Chapter 39 : Warmth

Aadarsh had just been driving aimlessly. No destination in mind. Somehow his car halted in the parking lane alongside the park in their old neighbourhood.

At the far end of the street, a group of kids were playing Holi. There was laughter, there was music. They were all just having a good time. Like he used to when he was young.

He made his way inside the park. The park was relatively quiet. It wasn't a big park, just decent enough. He walked over to the swings. Abhi and him had spent majority of their summer vacations in this park.

He settled on the bench under the shade of a tree, and stared at the empty swings.

"Bhaiya, push me first then you can swing."

"No. Learn it on your own, like I did." An eight year old bossy Aadarsh told his brother, with an air of haughtiness in his manner.

"Aadi, help Abhi. You're his big brother. Come on be my good boy!"

Aadarsh turned his head and looked at the empty place on the other side of the bench. His pregnant mother sat on the bench watching them, while knitting a sweater for the unborn Ashvi.

Little Aadarsh got off the swing begrudgingly and moved to his brother's swing. He pushed the swing for his brother. "Move your legs," he ordered the little boy.

When Abhi didn't do it right he gave up and went back on his own swing. "Maa, he doesn't get it."

"My swing stopped," Abhi complained.

"Aadi, be patient. Teach him like Papa taught you. Papa never gave up naa? So you don't give up. Teach him, he's your little brother." His mother spoke, her hands busily knitting.

Aadarsh wiped the tears rolling off his eyes looking at the empty bench. The memory was so real, like it was playing right before his eyes. Like if he stretched his arm, he would be able to touch her. He shifted a bit and then laid on the bench. He rested his head where his mother's lap would be. More tears rushed down his cheek.

He missed putting his head on his mother's lap. He missed how she used to lovingly stroke his hair and talk him out of his problems. He longed for her touch that made him feel safe. He ached for her embrace that made him feel at peace with the world and himself.

If only she didn't leave them.

Tears stained his cheeks. He missed her voice calling his nickname. There was never anyone who called his name with so much love as she did. Even when she scolded him there would be love hiding behind her words. No one had ever loved him as much as his mother loved him.

His thoughts went back to Abhi. Abhi's words rang in his ears.

You made him bad. You gave up on him. You were not a good son. I guess that's why you try to run around acting like a father. To lie to yourself. To tell yourself you're better. That you can fill his place. You don't.

We look up to you. Apparently, we've been blind to your ways of getting things done.

Abhi had always been volatile with his emotions. It was just a matter of time. He would come around like he always did. Knowing that, he still felt hurt. He knew Abhi didn't really mean all those words. He said it because he was hurting. Abhi had always loved their father the most. He had always been devoted to their father.

He cried silently. He knew he wasn't the best person out there. But he knew he always loved his siblings. He did what was best for them, like his mother would have wanted him to do.

His tears dried up, but Abhi's words didn't stop echoing in his ears. He slipped both his palm beneath his head. Bitter memories replayed in his mind.

"Papa, you should see them."

"Go away, Aadi."

"How long will you stay in this room? Abhi isn't eating properly. Ashvi isn't talking to anyone. And the babies, they keep crying. They need you."

"I don't care. My world is gone. Those babies killed your mother, Aadi."

"Maa, chose to bring them into this world, Papa. They are a part of us, our family."

"Go away!"

The harsh shout echoed in his ears followed by the sound of the slap that had followed.

"You can't keep living like this!" An agitated eighteen year old Aadarsh screamed. He snatched away the bottle from his father's hand. His gaze dropping to the small rolls of white paper and the white powder on the table.

"How dare you!" His father shouted, the slur in his voice prominent.

"Don't do this Papa. We need you. Please. Abhi fell off the cycle today. He is waiting for you to come and see him. Please."

"You kids are annoying. This is why I never wanted you. You took away my wife, she was my lifeline. Those twins snatched her away. She should have listened to me. She should have dropped them."

"She was better than you will ever be."

His father looked at him and walked up to him. He snatched the bottle back. "She was my wife."

"And we are your children. Papa, please. Just come for two minutes and see Abhi. He's very sad."

"Get out of my room." His father said. When Aadarsh did not move, his father pushed him out of the room.

"Why are you doing this to us?" He sobbed.

"because you all are dead for me. Everything is over. She's gone Aadi." His father broke into a cry. "she's gone forever."

