Page 48 of Married in Vengeance

“Yes,” she answered, nonplussed. Did anyonenothave a passport? Not in Aadhya’s world and she strongly suspected, not in the Gadde world either.

“It’s current?” Athama asked casually, wandering over to the window to look out at something only she could see.

The siblings exchanged confused glances as an even more confused Aadhya mumbled, “Yes?”

“Amma?” Ram asked cautiously. “Why are you asking about Aadhya’s passport?”

His mother frowned at him absentmindedly. “She’ll need it no.”

“Well yes.” Bewildered, Ram glanced at Aadhya who shrugged in response. “But for what?”

“For when we go shopping.”

Oh! Aadhya stared at her mother-in-law. She’d assumed shopping would be to the high-end stores in Banjara Hills but clearly, her mother-in-law had other ideas.

“Don’t worry.” Amma patted Ram’s cheek. “We’ll only be gone for a week.”

A week? Panic flared in the pit of her stomach. Aadhya couldn’t be away from work for a week, especially right now. She couldn’t even be away for another day. Today was enough as far as her time away from work went.

“Why have I not been invited for this shopping trip?” Veda asked.

“Or I?” Raashi chirped.

“Because,” their mother said, glancing first at Veda. “I don’t want to go shopping with fifteen safari suited men.” She looked next at Raashi. “And since when do you want to shop? With me?”

Raashi flushed. “Fair enough,” she mumbled. “I hate shopping.”

“Amma,” Ram’s voice broke in. “You can’t go to another country to shop on a whim. Aadhya has work.”

“It’s only Paris,” his mother frowned. “We’ll be back in a week, like I said.”

“Did you ask Aadhya if she can take a week off from work right now?” he persisted, ignoring his mother’s black frown.

Aadhya appreciated the interference on her behalf but she didn’t need Jekyll & Hyde’s help. She could stand up for herself.

“Athama, can we go somewhere closer right now? Maybe even in the city. And then we’ll plan an all-girl’s shopping tripto Paris sometime later this month? Maybe during the Dussehra break?”

“No thank you,” Veda said stiffly. “My safari suited men and I aren’t free during Dussehra. You guys should go without me.”

“And me,” Raashi muttered, her voice more subdued than normal. Clearly feelings were hurt all around.

“Whatever,” her mother-in-law added. “Only in this family will such a simple thing become so much drama. Forget it.”

And with that, she marched out, not bothering to wait for anybody else to say anything. Aadhya watched her stiff, hurt figure march out of sight before turning to meet Ram’s eyes. Those dark, intense eyes pinned her to her spot on the bed, probing her gaze until it felt like he was scouring the very depths of her soul for her secrets.

Aadhya lay back on the bed and shut her eyes, effectively blocking the whole lot of them out.

God, these Gaddes were exhausting!

Twenty-Seven

RAM

Ram usheredhis disgruntled sisters out of the room telling them Aadhya needed her rest. It was early evening before he said goodbye to his sisters, wrapped up some work-related phone calls and headed back to the guest room Aadhya was still holed up in. When he next entered the darkened room, the only light in the room came from Aadhya’s phone display.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, when she didn’t look up from her phone at his entry.

Aadhya shrugged. “Like crap.”

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