Forgetting Billions | ✓

12 | Forgetting Cows

JASMINE'S EYES scanned the page in front of her. She had her head resting in her father's lap as she read her favorite book once again: The Arabian Nights. Her mind went to Maria, who had sent her and Selena home last week, and had frequently updated them since. The most recent update came last night. Maria claimed that the search resulted in all dead ends, that there were too many people at the party to truly know who placed the call, which had to have came from a burner phone. She couldn't come to a concrete conclusion and advised Jasmine to get some rest while everything was at a stalemate.

Jasmine took advantage of that as soon as she got the word. She read the same words on the page absentmindedly, the purple prose she enjoyed so much going to waste on her for the first time.

Her mother sat next to her father with her hand tucked in his and her head on his shoulder and Jasmine beamed at the sight. They were slowly becoming her vision of the perfect family. There was no screaming or fighting, no angry arguments or cold shoulders.

With a tired sigh, Jasmine closed the heavy book and let it rest on her stomach. She watched the white plaster of the ceiling with immense interest. Her father averted his eyes from the television and he smiled.

"What's going on in that mind of yours, Jas?" he asked with a playful tap on her nose, the CNN broadcaster's passionate voice turning into white noise.

She chuckled, "Nothing. I'm just a bit exhausted, that's all."

"You overwork yourself, honey. At this point, your expectations are much higher than ours," her mom teased, "I told you not to take so many difficult classes during your senior year."

"It's to maintain my seat at Harvard, Mom, and then I'm free," Jasmine made a show of stretching herself out before resting her head on her arms.

Her father snorted, "After four years of medical school, a five-year residency, and a fellowship."

Jasmine groaned and threw a pillow at him, "Don't remind me."

Her mother grinned at the two, "So you can't escape your classes, even after Harvard accepted you? That's tough. Maybe we should take a trip to India to celebrate. What do you say, Varun?"

"I think that's a fantastic idea. It's not everyday your daughter gets accepted into one of the most prestigious universities in the world."

Her father pushed the frame of his glasses up so they were resting on the crook of his nose, peering at her with the most nostalgic look in his dark eyes.

"There's no need to plan goodbye vacations yet. I'm not going anywhere for a while," Jasmine reminded them, noticing the tears forming in her mother's eyes.

"You just seem so far away. There's always something on your mind. I feel like you're never in the same room as us anymore," her mom whispered, her grip on her husband's hand tightening.

"I'm right here. I promise," Jasmine let her head fall back in her dad's lap.

"We know. It's just hard to believe you have your own life now. It's as if you don't really need us anymore," her dad murmured. Jasmine closed her eyes as she felt his fingers run through her hair like he did whenever she dissociated as a child or came home from school in the middle of the day because her teacher couldn't understand her panic attacks. For the first time in the past few weeks, she felt no hostility towards her parents.

Jasmine realized now why Bianca urged her to choose her parents over Shayan. She wondered if her choice was worth it, though, for she felt she'd lose something irreplaceable in the process. As she drifted off, her mind came across a distinct memory to help her decide what was more important: the love of her parents or of Shayan.