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believe he wants this baby or your marriage.”
    â€œI do, and he will. You’ll see.”
    â€œThe only thing I see is a woman who’s waiting around for a man to make his decision about her life. Why are you so keen on letting him control you?” Tamara screamed. “I can’t stand watching you do this.”
    â€œI need him. I can’t raise a child alone. Joel is my husband. He has to come home.”
    â€œMillions of women in this country have raised babies as a single parent and do fine. You can too. I’ll help babysit for you, including changing diapers. How’s that for support?” Tamara was amused.
    Zarah wasn’t. “This is a very important matter.”
    â€œCome on. Lighten up. You’re taking this ‘stand by your man’ thing too far. Move on, for goodness’ sake. Within a few weeks, you could have plenty of good men interested in you. Why wait for a dud like Joel? He’s totally worthless.”
    â€œI’m going to wait for him.”
    â€œHow long do you plan on waiting?”
    â€œAs long as I must.”
    â€œYou mean like a month, a year? What?”
    â€œI’ll wait forever, as long he allows me to keep my married name, Mitchell. It is what I will ask of Joel. He will respond kindly.”
    â€œHow can you be so certain?”
    â€œSince my father died earlier this year, Joel is my family. My life belongs here with him, not in India, or any other place. He is my husband, and I must make this marriage work.”
    â€œExcuse me, but I’m going to gag,” Tamara said. A few seconds later, she continued. “Zarah, I have to go.”
    â€œSo soon?”
    â€œI have to get off this phone; because I can’t stand to hear you sound so helpless when it comes to Joel. He’s trifling,” Tamara said.
    â€œHe’s your brother.”
    â€œTechnically, maybe, since we have the same father, but that’s where the connection ends. Do me a favor. If you’re going to pine over a man, make sure he’s worth the hassle. Otherwise, you might get used to Joel making every decision for you and totally running your life. I can’t imagine living that way and putting up with his crap, but this is your life, your choice. I respect your choice, and I’ll leave it alone.”
    Zarah detected the disappointment in Tamara’s voice and felt awful. “You’ll see. This is for the best.”
    â€œRight, whatever,” Tamara replied. “Look, I have to go,” Tamara said, and then ended the call almost as abruptly as Joel had.
    Sometimes Zarah couldn’t figure out any of the Mitchells. Tamara and Joel were different but the same. Both contributed to her stress and forced her to question her future as Joel’s wife. She decided to shake off the worry and stay positive. Soon the loneliness would be gone. She cherished the thought, confident in her decision. She sat in the chair a while longer, hoping Joel would walk through the door. Eventually, she dozed off, and Joel paraded through her dreams. It was the closest she’d gotten to him in weeks. She slept calmly in his arms.

Chapter 6
    Tamara was fuming. She wanted to be mad at Zarah but didn’t think it was fair to penalize her for being loyal and in love. Joel was the culprit. Too bad Zarah’s dedication was wasted on him. Tamara’s anger had intensified, and she was determined not to extend him the same grace. Who did Mr. Joel think he was? He’d moved his wife thousands of miles from her family, only to abandon her when she was pregnant. The more Tamara wrestled with his behavior and his flagrant womanizing ways, the less she was willing to let him get away without retribution. Obviously, Zarah wasn’t going to speak up. Victims didn’t. Tamara grabbed the phone. She would handle this.
    After contacting Don to get Joel’s number, Tamara eagerly made the call. Joel answered more quickly than