Yuv lived in the upper part of New York, where the crime rate was much lower than where Mira lived. It was a large, airy building with spacious balconies all around it. Mira liked the place. It had trees, beautiful flowers planted all around. A sight quite rare in New York.

She was giving herself a second chance, by turning up at his lunch party. Instead of willowing in self-pity, she was giving herself a chance to laugh, be happy and not be scared. The first step is always the hardest, ask anyone, someone. Just take the first step, the following steps will become so much easier.

She stood outside the door. The laughter and merry talks, clanging of the wine glasses could be heard till the outside. Taking a deep breath in, she knocked the door with her free hand, the one that didn't hold the basket of pears and peaches.

Yuv opened the door a second later. His face lit up when he saw her. He wore a cream colored shirt which really nicely blended with his slightly tan skin.

"And so you came." He stepped aside to let her in. The insides were splendid. Warm maroons and rich golden covered the living room. It had a very earthy feel to it. The Prussian rugs, leather sofas and plasma TV placed on one wall.

It was festival inside, groups of lovely people stood next to one another, some hand in hand, others on the sofa, even the ones who were arguing had smiles on their faces.

Mira held out the basket. "I brought these."

"Oh man, you didn't need to be so formal...." Mira eased the basket onto the table near the door.

Mira and Yuv weren't aware. But few curious eyes watched them. Mira consciously tucked a strand of curly hair from her face. Yuv awkwardly, fixed the golden watch on his wrist.

"Um. I want to start again. Properly this time." Yuv said. He held out his hand for her to take, Mira started at it for a moment.

"Yudishter Chandra."

"Mira Shayma."

She smiled, as her hand was in a strong grasp of his. His hand was feverishly warm, like he was nervous, why? Mira wished to know. Dr. Yuv sort of reminded Mira of her first crush, back in school, in India, the humid monsoon rains and a particular boy dressed in a loose blue uniform.

He was her senior. She was in 10th grade and he was in 12th. By the school gates, he would stand and wait for her to pass by. Every time she did, he take a deep breath in, as though trying to capture her smell along with the monsoon season.

Mira was enthralled by his light honey eyes. They were something different. Indians rarely had honey colored eyes. Mira should know. She came from a long family of brown-eyed people.

Mira scanned the crowded room, looking for any familiar faces. Yuv's eyes followed her in an understanding manner.

"Catherine couldn't make it. Bo has a fever." He explained, as though reading her mind.

"Oh." The expression on Mira's face fell by a notch. "Is Bo alright?"

"She will be."

Mira shuffled her feet, then entwined her hands. This was going to be a-lot lonelier than she thought. Everyone here knew each other, after all, they were colleagues. But she had thought wrong, because where people like Yuv were, no-one was left alone.

He took hold of her wrist, like a man took hold of his friend's. Inside Mira's mind, it felt like something else, like a sensual mid-summer gust. A berry colored blush colored Mira's cheeks.

"Let me introduce you to my mum. She loves meeting fellow Indians."

It was as if he had read her mind. Yuv, a tall man with broad shoulders, slender hands, stubble growing on his jaw was really something. He sure knew how to make someone welcome, Mira concluded, the color in her cheeks deepening when she caught few curious stares of the guest.

He led down a small tiled hall. The walls were a warm brown. It was nice place, much fancier than where Mira lived. Cross that. Mira had never seen a place bursting with so much opulence. Her apartment would probably look like pig stack compared to his.

He opened up a large burgundy door, behind which a woman, old, fragile, calm sat in a wheelchair, her back facing the door as she straightened a collection of dangling earrings on the bulky wooden dresser.

"Yudishter, dear. I'll be out in a few. There is so much to do. You should have told me before you were inviting your friends for lunch. Keirna and I need to finish baking the breads," She was interrupted by another voice.

"I can help." Mira chirped brightly. Yuv, on the other hand, looked slightly amused at his mother's startled reaction. She hadn't realized that she was ranting to a complete stranger.

"Oh my." When Rani turned around, she was beyond excited. A glow entered Yuv's mother's eyes. They were literally twinkling or so Yuv thought as she saw his mother scan Mira from head to toe.

"Oh my, oh my" She quickly rolled over to Mira and grasped both her hands in her own. Yuv's hand fell back. Mira stared at his face. He was trying to bite off a smiled. "Are you my future daughter-in-law?"

Mira was baffled at once. She nearly chocked on her own spit. As she was about to open her mouth and deny the fact, the hope in the woman's eyes was what made her stop. Because, even though Yuv looked amused and even though he understood how alone Mira had felt moments ago, he had failed to understand his mother.

Her hands were trembling. Yuv's mother hands were trembling terribly. It was as if her life depended on her answer.

Mira without thinking, because she had never been a practical woman said "Yes, I am."

The smile was wiped off Yuv's face. He frowned at Mira. What in the world was she thinking?

Mira sunk to her knees and smiled at Yuv's mother. It felt like decades had passed since Mira had last smiled like this. In reality, it only had been three days. Three days ago she had her heart broken further, it was mangled and twisted in a way Mira didn't think she could fix.

' "I don't know about the future, aunty but I do know about the present. If you want, I can be your daughter today, right now."