The loud shutting of the door echoed in his ears. A fresh set of tears rolled down his eyes. The pain of having your parent close the door on your face, never really went away.

Aadarsh lost track of time. One by one, bitter memories came to haunt him, to remind him why his father was a not a good father. He did nothing wrong. He just protected his siblings from the man who was no longer their father. They had lost both their parents when their died.

The ringing of his phone brought him back to reality from a painful hell of sad memories.

He sat up and pulled the phone out of his pocket, using his right hand. His left rubbed the wetness off his cheeks. He stilled when he was the name of the caller display on his screen. 

Ruhaani.

Next he noticed the time. It had been more than three hours since he had left home. He cleared his throat, sniffed a little and composed himself before picking up the call.

Ruhaani didn't know what was right what was wrong. She couldn't make sense of anything she felt. She didn't know if she should talk to him or not. Somehow her worry was the only thing that made sense at the moment.

Aadarsh had left home in quite a bad state of mind. He had been hurt. He had been angry. She just hoped he didn't do something wrong. Clearly, he hated his uncle, she just hoped he didn't take some action that would make things more complicated than they already were. Above all she was worried about his well being.

"Hello,"

Ruhaani gulped. She had been pacing up and down the room but stopped and settled on the bed when she heard his voice.

"Hello, I just wanted to..." she squeezed her eyes shut. "check on you. Are you okay?"

"I am fine. Just had to get some work done. How is Abhi?"

Ruhaani blinked, taken aback at the response. There was no hurt, no anger, nothing. "He is crying, Dai jaan is with him." She answered.

"Hmm, just make sure he eats something." He spoke, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Hmm, I spoke to Ashvi some time back. She is with her friends at the party and everything is going well."

"Oh yeah, it slipped out of my mind." He ran a hand over his face. "thanks! Just drop me a text when she's home."

"Hmm," Ruhaani pressed her lips together. She had no clue how he was so calm and composed like nothing had happened. "Aad.."

"I will be home late."

"Okay," Ruhaani looked up at the balcony door of their room. Why was she thinking so much? Why was it hard to believe that he was so unaffected? She had seen the glimpse of the storm inside him in his eyes when he had left.

"Did you have lunch?"

Ruhaani sighed when the tone to indicate that the call had ended was heard, before she could complete her question. She placed the phone beside her. She could never understand this man.

***

"Hey,"

Abhi looked up from the photo albums he had been flipping through, seated on the floor of his room.

"Can I come in?" Ruhaani asked peeping in through the ajar door.

"Yes, Bhabhs!" He replied, his voice low.

"Got you something to eat. Thought you must be hungry." She spoke placing the tray of food on the carpet and sat beside him. Her gaze lowering to the photo album open on his lap.

"I don't have an appetite."

"I know. This is like the essential for your body to function properly. Not to please your taste buds."

"Bhabhs, no. Really."

"If you're assuming I made this. You're wrong. Dai Jaan cooked it. So, if that is the reason..."

"Bhabhs," Abhi turned to her.

"Look, I understand you're upset and hurt. But you mustn't reject food. Come on," Ruhaani spoke scooping a mix of the chickpea gravy and rice, onto a spoon.

Abhi opened his mouth and ate. "Thanks, Bhabhs!"

Ruhaani smiled meeting his eyes. It was almost heart wrenching how deprived of affection the Sehgal siblings were.

"You know, Mumma used to say the same thing when we wouldn't eat food because we were angry." Abhi spoke, his gaze falling back to the picture of him and Aadarsh hugging their mother from either side. A baby girl was in their father's arms behind them. Each one of them had a wide smile on their face. The photograph defined a happy family.

"It's a beautiful picture," Ruhaani commented as she fed Abhi.

"It is, isn't it?"

"Your mother looks so pretty, now I understand where you all get your good looks from." Ruhaani remarked, trying to cheer up her brother-in-law.

Abhi smiled, "well, look at our father. He wasn't far behind. They made a gorgeous couple, who made gorgeous babies!"

"They did." Ruhaani agreed with a chuckle, moving the filled spoon to his mouth.

"Bhabhs, I will eat it. It's too tasty to miss out. Don't treat me like a baby now."

Ruhaani smiled as he took the plate from her hand while she took the photo album off his lap.

"May I?" She asked turning to him.

He nodded.

Ruhaani turned to the next page. A smile touched her lips at the sight of a photograph that had two young boys, one tall, the other a few inches shorter. Both of them had nothing more than their underwear on. They were both posing like wrestlers.

