Page 87 of Stumped

Call me if you need to scream.

I’ll see you soon.

“This is a surpri—what’s wrong?”my father asks when he sees my tear-streaked face. Despite every attempt to not cry, the entire drive from my flat to their house had me sobbing. “Oh, ponne?1, it’s okay.”

I’m instantly wrapped up in his arms as he sways me back and forth, my sobs muffled against his chest. Ever since I was a kid, hugging my father has always been the cure to all my problems. Another set of arms slide around me and my knees wobble, because I am so lucky to be surrounded by this much love and support.

“Come here, chakkare,” my mother coos and I’m transferred from one parent to the other. I let her guide me through the house until we’re lying on the guest room bed. I snuggle into her, my head resting on her chest, as she rubs a hand up and down my back.

The crying has finally ceased, but now I have a headache and my chest hurts. We don’t say anything and I know my father’s in the room, but they let me work through it on my own. When I finally catch my breath, I lean away and force a smile.

“We haven’t read it and we don’t want to,” my father says with a frown. “Because nothing they have to say changes the fact you are a brilliant woman.”

I sniffle, tears blurring my vision. These are the people who raised me to be strong and powerful and go after what I want. They’re also very biased. But I’m so glad they’re mine.

“I don’t know whythisis the article that broke me.”

“Because they’re attacking more than your business. They made it personal.”

Nodding, I sit up and lean against the headboard. “I knew it was coming out today, I was prepared for it. Everything hit me all at once.”

“Did you read it?” Amma asks and I shake my head.

“My lawyer did and she tried to stop it, but we didn’t have enough for an injunction.”

“Your aunt did and she said it’s a whole lot of rubbish.”

I smile, because this is how incredible my family is. They’ll do the hard shit and still support you. “I never even considered how our relationship could turn into this. Or how it might impact Elias in his career. I just…”

“You followed your heart, ponne,” Appa says. “And there’s nothing wrong with that. What did he have to say?”

“He didn’t read it either and said he doesn’t care what they’ve written, because he knows the truth.”

“And you trust in him and in your relationship. All this is a way to unsettle you. Don’t let them win.”

My father is my greatest champion, guiding me through my business and helping me understand how to be a good boss. He’s also a tough man, forcing me to learn how to navigate the hard shit while standing by my side. He believes that if you want something bad enough, you have to work for it. Nothing worthy comes easy. But he’ll always drop everything when I’m falling apart. Like today.

“Okay, now you can go,” Amma tells him and Appa laughs. He leans over to kiss my forehead before leaving the room. My mother shifts to sit beside me and squeezes my hand as we sit in silence for a while.

“They spoke to Rakesh,” I say finally and she sucks her teeth. “I want to know what he had to say, but that requires me reading what everyone else is saying.”

“You never told me what happened with him.”

Shaking my head, I wave it off. “He was nobody, one of many destinations on my way.”

“To Elias. Is he the one?”

“Yes.”

“Oh?”

I laugh at her surprise, because for years I was never looking forthe one. It always sounded like something people said to avoid committing in relationships. I refused to think that way until Elias. He’s changed everything about how I view relationships and that’s how I know heisthe one. He makes me so happy it sometimes catches me off guard.

“I should have known. He can’t take his eyes off you.”

“Obviously. Look at me.”

She smiles and squeezes my hand. “That afternoon, he tracked your every movement and smiled when you weren’t looking. Elias looks at you the way your father looks at me.”

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