Page 82 of Caper Crush
“Would you like some water?” Saanvi asks.
“Yes, that would be great,” I say. Having seven people staring at me and my bum ankle is only making me feel worse.
Advik probes my ankle. I wince. He bends it back and forth.
He says, “It looks like it’s just a sprain, but there could be a stress fracture, so you should still get it X-rayed. And keep off it for at least five days.”
“That’s a relief,” Uncle Tony says.
Five days. That’s no income and no investigating.
Uncle Tony sits on the floor, chatting with Advik and Saanvi’s two little girls. Uncle Tony loves kids. The older girl takes Uncle Tony by the hand and wants to show him her room.
“Maybe we just need to do more investigatory thinking.” William takes my hands and asks Saanvi for antiseptic. Saanvi returns with an ice pack, glasses of water, and antiseptic.
“I’m so sorry to put you to work,” I say to Saanvi.
“Not at all. This is a welcome surprise.” She winks at me. “We miss talking to adults.”
“Hold still,” William says. His grip is light but firm around my wrist. He cleans off the cuts on my hands with the antiseptic. I close my eyes as it stings.
Advik looks at my hand and frowns.
“I’ll check with my doctor about the tetanus shot,” I say.
“Thanks so much, Advik and Saanvi,” William says. “I’m sorry to put you to work on your day off.”
“Yes, thank you so much,” I say. They have a very comfortable living room with an open kitchen. A plastic Barbie dollhouse sits in one corner, with the Barbie dolls lying facedown on the floor in various prone positions. Those dolls are me.
“We’re happy to see you,” Advik says. “Especially since we missed your party. We couldn’t get a babysitter on such short notice.”
“Sorry about that,” William says.
“Your uncles are crawling into our children’s cardboard-box house,” Advik says. “You should come see.”
William leaves with Advik. It’s just me and Saanvi. The ice pack feels amazing against my ankle. I press it firmly.
“How long have you guys been dating?” Saanvi asks.
I look up at her. “We’re not dating.”
She gives me a surprised look. “Oh, it seemed like you were.”
“Our uncles are married. And so that’s why he’s … attentive.” I guess.
She gives me a “really?” look. “I’ve never seen him arguing with anyone like that,” she says dryly.
I blush. “How long have you known him?”
“We were in college together.”
I am surprised. “But surely with his girlfriends?”
She says, “In college, he did have a serious relationship with Itsuki, and he definitely adored her. They didn’t seem to ever argue—at least not in front of us. They set the standard for the perfect couple.”
This is not what I want to hear.
“She probably didn’t jump off a fire escape to piss him off,” I say.
