A new day.

A new start.

Arohi always felt that a single day is enough to change your life.

A single day can be enough to start a new chapter.

A single day can be enough to end a chapter.

What a sleeping Dr. Arohi Goenka-Birla didn't know was that the universe was going to prove it to her again.

🍁

Akshara was too exhausted from all the dancing of the previous night. Voicing out profanities, she got out of bed after Abhi had to sprinkle some water on her face, to which Akshara obviously overreacted saying Abhimanyu shouldn't have thrown a bucket full of water on her.

"It's like I care about your job more than you do" Abhimanyu quipped.

"Whatever" Akshara mumbled as she went in the bathroom and then slammed the door, for dramatic effects.

"I have no idea how I fell in love with a drama company" Abhimanyu said.

"I heard that Dr. Birla" Akshara shouted in a muffled voice while she was brushing her teeth.

"Please don't talk whjike brushing your teeth, Akshu" Abhimanyu replied.

"Bye Abhi" Akshara shouted again.

"God, bye" Abhi replied, irritated as Akshara again talked with the same voice, with all the lather in her mouth.

In half an hour, Akshara was all ready. There was a function in her school, felicitating the students who topped in the last academic year. She had draped a yellow saree and tied her hair in a French braid.

Taking her tiffin which Manjiri had made for her, Akshara left for school.

"gananayakaya ganadevtaya ganaadhishaya dhimahi..."

That voice. That voice is.....

Akshara stopped the bike on the side of the road. She saw the lady continuing her song and walking. Akshara ran behind her, a few strands from her braid letting themselves out.

The lady abruptly stopped and said,

"You finally understood that your destination is in the opposite direction, my precious".

"Oh, you found me!" Akshara exclaimed with happiness, as she recollected the lady's parting words from their last meet.

"How will I meet you again?"

"Don't worry, precious. I'll find you"

"I did. Just like I promised" she replied, turning and Akshara was shocked.

Gone was the American accent. Gone were the floral printed robes and beaded necklaces.

Stood in front of her was a lady draped in a pink, cotton saree. Her hair were tied in a practical, low bun.

"How are you, Rose?"

"It's Meera, meri jaan"

🍁

Neil stood in front of the window in his room, his face shining in the moonlight. He wondered how Arohi felt at peace gazing at the stars. Maybe because she had someone to look at.

Arohi came out of the bathroom and Neil sighed. You can do this Neil, it's just chipkali.

"Arohi, I wanted to talk to you about something" he said, clearing his throat.

Arohi? Has he ever called me that?

"Bolo na Neil" (What happened Neil?)

"I-I have this opportunity to head the oncology department at the Mehendale Hospital in Mumbai"

"Mehendale hospital!? That's amazing news Neil"

"So you're ready to move to Mumbai?" Neil asked excitedly and Arohi's smile faded.

"Oh that..yeah right, I-I didn't realise that Mumbai..yeah of course"

"You don't want to move to Mumbai?" Neil asked.

"Look there's enough time for you to find a job, Aaru"

"But"

"Like I have thought about it, okay? Like, we're going to get better opportunities in Mumbai, right. And honestly"

"Look Neil, I have to be honest. 8 months ago, before our marriage, if you had told me this, I would have happily come along. But lately, things have been going so well with family" Arohi interrupted Neil and explained her side.

"F-family?"

"Yes, Neil. Family"

"Well this sucks to say but for me it's the opposite. Day by day things are getting worse with family for me" Neil replied.

"So is this a way of running away Neil? How long have you planning on this? Why didn't you bother to tell me?"

"I'm not running away. I got a call, I gave an interview. I am yet to hear from them since I gave the interview today" Neil replied.

"So nothing's fixed yet?"

"Yes. It isn't"

"Okay"

"But I am pretty sure I'm going to get the job" he added.

"Well then maybe you could refuse it" Arohi replied, panicking. This's going way to fast.

"Look babe, I know this is a very big decision. And a huge change. All this procedure is going to take time, so can we just think calmly about all this?"

"No, Neil"

"We have at least a month. Come on, chipkali, at least give some time to take this decision. We're obviously going to take it together after thinking about each and every aspect of this" Neil started, but Arohi cut him off.

"Say no to them. That's it" she said, calmly, thinking that Neil would agree.

"No"

"What do you mean Neil?"

"No Arohi. I'm not going to deny this huge opportunity without any valid reason"

"My denial isn't valid?"

"It is. If you have a good reason. You're not even thinking about it. You're just saying no because it will cause you discomfort. If it was you getting the job and me saying no, you would have handed me divorce papers" Neil replied angrily.

"What are you saying?"

"Why are you not ready to even think about this!?"

"Neil, it's just not a good time" Arohi yelled back.

"Why not?"

"Because"

"Because things are going well with family? Stop giving me this stupid, fake reason Arohi"

"What do you mean by a fake reason, Neil?" Arohi asked, surprised.

"Since when did you start caring about living with family?" He scoffed.

"What do you mean!?"

"You love your family, you care for them. But since when did you start wanting to live with them?"

"Neil"

"It just amazed me how quick you were to say no" Neil said as a wave of disappointment hit him. Getting up, he walked out of the room, leaving an angry, confused Arohi.

I fucking hate my life.

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Also, I am so so sooooooo excited for what's ahead in this story!

- updates will be irregular, but one update per week is a promise!