See You Later

Chapter 48

The present: At the Mehras'

The weight of her suspicions made Maahi feel faint. She needed to lean against the door in her currently empty house.

She had gone on another date with the nice guy. He was so nice! The date had gone so well again. The music was perfect, the food was amazing, the conversation was wonderful and he was a perfect gentleman. They had walked back home following the same pattern of conversation that was both light and interesting enough to elicit a second date. They had reached her gate and he had looked at her with a perfectly nice smile. But it didn't reach his eyes. She had shaken her head quickly and asked if she could give him a hug. He had looked so happy at that request. He had instantly taken her in his arms and she had smiled back with her head perched on his shoulder.

It was a good, solid hug that enveloped her heart. But for some reason, she knew her heart hadn't reciprocated. Instead, it felt like it was sinking. It felt like it wanted to sit in a corner, away from the world. It was heavy with doubt. The doubt that despite all her trying, she may have done the one thing she had promised herself she would never do again.

The doorbell rang. Maahi blinked and looked up, still feeling dazed. She slowly made her way to the door, wondering if either Dadaji or Abhi had forgotten their keys.

When she opened the door, she saw Aarush standing there, looking sideways at the window in the passageway. Looking like he had not a single care in the world. But then he turned around and looked at her.

Suddenly, he looked like he did have a care. A very specific one.

He asked, "I...May I come in?"

She shrugged and pulled the door wider to let him in. He strode in and shut the door behind him. He walked inside the house and turned around to see that she was still standing at the door, looking lost.

He asked, "Um you look...weird. What happened?"

She looked up and saw him. She took a few steps into the hall to come closer to where he was.

He was the same boy she had fallen in love with in college. It wasn't shocking at all that it may have happened again. But she needed to make sure somehow. How could she make sure?

"Mehra!" He called.

He was clearly saying something and she still wasn't paying attention to him. She needed to figure this out. This was more important at the moment.

Aarush then walked over to where she was standing and waved in front of her face.

"Hi there?" He said, this time a little louder.

She knew what she had to do. She quickly looked up and said, "Yeah, I need a favour."

Aarush looked at her with a look of relief in his eyes. He said, "Finally! I was getting worried for a second there. What do you need?"

She said, "Just...stand still. Okay?"

Aarush, for the second time that day was confused. Why were the Mehra siblings just assuming that he would have complete context to everything they said?

He frowned and said, "I don't know what you're on about but okay. But after that, can you please give me your attention? I need to talk to you."

She nodded and took a deep breath. It was now or never. She then slowly came even closer to him. He looked into her eyes, questions popping up in his, but he did as told.

He did not move.

After a decade of waiting, she walked into his embrace and put her heart near his as she wrapped her arms around him. It felt as natural as walking into a garden. As though her heart was finally at peace. As though, after years of searching, it saw vivid colours and smelled the fragrance of the flowers. It felt the peace of walking barefoot on grass and the warmth of the winter sun on its fingers. In fact, the sunshine here seemed to beam on old cracks in a soothing manner.