"This is you and Aadarsh?" She asked, smiling.

"Yeah, this is the stupidity we did. Papa had this unique talent of capturing us at our most embarrassing moments."

Ruhaani's smile weakened, as the heated conversation between the brothers from earlier came back to her mind. Why were the views of both the brothers on their father so different from each other?

She wordlessly flipped to the next page. Both pages had pictures from seemingly the same day, a birthday party.

"Whose birthday was it?" Ruhaani asked, carefully looking at the pictures. Aadarsh looked remarkably different as a young boy. If she hadn't seen the pictures of teenage him in that box in the storage room she wouldn't have recognized him at all.

"Bhai's. Our mother always baked the cake for him. We all preferred outside cakes but he always wanted Maa to bake it for him."

Ruhaani moved onto next page and her smile faltered upon noticing the familiar face of the cute girl. Siddhi stood next to Aadarsh clapping while he cut the cake. His mother standing on the other side.

Abhi suddenly flipped to the next page. "See this..." he said, "that's Ashvi. So Bhai and I smeared her face with the cream. Bhai was saved because it was his birthday but I got maximum scolding."

"Maybe because it was your idea?" Ruhaani guessed, trying to smile. Was Abhi trying to make sure she didn't ask about Siddhi? His sudden interference and enthusiasm was a bit hard to digest.

"Who is this by the way?" She asked flipping back to the previous photograph and pointed to Siddhi

"That's...Bhai's best friend."

"Oh," Ruhaani said.

"Now that we are talking of your Bhai," she looked up at him. "Don't you think your words were a bit harsh?"

Abhi sighed, focusing back on his food.

"Abhi?" She called when he didn't say anything but quietly ate.

"He is not as good as he seems to be. In fact he's never been." Abhi muttered.

"Doesn't mean he loves you any less" Ruhaani's reply was immediate.

Abhi turned to her. "Can we not talk about it?"

"No, we should talk about it. The best time to treat a wound is when it's fresh. Did you mean everything you said to him?"

"No. But I meant a lot of it."

"Look Abhi, I don't think it's the right place for me to say anything. It's between you brothers. But personally, I think you were a bit harsh. You know that you, that all of you mean the world to Aadarsh. He's never going to do anything that makes you all upset. He's arrogant, yes. He can be insensitive, yes. The list of the negatives is long. But, he loves you all. He doesn't pretend to fill someone's place in your lives. He isn't trying to be better than anyone."

"I know." Abhi whispered. "But Bhabhs, he hates our father. And do you think it's correct of him to cheat my father, his own father? For what, the company? Isn't that too low for him to reach? Worse of all, an outsider comes and tells us about it."

"You should ask him for his reasons. I am sure he has them." Ruhaani didn't know why  she was trying to advocate for Aadarsh, when she didn't even know exactly what had happened and why it had happened. She was unnecessarily defending him without even knowing if he was innocent.

Abhi scoffed. "He threatened to destroy his own cousin's marriage. Did you not hear him?"

"I was there." Ruhaani said softly. "I was there when he met your uncle. It all happened in front of me. Vasant Sehgal threatened Aadarsh first, Abhi. He said that he'd drag you all down with him. That was what angered Aadarsh and instigated him. And he only said that he'd out to her to be in-laws that he was a double faced man."

Abhi sighed, as guilt washed him. "I don't know what to think of it Bhabhs. Just because someone loves you, he can't be left off the hook for his wrongdoings, right?

Sometimes I don't recognize him. It's like he has grown to be someone else. He lies, hides things, does things which are not right. It leaves a weird feeling. I don't want him to be a bad person."

"He is not Abhi."

Abhi turned to her, surprised. "You have started liking him, haven't you?" A small smile made it to his lips. It was all that he wanted for his brother. Someone who protects him, cares for him. Yet, today here he was doubting if his brother was worthy of Ruhaani

Ruhaani felt cornered. Did she like him? Yes, only parts of him. But she wasn't ready to come to terms with anything more than that. Her brain was once again making her look at the big waving red flag, but all she was seeing was a man who had lost the people he really loved.

"Bhabhs, don't hold such a high opinion of him."

"I don't, Abhi." It was the truth.

