Light over darkness
Monday mornings in Royal Woods were usually a tad gloomy, however, for Shannon Tannenbaum, this one was gloomier than usual. Under normal circumstances, she should be happy. She had graduated from Royal Woods High School with glowing grades and had the best prom night with her girlfriend, Ruby Patel. While they didn't win prom queens, that didn't matter, as they considered each other their respective queens. The only real catch in this is how her family reacted to the revelation that she was seeing a girl, and that she was bisexual.
Flashback begins
Shannon had the bright idea to invite every member of her extended family over to the new Tannenbaum house to see what Shannon, Daniel, and Candice have done with the place. This, Shannon thought, was also an opportune moment to sprinkle in the revelation of her sexuality and her relationship with Ruby into the conversation. The morning after the new Tannenbaum Pride flag was flown high on the front yard, Shannon's aunt Catherine, her uncle David, and their son and daughter Lewis and Kimberley. Also parking close to the new house were Shannon's paternal grandparents, Jacob and Rhea Tannenbaum. It was their reaction that Shannon feared most of all. They were very Orthodox in their beliefs. To hear that their grand-daughter was in a same-sex relationship could make them uncomfortable at best and outright angry at worst.
"Good to see you, brother. I like the new house. Definitely a lot bigger than that apartment. Very nice," David greeted.
"I agree. There's lots more space for family gatherings such as this," Rhea noted.
"Thanks. It's been a long time coming," Daniel acknowledged.
"I see you're flying the Jewish flag. Well done, son. Always be proud of your heritage, though, what's with the colour scheme?" Jacob inquired, noting the unusual colours in the background.
"That's…another thing we invited you here for. Please, everyone come in. We have lots to discuss," Candice answered.
"I'm sure we do. Come on, kids, wipe your feet," Catherine led her brood inside the house. After everyone got a tour of the bottom floor of the new house, they sat down at the dining room table.
"The house is immaculate, son. Truly befitting of a traditional Jewish family. I see you kept my menorah as the centerpiece," Rhea observed.
"Glad you approve," Daniel replied.
"Enough stalling, dear. Shannon said she had some big news to share. I, for one, would like to get to it," Jacob urged.
"Father, please, let the girl get to it in her own time," David calmed.
"Of course, of course, these things shouldn't be rushed. My apologies, Shannon," Jacob retracted.
"No, Grampa, it's fine. If I don't say this now, I probably never will," Shannon responded. At that moment, Shannon's cousin Lewis, being ever the curious third-grader, spotted a picture on the mantle and inspected it closely.
"Hey, who's this girl?" Lewis asked. Lewis had seen the prom prints of Shannon and Ruby in their prom dresses. Kimberley, a fifth-grader, then eyed the photo.
"She looks so pretty," Kimberley complimented.
"She sure does, Kim. That is Ruby Patel, a class-mate of mine and…. also….. my girlfriend," Shannon finally revealed. The mood in the room changed instantly, but only for the aunt, uncle, and grand-parents. The cousins had no visible objections whatsoever.
"Girlfriend?" Kimberley probed.
"Yeah, you see, some girls can like other girls the same way girls like boys, and….." Shannon began, but David then pulled Lewis and Kimberley back.
"I think that's quite enough," David objected. Daniel then got very defensive.
"Hey, what's up with you? She's only teaching them basic facts!" Daniel stated.
"Now, dear, you know they're going to find out about this stuff eventually," Catherine reasoned, but Jacob and Rhea took on a harder stance.
"We don't need this corruption spreading in our family!" Rhea asserted. Now Daniel got really angry.
"I'm sorry, CORRUPTION?! Are you saying my daughter's an aberration?!" Daniel shouted.
"We knew she was always a rebel, but THIS?! Going down this sinful path, with an Indian, no less. Didn't we teach you ANYTHING?!" Jacob ranted.
"And what, may I ask, is wrong with her seeing an Indian girl?!" Candice argued.
