Until I Found You

1. Fate Encounter

Prompt by its_PMG : Priya is a divorced single mother, Ram is a newly single man. In a turn of events, Ram offers Priya to move into his house along with her daughter.

Note: The characters are only loosely based on Bade Achhe Lagte Hain 2. I have tailored them in my own way so that they fit the vision I have for this short story.

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Ram took another deep sip of his coffee.

The silence in his two bedroom Delhi apartment was thick, punctuated only by the ticking of the clock and the occasional slurp of his coffee.

It was a typical, quiet, morning.

And he hated it.

What he hated more, was how accustomed he had grown to it.

His flatmate had moved to Mumbai two weeks back for a new job, and his girlfriend of three years had broken up with him only a couple of weeks before that, leaving him alone and all by himself.

He knew that one part of his loneliness was his fault. His breakup was a result of him neglecting their relationship in pursuit of a promotion.

But did he feel guilty for putting his career over his relationship? That was a question Ram kept avoiding for his own sanity.

With a heavy sigh, he took the last sip of the coffee and pushed himself off the kitchen counter.

He looked around his apartment sadly.

The quiet- ironically- felt like a loud noise.

And the emptiness, like a heavy weight on his chest.

His eyes fell on the vacant couch, and memories of happier times came flooding to him.

Before his mind could wander any further, Ram shook his head, not wanting to get caught again in the same old thoughts.

He moved towards the sofa table to grab the keys, picked up his wallet and bag and stepped out of his house, preparing to face another mundane day at his corporate job.

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The elevator dinged open on his floor.

Ram stepped inside, noticing another woman standing in a corner who hurriedly wiped away a lone tear.

Immediately averting his gaze, he went to stand in the opposite corner. He looked at the elevator buttons and saw that the one for the ground floor was already pressed.

The doors closed, and the next moment he heard a sniffle. And then another.

Curiosity got the better of him and he could not help but look at the woman again.

"Priya Sood?!" he let out, identifying his friend from his MBA programme.

Priya glanced up, startled, her tear filled eyes momentarily surprised before recognition dawned in them.

It was Ram Kapoor- her college friend, one with whom she had lost touch over the years.

But she remained silent and her gaze returned to the floor, her lips pressed together into a thin line as if trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to spill out.

Before Ram could say anything further, the elevator chimed open on the ground floor.

He hesitantly stepped out and casted a look back at Priya, who remained rooted at her spot.