Page 94 of Best Kept Secret

Mira's eyes darted around the room, her gaze landing on each of us—Nova, Roxy, Katya, Mama, and finally back to Pari, who was grinning from ear to ear. It was like she didn't know how to process any of it, like the idea of someone doing something for her, just because she mattered, was foreign.

"I-I didn't tell anyone," she said, her voice shaky.

"You didn't have to." Nova walked to the door to throw it wide open. As soon as she did, in walked Nina, Stella, Luna, Aurora, Rachel, and Zahra.

They squealed, "Happy Birthday."

Pari squirmed away, Mira was pulled out of my arms, and everyone took turns hugging her. Presents were put aside on the coffee table, champagne was poured, Mira was toasted—and all that was just in the first fifteen minutes.

"From me." Pari handed Mira her present, one she'd wrapped herself.

Mira opened the gift, and her smile brightened the whole fucking apartment—and me, all the way to my soul. Pari had made a painting of a family—we were all stick figures, but it was the three of us and Ghoshu, obviously. Roxy had it framed. In pink crayon, she'd managed to write, with my guidance:Happy Birthday, Mashi.

There was another knock on the door, and Mira looked at me quizzically. "The men," I explained.

Gabe, Noah, Anson, and Diego walked in.

There were more hugs and more love pouring out of everyone for Mira. My chest expanded as I saw the look of utter bafflement on her face.

Roxy came up to her, and they embraced each other, tears in their eyes. "I missed you, girl," Roxy announced emotionally.

"I'm so sorry," Mira replied.

Roxy pulled away. "No apologies needed. We're family. Got it?"

Mira sniffled and nodded.

People filled their plates with fragrant heaps of Bengali dishes—steamingshorshe bata maach, fish simmered in mustard sauce, fluffy mounds of basmati rice, and crisp, goldenbeguni, eggplant fritters fried to perfection. The scent ofmangsho jhol, aslow-cooked mutton curry, mingled with the sweetness ofmishti doi, a creamy, caramelized yogurt dessert waiting on the side table. Laughter filled the room as everyone reached forluchi, the puffed fried bread, to scoop upchholar dal, lentils, andaalur dom, a slightly sweet potato curry, while the delicate scent of cardamom and cloves hung in the air.

"Where did the food come from?" Mira asked me as we stood away from the others, champagne glasses in hand.

"I found a Bengali Auntie in Pooler…well, my EA did, and she catered."

Mira laughed as if unable to contain the joy inside her. "You did this all for me?"

"Nah, for someone else who's a Bengali and has a birthday today," I joked.

She turned to me and flung her arms around me. "No one has ever done anything like this for me," she whispered, holding me close.

Fucking hell!Finally, I had a win.

The party was in full swing. The food had been put away, and the cake had been cut. Pari had eaten the first slice and was now having a sugar rush, dancing around the room and playing with the helium-filled balloons.

"She's going to be overtired," Mira said to me.

She hadn't left my side, and it wasn't because I didn't let her—she just hadn't. It felt so damned awesome to be in her good books again.

Mama came up to us. This was the first time Mira, and she had seen each other face to face since…well since Mira had left us. I knew Mama had talked to Mira on the phone—but my girl was, with good reason, still wary of my mother.

I was about to leave so she and Mama could talk, but Mira held on to my hand, so I stayed. She didn't feel safe alone with mymother—well, that was a hole Donna Bodine would have to dig herself out of.

"I'm so sorry, Mira," Mama whispered, her voice cracking. "I've been so unfair to you. I let my anger…my issues…. I let them blind me to what you were going through. I took it out on you, and that wasn't right. You didn't deserve that."

Mama handed her a jewelry box. "This is…was my mother-in-law's and was passed on to me. This is given to the wife of the oldest Bodine. It's yours."

Mira didn't take the jewelry box; just stared at it.

I let go of her hand and opened the box, pulling out the delicate bracelet. "Hold out your wrist, darlin'."

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