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Shemade a pffff noise.
‘Big, there’s stuff you don’t know.’
‘Tellme then.’
Hestopped and considered whether to share what he knew aboutFrancesca.Hedidn’t want his sister to hate her.Ifhe was going to be withFrancesca, then he couldn’t keep them away from each other.Heloved them both.Andhe especially loved the little nugget inAnkita’sarms.
Sohe told her.Heexplained thatFrancescahad fertility issues and that the fact she couldn’t have kids made her think that he was better off without her.Healso mentioned her family and how they had always made her feel lesser.Hehad never really understood her relationship with them until now, but as he explained it, everythingFrancescahad ever said about her family made sudden sense, reframed by his new knowledge.
PoorFrancesca.Hehad the urge to rush over to her flat.
‘Letme get this straight,’Ankitasaid as she switched the baby to her other breast whileKrishaverted his eyes, ‘sheliedto you, made up a boyfriend, broke your heart, and now you want to pretend like that’s all okay?’
‘Tryputting yourself in her shoes,Big.Shewas afraid.Iknow that’s a foreign emotion to you, but…try.’
‘Idon’t know.Youstill need to think about this long and hard.Ifyou end up marrying her, then you’ll never havethis.’Sheindicated the suckling at her chest.
Hisvoice rose with unintended anger. ‘Youdo know there are other ways to have a family, right?Andif we do, we do.Andif we don’t, then we just don’t.Idon’tneeda child to qualify my life.Myego isn’t so big thatIfeelIneed to fill the world with tinyKrishes.’
Theireyes battled in a mutual stand-off, as they had many other times throughout their lives.However, none of those times felt half as important as this one.Hestared harder.Herlips quirked to the side.Finally, she said, ‘Ibeg to differ.Theworld needs more people like you,Little.’
Andhe knew that was the closest she’d come to admitting she was wrong (god forbid), at least for now.Besides, he didn’t want to fight with her after she’d just given birth to the cutest baby in the world.
Thesound of his phone ringing cut through the silence of the private room.Fora brief second he hoped it wasFrancesca.Hewas aching to see her.
Butit wasStella. ‘Krish?’Hecould hear the desperate tears in her voice. ‘Ican’t findConnor.’
‘Stella, what’s happened?’
‘It’sGrace.Shefell down the stairs.I’mat the hospital with her now.’
Hestood up, alert. ‘Ohmy god!Isshe okay?’
‘Idon’t know.They’rechecking her for concussion.ButI’vetried callingConnor, and he’s nowhere to be found.’
Krishthought for a second. ‘Didyou ping his phone?’
‘Yes, but it’s turned off.’
Strange.Connornever turned off his phone.
Stellaexplained, ‘Hehad a meeting with a picture editor fromVoguetoday, but that should have ended hours ago.’
Thosewords twigged something in his memory, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. ‘Okay, send me the address of where you are andI’llsee ifIcan track him down.’
‘Thankyou,Krish.You’rea good friend.’
‘AndStella, don’t worry.Gracewill be okay.’Hehung up and hoped it was true.ToAnkita, he said. ‘Ihave to go.’
‘Igathered.Go, go!’
Hisphone dinged with the address of the hospital.Itwas on the other side of town near theKnights’ home inLittleVenice.
WherecouldConnorbe?
Krishcalled his ex-boss’ number and had the same result asStella.Buthe still had access toConnor’sdiary, and he checked the entry for today.Itsaid:PicEdVogue/VVand the location was set to theConnaughtHotel.
Mayfair.
