Trust in Love

Chapter 40

Present Day

Abhijeet's POV

".....and here we are"

There was complete  silence after my revelation.

I was lost in my own thoughts when a glass of water came into my view.

I looked up to Adi urging me to have it.

"We never knew you have been keeping such deep pain inside. You both helped me and Meera a lot expecially Megha then why didn't you let us in on yours, if not at the beginning, at least later on?"

"When we came here, I hoped to get my Jaan's smile back,that smile which lights up my world. I was sceptical but meeting you all, meeting Meera....slowly I got my Jaan back and I didn't want to jinx it. I didn't want to bring back those shadows back into our lives. Maybe I was delusional, trying to escape from the harsh truth" I replied with a sad smile

"Abhi, It is not easy to move on from what you endured. Even if the wound heals,  the scar is always a reminder of that past. But it is always up to you to decide what you see. Do you want to cry over it or learn from it?Do you want to be the victim or the survivor"

Saahil's compassion was my undoing and after nearly 3 years I broke down into tears.

Immediately, I was engulfed into a comforting embrace by Adi.

They let me cry out the anguish hidden within.

It took a while to control the broken dam but they held me throughout

" I am sorry, don't know what brought this on" I said shamefaced on my meltdown

"You don't  need to feel ashamed . You deserve  a break. We can't change what happened in the past but we can surely control the present. Everything comes down to the choices we make. Instead of letting it break you, use it to build you" Adi voiced out

Adi and Saahil's words were able restore in me the courage that have somehow got lost in the past few days.

" What happened to Mehul?"

I glanced at Adi with a smile at his question . 

The name still holds the power to make me smile wholeheartedly.

"Even though we couldn't bring him into our life, he will always have our heart. He will forever be our son......" I trailed off , lost in past memories.

Both of them waited patiently as I gathered myself

" He had his surgery and now doing good. I have ensured that he will not want for anything in life as long as I am there"

" Except for loving parents"

Saahil's soft words pinched me but there was nothing I could do about it.

Seeing my dejected face, he gave a reassuring  squeeze on my hand

"My words may have hurt you but my intention was not that. From your words it is clear that you have kept tabs on him but still he is in that orphanage devoid of a loving home. What I am not able to comprehend is why you didn't fight for him? "

I became restless but I didn't have the answer.

"Abhi, you are not guilty of anything except for giving up too easily but even then nobody could blame you. It is okay to fall weak simetimes but now it's high time you fought back" Adi's words were encouraging

Suddenly I realized the cause of the nagging pain in my heart.  I always attributed it to the losses I faced but today my friends showed me the mirror. It is the regret of my failure.

"What happened  to bring this all out now?"  Saahil asked suddenly

Shaking of the feeling of remorse, I said,

" Amma is not well..... She needs a bypass. I got the call from Anita Chettathi and they are calling us back home...."

".... and you are scared" he completed

His perception astonished me. He has zeroed on the crux of the issue.

My surprise may have been quite evident that with a warm chuckle, he continued

"Abhi, you both have grown so much in the past years especially  your bond. If then they couldn't separate you, why fear now. They gave you space when you needed, now it is your time to be their support"

"You can't live in fear. Look at me, I lost years of my life due to my ego and fear. Don't repeat my mistake. Face your fears, maybe you will get the closure you desperately  seek. Take it as a second chance to get back what you lost." Adi also added with a friendly pat on my back

In just few simple sentences, they were able to alienate my gnawing concern

Pumped up with energy, I smiled back. The tension paving way to determination when I noticed Saahil immersed in thoughts

"Saahil, anything wrong?"

Coming out of his revere, he looked at me as if contemplating whether to speak or not.

Sensing his hesitation,  I said

" You can tell me anything. I won't feel bad. I know you people have my best interests in heart"

But I was least prepared for what Saahil shared. His thoughts on the matter ripped the rug out from under me.