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Chapter thirty-two

Bond of Love

Karma

“Hey, everybody!” I wave into the webcam on Josh’s laptop as I sit next to him on his couch. “Welcome to our engagement party!

My boyfriend gives me the side-eye. “Don’t encourage them, Karma,” he mutters.

“ Namaste , Wilson family.“ The Maliks bow to us all from northern India. Though it’s late Friday evening in Hannah Harbor—and two hours earlier in my Californian hometown where most of my family is gathered—the Saturday morning sun is already shining in Rusirani village. Josh’s parents and siblings are assembled around Mata Darshanaji while Sara sits at her feet. Curious villagers look on as Siddharth translates for them. Everyone is dressed in festive clothing, ready to begin the Wagdaan ceremony followed by the Lagna Patrika.

I press my palms together and bow. “ Namaste ,“ I greet my ‘future in-laws’.

“Yo, fam!” Sara calls to us from her seat on the desert floor. “Greetings from Rajasthan, the largest—and the most flippin’ awesome—state in India!”

“We appreciate all of your effort in putting together this celebration,” Freedom tells Josh’s parents. “And thank you, Dr. Sidd, for arranging the satellite connection. We’re excited to experience this traditional Hindu ceremony with you.”

“It is we who are grateful,” Dr. Daksh replies. “Your daughter, Saraswati, has made a great sacrifice so that Mata Darshanaji can teach her our ancient rituals.”

Sara snorts. “Are you kidding? I’m having the time of my life!”

Dr. Varenya looks at her like she must be out of her mind. “Fortunately, Siddharth was able to acquire an RV for the duration of your daughter’s stay. Not only does it have a satellite dish—which makes connecting to the internet possible in this remote location—but it gives her a relatively comfortable place to sleep, as well as hot showers and electricity.”

Siddharth’s translation jerks to a halt. “She won’t stay in the RV, Mother. I insisted, but she refused!”

“Duh, Sidd.” My sister rolls her eyes. “I came here to live in a twenty-five hundred year old village, not to stay at a KOA campground. How am I supposed to experience traditional Hindu culture inside a mobile home?”

Ananda smiles proudly at her daughter. “Our Sara has never shied away from getting her hands dirty.”

“Hi, Swati! Hi, Nani! “ Bo waves to them from our father’s lap.

“Don’t finish the story without us!” Mo calls out, waiting while Siddharth translates.

Mata Darshanaji nods. “I will be patient, my sweet ones,” she tells them in her native tongue.

Josh looks at me with raised eyebrows before turning back to the webcam. “My grandmother is reading a story to you?” he asks my youngest siblings.

“But our grandmother cannot read,” his sister, Pradnya, says.

“Nah, they’re talking about the bedtime stories I make up for Bo-Mo,” Sara explains. “Every morning in Rusirani, I tell the twins a bedtime story over satellite. Sidd translates it for Mata Darshanaji and the village children.”

Dr. Varenya glances between my sister and her oldest son. “That is very kind of you, Saraswati,” she murmurs.

Harmony elbows her way to the front of the Wilson clan, her red hair tied up into space buns. She gazes at my boyfriend with hearts in her eyes. “Hey, Josh. Are you really going to marry my brother?”

“Um…”. Josh turns to me, his eyes as wide as saucers.

“This is just a practice run,” I tell my little sister. “Mata Darshanaji wants to teach Sara some Hindu rituals. Josh and I are participating in the learning process—the same as the rest of you are. We aren’t bound by the engagement ceremony… are we? “ I return my boyfriend’s wide-eyed stare.

Dr. Daksh clears his throat. “In Hindu tradition, the marriage rites aren’t binding until the bride and groom—or, in this case, groom and groom—complete the Seven Steps of Saptapadi. Until that time, either party may call off the engagement.”

“What if we do call it off?” Josh asks. “It won’t be considered dishonorable, will it? Karma and I don’t want to cause a rift between our families.”

Dr. Varenya lays a hand on her husband’s arm as she answers her youngest child. “Your father and I believe that you two young men are participating with honorable intentions. We will harbor no ill will if either of you calls off the engagement.”

“We feel the same,” Ananda says as she gazes at Freedom. “But does Mata Darshanaji agree?”

The wise woman raises a hand in blessing, speaking in her melodic native language while Siddharth steps forward to translate. “My grandmother says, ‘Be at peace. Our families will always share the bond of love’ .”

“Sweet!” Sara grins. “Let’s get this engagement party started. We’ve got a wedding date to pick!”

“What if Rêve marries T?rlig?” I ask.

Patterson chokes on a sip of coffee. “Why would we make her do a sadistic thing like that?”