"You just answered your own question! How can we keep a pure, Jewish bloodline going when this, this, TAINT is staining our family name. She'll never ascend to the Kingdom of Heaven if she carries on like this!" Jacob raved.
"Mother, father, please. I'm sure this is just a phase that certain teens go through," David tried to defuse the tension. Now it was Shannon's turn to stand her ground.
"Ruby is not a phase! I love her, and she loves me!" Shannon affirmed.
"No, your uncle's right. The sooner you see that this is wrong, the better. I'm calling a therapist who will hopefully straighten you out, pun very much intended," Rhea decided. She was about to make a call on her cell when Daniel slapped it out of her hand.
"You will do NO SUCH THING, mother! Shannon is my daughter, and I love her regardless of her choice in partner! She does NOT need therapy! She does NOT need 'straightening out'! I want all of you out of my house right now! This is a bi-friendly house with no room for such toxicity!" Daniel ordered. Jacob then stood between Daniel and Rhea.
"She needs curing. You are failing her as a father by encouraging this deviance!" Jacob countered. At that point, Daniel grabbed Jacob by the collar.
"Say that again and I'll lay you out, old man! Get out! GET OUT BEFORE I REALLY LOSE MY TEMPER!" Daniel bellowed.
"David, we should leave. The kids are scared," Catherine suggested. It was true, Lewis and Kimberley were cowering behind Catherine in pure fear. Thinking of the kids, David agreed and left the Tannenbaum household, rather conflicted about the whole affair.
"Don't worry, Shannon. I'm sure they'll…. Shannon?" Candice tried to re-assure her daughter that things will turn out fine, but she saw that Shannon was nowhere in sight. Acting on instinct, Candice raced upstairs to find Shannon lying on her bed, crying into a pillow. She could still hear the arguments between her dad and her grand-parents downstairs. At this point, Candice retreated to her own room, lost for words, and broke down herself.
Flashback ends
Shannon had always been close to her grandparents before this. She found herself thinking back to all the fun times they had together when she was a little girl. Grampa Jacob had planned every single detail of her Bat Mitzvah, even the Rabbi was a close friend of his. Grandma Rhea passed down her cherished Hanukkah menorah to her last year. Now, that bond may well have been shattered forever. This left Shannon depressed and withdrawn, which got her friends and family very concerned. Ruby, in particular, wanted to see her smile again, and with upcoming dates on her calendar, she knew just how to do it.
Today, for Ruby and her family, marked the first day of Diwali, a Hindu holiday that spanned over five days. She thought that this would be the best way to lift Shannon's spirits after her family drama. She made her way down to the living room and saw that her parents, Mohammad and Diya Patel, already hard at work cleaning up the place.
"You started without me?" Ruby remarked.
"Sorry, Ruby. Diwali waits for no person. Besides, I always did like the Diwali clean-up. Good way to exercise at the start of the holiday," Mohammad mused.
"It is also very therapeutic. Nothing like cleaning up to make your troubles float away. Give it a try," Diya encouraged. Personally, Ruby preferred the part of the holiday where she got to buy sweets with her parents' money. However, when she heard the word 'therapeutic' an idea came into her head.
"Hey, guys, you think we can, like, get Shannon in on this? Her coming out, like, didn't go down so well with the grandparents, and she's feeling, like, pretty bummed," Ruby requested. Mohammad and Diya then felt a great swell of sympathy for Ruby's girlfriend. They considered themselves fortunate that Ruby's family took the news all in stride. In fact, Mohammad had to stop his brother-in-law from spray-painting a Pride flag on the hotel wall.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Call her over. We'll save some spots for her," Diya agreed. Ruby then got out her cell phone and called Shannon, who promptly responded.
"Hey, Rubes," Shannon responded, albeit with a depressed tone.
"Hey, Shans, you OK?" Ruby asked.
"Honestly, no. My aunt and uncle think I'm some sort of black sheep and my grandparents are bleeping loudly about how I'm going to Hell. My dad argued with them for three hours, and my mum can't stop crying. I need a break," Shannon ranted. Ruby felt for her girl. She couldn't imagine what she must be going through. Hopefully, the Diwali preparations would cheer her up.
