Page 62 of Since You Came Along

‘What about work here?’ she asked, already knowing that was a weak question.

‘Abhay will come back to Mumbai, and I can work from home too. Some things need sorting out here,’ Raghav said.

‘How long do you think that’ll take?’ Meera asked, hoping it wouldn’t be too long.

‘A couple of weeks, maybe longer.’

Her gaze wandered around the apartment they called home, but the idea of living by herself for a couple of weeks haunted her.

The finality in his words was like a door closing in her face. She clutched the phone, fighting the tears welling up in her eyes. ‘Okay,’ she whispered.

The tension between them stretched into silence and suffocated Meera. It felt as if every time she took a breath, it hurt. He was silent too, and at last he said, ‘Take care of yourself.’

Meera nodded, forgetting he couldn’t see her. When she was about to say something, he said, ‘I have to go.’

She exhaled and whispered, ‘I’ll miss you,’ before disconnecting the call. If she’d heard him say it back to her in an obligatory or mechanical way, it would’ve shattered her.

The phone slipped from her hands onto the couch as she sat frozen, staring at nothing. For a moment, she stayed there, trying to hold herself together.

Meera knew that if Siya saw her like this, she’d worry. So, she washed her face in the bathroom and then walked back into the kitchen.

‘Who was it?’ Siya asked.

‘Raghav,’ Meera said, trying to keep her voice steady. ‘He’s going to Delhi for some work.’ She changed the subject to Siya’s visit back home.

They chatted about it for a while until it was time for Siya to leave for the airport.

Meera handed her a few cookies to eat on the way. ‘What are your plans for today?’ Siya asked as she put on her heels.

‘I have two lectures till four. Before that, I was thinking about going to Bandra around noon. I need to buy some art supplies.’

Siya nodded and said, ‘Call me if you need anything, okay? Be safe, Mihu.’

Meera smiled. ‘You’re the one flying out of state, not me. Have a safe journey.’

As she hugged Siya, a bittersweet thought crossed her mind. Soon, all her friends would be out of state, and so would her husband. When she closed the door behind her, the flat fell eerily silent.

She turned to look around the apartment and the space felt hollow, like an empty shell of a home.

Meera slid down to the floor, her back against the door. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks as she buried her face in her knees. She felt utterly alone.

As Siya settled into the cab, her thoughts drifted to Meera. She had never seen her look this heartbroken before. Even during the Rutvik fiasco, she had seemed more angry than wounded. Today, she seemed lost.

Siya debated whether she should call Raghav. But no, she was far too angry to have a civil conversation with him. Instead, she dialled the number of someone who was used to her anger.

She heard two rings before a familiar, sleepy voice said, ‘Hello?’

Abhay’s hoarse tone triggered a memory. She recalled lying beside him on a lazy morning, his whispers brushing her ear likea warm breeze. That memory sent an unbidden shiver down her spine, which only fuelled her irritation.How could he still have such an effect on me?

‘Get up. I need to talk to you,’ she ordered, her voice sharp.

A soft chuckle rumbled through the phone, making her ears burn as she remembered the scratch of his stubble against her cheek.

‘Missing me,Jaan?’ His teasing tone carried a hint of a smile. She could picture him sprawled on a messy bed. It was infuriating how easily the memories came alive in her mind.

‘I’ve told you not to call me that!’ Siya half-yelled, her cheeks flushing with annoyance, at him and at herself.

Her outburst only made Abhay laugh, which, if she admitted to herself, gave her butterflies. But she would rather die than confess it.

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