How To Salsa in a Sari by Dona Sarkar Page B

she’d called Ishaan and Gigi from her cell phone and demanded they come over so she could show off her new place.
    â€œI feel like we could play soccer in here.” Ishaan was equally in awe of Issa’s new bedroom. Complete with vaulted sixteen-foot ceilings and a walk-in closet the size of Issa’s old bedroom, the room was at least a thousand square feet and the king-sized bed took up only one tiny corner of it. “What are you going to do with all this space?”
    â€œShe needs to shop and fill it!” Gigi tossed her tumbling red curls over her shoulder, her green eyes dancing with excitement. “You need to grab Diego’s credit card, Iz. Let’s go next weekend!”
    The thought had crossed her mind. What did they do about money now? Diego seemed to have so much of it, and as far as she could see, he was pretty generous about doling it out. But still, he wasn’t her daddy and if luck had anything to do with it, he and Alisha would realize getting married was a stupid idea and this whole arrangement could be over soon.
    â€œHe’s not my dad. I’d feel weird spending his money.”
    Unless he insisted, of course.
    Issa finally hung up the last of her clothes and joined Gigi on the bed. Her pathetic wardrobe barely made a dent in the vast closet and she couldn’t imagine her threadbare sari curtains or plastic glowy stars in here.
    â€œYou could make this into a dance studio.” Gigi stood on the edge of the bed again, her arms out at her sides. Issa scooted to the very edge of the bed to keep from getting fallen on.
    â€œOr a game room.” Ishaan started shoving Issa’s stack of novels into a bookshelf. “You could do like a pool table and some video games—”
    â€œOr that Arabian Nights –like lounge we’re always talking about!” Gigi squealed and threw herself backward into the bed again. “Oh, heaven. I could get used to this.”
    Issa giggled. At least one of them was having a good time. She heard the sound of the front door open and close, then the click of Alisha’s heels.
    â€œAhh…the prodigal friends return.” Her mother leaned in the doorway of Issa’s bedroom, a smile on her face. “Haven’t seen you crazy kids in a while.”
    Finally back from her talk with Diego, Alisha was glowing. Issa watched her try to hide a smile and wondered what it meant.
    â€œAlisha!” Gigi shrieked. “Congratulations!” She was off the bed and throwing herself into Alisha’s arms before Issa could blink.
    â€œThanks, honey.”
    â€œGod, Alisha. Look at that rock!”
    â€œI know!” Alisha flashed her left hand in the air. An unfamiliar diamond sparkled on her ring finger.
    So that was it. It was officially official. Alisha and Diego were formally engaged. Issa blinked away a sudden rush of tears in her eyes. Her mom had given up all hope of her father coming back.
    Issa wished she could be as happy as Gigi was for her mother. She wished she could just enjoy this new luxury and not worry about the future. Unfortunately, with Cat Morena living a hundred yards away, Issa couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of doom.
    Issa turned so Alisha wouldn’t see the dejected look on her face. Instead, Ishaan saw her face and shot her a sympathetic look. He understood how much she missed her father and what this engagement meant.
    Issa smiled at him. As much as she loved Gigi, her friend could be a bit of a flake. Issa knew she could always count on Ishaan to know how she really felt.
    Gigi dragged Alisha over to the bed, peppering her with questions. “So, when are you guys getting married? Is Issa going to be in the wedding? Where’s it going to be?”
    â€œThe wedding will be sometime in mid-December. And as for where, we have no idea. And if Issa wants to be in it, she is more than welcome.” Alisha smiled and touched Issa’s hand.