I stand up from my chair, wandering around the small office while I think out loud. “A marriage could create peace between the people of Ceran and Jhorvand. If we align the opposing forces, maybe we can stop the war without anyone having to die.”

“Marrying that cold-blooded monster would be a fate worse than death,” the professor grumbles. “Not just for Rêve, but for Jeanrire, too. Can you imagine our hero and his one true love condemned to a life apart?”

Yeah, I can imagine it only too well.

I set aside my worries about Josh and refocus on The Ceranic Continuum . “A marriage would make T?rlig a citizen of Ceran and therefore subject to Ceranic law. Even if he found out about the Cerathyst cavern and deciphered the ancient writings unveiling their power source, he couldn’t use them in a destructive manner. Ceranic law forbids it!”

“Since when do power-hungry sociopaths follow the rules?” Patterson scoffs. “Like most dictators, T?rlig believes he’s above the law. I don’t see how making Rêve into a sacrificial lamb will protect the Ceranian secret.”

Dammit—he’s right. “I’ll keep working on it, sir.”

“You do that,” the old man grunts.

I sit back down in my chair and stare into space, tapping my pencil against my chin. “Were you ever married, Professor P?”

Patterson takes off his glasses and scowls at me from his spot behind his desk. “Why all the talk of marriage, Mr. Wilson?”

“It’s just on my mind, I guess.” The engagement party on Friday has been in my thoughts ever since. Sharing a celebration of love with Josh and our two families has given me a lot to think about.

The English professor stares at me for a long moment. “I’ve never been married,” he admits, “though I did almost propose once.”

“What happened?” I ask my mentor.

He pauses, his brow wrinkled. “I was young. Ambitious. I had the opportunity to study at Oxford for a semester. Even though I knew in my gut that I should stay and marry Amelia, I decided Oxford would be good for my career. I told myself that I had time, that there wasn’t anything that could come between us. I intended to propose to her once I returned from my semester abroad.”

“And?” I sit on the edge of my chair.

“She fell in love with someone else while I was away.” Patterson’s scowl deepens. “I don’t blame her for not waiting around for me—I blame myself. Like a fool, I believed time and distance wouldn’t separate us. Unfortunately, I was wrong.”

My heart sinks. “And you never fell in love again?”

The professor gazes into the distance, memories replaying across his face. When he finally comes back to the present, he shakes his head and puts on his glasses. “I focused on my work, Mr. Wilson—as should you.”

I let out a sigh. “Sure thing, Professor P.”

Work might be the only thing I’ll have left.

I’m preparing what feels like my millionth latte when Evie walks into WLL. “Hey, Sis. I hardly saw you this weekend. What have you been up to?”

She leans against the counter, avoiding my eyes. “Nothing much. Just… busy. You know how it is.” Her cheeks turn red.

“Well, you missed a great party on Friday. Sara helped set the wedding date— someone is getting married on the eighth of November.“ I finish steaming the latte and hand it to my customer before starting a drink for my bestie.

Evie glances at my hand. “I don’t see an engagement ring on your finger, so I guess it won’t be you and Josh.”

I’m starting to wish that it was. “Hopefully, he’ll still be my boyfriend when November rolls around. Only time will tell, I suppose.”

“Any word on Josh’s decision?” she asks.

“Not yet, but he’s still got a little over a week before his appointment with the student advisor.” Just one more week until my life turns upside down. “He’ll either choose to follow his passion for Cosmology or he’ll settle for AE. Those are his only options.”

A line creases Evie’s forehead. “But what about you? You’re his boyfriend! There’s gotta be something you can do.”

“If there is, I can’t think of it.” My shoulders slump. “Wanna brainstorm with me? My shift ends in forty minutes.”

“I can’t. I’m going for a walk in the park with—“ Her mouth snaps shut.

Wait, has Evangeline Delarosa finally found a frog to kiss? I lean across the counter, raising my eyebrows. “You’re going for a walk in the park with whom? ”

Evie squeezes her lips shut, then locks them with an imaginary key before throwing it over her shoulder.

Arghh. I guess I deserve that. My name is Karma, after all.

“Fine, keep your secret. Just promise me that you’ll come to Josh’s birthday party this weekend.” I’m gonna need my best friend’s support over the next few days more than I ever have before.

“I promise.” She crosses her heart with a finger. “In the meantime, don’t give up. You and Josh will figure out something. Take it from your Fairy Godmother—dreams really can come true.”

I hope she’s right… but I’m not so sure. Some people might be lucky enough to have a Happily Ever After , but will that happen for me and Josh?

What if our fairytale romance is over at The End ?