Home for Chirappu Read online

  To Mummy, who welcomed me with open arms

  and loves me like her own.

  Home for Chirappu

  TRENT SHIFTED in his seat as the plane taxied toward the Kochi airport. Nik insisted he could use the British names rather than learning the Indian ones, but Trent already stood out like a sore thumb with his blond hair, blue eyes, and winter-white skin. He couldn’t even claim the honey-gold color he managed in the summer at this point in the year. Every flight attendant since they left Chicago had assumed he would want the non-Indian food option and plain tea or a soft drink instead of the Indian dinner and masala tea. He’d taken great pleasure in overturning those assumptions, but it would only get worse. He’d met Nik’s parents, Shankar and Leelavati, when they came to Chicago six months ago, but this time, it wouldn’t just be them. It would be all of Nik’s very large, very Indian family.

  “Relax,” Nik murmured. “It’ll be fine. They’ll all love you as much as I do.”

  “I hope so.”

  Nik squeezed his hand in reassurance, but Trent wasn’t convinced. Nik said it a little too forcefully, like he was trying to convince himself as much as Trent.

  The plane rolled to a stop and they made their way out through the jet bridge. Nik walked beside him, but he didn’t reach for Trent’s hand the way he would have at home, reminding Trent how much less accepted their relationship would be here. They weren’t in Chicago anymore.

  Even in the air-conditioned jet bridge, the heat stole Trent’s breath for a second as they left the plane.

  “Quite a change from three feet of snow,” he said to Nik.

  “For sure,” Nik said. “No white Christmas here, I’m afraid.”

  They gathered their bags and went outside to look for Nik’s family. Sweat beaded under Trent’s arms and down his back. Within seconds his shirt clung uncomfortably to his skin, leaving him feeling even dirtier than nearly thirty hours of travel had done. He pulled at his collar, trying to let some air in, but he couldn’t even feel a breeze. The scent of jasmine and spices filled the air, almost cloying in its sweetness. Beggars lined the street outside the airport, but Nik waved them away imperiously. Nik had warned him not to so much as look their way or they’d be swamped and would never make it to the car.

  “Remember,” Nik said softly at his side, placing his palms together prayer style. Trent nodded at the reminder of the appropriate way to greet any senior family member. Nik’s father hadn’t said who would be there to pick them up from the airport.

  “Nikhilesh chettan!”

  Nik waved at a young man who couldn’t have been more than twenty. “Amma sent my cousin Abilash. That’s a good sign.”

  “How’s that?” Trent tried to visualize the family tree Nik had given him to place Abilash on it, but Nik’s parents had too many siblings to keep track of, even without their children.

  “It means Abilash’s father is still talking to us,” Nik said. “He’s my father’s oldest brother. After my grandfather, he has the most sway on family opinion.”

  Right. Trent remembered that part of the family tree, just not the cousins’ names.

  Abilash joined them with a spate of Malayalam. Trent pasted on a smile despite not understanding a word.

  “English, Abilash,” Nik scolded. “Trent doesn’t speak Malayalam.”

  “Sorry,” Abilash said. “I wasn’t thinking.”

  Abilash had a strong accent, stronger even than Nik’s father, but Trent had no trouble understanding him. “No worries,” he said. The last thing he wanted was to make things tense with Nik’s family because of language issues. Nik had promised everyone except his grandmothers would speak English, but apparently being able to speak English didn’t mean his cousins would default to English.

  “So where are you taking us?” Nik asked Abilash. “I’m not sure we’re up for another hour and a half drive after traveling for almost thirty hours to get here.”

  “Everyone is going to Alappuzha tomorrow,” Abilash said. “Susheela aunty lives in Ernakulam. She has rooms ready for you tonight, and she and Ramakrishnan uncle will bring you to Alappuzha tomorrow.”

  “You’re not staying?”

  “No,” Abilash said, leading them toward the car. “I had to come in to Kochi to pick up some things for school, so I offered to pick you up. Susheela aunty agreed so she would have time to finish getting everything ready. Ramakrishnan uncle has to work late tonight so he won’t be home until after dinner. Susheela aunty drives these days, but only if she has to. She’d much rather let someone else drive.”

