Almost Love (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 17

"Hey," I walked into the kitchen while Simmi prepared the breakfast. "Should i help?"

"No it's fine. Just call Meeshu down please."

I dressed her up in her school uniform and then got her down. "Maasi, today i am going to tell all my friends that my papa has gone to sleep." She smiled at me.

I coughed trying not to choke and I knew Simmi did the same. "Enough talking about papa, look what mumma made you. Pancakes!"

"Yayyyyy!" Meeshu clapped her hands excitedly and i sat down watching Simmi feed her little daughter.

After Simmi waved to her daughter as she went in the school bus, she turned around with a sad expression.

"It's so tough, Meera, so tough. I don't know how much longer i can pretend to be happy in front of Meeshu."

I held her hand and gave a little squeeze. "You have to. For her sake and yours."

She nodded and looked away before sighing. "I need to do the paperwork. God, will you help me? I need to close all his accounts and investments and everything."

"Of course I'll help. You didn't have to ask."

"It'll be too time consuming. There's a lot of stuff we'll have to go through."

"Come on then, let's not waste any time." I smiled.

I was always good in accounts in school, and that came in handy today while helping my cousin. I knew if i had the opportunity I would've been really good in that subject but sadly my parents forced me to pursue home science, telling me i was supposed to take care of my home anyway.

Simmi and I went through all the accounts in Vinod's name and we closed them. Then we finished with the investments and all the schemes and transferred the ownership.

When finally we finished everything, it was almost night and everyone had already gone to sleep.

"Thankyou Meera. I don't know how I could've done all this without your help."

"You don't need to mention it. I'm just glad all the formalities are over now."

"You know, i feel like now that all the formalities are over, the only connection I'll have with him is Meeshu."

"Don't do that Simmi. Don't push him out of your mind. You've had so many happy memories with him, think about those. I'm sure if he's watching you from above, he'll be sad to see you crying. Be happy Simmi, you deserve it regardless of what you think right now. God has plans."

"God has plans." She repeated.

I don't know why I said that because I'm not sure myself whether i believe it or not. God has taken away everything from me but given me Yuv. Honestly, I don't know what to think about it.

"By the way, did you think about what i told you to do?"

"Yes. I don't know. I want to do some fun things that I've never got the chance to do."

"What kind of fun things? Come on, be a little specific." She demanded.

"I'll have to think." Suddenly i felt vulnerable and exposed.

"How about, you write it down on a paper?" She tried, handing me a paper and a pen.

I thought about the random things i would like to do for a long time, before eventually writing them down. 

1. Join a publishing house
2. Get drunk
3. Take a vacation without family
4. Wear a bikini
5. Kiss in the rain
6. Scuba diving
7. Horse back riding
8. Fly in a hot air balloon

Where did these wishes come from? Have alcohol? Wear a bikini? Hell, I'm married to an old fashioned man and I've led a very sheltered life. I have never even gone on a vacation alone. I think my list is pure fantasy. Just as i was about to scratch all of it out, Simmi snatched it from me.

"Wait! I wasn't ready to share it yet." I shrieked in horror as she quietly went through the list. Embarrassed, i sat back and folded my arms waiting for her to laugh at my ridiculously impossible list. Instead of laughing, she solemnly nodded instead.

"You know, Meera, your list isn't that hard. You should just go for it."

"You think so?"

"Of course. You really must do all of the things you wrote in the list. We never know what tomorrow might bring. I mean, look at me. Who would've anticipated this would've happened? I wish i had spent more time with Vinod, but now there's nothing i can do to change that."

I can't see her break down again and If i can distract her then why not.  "Okay. I'll try to do all of them."

She told me to get her laptop and i rushed to get it before she switched it on. "That day while i was working I had seen an advertisement for an internship... I think it was related to publishing, I just need to confirm it." She murmured while i just sat back not knowing what to do.

"Go it!" She exclaimed after a few minutes, causing me to lean towards the laptop screen.

Miranda Publishing House.

"Isn't that the best publishing company in India?" I excitedly scrolled down their main page. "Wow, look at the list of books they've published. Some of them are my favourites!"

Simmi smiled at my excitement before answering. "Let me contact them."

"No! I mean let me read about the internship first." I added when she threw me a confused look.

"Okay." She nodded before taking out a print of the internship programme.

Simmi yawned while i read the printed information, making me yawn as well. Both of us started laughing like old times. "God, I'm so tired."

"Me too. Thanks again for helping me today. I'm so glad you'll finally do what you want." She said before giving me a kiss on my cheek and making her way back upstairs.

I know. Me too.

That night i lay awake for a very long time and the more I thought about all of it, the surer i felt of what i was going to do.

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