Page 62 of Rebound

“Thanks, Pallavi.”

I hang up and quietly curse myself. I could have taken Vera or asked Venkat or Jonathan to pretend to be my future husband. But no, I had to say his name out loud. The idea of being married to him warms my heart, but that’s the problem isn’t it? These feelings are running rampant and I don’t know how to curb them. The worst part is, I miss him. I pushed Patrick away, drew a thick and obvious line in the sand and now, I miss him.

Twenty-One. Go with me

Patrick

Nina

What do you two think about me moving to Chennai?

Elias

Permanently? Why?

Nina

IDK. My big brothers are there, I have a nephew or niece on the way.

Are they called niblings?

Elias

I have never heard that word before, but if that’s what it is, then sure.

Nina

Anyway, yeah. Bangalore is…fine.

Elias

I thought you were having the time of your life with the cousins and that girl you were dating?

Nina

We weren’t “dating”. We were fucking.

And she moved onto greener pastures.

Elias

Greener than you? She’s got terrible taste.

Nina

Aw, thanks, E.

I’m glad you’re the one that responded and not the tree.

She does have terrible taste. And come to Chennai, it’s better here anyway.

Nina

Never thought I’d see the day when you picked Chennai over Bangalore. What happened to your loyalty?

The mother of my child calls this place home is what happened.

Elias