"Listen, Shans, I think I might be able to, like, take you mind off this, at least for a little while. My parents and I are preparing for Diwali, our festival of lights. I'll warn you, the first day, like, does involve cleaning, but we also release, like, these cute little sky lamps into the air. My mum says it's good for your mind. Wanna come over and help? Otherwise, I'm, like, stuck cleaning the living room by myself," Ruby explained. This intrigued Shannon. Normally, she hated doing chores, but all she had planned for the day was sit in bed and mope, and anything would beat that. Plus, she would spend the day with Ruby, and that was always a positive, no matter what they were doing.
"OK, I'm in, but no toilets!" Shannon insisted. Ruby laughed heartily at that comment.
"Don't worry, I'll get mum to give dad the bathroom," Ruby bargained.
"Cool, see you there," Shannon replied and terminated the call. A few minutes later, a car pulled up beside the house, and Shannon got out to knock on the Patel's door. Diya enthusiastically let her in, then pulled her into an impromptu hug.
"Ruby told us what happened with your grandparents. I am so sorry, sweetie, are you OK?" Diya inquired.
"I will be as soon as I can keep busy, take my mind off it," Shannon answered.
"Well, the cleaning's almost done. You can help Ruby with the décor. On the first day, we decorate the main entrance with these lights and lanterns to welcome in Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity," Diya explained.
"I hope she, like, blesses us when we're away in New York," Shannon quipped. Ruby smiled and laughed, hoping the same, as living in New York racked up quite a bill, even for two people. Ruby could recall the first time Shannon introduced her to the sitcom 'Friends'. She wondered how most of them were able to afford their lavish apartments. She understood Ross being able to afford to live there, as he was a college professor, but the others she had problems believing they could make rent half the time, especially Joey. Diya then handed Ruby and Shannon the lights, lanterns, and motifs of rangoli design to place all around the entryway to their home. While Mohammad and Diya left to clean other rooms of the house, Ruby and Shannon had a moment alone.
"Thanks for coming, Shans. We've been worried about you. All of us former drama club members," Ruby disclosed. Even though they had graduated high school and technically were not in a drama club anymore, the group still kept in touch with each other, and vowed to remain such good friends even when life takes them far apart. Amy and Rex planned to go to college together, much like Ruby and Shannon, only they planned to go to California, to soak up the sun more than they could in Michigan. Luan and Benny set their sights on Chicago, even though everyone expected Luan to go to Great Lakes University, but Luan told her family that she didn't want to rely on family friend connections to make her way in life.
"I needed this, Rubes. It's a suitable distraction. Your mum was right, this is therapeutic," Shannon replied while hanging up more decorations.
"You, like, don't need that toxicity in your life, Shans. Anyone that doesn't wanna know you is, like, seriously missing out on this awesome person," Ruby consoled.
"You sound like my dad. He said the exact same thing. But it's hard, cutting off someone you used to be so close to," Shannon divulged.
"I know, Shans. It wasn't easy for me splitting off from Spencer, but I had to do it. He wasn't right for me, and the way he used me. But if I didn't do it, I wouldn't have you. Sometimes, the band-aid has to be ripped off," Ruby advised. Given the absence of 'likes' in her speech, Shannon could tell that Ruby was serious.
"You're right, but for now, I'd prefer to get invested in this Diwali stuff you have going on right now," Shannon responded.
"That's the spirit, girl," Ruby encouraged. The rest of the day passed without incident, and Shannon did not think about her grandparents once while they were decorating the house, which looked spectacular. Ruby suspected that her mother's initial dream of becoming an interior decorator must have come to play at some point. Looking at all this, Ruby had to ask how that dream never came to fruition, given her obvious talent. It put her own aspirations into perspective. Was she dreaming too much? Was it worth having a fallback option in case show-business didn't pan out, or if she wanted to choose a different career? Questions for another time, as the evening ritual was about to commence.