  Trent listened absently to the conversation as the names went in one ear and out the other. They all figured on the list of Nik had given him, but there were so many of them—eleven plus spouses on one side of the family and eight plus spouses on the other—that Trent had given up. He’d meet them and figure it out as he went.

  “Susheela aunty is my father’s youngest sister,” Nik said. Trent sent him an appreciative smile. “She was always my favorite aunt growing up. Probably because going to see them was a special trip instead of an everyday thing. It’s easier to get around now with more roads. We used to have to travel the canals in boats to get to some places.”

  “They moved from Changanacherry to Ernakulam about the time Nikhilesh moved to the States,” Abilash added. “Have you seen their house in Ernakulam, chettan?”

  Abilash grabbed their suitcases before Trent could offer to help and swung them into the trunk of the Tata sedan. “No, I’ve only seen pictures,” Nik said. “Trent, do you want to sit in the front?”

  “No, go ahead,” Trent said. “You haven’t seen your cousin in a while. You’ll enjoy catching up with him. Besides, I’m so tired, I’ll probably be asleep as soon as we start moving.”

  Nik smiled at him, his expression a mixture of tenderness, sympathy, and love. Trent smiled back, sure everyone on the street could see how lucky he felt to be in love with Nik. While he knew they had to be discreet, he couldn’t make himself care at the moment. He climbed in the backseat of the car and let Nik and Abilash’s conversation wash over him. They switched to Malayalam, but Trent didn’t care. He was too tired to talk right now, and he’d need to be awake and functional when they got to Nik’s aunt’s house, so he’d take the time to rest now.

  The sound of the car door slamming startled him awake sometime later. He opened his eyes to meet Nik’s dark gaze over the back of the seat.

  “Are you ready for this?”

  “Of course,” Trent said automatically, but when he opened the car door and the hot, perfumed air hit him in the face like a brick wall, he stumbled a little.

  “Easy.” Nik grabbed his elbow to steady him. “Let’s go inside where it’s cool. We can have a cup of tea and you can take a shower. Then we’ll eat and sleep and feel better in the morning.”

  Trent hoped they’d be able to sleep together, but Abilash had mentioned rooms, not room, so he didn’t expect to get that lucky.

  “Can I have the shower before the tea?” Trent asked. Even after the drive in the cool car, he was hot and sticky and not fit for human company.

  “I’ll see if Susheela aunty has the water heater turned on,” Nik said. “If not, you might prefer to have your tea first while it heats up.”

  Trent blinked, trying to process the words.

  “It’s hot here, and electricity is expensive,” Nik reminded him. “A hot shower isn’t always pleasant, and even when it’s what people want, they prefer to heat the water at that moment and turn it off when they’re done so they don’t use electricity keeping the water hot.”

  It made sense when Nik explained it, but it was one more incredibly foreign thing after too many hours without sleep or anything familiar. Trent could feel a meltdown brewin
g. “I’ll deal with a cold shower if the water isn’t hot. I just need to be clean.”

  “Nikhilesh, why are you standing outside in the sun? Bring your friend and come inside.”

  “I’m sorry, aunty,” Nik said. “We were just talking for a minute. Do you want to go in, Trent? I’ll help Abilash with the bags.”

  “No, I can carry my own suitcase,” Trent said. “I’m not that far gone.”

  Nik’s expression betrayed his skepticism, but that was all the more reason for Trent to carry his own suitcase. Yes, it was hot and he was tired, but he wasn’t some helpless tourist who couldn’t cope with change. As soon as he’d had a shower and a nap, he’d prove it to everyone too.

  He took his shoes off without prompting when they got to the porch. A collection of sandals graced one corner so he added his tennis shoes to the pile. He had sandals that he would wear while he was in India, but he hadn’t wanted bare toes for the trip in case it was cold on the plane. He hesitated a moment, then pulled off his socks as well. He wouldn’t have to worry about his feet getting cold now that they had arrived. The cool stone floor felt good and the dim living room was a welcome change from the overly bright sunshine outside. Even with his sunglasses on, the glare had been almost painful. He hadn’t realized how hard his head was pounding until the pain eased a little. As his eyes adjusted, he took in the simple lines of the two-story house. A set of stairs to the right of the entrance led to an open balcony and a hallway on either side.

