ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟ ᴄᴀғᴇ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟸𝟹

Avni somehow managed to convince Maya not to go. The next morning she woke up very early and went directly to the cafe. She knew Ved will come there first. She told him that a guest has come to his house and he should go and offer her a cup of tea. He nodded, after all it wasn't the first time that Avni made someone stay at his place. 

Maya was sitting in his balcony, reading newspaper. Ved kept the tea on the table and saw the guest's face. It was her, it was Maya. His brain stuttered for a moment and his eyes took in more light than he expected, every part of him went on pause while his thoughts caught up. He was more than shocked to see her. He didn't know how to react.

 "How are you?" Ved asked after the long silence. 

"Fine." She said with a smile. This was all she could say. 

They again became quiet not knowing what to say. 

"Don't you want to ask something else? Forgot me?" Maya asked. 

"I want to ask you so many questions that I don't know where to start from." He said and his gaze moved to her. 

"Why didn't you marry Avni? She is such a sweet girl." She asked. 

"I didn't divorce you." He said and chucked. 

"When did we get married?" She asked with disbelief. 

"First, when you decided to live with me and not in the PG. Second, when you cried in my arms for no reason. Third, when you decided to go on honeymoon with me. Fourth, when you told me that you're pregnant. When you lied that you've aborted. When I caught your lie. When we kept waiting for each other after I left Mumbai. You taught me the true meaning of love, Maya. I just took a long time to understand all these." He had tears in his eyes by now. 

"Wait, Did you know about our child?" She asked and raised her eyebrows at Ved. 

"Yes" He replied. 

"Why didn't you come to meet her?" She asked with confusion. 

"I don't have any explanation for that. What did you name her?" He asked. 

"Tara." She said. 

"Her face resembles you right?" He asked. 

"Hmm.. Yes, a little bit. Her nose is exactly like you and she remains confused just like you." She added. 

"Show me her pictures." He said with excitement. She showed him Tara's pictures. She was very cute. He was very happy. Happy is as the new spring bud that grows into the flamboyant flower so naturally, one moment at a time, and this was the moment for him. 

He sighed. In his sigh existed the moments he needed to respond with loving care.

Immediately, he hugged her. In her embrace the world stopped still on its axis. There was no time, no wind, no rain. Ved's mind was at peace. The peace they were searching for years. His hug was stronger than anything she had ever known, as if holding her wasn't quite enough, he had to feel every ounce that she was pressed into every ounce that was him. In that moment of feeling him so close she was more alive than she had been ever. It helped. 

He smiled a little wider as he pulled his head down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. In his kiss was the promise of years and the sweetness of waiting for real love.

                                         ★★★★★★

𝗔/𝗡

𝗦𝗼 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗵, 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗳𝗲". 𝗜'𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻. 

𝗩𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲. 

𝗧𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻, 𝗕𝘆𝗲.