She then added, "But I know that his family means everything to him. That he loves you all, no matter what." Ruhaani forced a smile on her face. "You should fix this. Not everybody gets what you two have." She meant that. To have a brother who'd give his life for you was rear in a world where brothers didn't hesitate to get at each other's throat for money and power.

"It's not that easy." Abhi's soft voice was close to a whisper.

"Well, then think over it." She said and got off the floor. "Finish that," she said pointing to his plate.

"Bhabhs," he called when she turned around and moved towards the door.

"Yes," she turned and gave him a look over her shoulder.

"Thank you!" He managed to wear a smile, despite the conflicting emotions in his heart.

"Anytime Abhi!"

He gazed down at the photo album that had a picture of his brother photo bombing his superman pose photo. "You better learn to be worthy of her."

***

Aadarsh walked into a very silent house at night. Dai Jaan opened the door for him.

"I will heat the dinner right away," she said following him in after closing the door.

"No, Dai Jaan. I ate."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Did Abhi eat?"

"Yes, he did. Ruhaani made sure of that."

"He slept?"

"Yes, I checked some time back."

Aadarsh nodded. "Kids?"

"Off to bed."

"Ashvi?"

"She came home a few hours ago. She didn't eat, said her stomach was full."

He nodded. He had received a text message from Ruhaani around six at the evening. It simply read— Ashvi is home.

He had learned from the driver that she had gone to some restaurant with her friends from the ground where the holi party was hosted and returned to the ground well into the evening. He didn't have the energy to deal with her. He was tired.

"Chote Saab,"

He turned to look at the older woman.

"Your Badi Bua also left. Before lunch. She seemed upset."

He nodded, dejected. He was about to walk to his room when he turned back to Dai Jaan, "Ruhaani?"

"She should be in the room. She had been waiting here. Went upstairs about half an hour ago."

"Okay, good night!" He said and made his way up the stairs. He was too tired to think about how to fix everything. He needed some time. Maybe tomorrow morning he could work on putting everything back in place.

He heard muffled voices from his room and stopped at the entrance and peeped inside.

Pari was sprawled over Ruhaani's sleeping form. Ruhaani was running her hand through her hair, caressing her back. Pari was telling her about how much colour got off her when Dai Jaan gave her a bath.

"Even from my hair also pink color was coming out. The whole bathroom was pink water."

He leaned against the door frame, discreetly watching them. They made such a heart-warming sight. His eyes brightened up when, Pari suddenly sat up in excitement and told her mother about how Nirvaan Bhaiya helped her water the plants with her pichkaari. The girl's innocence, her excitement was pure just like the way she loved.

"Shona, don't jump. Mumma's tummy will hurt then."

Pari smiled sheepishly showing her baby teeth and got off her mother's stomach. She gently caressed her mother's abdomen. "Now it won't hurt."

Ruhaani's lips curved up just as Aadarsh's did.

"Mumma, where is Papa? I want to listen to story." Suddenly her tone went low. Aadarsh felt bittersweet.

"He has work. Tomorrow morning, you can tell him to tell you a story and also make a house with him. Okay? Now sleep or bogeyman will come."

"Papa can shoo the bogeyman."

"Mumma can shoo him, but only if Pari closes her eyes, says her prayer and goes to sleep."

Aadarsh stepped back and turned away. The day had been taxing. He had been missing his mother quite a lot. Seeing Ruhaani with Pari only bought back the longing of being a kid again so that he could have his mother.

***

Ruhaani shouldn't have bothered making her way all the way up to the terrace to see him. He clearly wanted to be alone.

He had been gone since noon. Returned close to midnight, only to be at the terrace, in solitude.

She had gone down to check if he was home after Pari had slept. She was surprised when the lights had been turned off and only the night lamps were on. She had learned from Dai Jaan that he was on the terrace.

Her gaze finally caught glimpse of him. He sat on the lounger. A crystal glass in his hand. A bottle of soda and another of scotch on the floor. She took a deep breath and made her way towards him.

"The night is cold, isn't it?"

Aadarsh turned to find her walking up to him. She pulled the lounger beside the one he sat on, closer to his and then settled on it.

"The room must be warm." He said in response.

"It was." Ruhaani answered.

"Dai Jaan told me you didn't eat anything. You missed out on some good dinner."

Aadarsh sat quietly. The last thing he wanted was Ruhaani's pity.

"Are you okay?"

"Do I look otherwise?" He snapped turning to her sharply

"Well," Ruhaani sighed, "after whatever happened..."

