Loving Me for Me

by Naleighna Kai

  Nalini, one of Pranav’s coworkers, chimed in with the version that she’d been taught. “When Lord Yama—the god of death—came to take the soul of a man named Satyavan, his wife, Savitri, begged Lord Yama to grant him life. When he refused, she stopped eating and drinking, and followed Yama as she carried away her dead husband.

  “Yama said that she could ask for any other favor except for the life of her husband. Savitri asked that she be blessed with children. Yama agreed, without realizing one thing. Being a Pati-Vrat—devoted wife—Savitri would never let any other man be the father of her children. Yama was left with no other choice but to restore Savitri’s husband to life to fulfill that wish. They lived a long and happy life with their children.”

  Reign chuckled and said, “I like that version.”

  “Of course,” Mumma responded, grinning. “That sounds exactly like something you would do.”

  The women laughed and Reign joined them.

  The stories of their personal journeys continued all day as the women fasted, along with other legends and myths surrounding the event.

  Later in the day, the sound of the front door opening forced Reign from her place in the circle. They weren’t expecting anyone else today. She wondered why Devesh or Jay would return to the house, knowing the importance this bonding time for the women.

  Two beautiful women, draped in elegant saris were standing in the foyer with suitcases perched on the floor next to them. They looked at Reign, then back to Devesh and raised a questioning eyebrow as Devesh swept past them saying, “I’ll be right back.”

  “Welcome to my home,” Reign said, eyeing the women closely and seeing a familiar resemblance.

  “Thank you for having us,” the taller of the two women said. “We—”

  “Ritu. Savina,” Aunt Kavya’s wavering voice echoed off every corner of the foyer, living room and parlor.

  Her hands went to her mouth as her steps halted along the path to where her daughters stood. Devesh hooked his arms under hers, moving the older woman forward.

  Ritu and Savina left Reign’s side and ran to their mother, both of them embracing her warmly.

  “Oooooh, my babies,” Aunt Kavya crooned, swaying with them in her arms. “My babies.”

  Reign tried to look away to give them a moment of privacy, but the beauty of the reunion was something she did not want to miss. This had been a long time coming.

  “I am so sorry,” Aunt Kavya said, still holding them in her arms.

  Ritu pulled away to stare down at her mother. “Mama, you’re speaking—.”

  “Yes, I speak English now,” Aunt Kavya said proudly with a lift of her chin and her daughters both smiled. “Not good, but better every day.” She stroked a hand through Ritu’s cap of curls. “I am so sorry for what happened, that I wasn’t a better mother. I should have known, by the way he treated me, that he would also treat you so horribly.” She pressed a kiss to Savina’s temple, then Ritu’s forehead. “If I had known, I would have—”

  “Killed him,” Ritu supplied. “We know. That’s why we couldn’t say anything. I thought we needed our mother more than we needed to tell what he had done.”

  “Oh, my darlings,” Aunt Kavya said. “What a burden you had to bear. We would have found a way to be together. He had no right to hurt you that way and still draw a breath.” She pulled both of them to her again. “I failed you. Failed to protect you.”

  “No!” Savina said, as Ritu shook her head. “It is his shame, not yours. We do not blame you. He is who he has always been, but we will not put the blame on you in any way.”

  “Devesh talked with us,” Ritu admitted. “He explained a lot of things and we understand more now than we did back then. We should never have left you behind.”

  “You are here now.” Aunt Kavya patted her hand gently. “Nothing will come between us again. I love you so, so much. There is no better gift than having you back in my life. Thank you for coming home. It is safe for you to come home for good, if you want. I will make a place for you. I have work now—I make garments for the women—design them, and I have my own money now.”

  Reign’s heart swelled with pride. Aunt Kavya had been delighted when Devesh asked her heart’s desire. Her small business started with making clothing for members of their immediate circle and friends—designs that blended both Indian and American styles. Now she had so much work coming in that Devesh was scouting out a place for Aunt Kavya and two of the aunts who helped in the work, to have a small store not too far away from the Maharaj place.

  “You will remain here in our home,” Reign said with a nod from Devesh.

  “No,” Aunt Kavya replied. “You are husband and wife, a family just becoming. You need time alone before so many people come. Later, then maybe you can have us.”

  “I’ll make room in the Maharaj home,” Devesh offered. “Reconfigure my old suite to accommodate the three of you. If you would like.”

  “That would be more than fine,” she replied with a teary-eyed smile. “Thank you. Thank you both for this gift.” She went to embrace Devesh and Reign, then said to her daughters, “We are in the middle of Karva Chauth, but we can go somewhere to have a meal. I am only participating to help Reign to understand the tradition. I am not fasting for my husband. Soon to not be my husband.”

  “No,” Ritu said, and Savina took Aunt Kavya’s hand. “We would like to join you, even though we are not married. We have all the time in the world to be together, but this is a special moment we should share.”

  When Ritu, Savina, and Aunt Kavya entered the family room, the women left their cushions and swarmed the daughters, smothering them with embraces and kisses, welcoming Ritu and Savina home and sharing in Aunt Kavya’s joy.

