chapter six

"Hey"

I looked up from my book and saw Sameer walk in.

"Hey" I replied, keeping the book aside.

"How are you now?" he asked sitting at the end of the bed.

"Feeling much better" I said giving him a soft smile.

"Someone's here to meet you"

And I almost panicked hoping it wasn't someone from my or Akshay's family. They were the last people I wanted to meet or talk to for that matter.

"Don't worry. It's no one from your or Akshay's family" he assured.

I let out a breath of relief. Thankful, that I didn't have to face them for now.

"It's Yuvaan"

My head immediately shot up and I looked at him with disbelief.

"You mean Yuvaan Vora?" I asked, making sure I hadn't misunderstood him.

He laughed lightly and nodded. "Yes, that same Yuvaan. The guy you dated during your college days"

"But didn't he get settled in U.S.A or somewhere? It's been years since I-"

"I know, you're excited to meet him and all but he's worried sick about you. He's outside in the waiting room. I will send him in so you can talk and catch up on things" he said interrupting me.

"Okay" I said smiling sheepishly at him.

He rose from his seat when I grabbed his hand, making him look at me.

"You don't have a problem with me meeting..."

His gaze softened at my words and his hand reached out for my cheek. He gently rubbed his thumb against my cheek and smiled softly.

"Meera, you're still your person. You can meet and talk to anyone you want. I love you but more than that I trust you, jaan" he said in a soothing voice and even in a situation like this, my heart fluttered with joy.

"I love you too" I said looking into his eyes that were filled with so much of love and affection for me.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against my temple. I felt myself smile because of his affectionate gesture.

He pulled away and smiled back at me. "Talk about good things, okay?"

I nodded. "Will try to"

"I am taking Sara home now and will spend the evening with her, is it okay for you?" he asked.

I couldn't help but adore him. I had grown to love this Sameer and it felt so blissful to have him love me back.

Maybe, my fate wasn't that bad. Maybe.

"Meera?" he called out, breaking my thoughts.

"Sameer, she's your daughter and she needs you more than me. And remember, she will always be first. It will always be her before me, alright?"

He smiled nodding. "I knew, I had fallen for the right girl"

My cheeks heated up thanks to his compliment and he laughed lightly.

"I will meet you at night" he said before quickly pecking my forehead for one last time and walking out.

After few minutes, the door opened and Yuvaan peeked in from outside.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I nodded giving him a smile. I realised how much his voice and appearance had changed. He didn't look like a boy anymore with the beard that he had kept.

He leaned forward to give me a hug before pulling the nearby stool and sitting on it.

"This wasn't the way I expected to meet you" he confessed with a light chuckle.

"Nor did I" I said rolling my eyes. "But how did you know-"

"That you were hospitalised?"

I nodded.

"Aaryan. I was at his place when he got a call from Sameer after which he seemed a bit stressed and told me that you were hospitalised and Sara would be staying over with him.

I wanted to meet you right then but Aaryan said it would be best if I met you after you were a bit stable" he explained.

I nodded in understanding.

"So what brings you back to India, huh?" I asked in a teasing manner.

"Maa of course" he said rolling his eyes.

I laughed looking at his expression. Yuvaan had always been a Mama's boy and that's exactly what had made me fall for him.

Though college was the place where we interacted and further became friends and then a couple but it was because of his Mom that we knew each other. And for some odd reason, she was fond of me.

Extremely fond of me.

"How is she?" I asked. It had been almost three-four years since I last met her or spoke to her.

"Fine. Just nagging about marriage" he said, irritation evident in his voice.

Ah! Marriage. The one thing that had wrecked my entire life.

"I want to be single and wait until I find the 'one' for me but of course who will make my Mother India understand it?"

I laughed listening to his words. I felt sorry for him but at the same time I knew Auntie would understand him once he talks to her personally.

"You and I both know that you will easily convince her" I said making him laugh.

"But seriously, I am happy that you moved on and Sara is such an enthusiastic kid. Looking at her, I almost wanted to get married and have a baby girl of my own"

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion not really understanding what he meant.

"And I always knew that Sameer was the one for you. When I left for U.S.A, I knew you would eventually move on but I just hoped it would be Sameer and it feels great to see you have what you always wanted. A baby girl and a husband who knows you more than you could know yourself. You finally have your happy family"

Realisation dawned on my face, finally understanding what he meant. He had misinterpreted everything and was missing a whole lot of information.

"You've got it all wrong" I said. It pained me to say those words because how I wished what he said had been true.

"I don't understand" he said confused.

"Me and Sameer are not married to each other and Sara isn't my daughter"

"What? But the love and care in both of your eyes is so..."

I smile sadly because our lives had become so complicated now.

If I thought being with Sameer was going to be difficult before then it was going to be ten times worst now. And I had no idea what would happen next and how we would face it.

"So Sameer is married and has a daughter whilst you're single?" he asked trying to understand the equation between me and Sameer.

I shook my head before sighing deeply.

"I am married. Well, was married. My husband is giving me a divorce and Sameer never married. Sara is adopted. He adopted her two years ago"

He absorbed the information and cursed silently under his breath.

"This is so fucked up"

I let out a small chuckle "Tell me about it"

"And why are you hospitalised?" he asked looking into my eyes.

"I tried to end my life" I confessed without any guilt.

Any person in that state and messed up emotions would have tried to commit suicide. I had already lost my husband to another woman and then I couldn't even keep my baby safe.

I felt useless and pathetic. Like my life had reached the dead end. My existence didn't make sense back then but now it does and maybe, it always did.

Maybe, me and Akshay were never meant to be. Maybe, it had always been me and Sameer.

I had let the society take over my life. Let them make decisions for me but not anymore.

I was my own person now. The society could go fuck itself and I wouldn't care. I would fight if I had to but I wouldn't let Sameer slip from my hands.

"Are you still suicidal?" Yuvaan asked breaking my inner monologue.

"Not anymore" I said and he let out a breath of relief.

"You and Sameer know you love each other, right?" he asked.

"Just this morning we confessed our love"

He looked at me like I was some species that had gone extinct and had come back into existence miraculously.

"It took you both four years to realise your feelings?" he asked "should have waited for another six years"

The sarcasm in his words didn't go unnoticed by me.

"I realised it two years ago" I defended myself.

"Well, you both never fail to surprise me" he said and then muttered something under his breath.

"C'mon, it isn't that bad" I groaned.

"I knew you liked him since we were dating!"

"Hey! I never liked him back then" I protested.

"You did. It's just you were fiercely loyal towards me which I am glad you were but any person with eyes could notice that you loved him"

I raised my eyebrow at him.

"What! I am not lying!" he exclaimed. "Even Amyra knew"

That got my attention and I instantly grimaced just listening to her name.

"Don't tell me you guys haven't patched up yet?"

I remained mum and didn't bother answering him.

If this was a love story then I was the heroine and Sameer was the hero with Amyra Thakur as the villain.

And I wish I could tell this to someone.

♕ ♕ ♕

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Love,
-Rhea.