Secrets of a Bollywood Marriage by Susanna Carr Page A

seat when a woman or an elder entered the room, but he couldn’t move. He knew Shanti had privately struggled with infertility for years while she played the motherly roles. She’d had her first child a few months ago and she wanted to share her joy with the world.
    Dev flinched when he felt Tina’s hand on his. She gave his fingers a squeeze before she stood up and fixed a smile on her mouth.
    “Shantiji!” Tina greeted the star as she rose from her seat. “Congratulations on your daughter. I’m so happy for you.”
    Tina was shielding him. Taking charge until he was prepared. He should be the strong one, but this time Tina was looking out for him. It humbled him.
    Shanti’s smile was radiant. “Thank you. I hope it’s all right that I brought Anjali here today,” she said as she watched Dev. “I have to go dub some of my dialogue but I couldn’t bring myself to leave her alone.”
    “It’s not a problem,” he said gruffly as he forced himself to stand. His gaze collided with the baby’s big brown eyes. Anjali frowned and stuffed her fingers in her mouth.
    “She’s beautiful,” Tina murmured.
    “Would you like to hold her?” Shanti asked.
    He felt the wave of tension crash through Tina. It mirrored his own. He knew his wife wanted to decline but she couldn’t find the words. Before he knew it, Shanti transferred Anjali into Tina’s arms.
    Dev’s throat tightened as he saw Tina hold Anjali carefully in the crook of her arm. It shouldn’t hurt this much to see his wife hold a baby. Watching Tina blink back the tears shouldn’t make him feel weak and impotent.
    Dev wrapped his arm around her waist as he inhaled the baby’s scent. It was agony. He wanted Tina to lean on him but she stood ramrod-straight. Together they could get through this.
    Anjali’s mouth turned down. Dev had no doubt the baby felt their pain. Sensed the sadness they tried to hide. Suddenly the baby started to cry. The sound pierced through the quiet atrium.
    Tina tried to soothe the girl but it only seemed to make the baby cry more. Her movements became more frantic. Dev rubbed Tina’s back, wishing he could stroke the tension from her body. If only he could make a joke or a lighthearted comment, but his mind was blank.
    “I think she wants her mother,” Tina decided as she handed the infant back to Shanti. The movie star held her baby close and murmured a few words as the baby cried. Shanti reached into the stroller and pulled out a toy rattle.
    Dev stiffened as he dropped his hand from Tina’s back. The brightly colored rattle was the same as the one he had bought in anticipation for their child. It had been the first toy of many.
    The baby’s cries faded and Dev thought his knees were going to buckle. Tina reached for Dev’s hand and laced her fingers with his. She held on tight as she silently offered her support.
    “I’m sorry about this,” Shanti said as she waved the rattle to distract her daughter. “Anjali is usually content and happy.”
    Dev barely heard Tina’s response. He fought hard to hold back the dark emotions that threatened to consume him. It felt like an eternity before Shanti carried her baby out of the atrium. His shoulders sagged once the door clanged shut and the infant’s cries retreated.
    “She shouldn’t have made you hold the baby,” Dev said in a low rasp as he gripped Tina’s hand harder.
    “It’s all right.” Tina’s voice was soft as she returned to their table. “She wanted to share her happiness.”
    Dev shook his head. He couldn’t forgive the other woman’s thoughtlessness. “Her daughter was due the same time as our son. Shanti knew this. She knew about the miscarriage.”
    Tina didn’t look at him. “Maybe she thought we were over it.”
    The words were like a punch in the chest. “Over it?” he said in a harsh whisper.
    “Look at how our family acts about the miscarriage,” Tina pointed out as she sat back down in her chair. “My sisters never offered their