condolences or visited me in the hospital. Your parents don’t speak about our son. It’s as if he has been forgotten.”
“I don’t want to forget our son.” Their son had never gotten a chance to be born but Dev would always love him.
“I’m not going to forget, either.” Tina’s hands fluttered against her eyes as she brushed away a wayward tear. “I want to honor him in some way.”
“ We will,” Dev said hoarsely.
She gave a sharp nod and took a deep breath. Dev knew the signs. Tina didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He was tempted to keep talking, consider ways they could honor their son, but he knew he wasn’t feeling strong enough for the both of them.
“Until then,” she said briskly, “I need to find some work.”
Dev rubbed his hands over his face. He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to work, and that she didn’t have to take the first role that was offered. But he knew whatever he said would be taken the wrong way.
Now he understood why Tina was driven to work. It wasn’t ambition; it was duty. She had taken whatever was offered and made the best out of it. And she would accept any role, any assignment, despite the fact that she wasn’t healthy enough to work. He had to keep that from happening since she wouldn’t take care of herself.
“You should take your time and consider your options,” he told Tina. “The pressure can be intense. I know what it’s like. I’m the only child and have to continue the Arjun dynasty. There was a great deal of pressure from my parents to perform to their expectations. If I had failed...” He shuddered at the thought of it.
“But you didn’t,” Tina argued. “You exceed expectations every time. Your parents have almost always been proud of you.”
Almost . He caught the word. His parents had not been happy with his choice of wife and they didn’t hide their opinion. No matter what she did or how she behaved, they disapproved of Tina.
“I’m surprised they weren’t at your party,” she muttered.
“You really don’t know, do you?” he said in a whisper.
Tina stiffened and turned sharply to meet his gaze. “Know what?”
He wasn’t sure if he should tell her. He may have decided he wasn’t going to treat her like a fading flower, but he wasn’t sure how Tina was going to handle the news. “My father died.”
Tina’s lips parted in shock. “How? When?”
“Four months ago.”
She slowly shook her head as if she was trying to make sense of it. “Four...” Tina closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “When?”
“The week after you walked out.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“D EV ...I’ M SO SORRY .” She flattened her hand against her chest. Her heart was pounding from the news. She felt shaky and off-balance. “I didn’t know.”
“It made the international news.”
She heard the disbelief in his tone. “I wasn’t following the news at that time,” Tina explained. She didn’t want to tell him that she’d had no access to the television or computer. No magazines or newspapers. The lack of media had been surprisingly helpful.
“The commemorations lasted for weeks. There’s going to be another one at an award ceremony soon.”
He probably thought she was heartless because she hadn’t rushed to his side. She hadn’t been there in his time of need. Dev didn’t rely on anyone but she knew he’d had a complicated relationship with his father. That would make the loss even harder to bear. “What happened?”
“He had a heart attack and died instantly,” Dev said.
Tina closed her eyes as the guilt slammed into her. “How is your mother doing?”
“She’s fine and back at work,” he said. Tina noticed how he spoke in short, choppy sentences. It was clear he didn’t want to talk about it. “She’s in London doing a movie.”
Tina stared at Dev with incomprehension. What was it with the Arjun family? They didn’t grieve or stumble; they kept working. They were like machines.
Or was this how Dev
“I don’t want to forget our son.” Their son had never gotten a chance to be born but Dev would always love him.
“I’m not going to forget, either.” Tina’s hands fluttered against her eyes as she brushed away a wayward tear. “I want to honor him in some way.”
“ We will,” Dev said hoarsely.
She gave a sharp nod and took a deep breath. Dev knew the signs. Tina didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He was tempted to keep talking, consider ways they could honor their son, but he knew he wasn’t feeling strong enough for the both of them.
“Until then,” she said briskly, “I need to find some work.”
Dev rubbed his hands over his face. He wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to work, and that she didn’t have to take the first role that was offered. But he knew whatever he said would be taken the wrong way.
Now he understood why Tina was driven to work. It wasn’t ambition; it was duty. She had taken whatever was offered and made the best out of it. And she would accept any role, any assignment, despite the fact that she wasn’t healthy enough to work. He had to keep that from happening since she wouldn’t take care of herself.
“You should take your time and consider your options,” he told Tina. “The pressure can be intense. I know what it’s like. I’m the only child and have to continue the Arjun dynasty. There was a great deal of pressure from my parents to perform to their expectations. If I had failed...” He shuddered at the thought of it.
“But you didn’t,” Tina argued. “You exceed expectations every time. Your parents have almost always been proud of you.”
Almost . He caught the word. His parents had not been happy with his choice of wife and they didn’t hide their opinion. No matter what she did or how she behaved, they disapproved of Tina.
“I’m surprised they weren’t at your party,” she muttered.
“You really don’t know, do you?” he said in a whisper.
Tina stiffened and turned sharply to meet his gaze. “Know what?”
He wasn’t sure if he should tell her. He may have decided he wasn’t going to treat her like a fading flower, but he wasn’t sure how Tina was going to handle the news. “My father died.”
Tina’s lips parted in shock. “How? When?”
“Four months ago.”
She slowly shook her head as if she was trying to make sense of it. “Four...” Tina closed her eyes and swallowed hard. “When?”
“The week after you walked out.”
CHAPTER FIVE
“D EV ...I’ M SO SORRY .” She flattened her hand against her chest. Her heart was pounding from the news. She felt shaky and off-balance. “I didn’t know.”
“It made the international news.”
She heard the disbelief in his tone. “I wasn’t following the news at that time,” Tina explained. She didn’t want to tell him that she’d had no access to the television or computer. No magazines or newspapers. The lack of media had been surprisingly helpful.
“The commemorations lasted for weeks. There’s going to be another one at an award ceremony soon.”
He probably thought she was heartless because she hadn’t rushed to his side. She hadn’t been there in his time of need. Dev didn’t rely on anyone but she knew he’d had a complicated relationship with his father. That would make the loss even harder to bear. “What happened?”
“He had a heart attack and died instantly,” Dev said.
Tina closed her eyes as the guilt slammed into her. “How is your mother doing?”
“She’s fine and back at work,” he said. Tina noticed how he spoke in short, choppy sentences. It was clear he didn’t want to talk about it. “She’s in London doing a movie.”
Tina stared at Dev with incomprehension. What was it with the Arjun family? They didn’t grieve or stumble; they kept working. They were like machines.
Or was this how Dev
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