Page 39 of Since You Came Along

As he rose to his feet, a sudden gust of wind ruffled his hair, and he couldn’t help but feel as though Nica were urging him forward. With a lingering glance at the grave, he turned and walked back home.

Chapter 16

The soft thud of the front door closing woke Meera up. She blinked at the clock on the bedside table and saw it was half-past seven. Raghav had likely left for the gym. She stretched and padded into the kitchen, her bunny slippers scuffing against the tiled floor.

As she placed slices of bread into the toaster, the events of the previous evening replayed in her mind. Opening up to Raghav about Rutvik had felt liberating. He’d listened without judgement, and his quiet reassurance had made her feel seen and accepted.

Just as she cracked three eggs to fry them the way Raghav loved, the front door opened and Raghav and Abhay walked in. The white tee Raghav wore clung to him, damp with sweat, and his hair was a delightful mess. Meera had to drag her gaze away from her delicious husband and smile at Abhay.

‘Good morning!’ Abhay chirped as he headed to the kitchen island.

Meera waved back, pulling out more eggs. She had grown used to Abhay and Luv dropping by in the mornings, especially after their gym sessions. It was almost a routine now.

One person was missing from the dining table so she asked, ‘Where is Luv?’

Raghav leaned against the counter, feigning a wounded expression. ‘What, no good morning for your husband? Straight to Luv? If only someone cared about me too.’

Meera paused, placing the cheese grater down as she folded her arms across her chest. In her Minnie Mouse pyjamas and messy bun, she looked adorable, Raghav noted to himself.

She gave him a mock glare and replied, ‘Since you feel so neglected, why don’t you make your own breakfast?’

Abhay couldn’t hold it in anymore and let out a loud laugh.

Raghav clutched his chest, pretending to wipe away invisible tears. ‘That’s so mean. You’d do that to me?’

Meera didn’t answer, just turned back to the stove, though Raghav spotted the faint smile she tried to hide. That small, fleeting moment filled him with an unspoken satisfaction.

Abhay answered her earlier question. ‘Luv’s probably still sleeping. We’ve been working late on this new client’s accounts all week. We are working from here today. He’ll show up around noon, I guess.’

‘Let him know there are boiled eggs in the fridge for him,’ Meera said while flipping the omelette with practised ease.

The conversation turned to her classes as they ate breakfast. Meera mentioned she is excited about discussing Wuthering Heights with her students. Raghav was listening to their conversation, munching on the toast.

After leaving the cemetery, he had called Abhay and asked him to come home for breakfast. Raghav had been worried that she’d shut down on him after being vulnerable last night, but she seemed fine. Relief coursed through him.

After they finished eating, Abhay cleared the plates and took them to the sink.

Raghav leaned in closer to her. ‘Would you like to go out for dinner tonight?’ he asked.

Meera shivered at his proximity, but masked it with a small smile. Still, Raghav noticed. Tilting her head, she asked, ‘Just us?’

‘Yes, just us. It’s a date.’

That word sent a warm blush creeping up her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled as she said, ‘I’d love to.’

His hand twitched with the urge to trace the soft flush on her face, but he held back. Her shy smile was enough to make his day.

Just then, her phone rang. Meera answered the call but before she could say anything, Siya’s voice cracked as she burst into tears. ‘He stole my designs, Mihu!’

Alarmed, Meera stepped out of the living room, pressing her phone tighter to her ear. Siya rarely cried, and Meera knew when she did it meant trouble. ‘Siya, what’s wrong? Tell me everything,’ Meera urged, her tone soothing.

Her voice trembled as she explained, ‘I worked on those jewellery designs for months, and Dad didn’t even give me a chance to present them. He went ahead with Dhruv’s ideas, which he stole from me!’

Meera clenched the phone tighter in her grip. If Siya said her work was stolen, it was. Meera felt anger bubble up as her voice broke. ‘I tried, Mihu. I really tried, but Dad only sees Dhruv.’

‘I’ll come over right now. We’ll talk, okay?’

Resigned, Meera turned to let Raghav know they had to reschedule their date. Disappointment weighed on her. She had been looking forward to it more than she’d realised.

---