How To Salsa in a Sari (22 page)

Ishaan laughed.

“So, um.” Issa knew she shouldn't have even thought of asking, but the question had been nagging her at for months. “What happened to your mystery woman?”

“Mystery woman?” Ishaan piled his AP Physics book on top of his AP Chemistry and AP Biology books.

“Remember that day you gave me a ride? You told me you didn't want to date Gigi because there was someone else. What happened to her?”

Ishaan avoided her eyes as he slammed his locker shut. “She moved on.”

Gigi's words came back to Issa again.
He's so totally in love with you.
“On to what? Or on to who?”

“Another guy. Another life. She very obviously wasn't interested in me.”

Issa had a feeling she understood exactly the look Ishaan gave her. He was always able to tell what she was thinking. Maybe she was picking up his talent.

“Her loss, then,” Issa said softly. “She wasn't ready for you yet.”

Ishaan gave her a sad smile. “I guess not.”

How on Earth Do You Salsa in a Sari?

Roy
Bradley paced in front of the couch where Issa sat. After so long, she was in their old house in Detroit. She felt waves of nostalgia washing over her, remembering all the late-night dinner and movie sessions and game nights their family had shared in that very room.

“A seaside wedding in December?”

Issa nodded. “Friday in the Hamptons. Diego rented a place there for the week. Mom let me come up. She finally thinks it's healthy for me to see you again.”

“And your brother?”

“He won't see you.”

Roy sighed. “I figured.”

“I'm sorry, Dad. I thought for sure I would be able to break up Mom and Diego. I just—” Issa bit her lip. She didn't want to tell him that maybe her plan hadn't been the best idea.

“So she's really doing it. She's marrying that guy.” Roy finally sat down and buried his face in his hands. “I thought she would come back to me. I really did.”

Issa had thought so too. But Alisha had stuck by Diego through everything. They really did love each other. And Issa was slowly getting used to the idea.

“You know, you and I can still be a family.”

Issa glanced at her father.

“If you can't deal with staying in New Joliet with the Morenas, you can always move here with me. I mean, this place is huge enough for five people and I'm here all alone….”

Issa knew what her dad was thinking. If she refused to live at the Morenas maybe Alisha would follow.

She frowned. That was playing dirty and she wouldn't put Alisha in that situation. Not anymore. She was surprised her father would be willing to use her to get to Alisha.

Maybe Roy wasn't as mature and as grown-up as he claimed.

Issa shook her head, wanting to let him down gently. He was still her father. Immature or not. “I don't think so. I mean, two months ago, I totally would have tried it, but you know, things have changed.”

“Changed?”

“Yeah. Cat and I called a truce and Mom really seems happy there.”

“She does, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.” Roy reached out and put an arm around Issa. “If you say so. But I don't know if I'm going to give up.”

Issa closed her eyes and rested her chin on her father's shoulder. He'd made a mistake and now he had to pay the price. He had to let go of Alisha. But that was something he had to figure out on his own. Like she'd had to.

“I love you, Dad.”

“You too, kid. Friday, huh?”

“Friday. Just a little ceremony. Just the immediate family and a priest.”

“Wow.”

They sat there like that for a long time before Issa disentangled herself to catch the last train back to New Joliet.

 

Friday morning rolled around and Issa stood in front of the full-length mirror in one of the guest rooms in the rented villa.

Horrified her mother wasn't wearing a traditional sari to get married, Issa had insisted on wearing one herself. There had to be at least one Hindu tradition at this very non-Hindu wedding. It was a very basic ceremony, just vow exchanges, no fancy Indian walking around the fire business. No sari necessary. But she'd felt like doing something, anything to represent who she and Alisha were. So here she was, draped in twelve feet of thick silk cloth.

When Cat had seen Alisha wrapping one of her old saris around Issa, she'd demanded that she get to wear one, as well.

Issa could barely move, much less walk in a straight line. Cat had danced in half an hour prior to show off her pale pink sari and let them know Diego and Amir were in their suits and ready to roll.

Unfair. Cat was managing so well in hers and she wasn't even Indian.

Alisha, in a gorgeous pale blue tea-length gown, was applying a coat of mascara in the bathroom mirror. “You look great,” she commented as she replaced her makeup. “I can't believe how different you look in a sari.”

Issa fingered the thick midnight-blue cloth draped elaborately around her. “Me neither.”

She liked what she saw. The heavy kohl eyeliner on her eyes, the lush lips, the silvery
bindi
on her forehead. But she still couldn't take a single normal-sized step.

“You look like my mother.”

Issa glanced up from the armful of bangles she was arranging, alarmed.

Alisha laughed at her expression. “In a good way. She was a major babe when she was young.”

“Uh-huh.” Issa had never heard Alisha refer to her mother as a “major babe” before.

“Ready?”

Issa hesitated. No. She wasn't. Probably she never would be. She felt her eyes filling with tears. She would have to share Alisha from this day forward.

“I love you, Mom.”

Alisha set down the bouquet of tulips she was sniffing. “Baby, I love you too. I really need you and me to stay best friends. We Mazumders need to stick together. Deal?”

Issa managed a smile. “Deal.”

“And I'm sorry I kept you from your father. I know you wanted us together, but I'm glad you finally saw that we've been over for a while now.”

If only she knew…“Thanks, Mom.”

Mother hugged daughter and they walked down the stairs arm in arm where Diego, Amir and Cat were waiting.

