Thanks For Coming Back

Chapter 2

She wondered why none of them moved a single muscle. She stared at the person ahead her standing in black sneakers, blue faded jeans, 'his style' she thought to herself, forest green T-shirt with a V-neck, 'his favorite color' she remembered. She was amazed how she still remembered them. She realized she had never forgotten him at the first place. She tried figuring out what he was thinking and as always, she failed miserably. Numerous thoughts ran over her small head. Why was he back? What did he want now? Why was he there? Why was he not moving ahead or moving away? Is he still the same? Does he...

And before she realized he was standing a foot away from her yet not uttering a single word. Or did she miss him say something while she was running those thoughts, she wondered.

He watched her cock her head to a side, as she always did while thinking. 'She must be running thoughts right now as I'm here' he thought. He noticed she was wearing a blue sleeveless dress that ended just below her knee, her favorite color. He was amazed he still remembered that. Maybe he had not forgotten her either.

"Hey" he said with a small smile awkwardly.

"Um... Hi" she let out the breathe she didn't know she had been holding and replied his greeting with same intensity of inelegance.

The silence crept in again, only this time it made environment thick with tension that one could even cut with a butter knife. They looked around at anything but each other, avoiding one another's gaze. After what seemed as an hour he broke the silence again.

"How have you been, Anna?"

A chill ran down her spine, which she was well acquainted with, on hearing that name from his lips. She then realized it's been 8 years since anyone called her that. She grimaced at the thought and looked at the eyes that were waiting for her reply which made her realize she had zoned out.

"Anahita" She said.

"Huh?" he raised a brow and gave her a confused look for not understanding what she meant.

"My name"

"Oh" Realization dawned on him that he no longer had the right to call her 'Anna'.

...

"I've been better. How about you, Aaron?"

"Ammm, good I guess?" It was more of question than a statement because he actually didn't know how he had been all these time.

"So what are you doing here?" he asked peeking over her shoulder, towards the shop she was about to enter.

"I'm here to buy my daughter a present." She replied with a smile. "It's her birthday coming Friday." As if on cue a baby girl, dressed in yellow frock, ran towards her wrapping her arms around her waist. And he watched her effortlessly carry the little girl in her arms as if she was used to it, and she hugged the little girl close to her chest. He gathered that she was her daughter when she spoke.

"Mommy you're taking lot of time. We have been waiting for long." Girl pouted.

Anahita giggled. "Awn baby, mommy is sorry to make her princess wait."
"She is my daughter I was talking about" she said looking towards Aaron and then looked back to her before saying, "Baby say 'hello' to uncle"

"Hellooo, I'm Sera" she greeted smiling.