“And are you excited about tonight? This is your first award ceremony,” the reporter said in a clipped, almost rushed tone. “You missed quite a few in the last few months.”
Tina gritted her teeth. Now she understood why this woman had approached her instead of the big names. She was looking for a bigger story. An exclusive.
She wasn’t going to get one. The media worked hard to give the actors and actresses an image and then spent the rest of the time trying to tear it down. She was supposed to be beautiful and sexy, but chaste. Tina had broken that rule when she got pregnant before marrying Dev. She was supposed to be from the high echelons of society and hold on to Indian values. It didn’t help that she was from the slums.
It was expected that she showed no cracks in her marriage even though reporters were eager to point out any tension. When she miscarried, she hadn’t been able to show her distress or depression. Reality wasn’t allowed to touch Bollywood stars. Her world had crumbled but she’d had to act as if everything was fine.
“You weren’t even at your father-in-law’s funeral,” the reporter said.
“I look forward to the tribute for Dev’s father,” Tina said as she tightened her hold on Dev’s hand. “He had an amazing career and influenced the film industry for decades.”
“Were you close to your father-in-law?”
“Of course,” Tina lied. Vikram Arjun hadn’t wanted to have anything to do with her. Their relationship had been cold and distant. He’d offered no condolences or even acknowledgment when she had miscarried.
She would never reveal the truth. No one wanted to hear it and she didn’t want to share how unwelcome she was in the Arjun family. The Bollywood fans watched the movies because they wanted to be swept away in the fantasy. They wanted the heroes, stories about star-crossed lovers, and the exotic and luxurious settings. Anything that didn’t remind them of their reality.
She felt Dev tugging her hand and she excused herself from the ambush interview. Dev held on to her hand as they slowly made their way down the red carpet. Every reporter wanted to talk to her husband, who was up for several awards. Working the red carpet was nothing new for Dev while she just tried not to look out of place.
When they finally made it into the auditorium, Tina took a moment to look around. The enormous stage was big enough for an entire cast to perform dance numbers. The audience was filled with the most beautiful actors and actresses. As Dev guided her to the front row, there was a ripple of awareness. She heard the whispers and felt the stares but she ignored them. As they reached their seats, Tina saw her mother-in-law was already there.
Tina took a deep breath. It was going to take all of her acting abilities to remain cool and in control. She didn’t falter when Dev approached the legendary actress.
Gauri Arjun didn’t look like her son. Her delicate and feminine features were framed by waves of dark brown hair. The woman was petite and slender while her son was tall and muscular. Dev favored jeans yet his mother only wore traditional clothes. Expensive ones, Tina noted, to go with her designer shoes.
“Maaji,” she greeted in the manner Dev’s mother had insisted on. She bent down to touch Gauri’s feet. She felt clumsy as everyone in the auditorium watched her. “It’s been too long.”
“Yes, it has.”
Tina knew she was probably being sensitive, but the woman could make any word or phrase sound like a reprimand. “I want to say how sorry I am for the loss of your husband. He—”