“You can come too, you know,” I say. “If you want to. Nik wants you to. She really wants you to.”
Ammu just shakes her head. I’m not sure if it’s coming from her or from Abbu, but I know there’s nothing I can say or do to change her mind.
chapter fifty-one
ishu
NIK’S HOUSE IS LIT UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE. IT’S A tiny apartment just outside of London, and its sparkling with fairy lights streaming down the front and back. It’s actually a little difficult to look directly at it.
“This is such a pretty house,” Hani says, even though she’s squinting her eyes so much that I’m not sure she can see the house at all.
“Thanks …” Nik sighs. “We’re hoping to move out of London to somewhere a little more affordable soon. Once all the wedding stuff is over and done with.”
She helps us pull our suitcases inside the house and then takes us in with bright smiles. “I’m so glad you’re both here,” she says finally. “It’s nice to have … family here for the wedding. Rakesh has such a big family in London and it’s just nice to have some—”
“Okay, don’t get all sappy.” I cut her off, rolling my eyes. “Are we sleeping on the couch?”
“It extends out to a bed, actually.” Nik leaps toward it in two quick steps and demonstrates how it becomes a bed big enough for two people. “See?”
“Nice.” I nod. It’s a lot roomier than it looks at first glance.
“You guys aren’t sleeping here together, though. Only Hani,” Nik says. “You are sleeping in bed with me.”
“What? Why?” I turn to Nik with a frown. “I didn’t think you were going to be weird about this, of all people.”
Nik sighs. “I’m not being weird. I just … wanted to talk and spend some time with my sister after not seeing her for a long time! But if—”
“Okay, okay.” I give in. Mostly because I know that if I don’t, Nik is going to keep pushing and pushing until I do give in. She’s been doing so much for me over the past few months, the least I can do is sleep in bed beside her. Like when we first moved to Dublin as kids and only had a tiny one-bedroom apartment.
“You’re okay to sleep on the couch all by yourself?” Nik asks Hani. Because obviously she gets a choice.
“Of course, no problem. Looks comfy, really.” Hani is all smiles, and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes again.
I settle myself down on the couch, and when Hani sidles in next to me, I wrap an arm around her. It’s like it’s become second nature to me. Before all of this started, I didn’t even know what being in a relationship was, but now I’m sure I can write a guide to real dating. Hani would probably say I can’t, but I’m sure I’m pretty much a dating expert by now.
“So … when is your holud?” I ask Nik. In India, whenever we had weddings, the holud was my favorite part. It was always so intimate and fun. Full of family, food, and an outpouring of love. Also, a lot of music and dancing.
“I’m not having a holud.” Nik sighs. “Didn’t you hear what I just said? You’re the only family attending!”
“But you have friends coming.”
“Like … a few. Half a dozen. It’s going to be such a small wedding that a holud seems … pointless.”
“You have to have a holud,” Hani says. “Holuds are supposed to be small. With family and close friends … and it’ll be fun. When else are you going to get your mehndi done after all?”
“We’ll plan it!” I exclaim, even though I’ve never in my entire life planned a party. There’s a first time for everything, I guess. “We can have it tomorrow. Just invite your friends, and Hani and I will take care of everything else.”
Hani glances at me hesitantly, like she’s not sure she thinks we can do this, but I know that we definitely can. So I ignore her gaze.
“Are you sure?” Nik asks, looking at us with narrowed eyes.
“Yeah, we’re sure. I’m not going to let you have a wedding without a holud, Nik.” Especially not when she’s already having a wedding without Ammu and Abbu.
Nik finally smiles. “Thanks, Ishu.”
We spend all of the next morning preparing for the holud. Hani strings up flowers on the walls of Nik’s sitting room. Nik and I push the couch to one side and lay down a throw, pillows, and cushions on the floor to make a seating area. With the mattress and an old bedsheet, Hani and I create a makeshift stage just in front of the seating area. We decorate the wall of the back of the stage with flowers and glitter and balloons.