonight when I get home.”

Silver Moon gave a hesitant nod. “Are you sure?”

Ashwin nodded as he poured himself a cup of coffee. “Yes, I'm sure. I should be home around seven-thirty. You're welcome to stay here until then.”

Silver Moon nodded again as she watched him down the coffee in a few gulps. “Thank you.”

Ashwin set his cup down and waved away her expression of gratitude. “Don't worry about it.” He glanced at the clock and added, “I have to get going. If you need me for anything, just call the hospital and have me paged. I'll be home around seven-thirty.”

Silver Moon watched as he quickly strode out of the apartment, and as soon as the door had shut behind him, a slow smile spread across her face. So far her plan seemed to be working perfectly.