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As I left the room, my phone buzzed for the fifth time-Maa. I sighed and answered, knowing what was coming.
"Are you two fine? Why weren't you answering my calls? Just because of you, one day I'll die from a heart attack!" she exclaimed in frustration.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Have some water, Maa. Everything's fine. We were having dinner, so I didn't see your call," I lied effortlessly.
"Are you both staying there tonight?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice.
"Maybe."
"Jay!" she scolded. "Your birthday is approaching, and you know what happens every year. You'll have to face it again... just like you have for the past twenty years." Her voice quivered with concern.
"Maa, please calm down," I said, trying to steer the conversation away. "I'll be fine. Have you had dinner?"
After a few more minutes of small talk, I managed to end the call, though the knot in my chest remained. As I turned toward the room to go back, my phone buzzed again. Anirudh.
"Hello?" I answered, already exhausted.
"Are you okay?" His tense voice greeted me.
"Why is everyone asking the same damn question?" I muttered, frustration leaking through my words.
"I don't know about everyone, but I just came out of the OT and saw the headlines," he said matter-of-factly.
"What headlines?" I asked, confused.
He mimicked the newscaster's tone: "Mrityunjay Rathore, the king of Banaras and self-made CEO, clashed with millionaire NRI investor Raghav Shinde, husband of famous model Maanvi Kapoor."
"Ah, that one," I replied dryly. "Yeah, I saw it this morning. You're late to the party. The photos were quite... interesting."
"Did Maanvi cause trouble?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
"Yeah, a little. She tried to insult Vidya in front of everyone, and that's when I lost my temper," I admitted.
Anirudh chuckled. "She messed with the wrong person. Vidya must have put her in her place."
"She did. Trust me, she did." A small smile tugged at my lips. "But hey, I've been meaning to ask you something..." I hesitated.
"Hmm? What's on your mind?"
"How does someone heal someone else's childhood trauma?" I asked carefully, unsure if I wanted to hear the answer.
"You're talking about Vidya, aren't you?" His voice was softer now.
I hummed in agreement.
"Well, first heal yourself," he said simply.
"She's been through far worse than me," I replied quietly. "Compared to hers, my trauma feels... insignificant."
