Page 100 of The Art of Taking Second Chances

“No, I’m sorry for leaving abruptly.”

“You don’t have to apologize, and you have every right to be angry.”

“I’m not angry, Tara. Don’t you see?”

I mustered the courage to look into his eyes. “I’m not angry, I’m devastated,” he said, dropping onto the couch behind him. “I went home and spent the night thinking about what you had said. This morning, I was determined to come over and ask—what happens if it doesn’t work out with Sameer? Would you give us another chance?”

“Sujit—”

“Wait, I’m not done. But on the way here, I began reflecting on us. And I have a question for you.”

I nodded.

“Last evening, you said I could do no wrong. So, I want you to tell me one thing that you dislike about me.”

“What?”

“What do you dislike about me, Tara? What are my flaws?”

“Sujit…”

“That’s what I thought. You see me as infallible. That’s not love, it’s reverence. Notice my flaws, Tara. See me as impatient. Indecisive at times. Sometimes angry, sometimes timid. If you don’t see all that, that’s not love.”

“You can’t decide how I feel about you.”

“No, but I know what I want from the person I’d be with. I want her to see me as I am, with all that’s good inside me, and bad.”

Like I did with Sameer, I mused, looking out the glass door of the balcony.

“So, I’m reverting our status back to friends.”

“Unilaterally?”

He smiled with his sexy eyes and dimpled cheeks. “You dumped me last night. I guess that makes us even.” I had to smile. He was always ready with his sharp one-liners. “Come on, I’m also here to drive you to the airport like we planned.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” I sat up in embarrassment. “I’ll take a cab.”

“No, you won’t. And don’t worry, you don’t need to feel indebted to me in any way, because it can’t be the basis for any relationship—whether love or friendship. I’m not that person, and you know it.”

“Thank you, Sujit, for everything. Everything you are, and everything you’ve done for us.”

I leaped into his arms and held him tight. He rested a gentle hand on my back, waiting patiently through my tears, while we brought closure to our relationship.

Chapter 30

Sameer

Two days after my first meeting with Sangita and Riya, I was back at the hospital. “I’ll accompany her to the visa interview,” I said to Sangita. She smiled at Riya, who stood by her mother’s bed wearing a glum look.

The visa would secure Sangita’s last wish, but far from the silver lining it appeared to be, it was laced with the morbid eventuality of her death. It wasn’t an easy situation, yet I couldn’t help but marvel at Riya’s strength. Amar and I had taken her out to dinner the previous evening, but it didn’t feel like we had formed any kind of authentic bond. Then again, it was unfair to expect her not only to put her trust in me but to also feel emotionally connected. It would take a lifetime, if at all. My only hope was to be with her when she lost her mother and to make her feel safe, protected, and loved.

While we sat at the consulate waiting for our turn, I spotted a tense look on Riya’s face. I patted her hand. “It’ll be alright. I’m here with you, always,” I said.

She nodded with an earnest look on her face. For the first time since I’d met her, she let the young child sneak out. Timid, afraid, and uncertain about a future with a family she hardly knew.

In that moment, it struck me. For years, I had tried to channel the cruel and cutthroat in order to get ahead, but the only reason a sick woman trusted me with her daughter was my kindness. Sangita understood that my intent was to protect someone I loved, even if it meant hurting her in the process. But life had just handed me a second chance at love and redemption, and I was ready to grab it with both hands.

We breezed through the interview because my attorney had done a foolproof job with the application. He was an old friend of Mihir’s who had helped with Dad’s immigration. Smart and connected as he was, his most appealing quality was his discretion. I couldn’t trust anyone else with the delicate secrets of my family.

---