Page 61 of Since You Came Along

‘Just a day. I can’t stand being there longer than that,’ Siya said, rolling her eyes. ‘Luckily, Swayam’s already in Delhi for a book launch, so we’ll fly back together.’

Meera felt a pang of guilt for being so out of touch. She had been so consumed with her own worries, she didn’t know what her friends were up to.

‘Did you eat breakfast?’ Meera asked, already guessing the answer.

‘Do you need to ask?’ Siya shot her a knowing look.

Meera chuckled and pointed at the bowl of fruit on the table, but her smile faded when her phone rang. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Raghav’s picture flashing on the screen. She hadn’t seen that smile in a week.

Her palms felt sweaty as she answered, ‘Hello.’

‘Meera, I have to go to Delhi,’ Raghav said, his voice formal and distant.

Her stomach dropped. ‘When?’

‘In an hour.’

‘Today? That’s such short notice,’ she said, concerned.

‘Yeah.’

The flatness of his tone hurt more than any angry words could.

‘Is everything okay?’ she asked.

‘Yes.’

She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. ‘Why are you going?’

‘Just some work.’

The indifference was unbearable. Summoning her courage, Meera pleaded, ‘What’s going on, Raghav? Please talk to me.’

There was a beat of silence before he replied, ‘Nothing’s going on.’

The empty reassurance made her heart ache. Desperate to hold on to the conversation, she said, ‘You ate nothing this morning, and now you’re leaving in an hour. I can bring you something to your office.’

For a moment, his tone softened, tinged with longing. ‘What about your lectures?’

‘I have to be at the university after three. Don’t worry about it. Tell me what you’d like, and I’ll bring it.’

Her voice brimmed with hope, but Raghav cut it short. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll eat on the flight.’

‘Are you sure?’ The smile she’d been forcing slipped away.

‘Yes, and…’ A few seconds passed before he continued, ‘I have to go.’

‘Wait!’ Meera blurted out.

‘What is it?’ he asked, his voice tinged with impatience.

She scrambled for something, anything, to keep him on the line. This was the longest they’d spoken in a week, and Meera didn’t want it to end. ‘When will you be back?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I might visit my parents for a few days,’ he admitted.

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