  “Your rooms are upstairs,” Nik’s aunt said. “I put you both on the same side of the house so you could share a bathroom. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “That’s fine, aunty,” Nik said. “We’re used to sharing space. We live together in Chicago. Did Amma not tell you?”

  “Just because you’re used to sharing space doesn’t mean you have to do it while you’re here,” she said primly. “I’ll show you up. Abilash, tell Leelavati aunty we’ll be there in time for lunch tomorrow.”

  “Yes, aunty.”

  Trent grabbed his suitcase and followed Nik and his aunt up the stairs. It was warmer on the second story but still much cooler than he would have expected given the temperature outside. He didn’t know how they did it, but he was grateful. He’d probably even get over having to sleep apart from Nik if it stayed cool like this in his room. He was too tired for sex, and it was too hot to cuddle. Nik’s aunt opened the door to a dim bedroom. Drapes were pulled across the windows and a fan whirred gently overhead. “This is Trent’s room. The bathroom is through that door. Nikhilesh’s room connects from the other side of the bathroom, so lock both doors when you’re in there, but be sure to unlock them both when you’re done.”

  “Thank you, aunty,” Trent said as he set his suitcase down.

  “Is the water hot, aunty?” Nik asked.

  “It should be. I turned it on an hour ago. Do you want to shower before we have tea?”

  “Yes, please,” Nik said. “Trent, you go first. Just tell me when you’re done.”

  Trent nodded and started digging in his suitcase for clean clothes. Nik’s aunt had left a towel on the end of the bed, so all he needed was something else to put on and his toiletries and he could finally get rid of the stench of travel. He heard the bedroom door close and Nik’s voice moving away down the hall as he continued to talk to his aunt, but he didn’t pay any attention to it. His focus had become single-minded. All that mattered was getting clean.

  He headed into the bathroom and stared for a minute at the open room. No shower stall, just a showerhead against one wall, a sink and a toilet, and a little hole where the floor met the wall in the corner where sunlight shone through. He blinked a couple of times and reminded himself he wasn’t at home anymore. As long as the water was hot, he didn’t care where it went after he was done with it. He stripped down and turned the water on. Stepping under the stream was sheer bliss, and he groaned in delight at the chance to be clean again. As he shampooed his hair, he could feel the fatigue disappearing with the sweat that had coated his scalp.

  He jumped out of his skin when he felt hands on his shoulders, massaging tenderly.

  “You didn’t lock the door,” Nik purred. “I took it as an invitation.”

  “We can’t have sex in your aunt’s bathroom when she’s waiting for us to come have tea,” Trent groaned. Nik chuckled and wrapped his arms around Trent’s waist, fitting their bodies together perfectly. Trent groaned again at the feeling of Nik’s cock nestled against his ass.

  “I wasn’t planning on having sex unless you have lube and condoms hidden under your towel. I was just coming to check on you. You sounded pretty out of it when we were talking to Susheela aunty.”

  “I’m tired, hot, and I have a headache,” Trent said. “Sorry I wasn’t at my best.”

  Nik turned Trent in his arms until they were facing each other. “Hey, I didn’t mean it that way. I know this is hard. The long trip, too many strange things, all my family… that’s why I came in—to make sure you were okay, not to make you feel worse. I can leave if you’d rather be alone.”

  “No, I’m the one who should apologize,” Trent said with a sigh. He leaned into Nik’s arms. “Is the adjoining bathroom your aunt’s way of letting us sleep together without acknowledging we’re sleeping together?”

  “Probably,” Nik said. “I didn’t ask because I didn’t want to make an issue of it. We’ll only be here for one night. Once we get to my parents’ house, we’ll be able to share a room without hiding it. They won’t bother with any kind of elaborate charade. If nothing else, they don’t have space with my sister, brother, sister-in-law, and nieces all coming home to meet you.”

