Second Chances | Grooms #2 | Slow Updates #WattyLonglist

【 viii. secret meetings 】

Parth answered his phone the next morning just shortly after he had woken up, "Sanam, hi."

His best friend's wife who had become a good friend to him as well greeted with a quick scolding, "Parth, are you trying to kill me?!"

Parth swallowed a groan as he knew exactly what Sanam meant. "I know. I know, Sanam. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you. Promise."

Sanam exhaled a sigh to drop her irritation, "That you will." Then, with concern, she questioned, "What's going on, Parth? You were supposed to be gone for the weekend, not this long. And after two long months, Arjun was finally coming home in time for our anniversary. But now he is probably going to miss it. I want to mad at you but I'm also worried."

"Has anyone told you that you've certainly learned to ramble compared to our early days?" Parth tried to lighten the moment as somewhere, he himself didn't know how to share this with Sanam.

Sanam scolded knowing of his nature, "Parth, don't do that. I deserve a better answer, don't you think?"

He knew she did. Not just because he had asked her husband and his best friend, Arjun to stay in India a few more days and try to find some information on Sonu and his family, but also because together, they had went through things the last couple years of their lives and both Arjun and Sanam were a part of his extended family.

"I'm just trying to help someone get a divorce."

Sanam pointed out, "You're a criminal lawyer. Not a divorce attorney."

Parth said in agreement, "Yeah, I know. Just... I don't know, Sanam. I knew her. It was barely a day but still, I knew her. You should have seen her that night, Sanam, when I saw her and... and I just couldn't leave. I had to do something. Look, I really am sorry Arjun will be missing your anniversary. I know you guys already have it tough trying to have some time together but..."

Sanam interrupted his guilty conscious, "Hey, hey. It's okay, Parth. I don't understand a lot of what you just rambled, but I think I get it. You had to help her. You have that good a heart. I know that. Don't worry about us, okay? We've made it work so far. We'll have more anniversaries in the future."

He answered in a low voice, "Yeah," not knowing what else to say. He never claimed to be the guy who knew the perfect things to say in certain situations. All he knew in the moment was that he felt guilty that his friends were going to be affected. From having known Arjun his whole life, he did knew that in their friendship, they did things for each other without any reservations or second thoughts. Similarly, when Parth had asked him of this favor, Arjun hadn't spent more than a second to say yes and offer his help in any way it could.

Still, Parth knew that as they age and start to live their respective lives, things change. Sanam was never one to come between their friendship but he still understood that one to adapt to those changes.

Sanam got the hint from his tone and went on to further assure him, "I mean it, Parth. Don't beat yourself up over this. If you had to ask this of Arjun and you are putting a hold on your job, then I can only imagine how important it must be. So do what you gotta do and we'll see you when you get back?"

"Okay, yeah. Thanks, Sanam. That means a lot."

She chuckled, "Ofcourse, silly. Now go win that case and do us proud."

The simplest of words and yet they offered him such encouragement as it let him know he wasn't alone in the fight. That he had his friends backing him even if they weren't physically present. "I will."

"I gotta go to the hospital for my shift now. Call you later?"

He answered, "Yes, definitely. Go save lives."