Page 14 of Right Where I Belong

Her son gave her a wide grin. His smile always warmed her heart.

The tinkle of the bell in the small temple of their house made both Ahaan and her look to the side. They giggled at the same time. Maya raised her dark head and woofed.

“You better go and pray with Ma,” Sabrina said. “Else she will get mad at you, and then at me.”

Ahaan jumped out of the chair and ran to the small temple in their house, where his grandmother was praying. Maya followed at his heels. That dog and her son were inseparable.

Her late husband’s mother, Radha, was the only maternal figure she had ever known. Sabrina loved and respected her, but her mother-in-law could be… difficult. In fact, ever since Ajay had passed, her mother-in-law had become extremely dependent on Sabrina and was obsessed with Ahaan. She was overly protective about him and wanted an opinion on everything concerning him. Sabrina ignored all her idiosyncrasies most of the time as she knew that her mother-in-law still grieved the loss of her son. Also, she was Sabrina’s support system when she was out working late at night. Thanks to her, Ahaan had a safe and protected environment at home. So, Sabrina mostly ignored her mood swings.

Her doorbell rang. Maya, as usual, ran to the door, barking. A smile lit Sabrina’s face as Aisha and Diya walked inside. Maya began to bark in earnest, her tail wagging happily as she bounded around their legs.

Aisha leaned down to pet Maya’s head. “I adore her. She’s such a cutie, and she’s growing so fast. God, I still cannot believe you convinced my mother to get a dog.”

“What are you both doing here?” Sabrina asked the girls, her tone a mixture of disbelief and delight. “And, Diya, you’re here in Mumbai? You didn’t tell me you were coming.”

“Well, surpriseeee!” Diya smiled, kissing Sabrina’s cheek.

“Shewanted to surprise you,” Aisha said, giving her a hug. “I just wanted to eat some of your delicious food.”

Her heart warmed on seeing her closest friends. They both were fashionably dressed in denims and tops. While Aisha wore a fitted red top, Diya was wearing a loose, flowing cream top that highlighted her baby bump. These two women had been her safe haven and her sounding board for a long time. Their friendship meant the world to her, and she was so proud of them. Diya was a successful fashion designer, while Aisha held a very important position in Fortuna, her husband’s company.

The girls headed straight to the kitchen. Six months pregnant, Diya awkwardly lowered herself onto the dining table chair. Aisha and she had met Diya at a yoga class many years ago. She had been lonely and lost, and they’d bonded immediately. Unlike them, Diya came from a rich political family in Delhi and had moved to Mumbai to start her career in fashion design. She was a princess through and through, and to her luck, she’d married a real-life prince. Princess Diya Jaisinghania was now a well-known fashion designer, a mother, a wife, and the best friend anyone could ask for. Most of the year, Diya shuttled between Delhi, Devigarh, Palampur, and Mumbai—all places where her family owned estates. Her trips to Mumbai had become less frequent, which made having her around all the more special.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she told Diya. “I missed you.”

“I missed you more,” Diya replied.

Aisha looked around. “This place looks like a hurricane passed through it. Is Ahaan baking today?”

“Yup!” Sabrina grinned. The oven dinged right on time. Sabrina pulled out the batch of cookies and put them on a cooling rack on the dining table.

Diya lifted one and popped a piece in her mouth. “Oh, heaven!”

“Let it cool at least,” Sabrina said.

Diya glared at her. “In my condition, I’m always hungry. I need food now. Whatever you can whip up is fine for me.”

Laughing, Sabrina served her the first of the pancakes. Diya generously poured honey and maple syrup over it before she dug in.

“Where’s my mom?” Aisha asked, looking around. “And Ahaan?”

“Praying,” Sabrina replied.

Aisha’s lips pursed, but she didn’t say anything.

“We heard you catered Kanika Mehta’s engagement,” Diya said between bites.

“I did.” Sabrina handed a plate to Aisha.

“And?” Diya asked. “Give us the details. Apparently, Aditya also showed up.”

Sabrina chuckled. “You guys are always updated on gossip.”

“Which you should have given us,” Aisha added. “So, now spill.”

“Honestly, there is nothing to spill,” Sabrina said.

When Aisha glared at her, Sabrina gave them a brief version of the evening and how it had gone.