Red, White, and Whole

Reha describes how happy Amma is in America, though she misses her sister, Prema, who still lives in India. Reha calls her aunt “Prema Auntie.” Amma and Prema Auntie speak on the phone every Sunday. Because Prema Auntie and her husband, Vinod Uncle, have no children, Reha feels like she is the only one who “carries / everyone’s hope / everyone’s expectations” (46).

Reha’s father has three brothers, each of whom has two sons. Reha is the only girl among her six cousins. She gets to see the six of them every few years when she and her parents visit India. Her cousins all call her “sister,” and when she and her parents return to America, Reha is lonely.

Reha reflects on being an only child. Her house is quiet, and her parents “only think of [her]” (49). Sunny’s house is very different. Sunny has brothers, so her home is loud, there is competition, and Sunny’s parents “don’t notice if she wears lip gloss / or spends too much time on the phone” (49).