The Emma Project Quotes

“Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“She learns that having more privilege than other people doesn’t mean you know what’s best for them. She learns to admit her mistakes and listen to others, and it teaches her to listen to her own feelings too.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Why is your sari all askew?" she asked, squatting down in front of Naina and straightening out the pleats. "This is a mess. Oh my gosh, Naina! Is that why you were late?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Naina said, but her face went flaming red. Naina had disappeared for a good half hour when she'd gone to "check up on the guys." "All I'll say is that Neel's not the only gavel in town, Nisha.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Are you saying you want me to be more than an inflatable doll?"
She pressed into him. "I mean there are parts of you that are alarmingly easy to inflate.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“I thought I could be what you wanted, but I can't."
"And what is that?"
"An inflatable doll you can fuck and then let the air out of. So you can roll it up and shove it in that closet where you shove everything you don't want anyone to see.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“I thought the only way I could erase the shame I brought on the family was by finding a man."
The laugh he gave was precise and cruel, Dr. Kohli in a nutshell. "You didn't find a man. You found a child."
Naina refused to wrap her arms around herself. She refused to let him see what his words did.
"The only thing women like you want is someone to control."
"No, that's what men like you want. All I want is a relationship that is not about control."
He spat out another one of those laughs, lighter on the precision this time and heavier on the cruelty. "Doesn't the fact that you can only have that with a man who is twelve years younger than you tell you something?"
Naina's arms went around her.
"Doesn't it tell you that you're fighting nature? All the things you want, how you want to live. It's against nature, against God, against our culture, against any civilized culture. Even though people like you keep trying to bastardize it under the guise of progress." His voice was filled with righteous indignation. The voice of a man who knew everything.
She looked him square in the eye. "Is it not against nature to hate your own child?”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“In that book of yours, Emma, what happens to her?" he asked Naina as she looked over some paperwork they were about to submit to Naman's office. They were in Yash's apartment, a.k.a. their temporary office, working long after everyone else had left.
She raised a brow at him, all the accusations she'd thrown at him---not entirely inaccurately---flashing guiltily in her eyes.
"The one who tries to be a matchmaker so she can feel good about herself and fill her boredom?"
She smiled, but there was an apology in her eyes. A hot apology. "She learns that having more privilege than other people doesn't mean you know what's best for them. She learns to admit her mistakes and listen to others, and it teaches her to listen to her own feelings too."
He laughed. "And she finds the love of her life and they live happily ever after."
He'd been joking, but her face said that was exactly what happened.
"You're kidding me," he said. "And this is a book you liked?" Which, come to think of it, gave him great hope. "You're a romantic, Naina Kohli," he said, and got all up in her face.
"You wish," she said, but she did kiss every last of breath out of him.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“You know you can't do this without me," Jiggy said on the phone, after.
"We'll figure it out. We rich kids do take our need to run around and save the world seriously.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“You're incorrigible." She punched his shoulder. "And your attempts at embarrassing me are terribly ignoble."
He stood too, body loose with laughter, and too close for comfort. "Quit using Old English to distract me. Also, you need to work on those tells, Knightlina."
"I'm terrified to ask."
"Well, Old English is your crutch when you're uncomfortable. But we digress.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Turning to the canvas bag, she pulled out a foil package. The smoky, buttery smell of naan made the different types of hunger coursing inside him mix together.
"Does your mom actually make naan at home?"
She opened the packet and held it in front of his nose, and he picked one up and shoved it in his mouth and almost died on the spot from the chewy, yeasty deliciousness.
"Mummy's made it since before homemade naan was a trend. My parents have always had an old-fashioned tandoor oven in the house. Because Dr. Kohli needs his naan and kababs." The brightness sparkling in her eyes dimmed.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“It wasn't like Naina didn't know what an orgasm felt like. Riz, her vibrator, had some goodly miles on him. But when Vansh said he was going to make her scream, she was never again taking that lightly.
Her throat felt raw as she sagged against him like he'd wring every last drop of pleasure from her, wrung every last scream and whimper from her.
Had she begged?
Yes, she'd begged.
He'd taken her by surprise. Yet, God, he hadn't.
He was panting between her legs like someone who'd sprinted up a hill. One of her knees was hooked over his shoulder. There was a thunderstorm inside her. Her entire wet body was throbbing and spasming like she'd turned into her vagina, all of her that one beautifully, blessedly pleasured organ.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“I merely assisted Hari while he was inebriated." He threw Naina another ruthless smolder. "That's something I'm good at."
"Did he also cause you to get drunk in the first place?" Naina asked sweetly.
"No!" Hari looked horrified. "I just didn't know that the orange juice wasn't only orange juice. Why would Vansh do such a thing?"