  Reign went to Mumma when the women took a break from the circle and said, “It’s no secret how Tiya and I feel about each other, but for your sake, I’m sorry that she couldn’t be here.”

  “It is alright,” Mumma said. “Tiya lost her place among the women here when she hurt you, your child, and my son. That is not unity. She continued to try and separate the women from you, my son’s beloved, that is not unity. She is not a good example of what Indian women represent—compassion, understanding, and support.” Mumma embraced Reign, then pulled away. “Devesh loves you. I have not witnessed that kind of love with anyone. Not even in my own marriage, which was arranged by my parents.” Mumma smiled, and it seemed to light up the entire room. “I did come to love Suresh after time because he is a wonderful man, but the kind of love that you share with my son, it is beautiful to see.” She clasped Reign’s hands. “Many women are not so fortunate.”

  Chapter 34

  During the moonrise meal to break the women’s fast, the men served their first drink, followed by the first taste of a meal since before sunrise.

  Tiya sidled up to Devesh who was in the middle of a conversation with Bhavin in the game room, and said, “Now that you no longer live here, my husband and I would like to move into your old suite.”

  “No,” Devesh said, and continued the conversation about his recent trip to New York.

  “But it’s not like you’re going to be using it,” she protested, still ignoring the fact that he was already in a discussion with someone else.

  Devesh sighed, put up a finger and said to Bhavin, “Can you give us a minute?” Then he put his eyes to Tiya and repeated, “No. I have plans for the space. And do remember that the only reason you’re able to visit right now is because my children are with Jay. Who, by the way, is missing the first part of this important family event because of you. He’ll be here in ten minutes with the children. The answer, since your ears must’ve been filled with wax the first time I said it, is no.”

  “You’re so selfish,” she spat and raised her voice to a level that caused nearby conversations to fall off. “You don’t even need it. Don’t you mate enough with that she-bear at your own pad?”

  Devesh tossed back a shot of FireBall whiskey and put the empty glass on th
e table behind him. “I don’t know about any she-bears, but my queen is standing right behind you. Why don’t you ask her how often we mate? You could probably learn a thing or two. Especially since your cooking would be turned down by a starving man. You might as well perfect something else.”

  Tiya’s complexion went from olive to pure white.

  “I’m going to say this, and then I’m going to let it alone,” Reign spoke in a voice that commanded everyone’s attention as she came to Devesh’s side. “I’m not going to be called too many more names and let it ride.”

  Somehow Tiya’s bravado surfaced at the wrong moment. “And what are you going to do about it?”

  Reign tilted her head as though studying her for the first time. “Hmmm. Nice haircut.” She winked and let the threat hang in the air for a moment before adding, “Next time, I’ll take a little more off the top. What do you think?”

  Tiya shuddered and rushed out of the room.

  “I have a question,” Reign said, causing the rest of the people, who had pretended not to listen in, to look her way. She stepped further into a central spot that gave a view of everyone in the four corners. “So what’s the name of the holiday where the men fast for the women?”

  The rest of the conversations from the living room, den, parlor, and the family room all fell into complete silence.

  “There is no such thing,” Bhavin said, and had the nerve to sound incensed that she would suggest such a thing.

  Devesh’s lips quirked as though he was already prepared for where this line of questioning would go.

  “What do you mean, there isn’t one?”

  “This has been a tradition for hundreds of years,” he answered, garnering nods and verbal agreements from most of the men. “Only for women.”

  Reign lowered her gaze to the carpet, but the wheels were turning in her mind. “So let me get this straight. The women have a particular holiday where we fast for our husband’s longevity and good health. But there isn’t one where men fast for our excellent health and long life? Where is the fairness in that?”

  Anaya nodded. Mumma blinked twice. Aunt Kavya grinned. Most of the other women wore perplexed expressions and talked amongst themselves.

  “We don’t have to do that,” Bhavin said. “The women should want to do this. We are the ones to take care of them, not the other way around.”

  “Is that right?” Reign favored Bhavin with a look that was every bit of alarming. “We will see.”

  Bhavin’s wife raised a questioning brow at Reign and gave her a small smile.

  “Honey,” Devesh began, realizing that covering his ass was of paramount importance. “I’m sure I’ll support whatever you’re about to do, but don’t leave me hanging.”

  She nodded, then asked everyone. “All in favor of the men showing the women that they also wish their wives long life and excellent health, raise your hands.”

  Every woman’s hands instantly went up—high. Only Devesh, Pranav, and Papa’s hands were up on the men’s side.

  “Women, I see we have some work to do,” Reign explained, and all of the females put their focus on her. “Can any of you take off work anytime soon?”

  The next day, Reign secretly coordinated with the women’s schedules and orchestrated a trip to the Atlantis Resorts on Paradise Island, Bahamas. All of the women, Anaya and Reign’s children, and the three men who showed support were set to go. And for an entire week, the rest of the men were left to their own devices—cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the children—for an entire week, with no word where the women were going or when they would return. The women were instructed that to get the message across, they would have no contact with their husbands whatsoever as they enjoyed everything the resort and island had to offer.