"Stop. Abhi and I fight all the time. So please... don't talk of it like something big. In fact, I don't want to talk to you or anyone for that matter." He looked away, irritated. Abhi would come around, like he always did, he tried to convince himself.

"Fine. Don't be a jerk about it." Ruhaani snapped. "It's not like I care."

Her words pinched him. "Then why are you here?" He retorted turning to her.

"For Abhi." She lied.

Aadarsh's eyes met hers. She was here for Abhi. "What about him?"

"He was upset. Very upset."

"Let me guess, he sat with old photo albums around him. Kept a tissue box next to him and cried. Ordered a big tub of black currant ice cream?"

Ruhaani looked at him surprised.

"He's my brother. I know him." He answered her surprise.

"That's so insensitive, Aadarsh, even if he did all of the above. And it was chocolate, because I told him to order that."

He stared at her. A dead blank stare.

"What? I don't like black currant as such."

Aadarsh rolled his eyes looking away. His gaze fixated back on the shimmering water of the pool. She had been with Abhi. Great! It was not like he needed anyone.

"I have never seen Badi Bua, so upset. She was almost heart broken." She said after a silent lapse of some time.

"She should have asked me before inviting people. Or at least told me that she was inviting guests to my house." He muttered, feeling annoyed.

"Hmm, she thought this house was as much hers as yours. Something she'll never again assume." Ruhaani said softly.

A silence fell. He words couldn't be more truer.

Guilt filled Aadarsh up. Yes, that was wrong on his part. He had disrespected his aunt in front of everyone— interrupted her while she was talking, emphasized that he was the one with the final say not her and hurt her by the truth.

"She's the closest you have to a mother figure in your life. You hurt her also today."

"I know." He muttered, angry at himself for letting the situation take control of him. "If you plan to sit here and point out everything I did wrong today, please go away."

Ruhaani got up from the lounger. Aadarsh's eyes immediately flew up to her. For some reason, he didn't expect her to actually go away. It was so unlike her.

She walked around the lounger he sat on and sat beside him. Aadarsh suddenly felt relieved. He looked at the water in the pool. She looked at the wall against which potted plants were placed, their line of sights at ninety degree to each other. Her right shoulder was an inch away from his left shoulder.

"It's a golden chance, you know," she spoke up.

He turned to her, his gaze falling on the right side of her face.

She turned towards him. "Pointing out your faults is fun." She said with the hint of a smile.

"Shut up," he murmured, looking ahead, swirling the drink in his glass.

"Always ungrateful." She uttered.

"Don't talk."

"Means the same thing as shut up," she mused, aloud.

He turned to her again, "why are you here?"

"Because I missed you," she said batting her eyelids.

Aadarsh's gaze softened. A weird fluttery feeling filled his chest. Even if he knew she was being sarcastic.

"I am just playing the part of being a good wife, Aadarsh. Making sure you don't get drunk and jump into the pool or worse off the terrace."

Aadarsh couldn't help but smile, turning away from her. Her humour was dark as always. Surprisingly, he felt a lot lighter than he had felt in the past twelve hours. Maybe it was just the drink.

Ruhaani's playful smile disappeared, as she watched him. She didn't like whatever it was she was feeling. She didn't want it to be love. She didn't want to be stupid enough to love a man who was emotionally unavailable. She did not want to be like those stupid female protagonists in books who pinned after a man hoping he'd change for them. She didn't want to be an idiot. She didn't want to be in love with him.

Her fate had been horrible enough already. She didn't want anymore tragedies to be added to that awful book.

But her stupid, stupid heart refused rhyme and reason. It made her sit there beside him even if to give him silent company.

Aadarsh's thoughts had suddenly changed track. He no longer thought of everything that happened in the day. He wondered why Ruhaani was being there. He wondered what she thought of him after all the accusations of the day.

She could have just slept in warm and cozy. But she was here. She could have left after he snapped at her, but she stayed. She had yawned twice in the past ten minutes. However, she didn't ask him to get up and come along inside. She just stayed by his side.

She was too nice. And often people who were too nice were too foolish.

From the corner of his eyes, he caught her rubbing her arms as a cool breeze blew against them. He sighed getting up, placing his empty glass on the floor beside the empty bottle of soda. He picked up the bottle of scotch in his right hand. "Come on, let's go." He extended his left hand towards.

