Page 87 of Not Your Basic Love Story

In his hand was a package wrapped in silver and black paper with a red bow.

“What is it?” I asked, taking it from him.

“An engagement present.”

I tried to push it back to him, but he held up his hands. “You don’t need to open it if you don’t want to. I wanted you to have it. But I have to go, sweetie. Your mom and brother are in the car, and it was all I could do to make them wait down there. They won’t wait forever, though.”

“Thank you.” The last thing I wanted was to deal with my mom and brother.

“I know you need your space right now, sweetheart. You’re like your dad in that way. Don’t be afraid to call me, okay? I’m a good listener.”

“I know,” I sniffed, lip trembling.

He took me in a big bear hug and squeezed me tight. When he pulled away we were both crying. Embarrassed by his tears, the Boomer that he is, he turned and left quickly. I closed the door, eyeing the package through my blurred vision.

I flipped it over, a small smile quirking up the corner of my lips at the overabundance of tape used—typical Mom.

Unsure if I should open it, I turned the package over in my hands, weighing it. Before I could make a decision, the buzzer sounded again, startling me.

I pressed the button to let the person up and set the package down on my 3D printer, deciding to wait until I had the accompanying wine. I eyed the bulky machine and little pieces of a half-built turbine littering my table and counter space, a permanent reminder of Dev. As soon as I was done getting drunk, I’d drag that thing out into the hallway and push it down the stairs.

There was a knock at the door. I opened it and nearly jumped out of my skin.

“Shawan!” I shouted. Then, more quietly, “What are you doing here?”

She looked from me to the car keys she fidgeted with and back up. “I’m sorry for barging in on you like this, Rebecca. I just wanted to talk to you.”

I frowned, unsure of what to do or say. We looked at one another, silence building. The buzzer sounded again, startling us both. I pressed the button and asked who it was, unable to take any more surprises today. This time it was, in fact, my delivery.

“I’m sorry, I would have called, but I didn’t think you would have answered,” she continued to explain.

She was right. I wouldn’t have.

The delivery person was there a moment later. I paid for it, and then gestured down at the bags in my hands.

“You like pizza and cheap wine?”

Having Shawan in my apartment under normal circumstances would have been stressful. This woman was used to living in a mansion that was immaculately clean and smelled like Indian home cooking and fresh chai. My apartment, currently, was a bit of a gongshow. I didn’t care, though. She was no longer my future mother-in-law. She no longer had the capacity to have any bearing on my life. So those dirty clothes on the floor? Whatever. Dishes in the sink? Who cares. Trash on TV? Judge me for my poor taste all you want, lady.

Seeing as how all my wine glasses were dirty and stacked up in the sink, I grabbed two coffee mugs from the cupboard and then plopped down on the couch.

“Sorry, I forgot. You don’t drink. Tea?” I offered, filling my mug with cheap cabernet.

Shawan slipped off her jacket, set down her purse, and sat on the couch next to me. “I drink when the time calls for it. Pour me a glass.”

I handed her the mug I’d made for myself and poured a new one. “Sorry, I got pepperoni pizza.”

“Wine’s fine for me.” As she leaned against the back of the couch, mug of wine in hand, I couldn’t help but smile. Seeing her in a relaxed state humanized her. It was nice getting to see her from the perspective of an equal. She wasn’t so scary this way.

I leaned back, too, and turned my attention to the TV. For several minutes we sat in silence, other than the sound of the TV and me chewing, acclimatizing to one another’s presence.

“Is this Real Housewives?” she asked.

“Yeah, Beverly Hills edition,” I said, lowering the volume.

“Ah. I prefer the Orange County one. Those girls are crazy.”

I smirked. “Didn’t know you watched reality TV.”

---