Let's meet again for the first time.
Her mother shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Who will marry you now, when people get to know you were left by Vikram?" Before I could even process what I was doing, the words left my mouth.
"I wil...
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AARAV'S POV
I don't know what to do, I have been sitting here since an hour. When Anika's mother gained consciousness, Maa called us, and we hurriedly came here. Only one person is allowed at a time, so that it doesn't pressurize her and I fully intend to let Anika ne that one, because I don't know what I will converse about with aunty, because naturally I have grown apart and I don't know what to say after so many years.
In childhood, her mother was like a second mother to me, I wasn't one to speak much, I am still not a talker, it was usually Anika's job to blabber and eat my ears off, although I liked it, I still do, not that she talks to me much, but I know I would still like it despite my anger towards her. But I remember sharing things with her, that I couldn't tell maa, although maa never ever scolded me for anything, she was the one to explain stuff rather than shouting and throwing hands and I am grateful for that, but there are certain stuff you just can't share with your parents no matter how approachable and friendly they are. Rekha aunty knew I had a crush on Anika, whenever maa and aunty would be in a same room with me, they would leave no chance to pull my leg. I claimed to hate it, but internally it gave me hope, that our mothers already approved, I just had to win over Anika. Anyways that's all in past, I can't do anything, she left, never looked behind.
The door opens, Anika stands there bewildered, I stand up, "what's wrong Anika?" I asked, alarmed by her expression. "She wants to talk to you." She says, looking at me puzzled, turning her head sideways, "I don't know what possibly she wants to talk to you, but she won't tell me." She looks away, her eyes holding doubt.
"I won't go, if you don't want me to." I whisper, she's right, and honestly knowing aunty, if she's the same, she would want to thank me and like always I won't have any replies for it. "It's okay, you can go." She says and walks away sitting on the hospital bench, without giving me a second look, I stare at her but she doesn't budge at all, I take a deep breath and open the door to her room. Aunty is looking out of the window, her face facing the other side. She might have heard the door creak, her face slowly turns towards mine, her eyes taking me in, and then she slowly smiles, "You look handsome, as always, Aarav." I nod, not knowing how to react.
"How are you feeling?" I ask, but she doesn't reply, instead she pats the space next to her, on her bed. I look at her puzzled, "take a seat beta." She says, her voice sounding weak. I sit on the chair next to her bed. I won't fit in that little space, anyways.
"How are you?" She asks in a small voice. "Fine" I reply curtly, "and how are you feeling?" I ask again. "Better" She says. "Thank-" She starts, but I lift my hand signaling her to stop, "no, please don't say that." I say. "Not for this Aarav. Thank you for marrying my daughter." She says. "Even when you didn't had to, you could have simply ignored her and walked away, but you didn't." She adds. I nod, not knowing what to say or do. I don't regret doing it, I never will. It's just strange, I thought when and if I ever met Anika, the love I once had for her would change in hate, but it didn't I couldn't hate her after all.
