Fifteen minutes later, Arjun didn’t have any answers as Rani came out of the ICU doors with tears in her eyes. He stood and went to her side, putting his arms around her, and she sobbed against his chest. “He still hasn’t forgiven me.”
Arjun’s heart sank. How heartless could Rani’s father be? Surely facing mortality would have softened him just a little.
Rani folded herself into the waiting room chair. Arjun sat next to her and put a protective arm around her. Sohel and Anaya joined them a few minutes later.
“Excuse me.” Arjun turned to see Anaya eyeing him shyly. “Are you the Arjun Singh? India’s hottest hottie?”
Rani stiffened. He looked down to see a small smile tug at her lips. Then she touched her hand to her forehead in a face-palm. Anaya’s voice was so teenage fangirl that in this austere environment, it broke the tension.
He smiled and nodded. “That’s me.”
Anaya clapped a hand to her mouth. “I knew it. I didn’t want to say anything before but I just knew it was you.” She pulled out her phone and swiped. “Do you mind taking a selfie with me? My friends at school will be soooooo jealous.”
The slight shake of Rani’s shoulders and the amused expression on her face were well worth the ten pictures Anaya proceeded to take, stopping in the middle to put on lipstick and change locations because the light wasn’t hitting her right.
“You should get going,” Rani told Arjun.
He shook his head. “I’m not leaving you, Rani.”
“But you must have a million things to deal with.”
He took Rani’s hand and squeezed it. “None of that is important. The only thing that matters to me right now is taking care of you.”
Her eyes glistened. “Don’t do this, Arjun,” she whispered. His heart dropped into this stomach. Were they so far gone that he didn’t have the right to see her through something so difficult?
In the end, Arjun prevailed. They spent the night in the hospital. Sohel and Anaya curled up on the waiting room chairs. Rani let her head drop onto Arjun’s shoulder and dozed off. They woke early the next day as the morning shift arrived at the hospital.
“Why don’t I get you guys some coffee and breakfast,” Arjun volunteered. He found the hospital cafeteria and bought food for everyone. When he returned to the waiting room, Rani’s mother was there too. They were all sitting in a circle with their heads bowed. At first Arjun feared the worst, but then he realized they were praying. His mother had done enough pujas for him to recognize that the Sanskrit prayer they were uttering was one of thanks, not of mourning.
He stood a few feet away. It was one thing for him to have been here yesterday when Rani first arrived, but his presence this morning would raise uncomfortable questions with her mother. He knew how an Indian parent would perceive their “friendship.”
Anaya looked up and saw him first. She rushed over to help him with the two cafeteria trays he carried laden with food and drinks. “You won’t believe it. Dad’s doing much better. The doctor’s just told Amma that he’s taken a turn for the better. BTW, what should I call you?”
“That’s great news, Anaya, and you can call me Arjun.”
They all thanked Arjun for the food and dug in, their spirits clearly resorted.
“Arjun, in what capacity are you here?” Rani stiffened at her mother’s question, and Arjun’s pulse quickened.
“They are in love, Amma,” Anaya bubbled.
“Anaya!” Rani called out sharply.
“Oh, don’t try to hide it. I heard you guys talking. He said you were the most important thing to him and he was going to take care of you. You’re in looooove with India’s hottest hottie,” her sister said in a singsong voice.
Arjun’s mouth went dry. He was normally so vigilant about appearances. Why hadn’t he been more careful around Anaya?
“Anaya, stop it.” Rani said in a high-pitched voice. “We are colleagues, that’s all.”
Arjun caught Mrs. Gupta’s eyes and his heart sank. She was looking at him appraisingly. It was a look he was very familiar with, one that Indian aunties with eligible daughters often gave him. He wanted to say something, to correct Anaya, but his tongue was stuck in his mouth. Anything he said would make things worse for Rani. He needed to let her handle it.
“Rani, why don’t you tell us what your relationship is to Arjun,” her mother said quietly.
Rani gave him a stricken look. “We’re friends, Amma. Yesterday when I heard about Dad, Arjun helped me get a flight here.”
“Did you come on a private plane?” Anaya asked eagerly, totally oblivious to Rani’s discomfort.
“A very small one,” Arjun replied. Hoping to give Rani some time to think, he went on to describe the aircraft, which led to questions about the one he owned in India. He took his time talking about that one, as well. He’d hoped once they’d exhausted the subject, the conversation would steer toward a topic other than their relationship, but Rani’s mother was not to be deterred.
“You must be very good friends for Arjun to help you like that. I’m guessing you’re a very busy man, yet here you are bringing us food and keeping Rani company.”
Rani looked down, fidgeting with her purse.
“Rani, it would ease your father’s mind to know that you are engaged to someone else. Especially someone as suitable as Arjun.” Rani’s mother gave her a hard look.
Rani shrank in her chair and looked at Arjun in alarm. “We’re not getting engaged, Mum,” she finally said, her voice leaden.
Her mother looked between Rani and Arjun then sighed. “After you left yesterday, your father was so upset. Every time he sees you, all he can think about is how you’ve ruined your life.” Rani opened her mouth to say something but her mother raised her hand sternly. Mrs. Gupta would get along really with his own mother. She had a way of making everyone feel like they were still little children being scolded for having dirty hands.
“It will make him so happy to know that you have found a way to be happy again. With one decision, Rani, one announcement, you can erase everything that’s happened in the past and focus on the future.”
Tears streamed down Rani’s face and Arjun’s chest hurt. She was in so much pain and he couldn’t bear it. “It’s not my decision to make, Mum.” Her voice was small and very quiet, as if she had no breath left in her body.
“Rani’s right, Auntie, the decision is not hers, it’s mine.” Arjun said. What am I saying? The right course of action here would be to explain that they were just friends, which was technically true of their current relationship status, and then extricate himself from the situation.
Instead, he couldn’t believe what came out of his mouth next.
“The time is not right, but I think it would be best if I talk to you and Uncle privately so I can ask for Rani’s hand in marriage.”
Rani’s eyes widened. Anaya squealed and clapped, and Mrs. Gupta wiped her eyes with the end of her dupatta. “Bless you, my son. This news will have Rani’s dad out of this hospital in no time.” She stood and hugged Arjun while Rani stared at him openmouthed.
What have I done?