  Suffice it to say that the men were relieved when the women came home. A new holiday was created for the Maharaj men and their male guests to observe a day of fasting for their mates.

  Even Papa couldn’t stop laughing about that one.

  Chapter 35

  The adult members of the Maharaj clan centered around the wide screen television in the den, horrified at the accusations Tiya had leveled against Devesh and Reign on TMZ. Leena, Kamran and Anaya’s children were with Aunt Kavya at Reign and Devesh’s new home they had named Universe. Aunt Kavya’s daughters—Ritu and Savina—were settling into the Maharaj house for a month-long period to reconnect with their mother, and then the rest of the family.

  Tiya and Hiran stood off to the side, a sly grin playing about Tiya’s lips as she watched the family’s reactions to the show that had been taped earlier that day.

  “He was drunk and didn’t even remember that he’d slept with her that night,” Tiya said, reaching a hand up to flip her hair, then putting it down when she remembered it wasn’t there any longer. “That’s why he didn’t know about Leena or Kamran. Then she married him. What kind of foolish woman marries the man who raped her?”

  Devesh closed his eyes against that Punjabi heat that threatened to overtake every smidgen of common sense.

  “I hope the money was worth it,” Reign said as Anaya switched off the telecast and put a heated glare on Tiya. Everyone’s focus was on Tiya. It was obvious from the range of expressions that they did not approve.

  “You think you’re so above us,” Tiya scoffed as she maneuvered past the first rows of recliners until she was a few feet away from Reign. “You think because you put your hook out and reeled in the most handsome man that India’s ever seen, that your shriveled up self is a prize. You are nothing,” she spat. “So I did whatever it took to let the truth come out. No need for you to stick around and make our lives any more miserable than they already are.” Tiya smiled, and it did not quite reach her dark brown eyes. “If you and your little bastards are gone, then there’s no need for me to be in that little matchbox of a condo.”

  Reign moved her hands, and Tiya flinched. It almost caused Reign to smile. Almost. Thankfully, she quickly controlled her need to slap the cow-walking crap out of Tiya. “And you did this regardless of the fact that my children will be affected by it? That they would hear this from people who are crueler than you could ever be. That your lies will follow them the rest of their lives.” Reign’s hands balled into fists. For a moment Tiya was truly closer to getting stomped than that day she lost her hair. “You would do this, knowing how much it would hurt the man who helped so many out of tough spots. I hope the money was worth it, I truly do. Because he might forgive you one day, but I never will.”

  Mumma raised up out of the chair and faced her daughter. “Take your husband and go.”

  Tiya’s eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Mumma, you can’t mean that.”

  “Leave my house and never return.” Her voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the anger that laced her command. “You have brought great shame to this family. Reign is right. It is more than just her that will be hurt. It will be their children and our family that suffer.”

  Papa moved to stand by Mumma’s side. “Your thirst for revenge has no boundaries. If you do this to a man who has helped you on so many occasions, what will you do to any of us?”

  “We cannot trust you or abide you any longer,” Mumma whispered with tears streaming down her face.

  “Your precious son,” Tiya roared, gripping the edge of the recliner so hard her knuckles turned white. “The son who has lived off of you like a parasite and would still be living here like some little boy who never grew up if his little brats and she—uh, wife”—she quickly corrected and put more space between herself and Reign—“hadn’t shown up.”

  Mumma rounded the front row of the recliners, shaking a fist in Tiya’s face. “We don’t take care of him. He takes care of us. This—is—his—house!”

  Gasps, murmurs and shocked sighs followed that admission.

  Devesh grimaced at having that piece of information confirmed and floating around. He moved forward to put a restraining hand on his mother’s arm. She exhaled and
placed her hand over his.

  “Every dime he could send us from India and abroad, he did. It paid for this house, for us to travel. He did that and never wanted anyone to know,” she confessed, hammering that point home. “He was trying to keep from having a long line of relatives asking him to solve their financial problems because they were too lazy to figure their lives out on their own.” She flickered a disdainful scan over her Tiya’s body. “I will not call names.”

  Anaya stroked a reassuring rub along the length of Mumma’s other arm.

  “When I had my knee surgery Devesh was here taking good care of me along with Suresh. He did that, so I would not have to ask any of you to disrupt your busy lives to nurse me back to health.”

  “He did it,” Papa interjected, taking Mumma’s hand. “Because he did not want to see his Mumma get her feelings hurt when she realized that the people she had made so many sacrifices for, were not willing to give of themselves the one time she needed them.” He glared openly at his daughter. “You, who do not have a busy life at all since you have not worked a day in your life, was the first one to say that you were not able to come to be with your mother. And that was before we even thought to ask.”

  Tiya stiffened, and her lips parted to offer some reply, but didn’t manage to get anything out before Mumma pointed toward the door and said once again, “Get out of my house.”

  Chapter 36

  Enough men to make quick work of the task at hand were gathered around three moving trucks outside of the building that housed the first-floor condo that Tiya and Hiran lived in. Reign had also called a locksmith the moment she left the twins’ school, who was now in the process of changing the front and rear door locks and putting in a keyfob system for all the remaining residents.