"Everything's ready," Diya called out. On the backyard, Ruby and Shannon could see balloons with candles tied to the bottom.
"At the end of the first day of Diwali, we release these lights into the sky, as an offering to Yama, goddess of death, to avert untimely demises during this time," Ruby explained.
"Plus, they look beautiful," Shannon noted.
"Not as beautiful as you, love," Ruby complimented. Shannon chuckled nervously.
"Oh stop. No seriously, stop, we have an audience," Shannon replied, and Ruby turned to see her parents watching them.
"You two will probably wanna be alone. We'll just brighten the decorations," Mohammad notified. He and Diya left Ruby and Shannon alone in the backyard with their thoughts, and each other.
"Things will be OK, Shans. We've weathered worse than this," Ruby assured.
"It's nice to know that, whatever happens, I have you with me," Shannon responded.
"You always will," Ruby said before the two lip-locked again, a beautiful kiss before a night sky filled with lamps signifying well-wishes. Despite the cold of the night, Shannon felt warmer than ever. She thought that maybe, just maybe, things will be better, and if not, she had Ruby, and that was all she really wanted or needed.
The next day of Diwali was to be spent with all the drama club, not just Shannon. Ruby had explained to them all that a large breakfast is had by everyone close to the Patels; relatives and friends alike. This meant that Ruby's extended family will be over to eat, as well as business associates of Mohammad. For this reason, this feast would be held at the hotel, not the Patel house, for it was the only place that could accommodate everyone at once. Ruby enjoyed this day of Diwali, because once the breakfast was eaten, Ruby then got to buy sweets to make the delicacies that would be served with the mid-day meal. Today, she would share that honour with Shannon. The drama club consisting of Spencer, Luan, Benny, Lyberti, Leo, Parvana, Amy, Rex, and most importantly, Shannon, arrived at the hotel and were greeted to a veritable feast straight out of the Harry Potter movies.
"Woah, there's enough here to feed everyone in my house five times over," Luan remarked.
"That's my mum for you. She, like, goes all out on this part of Diwali," Ruby replied.
"Maybe she and my dad should hang out," Luan hinted.
"You're not fattening us up so you can eat us, right?" Amy joked.
"Don't worry, the only thing I have a serious appetite for is hot Jewish blintzes," Ruby responded in kind. This made Shannon go fifty shades of red.
"I just hope there's enough sausages to satiate me. Hahahahaha, get it?" Luan punned, which made Benny blush hard and cross his legs.
"Save some for me," Amy matched Luan's wit.
"Take it from me, she can never get enough," Rex quipped.
"Yeah, we all know," Spencer remarked.
"Can we please not play with the food? I'm starving," Lyberti shut down the sexy food puns.
"Thank you, Lyberti. Let's tuck in," Shannon urged. Everyone sat down in their section of the hall and began eating the enormous breakfast. Ruby was pleased to notice that Shannon was smiling again, so her main objective with this holiday had already been accomplished. However, she had to wonder how long this would last. Shannon did have to go back home at some point, to what would no doubt be a family discussion on recent events. That was tomorrow's battle. Today was all about forgetting those troubles and sharing a part of her culture with her girlfriend. Once everyone had had their share, Ruby then got everyone's attention.
"Thanks for coming, today. I'm sure all of you have heard what went on at the Tannenbaum house. I thought this would bring a much-needed smile on my girl's face, and I can see that it has worked wonders," Ruby said gratefully.
"I still can't process it. Corruption? Pure, Jewish bloodline? Taint? Your grand-parents really said all that? Our families have been friends for years. How could we not see that darkness all that time?" Benny wondered.
"My dad came close to punching Grampa Jacob in the face," Shannon disclosed.
"Shoulda done it, if you ask me. Seriously, what century is this?" Spencer replied.
"Let's not dwell on it too much. We're here to stuff our faces and enjoy ourselves. As per tradition, I will go fruit and sweet shopping with Shannon so we can make the dishes for the mid-day meal. Any special requests?" Ruby indicated.
