Page 66 of Since You Came Along

‘So, what, you’ve lost interest in her? Is she not good enough for you anymore?’ Abhay asked and took a cautious step back.

‘I’ll bloody punch you if you don’t stop this nonsense, Abhay!’ Raghav yelled, his voice trembling with rage.

Abhay refused to back down, and asked again, ‘Then what has changed, Raag?’

Raghav clenched his fists as he looked out the window again. ‘I don’t know,’ he admitted, misery clear in his words.

He fell silent, and Abhay waited, sensing there was more Raghav wanted to say but couldn’t. Finally, Raghav said, ‘I think I’m in lo—’

The door burst open, and Kusha rushed in, her face pale and her eyes wide with panic.

‘Raghav, call Meera!’ she yelled.

Raghav stared at her, confused by her sudden appearance. Kusha urged, ‘Call Meera, now!’

Abhay was on his feet, shoving the phone at Raghav. He turned to Kusha and asked, ‘What’s wrong?’

Taking a few steps back, Kusha frantically scanned the room and grabbed the remote. Her hands shook as she pointed it at the TV, flipping through channels until she landed on a news broadcast. Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned to Raghav.

Breaking news coming to you live from the scene. Earlier today, at around noon, a collision occurred between a truck and a car in Bandra. Within minutes of the accident, the car caught fire and exploded. Witnesses and nearby drivers reported that the truck made an illegal turn into the wrong lane and, because of its heavy load, couldn’t brake in time. The truck collided with the car’s petrol tank, which led to a massive explosion moments later.

The words spilled out from the screen, cold and clinical, but each syllable struck Raghav like a blow.

The fire destroyed the car’s number plate, according to the police. However, bystanders confirmed the car was a black Audi A6, driven by a young female. It is now four in theevening, but the police could not identify the woman. We will continue to update you as more details emerge. Stay tuned for further developments…

The words faded, dissolving into a jumbled haze in his mind. Only a few phrases cut through the fog in Raghav’s mind, like ‘Audi A6’, ‘young female driver’ and ‘car blast’.

His breath hitched, his hands trembling as he fumbled for his phone. Raghav didn’t come to his senses until he redialled her number and heard it was switched off. Meera drove an Audi A6, but her classes began at four.Maybe it’s not her,he told himself. It can’t be.

Kusha was speaking, her voice a rushed murmur as she talked to Abhay. He dialled on his phone.

‘What are you doing?’ Raghav asked, his voice hoarse as he dialled Meera’s number again, desperation clawing at him.

‘I’m calling Siya. She was the last person who spoke to Meera,’ Abhay replied, and put the call on speaker.

Seconds later, Siya’s voice came through the line. ‘I told you texting was too much for you, so you’re calling now?’

‘It’s not that,’ Abhay said. ‘Siya, when you spoke to Meera, what did she say?’

The urgency in his tone made Siya pause. ‘Um, I told you already. She talked about Raghav, and then we had some normal conversation. Why? What’s going on?’

‘We can’t reach her,’ Abhay explained, his eyes darting to Raghav. ‘Her phone’s switched off. Did she mention any late classes or plans?’

‘No… She said she had two classes till four, but—oh, wait. She said she needed to pick up some things, so she planned to go to Bandra before her classes.’

Raghav’s vision blurred as her words struck home.

‘She can’t… She wouldn’t…’ The words died on his lips. His mind was spinning, grasping for clarity.

‘Maybe her phone is off because she’s in a lecture? Call her university,’ Kusha reasoned.

Raghav nodded and called the university. His hands were clammy as he waited for the line to connect.

When someone answered, Raghav said, ‘Er hi. This is Raghav, Meera Diwan’s husband. She’s a literature professor in your English department. There’s an emergency, and I need to get in touch with my wife. Can you call her, please?’

‘Please hold for a moment,’ the woman said, and that moment felt as long as a lifetime.

‘I’m sorry, Mr Sareen,’ she said. ‘Professor Diwan didn’t come in today.’

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