  “But isn’t that a charade in itself?” Trent asked as he reached for the soap. Nik took it from his hands and worked up a lather. He rubbed his hands over Trent’s chest. Trent took comfort in the familiar touch, his touchstone amid all the foreignness of India.

  “No, they know we’re together, and they’re fine with it. And like I said, it was a good sign that Abilash picked us up at the airport. It will be fine, and if it isn’t, it’s only two weeks. When it’s over, we’ll go home, and if you hate it, you never have to come back again.”

  Trent didn’t reply, choosing to take the soap and wash Nik’s chest instead. They were both tired, and that was never a good time to talk things through. He didn’t want to hate India. He didn’t want this to be the only time they ever came to see Nik’s family. He just didn’t want to pretend they were just friends.

  They finished their shower in silence, stealing kisses here and there, not enough to arouse but just to remind each other they were there. By the time they were done, Trent was refreshed and mostly ready to face Nik’s aunt again. “Thank you. I needed that.”

  Nik kissed him sweetly. “Anytime, babe.”

  The endearment soothed the last of Trent’s nerves. Being in Kerala hadn’t changed the way Nik felt about him. He gave Nik a smile, a real one this time, and took a deep breath. “Okay, time for tea?”

  Nik looked him up and down. “Not until you get dressed. I’m not sharing you with anyone else.”

  Trent rolled his eyes. “After we get dressed, of course. Tea is next on the agenda, though, right?”

  “Right. Get dressed. I’ll do the same, and we can go down together. I don’t actually know where the dining room is either, but we can be lost together.”

  “As long as we’re together,” Trent said. He gathered up his clothes and went back into his room to put away his things and get dressed. He ran a comb through his hair, although as short as it was, it didn’t need much more than a good rub with a towel. He checked his shirt and trousers. Nik had suggested bringing light cotton or linen pants instead of shorts and polos instead of T-shirts, so Trent was a little more dressed up than he would usually have been on vacation, but Nik knew his family best. Trent had followed his advice, no questions asked.

  “WHAT WAS that dish called again?” Trent asked as they got ready for bed. Nik’s aun
t had said good night at the bottom of the steps, so they hadn’t bothered with the pretense of going into separate rooms.

  “Pavakka,” Nik said. “Bitter gourd. I can’t believe you like it. It’s one of the few things I just can’t make myself eat.”

  Trent shrugged. “I thought it was delicious, but you know I love Indian food.”

  “There’s a difference between Indian food in a restaurant in Chicago, even a good one, and what my aunts make,” Nik reminded him.

  “It was delicious,” Trent repeated. “Your aunt is a very good cook. I can’t believe how much of it was homegrown.”

  That, he’d learned, was the explanation for the hole in the bathroom floor. All the water from the shower flowed into downspouts and out to water the fruit trees and vegetable garden that surrounded the house. The engineer in Trent had appreciated the simple effectiveness of it. The foodie had appreciated the fresh produce even more.

  Nik smiled. “Feeling a little better about everything now?”

  “Yes, I’m still exhausted, but I’m not overly hot, hungry, or dirty anymore. And your aunt couldn’t have been more welcoming. I’m sorry for my meltdown earlier.”

  “You’re entitled,” Nik replied. He stretched out on the bed and patted the space beside him. “Come on, let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow will be another busy day. Ramakrishnan uncle wants to leave around ten so we’ll be to Alappuzha by lunchtime, so we can’t be lazy in the morning.”

  Trent folded his shirt and pants and lay down next to Nik in just his boxers. He let the cool air from the fan wash over him for a moment before rolling onto his side and kissing Nik softly. “I love you.”

  “Love you too. Sleep well.”

  HE’D EXPECTED to see farmland at some point as they left Ernakulam and drove toward Alappuzha because Nik had told him Kerala was a rural state, but it was one town after another the whole way. At first, Trent tried to watch for road signs so he could see where they were going, but he gave up after a few minutes. The few signs he saw were in Malayalam, which he couldn’t read, but most of the time he couldn’t even find signs in the first place. He was glad someone else was driving. Between the lack of signs and driving on the left side of the road, he would have had trouble, but that didn’t count the rickshaws and cyclists next to the cars. Or the fact that there were three lanes on the road and five cars across.