"Bananas, please," Luan immediately asked.
"Will there be ice cream?" Rex probed. Ruby sighed heavily.
"One of these days, we're going to have to, like, plan a slumber party so we can, like, get these 'urges' out of our system," Ruby vented.
"That's not a bad idea. I'll host," Shannon volunteered. Everyone 'oooooo'ed' and Ruby went as red as her namesake.
"You're getting extra sweet stuff for that," Ruby praised. While Ruby and Shannon left to pick up the sweet stuff, they left the drama club to their own devices. On the way to the candy store, Ruby noticed that Shannon's smile started to disappear, and a creeping sense of dread threatened to take its place.
"Anything in particular that you want?" Ruby asked in an effort to distract Shannon from her troubles.
"You know me, I'm not much of a candy person. I happen to like my dentist," Shannon replied.
"Come on, this only comes around, like, once a year. There's gotta be something. I know. Since you're, like, going through such a tough time, I'll get, like, extra chocolate stuff. That always cheers me up," Ruby suggested.
"That sounds nice. It's also a potent aphrodisiac. Put enough of that stuff in me, and we might just rent a room tonight," Shannon joked. Ruby then started to get thoughts in her head of her and Shannon sharing a bed, making love in a four-poster, and with her being a teenager, the daydream quickly turned into an erotic fantasy, one where she didn't want to leave, but had to be snapped back into reality by Shannon.
"Yo, Earth to Rubes. We're here," Shannon alerted Ruby to their arrival at the candy store. Despite coming here many times since moving to Royal Woods, Ruby never got enough of the place. However, the candy wasn't the sweetest thing in the store right now. At least, not since Shannon walked in with her. The clerk then immediately recognised Ruby.
"Hello, Ruby. The Diwali package, I presume?" the clerk guessed.
"Hello, Joseph. Yes, that and some extras. Charge it to my parents' credit card. We're having it at the hotel this year," Ruby informed.
"What kind of extras?" Joseph inquired.
"Let's see, Luan wanted bananas to turn Benny on with, Rex wanted ice cream. Parvana's a real fan of strawberry-flavoured stuff. Leo wants a load of gummis, oh, and this is my girlfriend, Shannon. She needs all the chocolate you can stuff into a delivery crate," Ruby rounded off, while also introducing Shannon to Joseph, a family friend of the Patels.
"Excellent. I assume you want it all by mid-day today? No worries, I can have someone deliver that right now," Joseph assured. Ruby then handed Joseph her parents' credit card, and all was arranged and paid for. All that was left was to return to the hotel to await delivery and get everyone together to eat again.
Once the food had been delivered, it took the hotel catering staff an hour to prepare the mid-day feast, although Shannon had to note that, after a large breakfast, she felt like she would explode if she ate any more, and the rest of the drama club must've thought the same way. Nope, for when they arrived back at the hotel after doing whatever it was they did, their mouths were drooling at the sight. Along with the usual lunch items, there were parfaits, banana splits, bowls of sweet and savoury candy, and of course, enough chocolate to make Willy Wonka hang up his hat in shame.
"You are spoiling us today, Rubes," Benny teased.
"Make sure my dad doesn't see this, or your hotel will have to get flood insurance due to his 'inadequacy tears'," Luan cautioned.
"This hotel is so getting 5 stars on TripAdvisor," Lyberti complimented.
"After this, dinner will be an after-thought," Spencer reacted.
"When it comes to Diwali, my family goes, like, all out. Enjoy," Ruby beckoned. Everyone took seats and began gorging just like they did at breakfast. Predictably, Luan used bananas to tease Benny.
"Do you have to do that?" Benny whispered while keeping his legs firmly crossed. Luan ignored him and continued her hinting. Amy noticed what Luan was doing, and shot her a sly grin that said 'You go, girl'.
"Why can't she just duck under the table like you do?" Rex asked.