She turned to look at him. Her gaze moved down to his hand. She took it and got up.

"You won't pick up the glass and that bottle."

"The house help will clear it."

Ruhaani shook her head in disapproval.

They silently began walking towards the elevator. Her cold hand in the embrace of his warm hand.

"Careful, " he muttered tightening his hold on her hand as she tripped at the one step that led down to the passageway towards the lift. She had probably missed it. "Did you also drink?" He mocked.

"It's dark, okay. I forgot there's a step here." She said turning to look at him.

At the same time he took a step down, his face coming close to hers. Their gazes met in the darkness.

Aadarsh lowered his gaze to her lips. The urge to kiss her sprouted all of a sudden, powerfully. The urge was so overwhelmingly strong.

He leaned closer.

Ruhaani had to part her lips to breathe. It was dark and cold. Yet she felt safe and warm. She caught the whiff of his drink as he parted his lips and titled his face, bringing them temptingly close to hers.

She wanted nothing more than that kiss, in that moment. She was growing alarmingly desperate for any little bit of gesture of affection from him. Something she could hold on to like hope. Something tangible.

But somehow this didn't feel right. He was not at his best tonight. He was hurt and sad, even if he didn't show it. He had also been drinking. She turned her face away, causing his lips to reach near her ears. Gasping at the close call.

She could hear his every breath, it was like feeling up his pulse. Each breath was hot enough to kiss away the goose-bumps on her skin.

Aadarsh closed his eyes. What had he been thinking? He didn't know what he felt more, the frustration or the anger of reeling out of control. A car out of control crashed.

He took a deep breath, turning his face towards her face. He had never known a longing so deep. She was right there, so freaking close to him, almost in his arms. Yet, something kept them apart. He wanted to break the invisible wall. He wanted to reach her. God knew how badly he wanted it!

He pulled back, leaving her hand. He walked towards to lift doors, without sparing her a glance.

Ruhaani finally released the breath she had been holding on to for dear life. Every single cell of her body felt so awake. She slowly followed his trail.

Why did all wrongs feel so damn right with him?

As the lift doors closed, their gazes met. There, seemingly, was nothing to hide. They both knew they were in this together. There was absolutely no room for doubt now.

Aadarsh couldn't help but let his gaze travel down her frame. She wore her pale lavender colored set of pajams and tee-shirt. Her hair a bunch of mess tied up. Her skin had gooseflesh all over from the cold. He resisted the urge to step forward and run his palms along her arms to warm her.

He looked away from her, up at the moving numbers. It was taking too long to reach. It was then that it struck him that neither of them had pressed the button. He dabbed at the button that the digit one printed on it. So freaking embarrassing!

Ruhaani turned away, folding her arms. It was awkward. It was unbearable. It was maddening.

Aadarsh gestured her to get out first, his arm blocking the door from closing, if it all it decided to, and then followed her out. They quietly made their way to their dimly lit room. Pari was fast asleep in the centre of the bed.

Aadarsh wasn't sure if it was relief or disappointment coursing down his nerves. He walked towards the wardrobe, following Ruhaani's trail.

She had gone to the washroom. He quietly ran an eye around and picked up his night clothes from the rack. He turned around hearing the water turn off. Ruhaani stepped out of the washroom and walked towards him, the exit actually. Her hair was now loosely braided.

"Good night," she said softly, her steps halting near him.

His gaze settled at her face. He took a step closer to her, making Ruhaani fist her right palm in anticipation. He leaned closer, for the second time in that night diminishing all the distance between them.

Ruhaani couldn't turn away this time. She didn't want to. She didn't care about anything else. He tilted his head and kissed her cheek. His lips firmly pressing against the softness of her cheek.

Ruhaani's eyes closed as the feeling of tenderness that touched more than her body. She'd go mad no doubt. This was all so confusing. Her feelings, his feelings, their situation, their relationship, the right and the wrong.

"Thank you," he whispered, against her skin. He stood still for a few moments, then pulled back, slowly. Finally, he walked past her.

A tear rolled down Ruhaani's cheek. She gulped the lump of emotions forming in her throat. Why was she moved to tears? Why did that feel so nice? Why did it feel so right? Why did it feel like something special, something like love?

• — • — •

I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Looking forward to read your thoughts on it.

Next : Friday ( Yes, a week later. I will be traveling. It's a friend's wedding)

Don't forget to vote ☆ on the chapters.

—Anami!♡