“Wh-what? Everyone knew! It was the gossip of the decade!” Maryam exclaimed. The news of her short-lived marriage had made the rounds among her parents, their friends, and the widercommunity. Everyone wanted to know what had led to the split. A few people she barely knew had even called her up and demanded to know the details “so the same thing wouldn’t happen” in their marriages. They had been quite put out when she told them to mind their own business.
Beside her, Saif ran a hand over his face. “You know I’m not that close to my family,” he said. Ever since Saif had moved to California after law school, his visits home had been sporadic, she knew. “I could have tried harder. I was a restless teen, maybe a bit self-absorbed. Not like you and your sister, or my perfect brother, Raihan.”
“Sounds like you might have been jealous, too,” Maryam said, teasing gently.
Saif smiled sheepishly. “I pretended that I couldn’t be bothered. The truth is, my parents used to compare me to the other kids constantly, and especially to my older brother. It pretty much ruined our relationship. I couldn’t wait to move away and start my own life, somewhere they wouldn’t be able to comment and judge.”
“My ex wasn’t close to his family, either,” Maryam said. “He never understood why I always wanted to spend time with my parents and Dadu and Dadi-ma.”
Understanding flashed in Saif’s eyes. “Yusuf is an idiot. We’ve already established that. If my family were more like yours, I never would have moved to California. Who wouldn’t want to be related to Dadu?”
“He is pretty amazing. Especially when he starts to spill some seriousfilmygossip,” she said, using Bollywood slang for the movie business.
“Your sister’s wedding would have been the first time I metmy family in a year,” Saif said. “Our phone calls usually last about five minutes. They refuse to pay for long distance, which means I always have to call them, and then my mom worries about the cost of the call and sets a timer.”
Maryam tried to hide her surprise; her parents called her several times a day, and she lived with them. “That sounds... lonely,” she said.
Saif considered. “It can be. I work a lot.” He paused as if weighing his next words. “And you weren’t wrong. I did have a girlfriend, but we broke up late last year.”
Maryam knew her parents might be shocked to learn that Saif dated. Observant Muslims were expected to remain single until they married, though some hid relationships from their family until they became more serious. Maryam and Yusuf had been open with their families from the start because their end goal was marriage. That Saif at one point had had a serious girlfriend came as no surprise to her; she knew there were many paths to love. “Thanks for being honest,” Maryam said. Her curiosity forced out the next question: “What happened?”
“Lisa and I met at law school. We made sense in a lot of ways, but in the end, she broke up with me,” he said. “The truth is, we’d been drifting apart for a while.”
“I was glad when Yusuf left,” Maryam said impulsively. She had never admitted this to anyone before, but sitting beside Saif on this bench on a hill, high above the village of Snow Falls, somehow she knew he wouldn’t judge her. “I mean, I hated him for cheating on me, but I was also sort of... relieved? We weren’t good together, we never had been, but I was too scared to call time of death on our marriage.”
Saif nodded as if that made perfect sense.
“I’m just glad my parents never said ‘I told you so,’ ” Maryam said, and Saif laughed, standing up and dusting snow from his pants.
“My parents said ‘I told you so’ when Lisa and I broke up,” he offered. “The first words out of my dad’s mouth.”
“No wonder your phone calls home only last five minutes,” Maryam said.
Saif laughed again. “You always surprise me,” he said, shaking his head. “At your wedding, you seemed like this beautiful, unreachable woman, but you’re so much more.” The look he sent her was open and still so kind. He turned to face her, hands spread wide. All cards on the table now. “You know how I feel about you, but I also know there isn’t really a timeline for recovering from the harm Yusuf caused your heart. I like you, Maryam Aziz. I like you more and more every time we talk. I don’t want you to choose me because your parents don’t approve, or because I’m this incredibly hot lawyer from California—” Maryam laughed, and he flashed her a cheeky smile. “Or because, once upon a time, twelve-year-old Maryam had a crush on me,” he continued. “I want you to choose me for yourself. Because I choose you—the woman you are today, the woman I’m starting to fall for. That’s the one I want.”
His words were beautiful and sincere. This man could truly break her, Maryam thought as she looked up at Saif. She knew that if Saif left her, her heart would never, ever recover. “I can’t—” she stammered, hating herself for not being as brave as he was.
Saif didn’t say anything, only gave her a small, understanding smile before turning to walk down the hill without another word.
Maryam wasn’t sure how long she sat on the bench by herself. Somehow, she pulled herself together and returned to the playhouse, to make her excuses to Celine and the others. By the time she stumbled back to the inn, it was late afternoon and her parents and Dadu were gathered in the foyer, their expressions grim.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. Somehow, she knew the other shoe was about to drop.
“It is your sister,” a grave-looking Dadu said. “Saima has disappeared.”
SEVENTEEN
Anna
December 24
Anna put down the sewing needle and stretched her arms over her head. After Maryam’s abrupt departure—followed by Nick’s angry one—she had poked her head out the back door of the theater and seen her friend deep in conversation with Saif. Their heads had been close together; Anna had been unable to see their faces, but hoped they were having the heart-to-heart they needed to have, and that whatever had upset Maryam, she’d come talk to Anna about it if she needed her. When Maryam hadn’t returned, Anna had decided to keep on working. It was Christmas Eve, and they were running out of time to finish the play. She knew she could help Maryam in a way that would make a difference to something important to her: staying the course and getting things ready for the Hoopla the next day.
It had amazed Anna how many of the volunteers stayed all day, too, even though it was Christmas Eve. No one in SnowFalls did last-minute shopping, Bruce had explained, given that you could shop for the holidays year-round in their town. It turned out the Hoopla didn’t take people away from their homes and families during the holidays. On the contrary, it gave them all something to work toward—and this year, thanks to Maryam, it was even more special because everyone felt included.
Now Anna surveyed her set design efforts.
“This is amazing, Anna,” said Celine, approaching from the side stage. “Absolutely gorgeous. We got so much done today, we’re practically ready for the big production. It’s all going to look incredible. This is going to be the best Hoopla we’ve ever had!”