Yuv was a goner. This girl. Oh god. She was beautiful, she sat at his mother's feet, in an elegant grey knit dress, strands of long curly black hair adoring her moon like face. But it was her heart that had stolen his. A heart so big couldn't possibly be in a body so small.

Rani stroked her hair, Mira was suddenly reminded of her own mother. She did not want cry in front of strangers. The softness of her touch, the tenderness in her eyes, the warmth in hands. It reminded Mira of the better days she had spent with her mother.

"You're such a sweet girl. I take it that you two aren't together."

Mira nodded.

"Well, then at-least I'll have a daughter to keep me company." She snapped her fingers at Yuv. "Hey you, why are you standing there like statue? Introduce her to me."

Yuv snapped out of whatever daze he had been. "Yes, of-course. Amma, this is Mira. She's my-"Yuv was reluctant to tell his mother that she was his patient and how he had screwed their very first session. "Friend. She's my friend."

Mira cast a warm gaze at Yuv. A flustered sensation once again in her stomach. It had been a while since her heart had sped like the way it was now. Not even for Atul, had it ever skipped a beat.

"Okay. Good. You can go now."

"What?" His eyes widened for a fraction.

"Yudishter." His mother dragged the name. "What will the guests think? The host left his own party unattended."

"Amma, they're my friends. I don't think they'll mind."

"Yudhi, why you so desperate to stay with Mira. Get lost now. I don't want to see you face."

Mira could tell that Mrs. Chandra didn't really mean that. She was just teasing her son, the playful smile on her lips gave it away. If her own mother would have said something like that, she would whole-heartedly meant it. Some of her bitter remarks still haunted Mira at times.

"What did I do now?" Yuv was embarrassed or annoyed, Mira had a hard time telling.

"I'm not talking to you until you bring me a daughter-in-law." Mrs. Chandra nearly wagged a finger at her son.

"Talk about pressure." Yuv muttered under his breath. "Okay. Fine. Whatever. Mira, let's go."

Rani glared at her son, fiercely. "She's staying with me."

"What- No. You'll bore her to death. Mira?" It was clear that Yuv felt sorry for the current situation.

"I don't mind. Actually. I don't know anyone out there."

Honey colored eyes held her captive. Yuv was almost like an open book, his emotions and feelings were translucent. He wanted her to come. He wanted get to know her. She had captured his attention. Mira felts as though she were sinking in the summer's first rain, the droplets dripping across her skin, chilling and exhilarating at her the same time.

"You know me." His jaw was firm, his eyes held honesty. "Just stay by my side."

Heat soared through her, thousand incense sticks, the burning of a candle's wick, an oil lamp in the dark. She felt warm at once. There has been desolation, a never ending artic landscape in her heart. Now there was a small fire, with a yellow glow, melting the ice. These feelings were strange. New and Mira wanted to explore them.

When she caught his mother's knowing gaze, the color of roses bloomed on her cheeks. She lowered her gaze. It took a moment for Yuv to understand what he had said and the sly expression on his mothers to understand implications of his own words.

"Excuse me." He quickly left the room.

Yuv breathed a labored breath once outside. He ran a hand across his face.

You're being irrational, Yuv. Impractical. What was the need to introduce her to Amma? No, what was the need to extend this relation patient-doctor relationship beyond what it was.

He closed his eyes. Tightly. Almost wanting to slap himself.

I'm so screwed. I am attracted to her and if Jace finds about what I'm trying to do. He'll kill me. I can't be chasing after every attractive patient that steps into my office.

At the same moment, someone cleared their throat. Yuv snapped his eyes open.

Dr. Jace, the owner of Medic Clinic, was standing causally in the hall, his coat slung over one shoulder. A man usually with a relaxed demeanor.

He watched Yuv with amusement. "Was that your girlfriend?"

Shit. What was he supposed to say? No, she's my patient and I bluntly screwed up our first session by stating my opinion. Yah, Yuv just rather sign a resignation letter and hand it over.

"She's our patient." Damn him for being so honest all the time.

Jace pushed himself off the wall and stood straight. "Yuv." Steely grey eyes accessed him carefully. There was a shift in Jace's voice. The calm voice from moments was replaced by one of threat. "I hope this isn't a replay."

"It's not Jace. The only reason I invited her was because I had been quite rude."

Jace shook his head in frustration. "I don't care if you like her. Go ahead and date her. But if this tarnish our reputation, I won't spare you."

Yuv clenched his jaw. He may be optimistic, he may be strong, and he may be persistent. But there was another quality we haven't explored. He liked to run, run far away from things that bothered him.

Dr. Yudishter was an escapist.

"It won't."

Jace didn't believe him. He had his reasons to do so. Four years ago, Jace and Yudishter were interns under the same doctor. Mistakes had been committed, lies had been told, and a life had been lost... forever.

"Remember what it did to you." He wouldn't show it but Jace was scared. There are some things even they couldn't fix and this was one of them.

"I was young and naïve then."

Jace laughed, a mocking laugh. "I don't think that has changed."

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Note:

Sorry. For the late update. I have couple of the next chapters written so hopefully there won't be more delays.