"You know Luan, she's never one for subtlety," Amy surmised. After Shannon was done with her lunch, she tucked into a slice of chocolate log, and from the first bite, all her troubles seemed to float away. Looking around at her friends, no, her second family, as well as Ruby, made her feel like nothing could harm her. Not her grand-parents, not her judgmental family, no-one. She wanted this to last forever. Then the aphrodisiac properties of the dessert kicked in, and she was now imagining making a home with Ruby. Just them, and the things they could get up to. She made a vow to herself that the next time she had the house to herself, to arrange that slumber party, and share a bed with Ruby for the first time, just to see how it felt like.
Soon enough, everyone had had their fill (again) and evening set in. The drama club said their farewells and informed their respective families that for them, dinner was off, or greatly reduced, as they could not eat another bite after two feasts in four hours. Ruby and Shannon were sure that Benny would be having a cold shower before bed after Luan's relentless teasing. For the evening ritual, Ruby wanted some time alone with Shannon outside in the backyard. As the sun set and the stars came out, Ruby and Shannon were sat on a bench, stargazing like Shannon used to do on the rooftop of the apartment building she used to live at.
"I see why you stargazed, Shans. It's, like, so relaxing," Ruby observed.
"You sure that's not the six chocolate cookies you scarfed down a few hours ago?" Shannon joked.
"Oh, please. I thought you'd, like, pass out after you ate, like, half that cake," Ruby responded in kind.
"Hey, you got the extra chocolate," Shannon rebuffed.
"Yes. Yes I did. Is it working for you?" Ruby inquired.
"Well, I don't feel guilty about wanting your hot Indian ass. Does that count?" Shannon wondered.
"Only if I can have those hot Jewish melons in return," Ruby flirted.
"Deal," Shannon agreed. Ruby then got on top of Shannon and the two engaged in a chocolate-fuelled make-out sessions, with both sets of hands wandering over to where they wanted to touch most, but before contact could be made, the fireworks went off, bringing them back to cold reality.
"Bad timing, Dad," Ruby remarked. Shannon, however, was unphased by the disturbance.
"Oh well, there's always next time. It might not be long before I get the house to myself at some point, and I did say next time we played, we went all the way. You down?" Shannon probed.
"Most def," Ruby eagerly agreed.
The next day, after everyone had slept off their meals, Ruby was lighting the oil lamps to commemorate what she called the 'mother appreciation' day of Diwali. On this day, relatives and friends of Diya Patel visited her home to offer gifts and sweets. Ruby happily offered Diya some sweet stuff she set aside from yesterday's feast, to show her appreciation, especially now, after she revealed her relationship with Shannon. Ruby saw it as a thank-you present for her understanding.
"There was no need for a gift this extravagant, Ruby," Diya insisted.
"First of all, like, nothing's too good for my mum. Second, I feel like we're a lot closer now than ever, especially since, like, I shacked up with Shannon. I have so much to, like, thank her for," Ruby responded.
"Yes, she has been very good for you, which is why your father and I have been speaking, and we would like to invite Shannon to tomorrow's Parcheesi game," Diya proposed. This was a ritual special to the Patels every Diwali. The game required four people, and since Ruby had no siblings, she usually got a cousin, aunt, or uncle to fill the void. However, to share this with Shannon would feel extra special.
"That would be awesome, but she, like, doesn't know the rules," Ruby replied.
"Good thing she has us to fill her in," Diya said.
The next day, Ruby invited Shannon over to play Parcheesi with the Patels, which she readily accepted. It beat staying at home where the negativity only increased with time. It got so bad, Daniel did not even notice Shannon leaving. Candice had to usher Shannon out the door and promise to fill him in. Once Shannon arrived at the Patels, Ruby noticed her glum look.
"Your parents and grandparents fighting again?" Ruby guessed. Shannon nodded in affirmation.
"My dad keeps yelling that I shouldn't be forced back into the closet by conservative dinosaurs that want to drag us back into the last century, and my grandparents say that he should never have moved to an overly liberal, multi-cultural, s-hole like Royal Woods," Shannon relayed.
