TILL INFINITIES END

54. AARUSHI

I sit there on the swing, staring at the phone screen, waiting for Anika's reply. Finally, the phone buzzes — Call me now if you're free, she texts back.

I stare at the message, suddenly feeling the weight of hesitation. How do I explain everything? How do I admit that as a mother, I don't know what to do for my own daughter? My fingers hover over the screen for a moment before I tap the call button.

"Hey, Aarushi," Anika's voice greets me warmly. I can hear the comfort in her tone, the familiar friend, not the professional just yet.

"Hey...anika!" I try to sound better, "how have you been?"

I feel like she can sense the tension in my voice, "I have been great. But...doesn't seem like you are."

Shit.

I sigh, not wanting to stretch it further, "You...you're right. And it hurts me, to know that we are reconnecting after so long and...and I still need some professional help from you." it puts me into guilt, to be honest.

"Oh come on! It's always okay to come to me. Tell me what is it?" she says in a understanding voice.

"It's about Tia..." I say and stop.

"Okay..." she encourages me to speak.

I tell her everything. Every little detail about what happened between her and Sam and then how it didn't work out and how she didn't talk to us, how she cried and left for a friend's house before we could meet her.

"I understand things have been a little difficult with Tia since... quite some time now?" she asks.

I nod, even though she can't see me. "Yes... it's been hard. Ever since Sam left, she's been... different. She broke down the other night, in front of myra, her best friend, and I overheard. And today, in front of us after we were coming back from the airport, then she apologized, like she'd hurt us somehow. But we're the ones who..." I trail off, my throat tightening. It's hard to admit how lost I felt.

"I can only imagine how tough that must've been for you both," Anika says gently. "But let's take a step back for a moment. Aarushi, tell me—when she apologized, what exactly did she say?"

"She said she was sorry for hurting us, for worrying us," I reply, my voice cracking as I remember her trembling, "She's always been so strong, so composed. But this time, she just... broke. And we didn't know what to do, how to help her."

Anika pauses for a moment, like she's carefully considering her words. "It sounds like Tia is overwhelmed, emotionally. She's trying to process her feelings, about hurting you two, about dealing with this shift with Samarth but doesn't know how to express them, so instead, she's turning it inward, blaming herself."

I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. "I think she's struggling with Sam leaving. She didn't say it outright, but... she went to Myra's house after everything. She loves us, but she's trying to protect us from her pain. I can see it in her eyes. It's like she thinks if she stays away, she won't hurt us more."

"That's possible," Anika agrees. "Teens often don't know how to navigate intense emotions like loss, especially when it comes to close relationships. Sam leaving might have triggered something deeper in her, something she hasn't fully processed yet. But Aarushi, let me ask you—how have you and Varun been dealing with it?"

I sigh, feeling the weight of her question. "We... we don't know how to deal with it, honestly. Varun has been giving her space, and I try, but you know how it is with mothers. It's hard. I worry too much. I just want to help her, but I feel like I'm failing."

"You're not failing, Aarushi," Anika says gently. "You're a concerned mother, and that's completely normal. But Tia might need space, yes, and she also needs to know that it's okay to feel what she's feeling. Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to let her feel without rushing to fix it."