Unfathomable Truths

Chapter 24

After some time Mike let go and signaled Josh to come after him, Josh followed.

"Where are you two going?" – Arizona asked

"Just for a cup of coffee." – Mike replied smiling

They got out of the apartment, just as the door closed Mike punched Josh on the face.

"Hey, what was that for?" – Josh said cupping his jaw

"For sleeping with my daughter." – Mike replied

"And this is for..." – He added and Josh closed his eyes expecting another punch but instead Mike hugged him

"For giving her life a purpose and for making her happy." – Mike finished his sentence smiling

Josh was completely surprised.

"Now come on." – Mike said releasing Josh

They reached the coffee place and Mike asked for a bag of ice to put on Josh's jaw

"It won't bruise." – Mike said

Josh looked at him, still afraid a little.

"Hey, no need to be so afraid. I am just looking out for my daughter. You're not a parent yet so you won't understand." – Mike said

"I guess you're right." – Josh replied

"It's not how I imagined having grandkids but I am glad it is you. Because you truly make her happy. I remember the day Arizona was born; she was so tiny and fragile. At first I didn't even know how to carry her without accidentally hurting her so I was afraid to carry her. I just looked at her from above and talked but I didn't carry her and suddenly she grabbed my finger with her whole fist. I still remember the moment, the moment when I truly became a father and now she is having a child of her own." – Mike said, tears in his eyes

Josh put his hand on Mike's hand and said,

"I promise that I will never let anything or anyone hurt her."

There was silence for some time, finally Mike broke the silence and said,

"Come on, lets go home."

Both of them got up and left.

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Dahlia awoke with a startle. She looked around but Mike was nowhere to be seen. She thought that he had probably gone to that meeting he came here for.

She thinks about the events of yesterday. She saw Josh with that girl again and they both looked happy. She thinks about her luck, whenever she started getting a little happy fate intervened. Was this her life? To not have one decent moment of pure happiness? She was starting to forget him but there he was looking so happy and the lifeline which was making her strong again broke down. Why was she this fragile when it came to him? Was it the guilt of the untold promise? Or was it that she still loved him with all her being that it was corroding her own self.

We humans are strange creatures when it comes to love. Our behavior, our senses, our emotions seem to heighten just because of that other person whom we are falling for or fallen for. Do these heightened senses or heightened emotion really seem to matter when you can't even tell the person you love that you love them? Is love really worth it all in the long run of not getting the love of that person whom you love? When it comes to love the human species is the same, we all are drunk on the idea that love and only love can heal our brokenness. We believe in soul mates but rarely meet our soul mate because reality is not that easy, because reality is much more complex than the fantasies we have created in our mind about love. But still we hope because hope is the one thing we have that keeps us sane, the fragile line to love is hope. But that is what Dahlia was missing, she was hoping for hope hopelessly. She wanted to love Mike but the idea of Josh existing and his presence alone was breaking that fragile line of hope. We all are broken somehow and sometimes the reason behind our brokenness is the person we love the most in the world.

Dahlia goes in the shower and opens the shower. She stands below the showerhead without getting out of her clothes as cold water hits her but she doesn't back away. She closes her eyes savoring every moment trying to make the pain go away by showering in freezing water. Her teeth start chattering but she still doesn't get out. She thinks of Josh, she thinks of every memory with him. She is trying to wash away all the pain but it won't go. It's like the pain of yesterday is still there and it may never leave.

"What the hell are you doing?" – Mike said as he entered the bathroom because of the noise.

He pulled Dahlia out of the shower and wrapped her in the towel. She wrapped her arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably. He dried her hair by the towel and then hugged her back, not saying a word. Sometimes silence is the best company between two people.

"Come on; let us change you into dry clothes." – He said after some time

She let go of him but didn't move an inch. He looked at her and then finally did what he had to do. He took out her clothes from the dresser and removed the wet ones she was wearing; and then he dressed her while she remained silent, tears streaming down her face.

When he finally finished, he wiped her tears with his thumb and engrossed her in his arms.

"It will be ok." – He spoke softly in her ear

She looked up at him, tears still in her eyes.

"When?" – She asked

"I don't know. But the time will come when it will all be alright." – He replied

She remained quiet for some time, gazing into his eyes. Finally she spoke,

"Please don't ever leave me."

There was a pain in her voice, a pain only the person who had lost everything and then again lost a little part of himself time to time could experience. She was broken beyond repair but she was also trying like hell to mend herself.

"Never." – He replied softly and hugged her more tightly