Sara Desai - The Marriage Game

W HEN Layla walked into The Spice Mill Restaurant after yet another disastrous relationship, she expected hugs and kisses, maybe a murmur of sympathy, or even a cheerful Welcome home.

Instead, she got a plate of samosas and a pitcher of water for table twelve.

There are fresh poppadums in the kitchen, her mother said. Dont forget to offer them to all the guests. Not even a glimmer of emotion showed on her mothers gently lined face. Layla could have been any one of the half-dozen servers who worked at her parents restaurant instead of the prodigal daughter who had returned to San Francisco, albeit with a broken heart.

She should have known better than to show up during opening hours expecting to pour out her heart. The middle child in a strict, academic, reserved family, her mother wasnt given to outward displays of affection. But after the emotional devastation of walking in on her social media star boyfriend, Jonas Jameson, as he snorted the last of her savings off of two naked models, Layla had hoped for something more than being put to work.

It was her childhood all over again.

Yes, Mom. She dutifully carried the plate and pitcher to the table and chatted briefly with the guests about the restaurants unique decor. Decorated in exotic tones of saffron, gold, ruby, and cinnamon with accent walls representing the natural movement of wind and fire, and a cascading waterfall layered with beautiful landscaped artificial rocks and tiny plastic animals, the restaurant was the embodiment of her late brothers dream to re-create India in the heart of San Francisco.

The familiar scentscinnamon, pungent turmeric, and smoky cuminbrought back memories of evenings spent stirring dal, chopping onions, and rolling roti in the bustling kitchen of her parents first restaurant in Sunnyvale under the watchful army of chefs who followed the recipes developed by her parents. What had seemed fun as a child, and an imposition as a teenager, now filled her with a warm sense of nostalgia, although she would have liked just one moment of her mothers time.

On her way to the kitchen for the poppadums, she spotted her nieces coloring in a booth and went over to greet them. Her parents looked after them in the evenings when their mom, Rhea, was busy at work.

Layla Auntie! Five-year-old Anika and six-year-old Zaina, their long dark hair in pigtails, ran to give her a hug.

Did you bring us anything from New York? Zaina asked.

Layla dropped to her knees and put her arms around her nieces. I might have brought a few presents with me, but I left them at the house. I didnt think Id see you here.

Can we go with you and get them? They planted sticky kisses on her cheeks, making her laugh.

Ill bring them tomorrow. What have you been eating?

Jalebis. Anika held up a bright orange, pretzel-shaped sweet similar to a funnel cake.

Yesterday we helped Dadi make chocolate peda, Zaina informed her, using the Urdu term for paternal grandmother.

And the day before that we made