Once Upon A Mr. Goody Two Shoes

Chapter 41

Abeer's POV

I stared at the airplanes from the glass window of the airport, my chin resting on my hand as I thought of her. We had a project meeting in London, and after wrapping them up, we were waiting at the airport for our flight back home. My boss and I both had our laptops opened before us, and Mr. Dixit was typing continuously on the keypad, occasionally discussing the meetings that had taken place in the last three days. 

But my mind wasn't on work. It was far, far away in Delhi, strung on a certain impertinent woman who had captured my heart so that there was no escape from her thoughts. Even though I had left Aashi with an ultimatum, and I knew the decision was in the best interest of the both of us, I couldn't help it. Yes, I had told her it was high time she told her parents about us, but I was worried. I knew that there was a fat chance that I won't ever talk to her again. The thought left me absolutely wretched. But I knew no other way. 

That Dhruv's episode had left a sour taste in my mouth, and I couldn't get past that without her absolute surety of our future. Because God, did I want a future with her. To have her in my arms everyday, to love her with every fiber of my being. But I knew how connected she was to her family; how much she loved them. The thought of her having to leave her parents for me scared the living daylights out of me. It felt like a lose-lose situation for us. If that happened, would she be able to live happily with me? How would I fill the void? Would her family ever accept me?

And above all else, will she ever tell them? She loved them to a fault. What if she doesn't tell? What would happen then? I didn't like when my thoughts ventured into that territory. The two weeks had been hard without having to listen to her loud, shrill voice. How will I go without her tantrums and screaming, and above all, her mad love for me that reflected in her tantalizing brown eyes for life? I rubbed my forehead, willing the headache to go away. Willing the tears in my eyes to not slip out.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a hiccup. When I turned to my left, I was left speechless. There he was, the brute of a man, my so-called devil boss, crying like a little child, tears streaming down his cheeks steadily. My eyes widened with shock as I struggled for words.

"Sir, are you...are you alright? Did something...ahem...happen? Are you hurt?" I asked, highly awkward.

"Hurt!" he let out a humorless chuckle and continued to stare in front of him... wistfully? I followed his line of sight to see a happy, cheerful little girl running about on her chubby little legs, making happy sounds as she went from chair to chair and smiled up at the people. Involuntarily, a smile graced my lips as I watched the little girl play about. A lady was running behind the girl, calling out to her, and when she caught the girl in her arms she picked her up and twirled around, making the little girl laugh gleefully. A man came by their side and grinned down at the two females. It was a heart-warming scene.

"Hurt is one stupid word. My feelings are far and beyond," my boss shook his head and continued to stare, unable to look anywhere else.

I wondered who those people were. By the look Mr. Dixit had on his face, I was positive he knew them. After a beat of silence, my boss spoke up, his voice uncommonly detached, as if he wasn't here. As if he was living a memory.

"My first and only love. Simran Ahuja. What have I turned into without her? But she is happy, she was always happy. I was the grumpy one. Only if... "

Only if?

He sniffed. "Only if I had bore with her family. They were very rich, you see. I had just started then, they kept embarrassing me and that pissed me off. I had always been egoistic. And it hurt my ego when her father belittled me every single time. So I left her, but she never left my heart. Only if I would've tried a little harder to stay by her side...perhaps that would have been me with her today, smiling, happy and content in my life. But I didn't and I will always remain alone because of that. Bereft of my love. That's her husband and daughter. She got married after a few years and has a good life. I couldn't ever move on though."