"Yes, Naina, why would I do such a thing? It's not like I can predict how people will act when they're drunk." He was all innocence, and it scrambled every bit of her own good sense.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“It's stunning how little respect you have for me, Naina." What more did he have to do to prove himself?
She kept typing. "What am I supposed to respect exactly?”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Wow. Please tell me you haven't come up with a way to blame me for what happened that night."
Heat flushed across her skin. Suddenly her office was too small, and she leaned back in her chair, which only brought into focus the fact that he was leaning into her. "Sorry, I forgot. Nothing is ever your fault."
The smile in his eyes singed away, he straightened up again. "You're serious? You're suggesting that it is somehow my fault that you rage-fucked me? Actually, rage-fucked my thigh."
The temperature in the room shot up so fast, Naina thought she was experiencing her first hot flash. Did those happen at thirty-eight? She groaned, because that thought made her feel ancient as she stared into his stupid dewy young face. She was sure her own face had gone some mortified shade. The only good news was that for once Vansh's color rose too, just as fast and fierce.
Wait, had he just accused her of rage-fucking his thigh?
"You are the world's most infuriating person, you know that?" For a moment Naina thought she might choke on her own incredulousness and the fact that he was not lying. "What kind of person brings that sort of thing up when someone's life's work is at stake?"
"I was not the one who brought it up." He mirrored her finger-spinning action and made a circle around her face. "And don't make that face. You didn't say the words but you were thinking them. Never mind. I am actually not here to discuss our night together."
"There was no night together." She pressed her hands into her face and tried to breathe into an imaginary bag. If she didn't calm down she was not going to be able to get this conversation back on track, to say nothing of the fact that she was going to pass out from the heat in here. "You were gone before the morning and I am very grateful that you brought me home and helped me when I----"
"Got horny."
"Threw up."
They spoke simultaneously. Because the universe had decided to test how much humiliation it could stuff into one situation.
Great, now he was smiling again, and she wanted to shake him even more.
"Come on, Naina. Loosen up. It really wasn't that big of a deal."
Relief flooded through her. Thank God. Yes, it was not. She was so glad he thought so. "You're right, people drink too much and throw up all the time.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“As always, the dosas were perfect, crisp and lacy, and the unusual chef's addition of the habanero chutney made Naina's mouth burn in the best way. She'd inherited her ability to tolerate spice from her mother. Dr. Kohli was something of a wimp in this department, and so naturally Naina and her mother only ever ate the truly hot stuff when he wasn't around.
"Never make people feel bad when you're better at something than they are," her mother had said with an unfamiliar amount of glee one night at dinner when her husband had been on call and she'd made the potato bhujia with enough red chili powder to make even Naina and her break into a sweat.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“His smile was the best thing in the world. Like frozen custard with crushed-up chocolate and strawberries folded in. Smooth and sweet and crunchy. He was decadent and irresistible. Like sex.
Stop thinking that word.
Sex sex sex.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Sid Dashwood! Of course. It's so great to finally meet you. This is Naina. Naina Kohli."
"Naina Kohli, the spurned ex," Naina announced grandly, and raised the glass of water the bartender handed her. "Spurned for the love of your sister. Yay, India!" She closed her eyes and made what could only be construed as a drunk person's attempt at the om sound. "Everyone's favorite yogi.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“You know there's a history of unbalanced power, lack of safety and consent, that makes it different when it happens to a woman, right?"
"I do know that, even though it's not that simple. I hope you're not planning to accuse me of encouraging them and asking for it."
"You were, as a matter of fact, encouraging it greatly." Before he could argue, she raised a hand to stop him. "It was still inappropriate, the way my team behaved. I apologize and will reprimand them."
"There's no need for that."
"I know. But I will anyway. But the next time you pretend to know what it feels like to be violated by the unwelcome attention of the opposite sex, I want you to know that if as a result of it there was any chance that you could get hurt in any way, you should absolutely feel free to put an end to it by letting them know that you aren't interested and that it makes you uncomfortable.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“India started to flip through the magazine until she came to a page with an eagle-like bird. The joint breath of every person in the room drew in as one. It was magnificent.
The bird's plumage was almost bright red in the sun, and it made a stunning contrast with a head and breast of pure white. The thing that jumped off the page, though, was the obsidian, knowing depth of its eyes. When you looked closer you saw that it was perched on the rusted butt of an old cannon.
Even with that detail, it might have been just another well-taken photograph until you noticed a ring of dragonflies circling its proud head like a floating crown. Every one of them gasped at the sheer power of the captured moment.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Delicious, Auntie! How do you make cucumber taste like this?" Paper-thin slices of cucumber, delicately spiced Greek yogurt spread, and pillowy whole-grain bread. This was the life.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Have you heard of Emma?"
