You're My Home | Complete ✔

Chapter 22

Dreams aren't something to be taken for granted. It is a mysterious phenomenon, a lot of it still inexplicable by science. They have a tendency to reflect the subconscious brain, almost as if providing a passage to the deepest, darkest secrets of the mind.

She was having recurrent dreams, most of which were insignificant. But after a long time, Samara woke up from deep slumber content and at ease. She had seen a strangely pleasant dream, something she was deprived of in the last few days. There was a sense of calmness around her, which didn't need to have any particular explanation. It wasn't exactly happiness that could describe her state of mind, rather it was a blissful peace. She had no idea why it was there, but it was there.

Her state of trance was broken by a sharp noise, the ringtone of her phone. A glance at the caller ID brought a smile to her face and at the same time made her heart beat erratically. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she definitely was curious to know.

"Hi." His calm and composed voice told her that he wanted to say something important.

"Were you still sleeping?"

"No, I've been up for long." She wanted to ask how he was doing, but an inner voice told her that she should rather not. There was a brief silence at the other end of the call.

"Samara I wanted to- I mean I hoped we could, we could meet?"

She thought for a bit before answering.

"Yeah sure. I've an off today. The hospital is working on the damage and doing some renovation. So um, how about central park?"

"Okay. I'll be leaving in an hour. Should I pick you up?"

"No it's okay. I'll drive."

"See you then."

She hung up the call, dropping her phone on to her lap and turned to look out the window. It was a clear sunny day. No dark clouds, no gloom. Only hope. Samara closed her eyes and prayed, the same could be said for her life.

*******

Central park was usually a busy place in the mornings, and that day was no exception. The sun brought a lot of New Yorkers out to enjoy the clear weather. There were kids playing with pets, youngsters jogging and the elderly taking a stroll in the jovial ambience.

Armaan and Samara sat down on a bench in a more quieter spot. They were both looking around, diverting their attention, trying to avoid eye contact. Samara took a deep breath before she began.

"Whenever I'm upset or hurt, you're the first person of I want to rush to. But this time around, when I needed you the most, I couldn't. Because you were going through the same kind of pain." She heaved a sigh, "In the last few days, unintentionally we've hurt each other and our own selves more than we realize. I knew it was going to be hard, but never realized it was impossible. Impossible to forget what we had and move on. Yesterday, when I heard you went inside the hospital, when I couldn't find you, I lost myself for a while. We could've died Armaan. We could've died with all that pain buried in our heart, without even seeing each other for one last time. I cannot-" He could see she was struggling to control her emotions.

"We could've died, but we didn't" Armaan interjected. "Allah has given us a chance to redeem. To realize our mistakes. And I don't want the let go of that chance." He took a slight pause. "I'm sorry Samara. I'm sorry to have put you in a situation where you had to choose. I shouldn't have done that, that's not how a partnership works does it?" He looked at her, gaze softened. "Ever since you came into my life, I have always imagined a future with you, with us. Where we both are happy together in our own small little world. No matter how much I try, I cannot overlook the kind of joy that it gave me. You know, I always thought the whole concept of 'not being able to live without each other' was pretentious and melodramatic. I'm not going to say I cannot live without you. Maybe I can, but that's not the life I want to live. It's not worth it."

Samara quickly wiped away a streak of tear before it could fall down her cheeks. Everything he was saying, it was an echo of what was in her mind. Somehow, she understood that he also knew that.

"You know, baba always used to say how education, career, ambitions, they are all important, but not important enough to sacrifice your family. I worked so hard to reach where I am today, that somewhere along the way I forgot about it. I called him the other day, and he reminded me of that. He showed me what I failed to see. That the true goal in life is to be happy, and that doesn't necessarily have to come from a super successful career. One can have the highest recognition, awards and praises, but it will still not satisfy them because that cannot ever take the place of the mental satisfaction that comes from having lived a full and content life with your loved ones."

His silence was speaking volumes, corroborating his approval. Armaan took her hands into his, interlacing their fingers and looked at her eyes that were filled with tears but they weren't tears of pain. It was an expression of everything that she had been suppressing all this while.

Samara turned a few degrees to her left and looked straight at him.

"Armaan, no matter where I am, what I am doing, I'll never be truly happy. I'd be lying to myself if I say I believe that I can be happy without you, and I cannot my spend the rest of my life wondering 'what if I had just said yes?'. I am saying yes. To you, to wherever you want to go. Just take me with you. No place in this world is home without you. You are my home."  

"And you're mine."