10 Things I Hate About Pinky - Sandhya Menon Page 0,118

to you and your target buyer. It’s right off the interstate, for one, which is incredibly convenient. And it would have a view of the ocean from the very top floors.”

Diana Rea appeared to consider this. “I’ll have to have my lawyers look this over, of course,” she said, tapping one long fingernail on her phone screen. “But I don’t think I have any objections at this time. Although this is very unorthodox.”

Pinky’s mother nodded and extended her hand for a firm handshake. Diana Ria shook, then walked off to speak with the excavator driver. The mayor cleared his throat. “Excuse me,” he said to them. “I should go speak with the residents.”

Gloria nodded. “Actually, I’ll come with you. I’d like to break the news to them, if that’s okay.”

“But of course,” the mayor replied, smiling.

They trudged back toward the protesters just as the excavator began to back out. Everyone looked at Gloria with expectant faces. A few scowled at the mayor.

“Good news!” Gloria said. “Thanks to some excellent legwork by Pinky Kumar and Samir Jha”—she pointed at them and Pinky flushed, while Samir put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed—“and this esteemed attorney from San Francisco”—here, Gloria pointed at Pinky’s mom—“and of course your powerful enthusiasm”—gesturing at the crowd—“the butterfly habitat will not be razed!”

The crowd cheered so loudly, Pinky’s ears rang. Gloria continued. “And the mayor was so blown away by your support in this matter, he was more than willing to offer Diana Ria a different spot for her condos. One far away from your neighborhoods.” Not strictly true, but it was nice of Gloria to toss him a bone. He’d come around.

Mayor Thomas raised his hands to quiet the cheering and then began to give a little humble-braggy speech. Pinky supposed he couldn’t help it. He was a politician, after all.

She turned to her mom, with Samir at her side. “Thanks for the assist,” she said carefully, still not sure exactly what had transpired. “You… you didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did.” Pinky’s mom stepped forward and put her hands on Pinky’s shoulders. “You needed my support and… I should’ve given it to you a long time ago, Pinky. A long, long time ago.”

“I’m going to go find Dolly.” Samir squeezed Pinky’s hand briefly and began walking away.

“What do you mean?” Pinky asked her mom, her heart thumping in disbelief. “Are you saying…?”

“I’m saying I’m sorry,” her mom said, looking her right in the eye. “For all the times I told you to change who you are. For all the times I didn’t support you like I should have. For all the times you felt so alone.” She blinked rapidly, her eyes pink around the edges. “I love you. You’re my only daughter, and I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Pinky licked her dry lips. “Then why?” she asked. “Why have you always seemed so disappointed in me?”

Her mom smiled a little. “It wasn’t disappointment, Pinky. It was fear.”

“Fear?” Pinky frowned a little.

“I was so afraid you were turning into me. I was so afraid you were just like me.”

“But I thought you said we weren’t anything alike,” Pinky pointed out, remembering that conversation, the horrible sting of hurt and rejection.

“That’s what I wanted to believe.” Her mom shook her head. “I desperately wanted to believe that. Because who I used to be…” She stopped and looked away, as if gathering herself. “When I found out I was pregnant with you, my parents told me I was selfish. That I could never look after a child.”

Pinky was silent as she listened, not wanting to break the spell of her mom’s uncharacteristic candidness.

“They were being mean, but they were also honest. And they were right. I’d spent my life just flitting from one passion to the other, fighting for those less fortunate than me. A lot like you.” She caressed Pinky’s cheek. “And that was good for then. But when I got pregnant, I realized I had a little child to take care of. I realized how ill prepared I was for that. I’d lacked focus, and that would affect not just me, but you as well. It was the lowest point of my life. I was terrified; I sank into a depression for a while. I didn’t want that happening to you. I didn’t want you to ever feel like you didn’t know how to handle something life threw your way. I wanted you to be secure in this world, to be well