"Yikes. I am grateful for your language restraint, Shannon. If you ever need a break, you can always stay overnight. Our guest room is always open," Mohammad offered.
"I might take you up on that. My mum gave me $20 just to get out of the house," Shannon replied.
"Sounds bad. Let's forget about all that today. Has Ruby explained the rules of Parcheesi?" Diya asked.
"Errrr, no. I didn't want Ruby to hear all the yelling," Shannon responded.
"It's, like, totally simple. You have four pieces, and you have to move them in, like, an anti-clockwise circle around the board before you, like, move them to the centre. To win, you have to, like, get all four of your pieces before anyone else does," Ruby explained.
"You can also capture other players' pieces by landing on the exact spot they occupy on the board. If you have two pieces on the same space, you can form a blockade to prevent other players' pieces from passing through," Mohammad added.
"You move by rolling two die, and you can either move one piece the total number of spaces shown, or you can move one piece one number, and the other piece the other number. Example, if you roll a five and a four, you can either move one piece nine spaces, or move one piece five spaces and another piece four," Diya concluded. Shannon took in all this information and drew some similarities.
"It's essentially like an Indian version of backgammon. Different cultures have been appropriating this game and adding their own rules for ages. The Egyptians called it Senet," Shannon compared. Mohammad and Diya smiled when Shannon said this.
"Beautiful and cultured. Ruby chose well," Mohammad complimented.
"It's nothing really. I'm just a games enthusiast, card and board. In fact, I'm the family's reigning game night champion five years running," Shannon bragged.
"Now that is a challenge! Our families should, like, have game night together," Ruby suggested.
"Maybe when the current tensions have died down. For now, let's see what your girl can do," Mohammad replied. Once they got out the game board and pieces, Shannon instantly picked up the finer nuances of Parcheesi. True to her word, she was no pushover. Ruby couldn't explain it, but Shannon seemed to get whatever she needed from the dice, no matter what it was. Shannon did not hesitate to form blockades at vital passages, making Mohammad regret ever telling her she could do that. Shannon also captured pieces when she could, even one or two of Ruby's.
"Hey, what gives?" Ruby playfully demanded.
"Just because we're girlfriends doesn't mean I'll go easy on you," Shannon retorted. She leaned in closer to Ruby's ear. "And be grateful this isn't strip Parcheesi," Shannon whisper-taunted so only Ruby could hear. When she heard that, Ruby knew that they had unleashed a monster onto the house, though the idea of strip Parcheesi, or any strip dice games with Shannon gave Ruby ideas, as well as raise her body temperature. One and a half hours later, Shannon emerged victorious, with Ruby in a close second, which left Mohammad and Diya dumb-founded.
"It's like you've been playing for ages. How are you so good?" Diya probed.
"Natural talent?" Shannon replied, although she did not have an answer.
"Guess the dice are kind to newcomers. Next year, the gloves come off," Mohammad vowed.
"I have to ask, why me? Isn't this a family affair?" Shannon wondered.
"While it is true on the fourth day of Diwali, a dice game is played amongst family members, we do consider you such, so we think it is appropriate for you to be here," Diya answered.
"Also, I thought you, like, needed a break from all the drama, and not the good kind," Ruby added. Shannon was touched by their words. If her girlfriend's family could accept her, then there was hope yet. She then went to the next room to make a call.
"Hi, Mum, would it be possible to stay over at Ruby's tonight?" Shannon asked.
"I think that would be best. Your Dad's still fuming after the latest row with his folks and things here are pretty tense. I'll be by later with a sleep-over kit," Candice agreed.
"Thanks. I hope things get better. Love you," Shannon replied.
"Love you too, sweetie, and I hope so too," Candice said and terminated the call. Shannon then rejoined the Patels.
"Spoke to my mum, she kinda wants me to stay here, even after I asked her. Not too much trouble, I hope?" Shannon notified.