“Baby sis. Look at you,” Amir murmured. College in California had done him good. He seemed to have grown an inch and was even more handsome than before he'd left. His hazel eyes twinkled as she took his arm. They followed Diego and Alisha, who walked hand in hand to the gazebo.

Issa grinned as she took her baby sari steps. “I can't breathe!”

“You look like Mom's mom,” Amir whispered.

Issa glanced at him. “You've seen her?”

“Pictures. Maybe we'll see them in person one day. They'd be glad to meet you.”

Issa doubted they would ever meet their grandparents. Alisha had made it very clear they had wanted nothing to do with her ever again after they'd found out about her and Roy. And now if they found out she'd married a Cuban guy with a kid, they would disown her again for good.

But then Issa had changed her mind about wanting nothing to do with Cat either…maybe…

“What're you guys whispering about? Walk faster!” Cat ordered from behind them.

Issa stifled a laugh. Like it or not, this was her family now. Crazy Cat Morena and her clueless father.

The ceremony happened too quickly. Diego and Alisha, with lowered eyes, said their vows in hushed tones. Choppy gray waves washed against the shore, overlooked by the gazebo.

Issa heard Amir intake a sharp breath of air as the minister asked Alisha if she took Diego till death did her part.

Issa counted the seconds. Would her mother go through with it? Was Amir hoping she wouldn't?

She glanced at her brother. His eyes were glistening with tears. Happiness? Sadness?

“I do. Forever,” Alisha whispered.

Diego pressed his lips against Alisha's and Issa didn't feel the urge to turn away. It was done. Nothing more she could do now. Her eyes met Cat's. Both girls stared warily at each other.

They weren't friends by a long shot. Maybe they never would be, but Issa had a feeling that each of them had a pretty good idea who the other was and why they were the way they were.

Maybe this could work.

Maybe.

The ceremony ended as beautifully as it had begun. The five of them entered the ballroom in their rented house followed by a champagne toast for the parents and slices of cake for all.

As the salsa band Diego had hired started up a rendition of “Bailamos,” Diego twirled Alisha expertly across the floor and dipped her. Issa smiled. She hadn't seen that smile on her mother's face in a while. The smile looked an awful lot like the one in the photograph with Roy.

“All right. Salsa, baby!” Cat jumped up, swigging the last of the champagne from Diego's glass and shooting Issa a warning look when Issa glanced at her disapprovingly. Cat gracefully hit the dance floor as if she'd been salsa-ing in the bulky sari her whole life.

Issa shook her head. Cat was still Cat. Diego really needed to open his eyes one of these days.

“How're you holding up?” Amir asked quietly. He checked his cell phone and replaced it in his pocket.

“Okay.” Issa picked at her remaining slice of cake. It was so good to have him back. An ally. Maybe he'd stay awhile. There was so much to tell him. He would be horrified by the stunts she'd pulled, but proud at how she'd handled herself at the end.

“I want you to know something. I dropped out of school.”

“What?” Issa set down her fork. Alisha was going to kill him but she didn't care. He was going to stay for good. They were going to have so much fun.

“Now that I know Mom is okay, well, there are things I need to do.”

Issa's heart sank. This didn't sound like sticking around to her. “Like?”

“I need to do something for this country.”

“Like volunteering?”

Amir laughed and hugged her. “You're so cute. Something like that. Don't tell Mom yet.”

“I wouldn't even know
what
to tell her.”

Amir just grinned. “Don't worry about it. Let's just enjoy the day.”

Issa shook her head.

Where did he get these ideas from? The previous year he'd been all set to join the peace corps, but a scholarship from UCLA had lured him to California.

“Okay, but—”

“Come on, you two. Let's salsa!” Cat called.

“Go,” Amir prodded.

She would think about this later. She would drag the details out of him that night when they stayed up till dawn and caught up on all the news.

“You come too!” Issa grabbed his hand and dragged him with her.

As the explosive beat continued, Issa picked up her sari at the waist and tried to move her feet. Her sandals just wound up getting tangled and she swore her sari was going to fall off, exposing the designer jeans she'd slipped on underneath just in case of such an emergency.

A few yards away, Cat was swiveling her hips to the beat, Amir barely moving.

“Too much hip movement for me.” Amir tried to back away.

Cat grabbed his arms and pulled him to her. “You're doing great.”

Did she really have to flirt with
everyone?
Issa frowned as Cat dragged Amir closer to her. Amir glanced at Issa nervously.

Issa shuffled closer to them and managed to scoot between them. There was no way in hell she was letting Cat Morena flirt with her
brother.

Amir winked. “I think I'll just watch for a while. You babes are too advanced for an old guy like me.”

“Amir! How the hell do I salsa in a sari?” Issa called after him.

“It's not too hard.” Cat caught a hold of Issa's flailing arms. “I'll show you.”

Issa swung her hips in figure eights, imitating Cat. Just when she thought she'd gotten it, she lost her balance.

“I suck!” Issa said, frustrated again as her sandal threatened to slip off.

“Yeah, you do.” Cat stopped dancing.

“Thanks a lot.”

“I was going to say, you do suck, but when has that ever stopped you?”

“Gee, thanks.”

“No prob.”

As Issa watched her new sister dance next to her, she wondered if she and Cat would be able to peacefully salsa into the future in their saris.

Maybe, and maybe not. But they would have a hell of a time trying.