Bhargav hesitated, glancing briefly at the stairs again. He wasn’t sure how long Sanju would be awake, and after the night before, he didn’t want to miss his window. He had barely contained his frustration when she had fallen asleep mid-romance, and tonight was supposed to be different. But now, his family wanted to chat, and leaving immediately would only seem rude.

With a sigh, he reluctantly moved over to the couch and sat beside his mother. “Sure, Amma. What’s on your mind?”