"No trouble at all, dear. I'll show you to the guest room," Diya offered.
"Can't Shannon, like, sleep with me?" Ruby interjected, making Mohammad snort his drink.
"Maybe *cough* rephrase that," Mohammad gasped.
"Sorry. I meant 'sleep in the same room'. Maybe in the same bed," Ruby hinted. By all rights, Shannon should've been nervous at the prospect of sharing a bed with Ruby, but for some reason, she wasn't. In fact, she seemed rather enthusiastic about the idea.
"Well, I suppose you are nearly adults, and you have been together a while. Alright, we'll allow it," Diya reasoned.
"But keep the clothes on and the hands in PG-13 areas," Mohammad imposed.
"Don't worry. I don't intend to de-flower your daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Patel," Shannon vowed. While Ruby was elated at the thought of sharing a bed with Shannon, she did pout a little about the restrictions put in place. It's not like Shannon could get her pregnant, and they could keep the noise to a minimum. A knock on the door signalled Candice's arrival at the Patel house. Diya answered and received her.
"Thank you for dropping this by. Your daughter's in good hands with us," Diya assured.
"Thank you for having her. I assume she's told you about what's been happening," Candice guessed.
"She has, and I am so sorry to hear her coming out didn't go down well. She'll always have a place here if things at home get too bad," Diya responded.
"That means a lot. I have to get back to my husband now. Goodbye," Candice said and drove off.
"There a… pack of cards in that sleep kit?" Ruby asked flirtatiously. Shannon chuckled, knowing what Ruby wanted.
"There are still a few card games I haven't shown you," Shannon replied in kind.
"What are we doing here?" Ruby asked rhetorically. The two raced up to Ruby's room, with her parents none the wiser.
After a fun-filled sleep-over with many card games, a few board games where Ruby was testing Shannon's prowess, and a movie or two, the two girls slept until 10am, where they woke up to have breakfast. Shannon must've been drowsier than she realised, because she could see two men in the house when there should've been only one. Ruby, however, was undisturbed. Far from it, she was practically over the moon.
"Errrrrr, who's this?" Shannon probed.
"Some introductions are, like, in order. Shannon, this is my uncle Panjeet, my mum's brother. On the fifth and final day of Diwali, she invites him over to, like, celebrate with us," Ruby introduced.
"So this is the famous Shannon Tannenbaum I've been hearing so much about. The way my sister tells it, you finally trounced my brother-in-law at Parcheesi yesterday. What I would've given to have seen that," Panjeet remarked.
"I'm here for the whole day. There's still time for a repeat," Shannon boasted.
"She's, like, super good. It's like the dice speak to her," Ruby hyped Shannon up.
"My sister has also told me the crap you're going through right now. If I ever see those so-called 'grandparents' of yours, I'll…" Panjeet began.
"Now, now, brother, there's no need for that. This is the culmination of a festival meant to celebrate the victory of light over darkness," Diya cautioned.
"Which is why I wanted you to celebrate with me. I wanted you to know that whatever comes next, I want to be the light in your darkness, the one to give you hope when all seems lost. The one to pull you back from the edge," Ruby assured. Shannon noted from the lack of 'likes' in her speech, that Ruby was in her serious phase.
"Thanks, Rubes, and you know what, I want to be the same for you," Shannon reciprocated. The two hugged it out and sealed the deal with a passionate kiss before returning to the remaining Diawli celebrations. Shannon felt content that, knowing whatever uncertain future was in store for her, at least she had Ruby by her side no matter what, and she would be there for her too.
Author's note: Don't worry, the final chapter of Malefic Origins is coming, I just wanted to get this idea out the door. I wrote this because my calendar notes holidays of all faiths and I saw Diwali come up, and it was sort of familiar to me since my country's leader celebrated it last year, owing to him being a British-Indian man, and I thought it might be a good idea for Ruby to share it with Shannon, to light up her darkness. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. All properties belong to their rightful owners. Enjoy.
