When I get home, Emaye informs me that Bapi has been calling and asks if I would like to meet him. Unlike Nandita, I agree to meet with him. Dressed in nice business suits, Emaye and I head to the restaurant he has booked with Mr. Patel and Jayanand called Garden Delicacies, specializing in fancy sandwiches from around the world and pasta meals.74Please respect copyright.PENANAMl4ckN0YxA
"Konjit, nice to see you again." Mr. Patel slides our seats out for us while Bapi fixes me with a hard stare.74Please respect copyright.PENANAXYigXHQ1UE
"Thank you, Shaurya, how is your family?"74Please respect copyright.PENANAVTEy1epWtr
"Very good, thank you for asking." He turns to me as he retakes his seat. "Madhuri, you are growing into such a lovely young woman. It behooves me to understand how my son has let you go."74Please respect copyright.PENANAvajoxJ7OCA
"Yes," Bapi echoes, "do you care to explain?"74Please respect copyright.PENANAFB0GnwxVPd
Jayanand chokes on his water, but I am calm, cool, and collected. "We have both fallen in love with someone else---"74Please respect copyright.PENANAxQiz0nEUFV
"So you will forsake your duty to your family...for...Jayanand says a little white boy?!"74Please respect copyright.PENANAGSugfdEGGE
Jayanand sets his water down abruptly. "I SAID a new Italian student, Sir, son of a famous photographer, right, Madhuri?"74Please respect copyright.PENANA1CInzq7ZTM
"It makes no difference to me---"74Please respect copyright.PENANAkVSoScMDPa
"Jay wants to be with someone else too. The betrothal was never mandatory, so what does it matter, Bapi?"74Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ya6l5eAnN
"It was UNDERSTOOD, Madhuri, that you would keep the business in the family."74Please respect copyright.PENANAIx7kcCLUTN
"Why can't one of your other daughters take it?"74Please respect copyright.PENANARddHrrldem
"They don't want to be betrothed and are too young. Besides, they already have an inheritance. What am I going to leave for you?" He massages his temple with frustration. "My wife never approved betrothal--"74Please respect copyright.PENANAq0XbZDLy1U
"I ONLY approved it when Madhuri turned 14 and was old enough to understand what it meant and also knew that it was not required. Madhuri knew she could leave at any time, and she still can. She and Jay have always been close---you assured that, Workneh," Emaye spits back at him. "I would not have allowed you to force my daughter into anything---tradition or no."74Please respect copyright.PENANADsf0XW6IFL
Before he can reply, I shake my head. "Bapi, I don't want a betrothal. I always understood the betrothal, but since you left...I....I don't care about your inheritance or bringing you honor---" My words catch in my throat. "I want LOVE, Bapi...true, genuine love---me and my sister---you abandoned us." I desparately search his perplexed gaze. 74Please respect copyright.PENANAVunTRD16aM
Bapi clears his throat, studying his crystal clear glass of water. "I will try to do better, Madhuri. I never knew that you felt this way." He furrows his eyebrows. "Please forgive me." Turning to Mr. Patel, he nods. "I think the discussion is done, Shaurya."74Please respect copyright.PENANAr7zHb5XCK4
"Fair enough."74Please respect copyright.PENANAvidp661upr
Jayanand grins at me, but I just turn to Emaye. I dont want to be here.74Please respect copyright.PENANAvMKrEFWo29
Emaye stands up. "Nice to see you both again, but I think we will be heading home now that everything is settled."74Please respect copyright.PENANAhVe7SzRCdP
"Are you sure? We can pay---"74Please respect copyright.PENANAWoNkFGAWRm
"Yes, Shaurya. Madhuri has school in the morning, and it's getting late. Nandita has probably not even started on her homework." 74Please respect copyright.PENANAmhgqKtr75V
As I say my good-byes and trail Emaye out the door, Bapi calls after me. "I will be in touch, Mou. I will try to be a better father."74Please respect copyright.PENANAz0VoCLpmpn
Taking a deep breath, I return to hug him. As I race back to her, Emaye puts an arm over my shoulders. "I am so proud of you."74Please respect copyright.PENANAxHuqwfj0Vb
With a one-sided grin, I reply, "I learned form the best."
As the next weeks pass by, Rizzo and I are openly dating. Sometimes, he comes to the house to walk with Bobby and I to school. We study together with Saunders in the library, and Ms. C and Gui wave ecstatically at me when they drop him off in the morning; sometimes, Rizzo drives to impress me, but he isn't exactly comfortable with it. They say I am good for him, but he is good for me---he helps me to focus on other things besides the tumult that is my life. 74Please respect copyright.PENANA5UO5TKVrr0
Bapi does call more and agrees to give me back my car, which I allow Emaye to use of course until she can get her own car. Slowly, Nandita opens back up to him, and things get better. When we have lunch with him, he asks me about my birthday, but I honestly haven't thought about it. 74Please respect copyright.PENANAbdxMeAz88x
"Well, since I am going to be gone on business, I thought we might celebrate today. I have you backstage passes to interact with bengal tigers at the zoo!"74Please respect copyright.PENANAJDRDPAvZfu
I squeal. "Bapi, thank you!"74Please respect copyright.PENANA5lbNOhjsL8
Nandita sucks in an amazed breath, and we rush to the limo. When we get to the zoo, a lady greets us, introducing herself as Mandy, the head tiger caretaker.74Please respect copyright.PENANAoLvpZ2OJaK
"So, Dad, will you be coming in too?"74Please respect copyright.PENANAVYlE6VRKAb
"Uh, no," Bapi stands with his hand jammed into the pocket of his grey slacks. "Strictly for the girls. I am not a cat person of any kind."74Please respect copyright.PENANAcaiDRbOh0D
"Oh, Bapi, come on!" Nandita calls, and he scratches his head.74Please respect copyright.PENANAwvg5XHFrkV
"Alright, Abhi, alright."74Please respect copyright.PENANAQQxLyjIdHx
We are led into a small nursery where large baby tigers greet us. "They are going to find a new home because we are a little over crowded and underfunded, so we are get them used to being away from their mother."74Please respect copyright.PENANArKUOjSUO6u
She hands us each a bottle, and I approach a little tigress with grey eyes. "Hey, beautiful..." I whisper.74Please respect copyright.PENANAcES5wBjb9V
They are huge to be considered babies---the size of a medium sized dog, but gorgeous all the same. Bapi laughs as a big male tiger finishes off the bottle in a matter of minutes. "How old are they?"74Please respect copyright.PENANA4Dg1AmH0Fu
"About...eight months, but they still love their milk treats." Mandy strokes one of the other females. "I am going to miss them."74Please respect copyright.PENANAkpJj5RZYR4
We interact with the tigers for an hour, and then Bapi takes us to a gormet cake shop where I can create my dream birthday cake---chocolate swirled with blue icing and icing balloons. As I blow out the candles, the whole staff yells, "Happy birthday, Madhuri!!!"74Please respect copyright.PENANAdC89SuT7iT
Bapi whispers to me, "You have all my love, my sweet girl. I hope your day is the most amazing of days."74Please respect copyright.PENANAC1X5Cag0pl
"Thank you, Bapi, I love you too." 74Please respect copyright.PENANAMzmQObsLyh
As I watch the smoke rise to the ceiling, I grin...this is my wish come true.74Please respect copyright.PENANAfHqbyS2c4B