"DJ's sister Emma Caine? The hot artist?" He disappeared for a second, then came back with jeans on and finished zipping them up. Why on earth did he think their relationship was close enough for him to be pulling on clothes in front of her?
"No, it's a book. The one DJ's sister was named after." Trisha's boyfriend DJ's name was Darcy James. And his sister's name was Emma. Evidently their mother had been a big Jane Austen fan. "By Jane Austen."
"Right, I remember Emma mentioning that. Isn't Jane Austen that Darcy chick? Isn't he the one that Brit actor played who all the aunties were gaga over? Colin Farrell?"
Naina did it: she rubbed her hand across her face like someone who needed to erase this entire conversation from existence. "So... in the book Emma---which has nothing to do with Darcy, who is from Pride and Prejudice---Emma is an overindulged, albeit well-meaning, brat who is looking for matchmaking projects so she can feel good about herself while filling all that empty time she has on her overprivileged hands.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“All you rich kids running around the world trying to fix it."
This time Naina's brow rose less subtly. Vansh couldn't tell if she was offended that Mehta had put Vansh's work and hers in the same general category or if she was offended that he had dismissed them both as rich kids when he himself had a personal fortune of several billion dollars.
"Some rich kids run around the world doing the actual work, while some let others do the legwork and buy the credit with their riches," Naina said, her tone so cold, Vansh didn't know how Mehta didn't freeze and crumble instantly.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“So you've all been defiling the pool house all these years and no one bothered to tell me," Vansh filled the glass up again, and yes, he sounded sulky as hell at being left out. Vansh was a good five years younger than Ashna, who was the closest to him in age. Between the age gap and the fact that he had gone off to boarding school in India at sixteen, he should have been used to the feeling by now.
"Eeew," all his sisters said at once.
Nisha took the glass out of Vansh's hand again. "It's a good thing we let you drink when you're underage."
He was twenty-six and they all knew it.
"It's illegal in the state of California for children to have sex," Trisha said, ruffling Vansh's hair with complete disregard for how much he hated his hair being ruffled. It took a lot of effort to get it to look this good. "And we're the Rajes. You're not allowed to get frisky until you're thirty."
"How are you allowed to be thirty-two and call it 'getting frisky'?" Vansh said, patting his hair in place. "And for the record, I could teach you a thing or two about getting frisky."
Trisha made a gagging face and then smiled. "Of course, baby." She wrapped her arms around Vansh. "You could teach most of us a thing or two about most things. You're our worldly baby brother, the light of our lives."
"The apple of our eyes," Nisha said, joining the hug.
"Our pride and joy," Ashna said, completing the group hug.
"But we are going to have to punch you if you mention sex around us again," Trisha finished up.
As his sisters squeezed him and let him go, the sting of being left out of their nefarious pool house antics, and everything else they always thought he was too young for, died down.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“I've been waiting for you to use your gavel all evening, Your Honor."
God, please, no! Those were the last words on earth Vansh ever, ever, wanted to hear his oldest sister say to her judge husband. Ever.
Yash, who was generally not the sort of guy who snorted with laughter, snorted with laughter so violently that Nisha and Neel jumped apart like someone had fired a cannon.
Nisha's hands pressed into her face. "No. No. Nononono. What the hell are you all doing here?"
"Not waiting for Neel to use his gavel, that's for sure," Yash said, still howling like a hyena. Which, to be fair, Vansh was doing as well.
Nisha charged at Yash. Neel grabbed her around her waist. As a circuit court judge (with a gavel), Neel obviously saw enough crazy shit on a daily basis that he was entirely unfazed by any Raje family shenanigans.
He held Nisha in check while laughing into her hair, and in the end she broke down and started laughing too, embarrassed though the laughter was.
"If either one of you tells anyone, I'm going to chop you into little pieces and pass you through a mulch shredder," their sister threatened.
"Who let her watch Fargo?" Vansh asked, and Neel looked heavenward.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project

“Well, don't you look all pleased with yourself, Baby Prince," Naina Kohli said. She had known Vansh his whole life and had the only voice on earth that had this particular impact on him. A potent combination of reprimand and amusement that made Vansh want to wipe his face like a toddler caught eating dirt, while also making him feel like no one else ate dirt quite as impressively as he did.
"And don't you look resplendent, Knightlina," he said, raising his glass of celebratory bubbly at her.
A flash of anger slipped past her guarded brown eyes. She hated her given name---enough to have legally changed it at eighteen. Vansh was the only person on earth who got away with using it anymore. And he only used it when that tone of hers made the otherwise nonexistent orneriness bubble up inside him. Then she smiled and did a quick half turn showcasing her charcoal-gray silk pantsuit.
"Not bad for the spurned ex, ha?" she offered.
"Not at all bad for the spurned fake ex," he countered.”
― Sonali Dev, The Emma Project