How did it End?

Chapters 1-5

Chapter 1

Juhi

"But then how is it fair?

"Who said anything about fair?"

"Oh come on, what are you? Some kind of a deranged villain who thinks the world is out to get you?"

"I do not know about the villain, but deranged? Absolutely. What sane person would love you?"

She wakes up with a gasp. There is a breath that is stuck in her throat as she tries to understand what just happened. This is not the first time that Juhi had woken up from a nightmare, and she knows it will not be the last. Lately, the nightmares were much more frequent, which made no sense to her as the events she had been dreaming about had happened decades ago. But that is the funny thing about trauma, isn't it? It can be years before you can even grasp the intensity of the events that brought you to become the person you are. She tries to get out of bed to get a glass of water, but even the thought of it exhausts her. She has an early morning and she is already wiped out from the party last night. She looks over at Colin, the sweet angel is sound asleep and looks like he is running around in meadows, carelessly enjoying his time. She does not know how everything happened in her life so serendipitously, leading her to him.

"Another nightmare?" he asks, rubbing his eyes as he tries to process what has woken Juhi up after the tiring ordeal of the massive party.

"I don't understand, Colin. I genuinely do not. How is he still haunting me after all these years? Why am I still in this agony?"

"It wouldn't be called trauma if it were easy, my love. Come here.."

"What would it be called then?" She asks as she snuggles up to the warm embrace of her partner of five years. " No, like what would it be called then?"

"Hush now. I am no Shakespeare. You know that."

"Oh yeah. I gave up on getting heartfelt letters and essays from you after that one speech you gave at the Christmas party at your office. That was the moment I realised that I had somehow ended up with a man of few words. Tell me, how did you end up choosing a profession where your words are your livelihood? You argue for a living, Colin. How did you end up choosing this career?" She knows this is exactly what will get him all riled up, and she will wake up to yet another poorly written yet deeply affectionate letter by hers truly.

"Do you want me to have nightmares too, my love? Why would you bring up the holiday party speech again, at 3 AM? Now I am going to have an entire flashback of the incident in my sleep, with nothing I can do about it. Why would you do this to me?"

"What can I say? Misery loves company."

"Oh, you are evil. Let's see what you have to say after the maid-of-honour speech you are preparing for Amisha and Milan. It is going to be so much fun, watching you try to figure out what to say at the wedding of your best friend of 30 years. Dear lord, you are going to be shaking in ' boots, I can just see it right now."

"You have to know that I already have 3 different versions of that speech ready to go. I knew this day would come, and over the years, I have drafted like a million different versions of the speech. The only problem I am going to have is trying to select a version. Which, by the way, will not even be a problem because of how big a control freak Amisha is. You know she will want to make edits to everything I have written. We are going to ace it."

"You definitely know how to spoil my fun. Can we please go to sleep now, love? I am not going to get much of it, now that I remember the horrors. We both have an early morning too!"

"Okay, okay. You don't have to tell me twice. Enjoy the night, Mr. Kubacki, I know I am going to!" She says teasingly, surprised at how well her life has turned out.