Chapter 5 - Chapter 5: Shadows at the Door

Emily Harper's heart thudded like a Bollywood climax drumbeat as she stared through the peephole. The man outside her apartment door stood under the dim porch light, his hood casting shadows over a face that felt achingly familiar. The envelope in his hand was creased, like it had been carried too long. Her mind raced to the texts from her father—I'm in Seattle. Just one talk. After 18 years of absence, was he really here, outside her door, while Arjun stood behind her, his presence both comforting and complicating everything?"Emily, you okay?" Arjun's voice was low, his hand hovering near her shoulder. The warmth of their curry-making disaster lingered in the air, along with the scent of ladoos and their almost-kiss during their impromptu Bollywood dance. But now, her cozy Seattle apartment felt like a stage for a drama she wasn't ready to face."I… don't know," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned, her green eyes wide with panic. "It might be someone I haven't seen in a long time."Arjun's brow furrowed, but he nodded, stepping closer. "Want me to open it?"She shook her head, her hand trembling as she gripped the doorknob. "No, I've got this." She wasn't sure if she was convincing him or herself. Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open.The man looked up, his hood slipping back. Graying hair, a weathered face, and eyes that mirrored hers—her father, Tom Harper. He was older than the faded photo her mom, Lila, kept hidden, but it was him. The man who'd left when she was ten, chasing a music career that never materialized."Emily," he said, his voice rough, like he'd rehearsed this moment. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just… I needed to see you."Her throat tightened, years of anger and hurt bubbling up. "You don't get to just show up, Dad. Not after 18 years." She clutched the doorframe, aware of Arjun's quiet presence behind her.Tom held out the envelope, his hands shaking slightly. "I wrote you letters. You didn't answer. I know I messed up, but I'm trying to make it right."Arjun stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "Maybe this isn't the best time, sir. Emily's got a lot going on."Tom's eyes flicked to Arjun, sizing him up. "You her boyfriend?""Something like that," Arjun said, his tone protective but not aggressive, like a Bollywood hero keeping the peace. Emily shot him a grateful glance, her heart doing that annoying flutter again."I just need five minutes," Tom pressed, his voice desperate. "Please, Emily."She wanted to slam the door, to pretend he didn't exist, but curiosity—and maybe a flicker of hope—stopped her. "Not here," she said finally. "There's a coffee shop around the corner. Tomorrow, noon. That's all you get."Tom nodded, relief flashing across his face. "Thank you. I'll be there." He hesitated, then turned and disappeared into the rainy Seattle night, leaving Emily clutching the envelope like it might burn her.She closed the door, her knees weak. Arjun guided her to the couch, his touch gentle. "You don't have to tell me everything," he said, echoing their curry-making moment. "But I'm here."Emily sank onto the couch, the envelope in her lap. "That was my dad. He left when I was a kid. Mom raised me alone. He's been sending texts, letters… I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want to deal with it." Her voice cracked, and she hated how vulnerable she sounded.Arjun sat beside her, his warmth grounding. "My brother, Rohan… when he died, it broke my family. I know what it's like to carry something heavy alone. You don't have to."She looked at him, his brown eyes steady, and something shifted. Maybe it was the ladoos, or the way he'd laughed through her curry disaster, or how he hadn't pushed her to spill everything. She leaned into him, just a little, and he didn't pull away."Thanks," she whispered. "You're… kind of great, you know."He smiled, a shy Bollywood-hero grin. "Only kind of? I'll have to work on that. Maybe teach you chai next, so you don't burn down Seattle."She laughed, the tension easing. "Deal. But if I ruin chai, you're banned from quoting Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge at me.""Never," he said, mock-horrified. "Raj and Simran are sacred." He hummed a bar of "Tujhe Dekha To," and she swatted him, their laughter filling the room like a Diwali sparkler.But as they cleaned up the kitchen, her phone buzzed with a text from Jake: Vik's asking about you. Says he found something weird in your college records. Watch out. Her stomach twisted. Vik's suspicions were closing in, and now her father was back. How long could she keep her past buried?The next day, Emily sat in Brewed Awakening, the same coffee shop where she'd first met Arjun. The rain pattered outside, and the scent of espresso mixed with her nerves. Arjun had offered to come, but she'd insisted on facing her father alone. Still, his words from last night—I'm here—kept her steady.Tom slid into the booth across from her, looking out of place among the hipster baristas and laptop warriors. "You look like your mom," he said, his voice soft. "Strong. Stubborn.""Don't talk about Mom," Emily snapped, clutching her coffee. "You left her—us—for some pipe dream. Why now?"Tom sighed, sliding the envelope across the table. "I was a fool, Emily. Chasing music, thinking I'd be a star. I failed, and I was too ashamed to come back. But I'm sober now, working a steady job. I want to know you."She stared at the envelope, her fingers itching to open it but her heart screaming to run. "You think a letter fixes 18 years? I don't even know you.""I know," he said, his eyes pleading. "But I'm trying. Read it, please. It's everything I couldn't say back then."Before she could respond, the door chimed, and Vik walked in, his flashy jacket unmistakable. He spotted her, his smirk sharp, and headed over. Emily's pulse spiked. Had he followed her?"Emily, fancy meeting you here," Vik said, his tone too casual. "Arjun know you're catching up with old friends?" His eyes flicked to Tom, lingering with suspicion."He's not a friend," Emily said tightly, her mind racing. Did Vik know about her father? Was this the "weird" thing Jake mentioned?Tom stood, sensing the tension. "I'll go. Noon tomorrow, same place?" Emily nodded reluctantly, and he left, the envelope still unopened on the table.Vik slid into the booth, uninvited. "Arjun's my best friend," he said, his voice low. "I looked into you. Some stuff in your past doesn't add up—college records, a plagiarism scandal. You hiding more?"Emily's blood ran cold. The plagiarism thing was a misunderstanding from her freshman year, cleared up long ago, but it was a sore spot. How had Vik found it? And was he connecting it to her father? "You don't know me, Vik," she said, standing. "Stay out of my life."She stormed out, the envelope in her hand, rain soaking her as she headed home. Her phone buzzed—Arjun: How'd it go? Want to make chai tonight? She smiled despite herself, but Vik's words gnawed at her. If he was digging, how long before Arjun doubted her too?As she reached her apartment, she noticed a figure lingering across the street, watching her. Not Tom—someone younger, in a hoodie. Her heart raced. Was Vik having her followed, or was her father's return stirring up more than old wounds?She clutched the envelope, its weight heavier than ever. Whatever was inside, it was about to change everything.