The Bucket List

Chapter-33

"Sit."

"Thank you."

I'm sitting on one of the plush leather chairs in Vedika's huge office. She has called me for some paperwork.

She is sitting unusually quiet today with a tender look on her face.

"What's wrong", I ask.

"I saw him", she says and looks elsewhere.

"Your ex?"

"Uh-huh", I can definitely say she's nostalgic. "After so many years. He has aged." She chuckles.

She still loves him. This is why she never remarried? Well doesn't it happen all the time? One of the two cares so much and the other doesn't care much. "You talked?"

"Just like some good old friends", she smiles.

"He cares for you, even now", I say.

"That he does." How? "I am ready to forgive him," she says all of a sudden. "I'm ready to accept him back and...the kid."

"Karan", I rectify her.

"Yes." She says. He is not a kid. Well... "I want my family together. As one."

"How? I mean aren't you mad at him or something...how can you sound so mature."

"I was angry", she says, tracing circles on the table. "Everyone gets a second chance. I got it too...to see my family together again. He deserves it too."

"And how would your children feel about that?"

"They will be mad...Karthik will throw hysterics. Raina is more mature but anyway she's going to wed. I'll miss her."

I nod.

"My dad is throwing a Diwali party and if everything goes fine that day, we can get over with the agreement the day itself." Party? Oh...atheist.

"So I get to meet all the family members."

She looks at me with expecting eyes. "Can you convince Karthik to ...?"

"I don't ...I don't think that would be easy," I say and exhale. "Besides we broke up." At least it felt like we did.

"You what?" she jumps.

"Broke up."

"Oh, kid." She sympathizes and then laughs. "And you think it's permanent."

I hunch my shoulders.

"If something like break up existed, over half of the population would die with a broken heart and the other half would cease to believe in love."

I give her a strong smile. "I'll try my best."

She hugs. "Thank you."

I pick up wall paints and lanterns from the local hardware shop on my way back home.

"I cleaned the whole house just the way you demanded", says Naina. "I also ordered your favorite donuts."

"Naina I'm fine. Really. The breakup isn't that bad as it sounds." She has been trying to cheer me up for a very long time. But as Vedika said, life is full of possibilities. And there is one such possibility that my heart believes in, we'll get back together.

"Well, Dhriti told me that you weren't aware you were shacking up with your ex-crush's stepbro."

"I'm sure she would have said more respectfully. Anyway, let's start painting. Shall we?"