The Storyteller's Secret

Ravi finishes the story as he as Jaya sit on the porch in the early morning. He explains that Amisha contracted encephalitis from the mosquito bite, and that an epidemic of the disease spread throughout the country several years later. The story of Amisha’s final days is traumatizing to Jaya, who wonders how Lena will receive the story of Amisha’s death.

To process her emotions, Jaya thinks of her mother’s meditation practice, a constant throughout her entire life. Lena often told Jaya that “to find peace in that moment, you have to cede control of life” (359). Jaya thinks of this statement in the context of what she’s learned of her grandmother and her experiences in the village, especially at the orphanage. Jaya visits the garden and reflects on her grandmother’s legacy of kindness and familial love.

When Jaya returns to the house that evening, she finds Patrick there. Jaya is immediately hopeful, but is hesitant to move too quickly despite their newfound intimacy. Jaya shows him around her ancestral home and explains her purpose being in India as essential to understanding her identity after the miscarriages. Patrick confesses that, after the miscarriages, he wanted to save their relationship “but it just felt easier to walk away” (361). Eventually, though, he realized how much he missed Jaya. “The final bits of darkness fade away with his words” (361) and Jaya embraces him. They renew their love for each other.