“We’ve spent some time discussing how the apartment came to be yours,” Uma stated.
Meena tensed. She wondered if this was why they’d invited her. For a face-off of a sort. She didn’t belong in this building full of history and legacy. Meena glanced at Sabina. It had to be her doing. The woman had kept her distance, where Tanvi had welcomed Meena. She squeezed the strap of her purse to steady herself for whatever came next. If they confronted her over her right to the apartment, Meena would fight them. She’d inherited it, legally. Neha had wanted Meena to have it, and she wasn’t going to go away quietly.
“We believe Neha knew your parents.” Tanvi’s voice softened. “That there was some connection. She was erratic, but she did love her apartment. She wouldn’t be so cavalier in giving it away.”
Meena bit the inside of her lip. No, Neha hadn’t been cavalier. “And she had no descendants.” She waited to see how they would fill in the blanks, wondered if they would acknowledge the possibility that Meena was more than a daughter of a friend.
“It should have reverted back to her parents,” Sabina opined. “Neha didn’t want them to have it. I did a background check on you, your family.”
Meena clenched her jaw. The gall of this woman.
“We think she knew your parents through her job,” Sabina continued. “Her office was in Springfield, an hour from where you grew up. She often spent weekends in Northampton. She would talk about the college there, Smith. We think she must have met your parents there. It’s not that big of a town.”
“She didn’t have many friends,” Tanvi added. “Any, really—just us. But it’s possible that she could have known your parents. Maybe you might have even met her as a child and don’t remember.”
Their theory tracked, at least as far as how Neha had found Meena’s parents. She wasn’t ready to admit that Neha was her birth mother, not to a roomful of people, some of whom she’d just met. She also didn’t want to reveal Neha’s secret. Neha had chosen to not mention anything about her pregnancy to these women, had found a way to hide it. Seeing how judgmental some of them were, Meena didn’t want to add to their dislike of Neha.
“Regardless,” Sabina argued. “As you can see, this building has a purpose and a legacy.”
And as far as they were concerned, Meena wasn’t a part of that.
Sabina didn’t want Meena here. Meena’s back went up. Meena wasn’t going to make it easy for her. She did belong; this was Meena’s birthright. At least one thing became clear: Meena wasn’t going to sell the apartment to Sabina. She’d keep it out of spite.
“But it is done,” Tanvi offered. “You’re here now, and you’re a wonderful addition to the Engineer’s House.”
Meena gave a wide smile to Tanvi. “You have been so very kind.”
“Enough talk.” Uma stood up. “Let’s eat.”
Everyone moved at once. Tanvi reached over and patted Sam’s shoulder. Sabina gave Meena a glance, just a small raising of the eyebrow. Meena understood that this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. She felt energized. She would be ready for whatever Sabina tried.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The dal makhani was creamy, spicy, savory. The fish curry had a tang and a kick. The food was passed around, everyone serving themselves. A lot of the conversation centered around complimenting Sabina on the food. Meena begrudgingly admitted that the praise was well deserved.
“Meena.” Vin turned toward her. “Have you managed to clear out all of the excess furniture?”
“And the books,” Pi added. “Some are rare collectibles, so be mindful if you are going to get rid of them.”
“I’m working on it,” she replied. Though she wasn’t. Not really.
“No you’re not,” Uma argued. “She’s not even sleeping in the bed. That couch is going to break your back.”
“It’s comfortable.” Meena didn’t want to be on the defensive. She had her own reasons for her choices. “I’ve slept on plenty.”
They all stared at her.
“I travel a lot.” That should be enough to convince them.
“Don’t worry,” Tanvi said. “I cleansed the place thoroughly with sage. Neha is not haunting you. She has moved on to her next life.”
Except through her notes. Neha had wanted to be present in that apartment long after her death, and she’d found a way to do it.
“I feel for the next body she’s reincarnated into.” Jiten swirled the whisky in his glass. The large cube of ice clinked as it touched the sides.
“She’s likely going to be a grump,” Vin joked. “Or a helpless and spiteful person.”
Meena didn’t appreciate their humor. She knew that Neha had had her quirks, but she didn’t like that the aunties would talk about Neha in such a mean-spirited way. “You didn’t like her?”
“We loved her,” Tanvi said. “The men joke because they didn’t spend time with her.”
“She didn’t like us.” Jiten drank the last of the liquid in his glass.
“Neha wasn’t a fan of people in general,” Vin said.
“The feeling was mutual.”
“She had other interests.” Meena jumped to Neha’s defense. “Like reading and learning languages. She seemed to like her work too. A person isn’t unlikable because they prefer hobbies to people.”
“How do you know these things?” Sabina asked.
Meena shrugged. “I’ve been living in the apartment for almost two months. I’m a journalist. I picked up on a few things.” Then, because she wanted to needle Sabina, she added, “Neha left journals in her desk, and a few index cards lying around.”
“Yes,” Sabina said. “We came across her workbooks when we cleaned.”
Meena mimicked the slight raise of the eyebrow back at Sabina and reached for another serving of cumin rice and two more deep-fried balls with a savory mash of peas stuffed inside. She was full, but the food was delicious and a solid distraction until the group moved on to the pros and cons of a local nonprofit.