Tulsi Vivah by Anna Kaling

Author:Anna Kaling [Kaling, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Gay romance
ISBN: 9781644050484
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2018-12-11T07:00:00+00:00

ARJUNA WASN’T expecting company, and adrenaline flooded his body as somebody knocked on the door. He took a shaky breath and stilled his nerves. There was no Kris here to hide, not even a toothbrush. Not even the ugly reindeer jumper that had been so soft and smelled of Tom Ford cologne; that was safely in his desk drawer at work.

Maybe it was Kris knocking.

He pushed himself off the sofa and raced down the hall in socked feet to open the door.

“Hi,” Sharanya said.

All Arjuna could think for a long moment was not Kris not Kris not Kris, but then he adjusted. Her eyes were red and swollen, and tear tracks disappeared into the collar of her blouse.

“What’s wrong?” Arjuna took her arm and brought her inside, closing the door behind her. She sat on the sofa and accepted a tissue, twisting it between her hands.

“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her nose. “I should have said I was coming. I didn’t mean to, really. I was just on the train and saw your stop and….” She burst into tears and buried her head in her hands.

Arjuna patted her back, and she turned until she was in his arms.

“What happened?” Arjuna blew her hair out of his face and carried on patting her back like she was a dog waiting to see a vet.

“I was working in the emergency department, and a little boy came in with lethargy and a temperature. Only five, with the biggest eyes I’ve ever seen and a little snub nose. He… I found the rash, but it was too late. Two hours and he was gone. His parents… oh God, his parents.” She covered her face and rocked back and forth, keening. Arjuna swallowed and held her tighter.

“I’m sorry. I know you did all you could.” He grimaced over her shoulder at the trite, easy words. His eyes automatically went to the corner Tulsi had occupied, but the empty table left behind offered no inspiration.

Sharanya didn’t seem to be listening. “I never wanted this. I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to see children grow and flourish, to give them something they would remember forever, not to watch them die in my hands. I hate it. I hate all of it. The blood, the anguish, the worry, making decisions that mean life or death, the paperwork, the politics, the night shifts, the drunks threatening to kill me… and the children. The sick children. I don’t want to do it anymore.”

“Then quit. Be a teacher. I… we’ll have enough money. You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to do.”

She laughed bitterly. “Right, and have Mum and Dad tell all their friends that their wonderful daughter, the doctor, couldn’t hack it? They’d disown me. What else would they have to talk about at weddings?”

“Of course they won’t disown you. They just want you to be happy.”

Sharanya withdrew and wiped her face. “Maybe you have parents like that. I don’t.” She unwound the scarf from her neck.

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