The real happen after lights out. At 11:00 PM, when the flat is quiet, you can hear the whispers. My parents talking about finances. My sister crying softly about a breakup (she thinks we don’t hear). My grandmother praying for all of us.

Dinner in a nuclear family is quiet. Dinner in an Indian family is a boardroom meeting.

Tonight is Friday. The family wants chole bhature (spicy chickpeas and fried bread). The eldest brother, Vikram, wants dal chawal (lentils and rice) because his blood pressure is high. The youngest brother, Karan, wants takeout Chinese.

"My life is a split screen. On the left side, I am coding for a Silicon Valley intern test. On the right side, my mom is force-feeding me ghee because I look 'weak.' My friends and I have a secret language to complain about our parents, but if anyone else says one bad word about my mom, I will fight them. It’s complicated."