Page 16 of Since You Came Along

There was no point pretending, and Meera didn’t want to. She let out a small sigh and confessed, ‘I was just... thinking about everything we had. Wondering if Rutvik hadn’t cheated on me, would I have married him?’

Damini didn’t reply right away. She turned her gaze towards the distant lights of the city. The stillness of the nightseemed to stretch around them, wrapping them in an unspoken understanding.

Finally, Damini spoke, her voice steady and thoughtful. ‘I think the real question is that when did the problems start? Before he cheated or after?’

Meera stared at her mother, unsure how to answer. Maybe Damini wasn’t expecting one. Her mother had a way of delivering arguments that left people speechless, a skill honed over years as a lawyer. Even in her mid-fifties, Damini was striking. Her hair, tied loosely at her nape, gleamed in the moonlight. Her poised demeanour always made Meera proud to resemble her.

‘Did you want to marry him back then?’ Damini asked.

‘Yes,’ Meera admitted.

‘Because you loved him?’

Meera nodded. ‘I did.’

Her mother met her gaze, her expression gentle but direct. ‘Do you still love him?’

There was no room for dishonesty, not with her mother or herself. ‘I don’t know,’ Meera replied.

Damini gave a small nod, as if that answer was enough. She moved to sit on the chair next to Meera.

‘And Raghav?’

At the mention of his name, a soft smile broke through her troubled expression. ‘I do want to marry him,’ she said, a quiet certainty in her voice.

‘Because you like him?’

This time, Meera laughed, brushing away the remnants of her tears. ‘Yes, I do.’

Damini laughed, satisfied. ‘Then tell me, who do you think offers you a better future?’

Something clicked in Meera’s mind at that moment. The answer was obvious, and her mother didn’t need her to say it aloud. She nodded.

Damini reached out and placed her hand over Meera’s. ‘It’s normal to feel unsure before marriage, sweetheart. But trust me, you’ve made the right decision,’ she assured her.

Meera exhaled, her heart lighter than it had felt in weeks. For the first time in a long while, she felt certain she was on the right path.

Damini gave her a moment to collect herself, then stood, smoothing her nightgown. ‘So, Siya still isn’t speaking to you?’ she asked with a laugh.

Meera rolled her eyes, amused. ‘No. I tried calling her, but she didn’t answer. She’s furious I went lehenga shopping without her.’

Damini chuckled. ‘She’ll come around. Just tell her I know she will love this lehenga.’

‘How do you know that will work?’

Her mother smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. ‘I just know things.’

Meera laughed, the sound breaking the heavy silence that had lingered earlier. Mothers, she thought. They always know.

The following weekend, Meera travelled to Mumbai to attend her faculty welcoming party. As her flight landed, the humidwarmth of the city wrapped around her, starkly different from Delhi’s winter chill.

The bustling energy of the airport, with its constant announcements and the aroma of coffee wafting from nearby kiosks, reminded her she was stepping into a new chapter of her life.

She spotted Siya waiting for her near the arrivals gate, a bright smile lighting up her face. Thankfully, Siya had forgiven her for the lehenga shopping fiasco.

While Meera was thrilled to see her friends again, the thought of meeting Raghav made her heart skip a beat. He had moved to Mumbai a month ago, temporarily living in a rented flat while house-hunting for the two of them. In the evening, they’d meet, and he planned to show her a place he’d found.

Siya drove her straight to the university. After meeting the Dean and her future colleagues, Meera felt a wave of relief. The unease that had lingered since her decision to move melted away.

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