Page 75 of Since You Came Along

‘You thought I wanted to go back to him?’

He looked away, unable to meet her gaze. ‘I was afraid you might.’

‘If I had come to you and said I wanted to go back to him, what would you have done?’ she asked, both curious and afraid.

Raghav choked on the words as he said, ‘If that’s what would’ve made you happy, I’d have let you go.’ Then he pulled her closer and tangled his hand through her hair as he tilted her head back. His eyes burned like icy fire as he continued, ‘But not without a fucking fight. I love you, Meera, and I’d have done everything in my power to show you how much you mean to me, to prove I could make you happy.’

A lump formed in her throat at his heartfelt words. She reached out, but before she could speak, he asked, ‘Do you want to go back to him?’

She fought the urge to roll her eyes. ‘No, Raghav. I don’t,’ Meera said, certainty ringing in her tone.

Relief washed over his face, but regret replaced it. ‘I’m sorry I put you through this. I should’ve talked to you, but I didn’t have the courage. So many times I tried to talk to you, but I just couldn’t. I am sorry, Mihu.’

A small smile tugged at her lips as he added, ‘And I miss your food. Will you cook something for me, please?’

She laughed, her heart brimming with love for her man. Raghav caressed her lower lip as he said, ‘I’ve missed your smile. If I’d been hurt the way you were in your past, I’d be hesitant to love again too. I’m not asking for anything in return, Meera.’

He laid a soft kiss on her forehead and continued, ‘I did all of this because I didn’t want to go another day without telling you I love you. All I want is for you to be with me and to let me make you happy. I promise I’ll be a loving husband to you, no matter what.’

His sincerity left her speechless. She understood then what Raghav meant when he said that sometimes words aren’t enough. No matter what she said to him now, he wouldn’t believe her. She knew she’d have to show him.

Chapter 26

Later, as Raghav bid goodbye to Veronica, Meera asked for a moment alone. Raghav nodded and turned to walk back to the car.

At the gate, he made small talk with the gatekeeper. He remembered how, after Veronica’s death, he had spent countless nights sleeping near her grave.

Raghav felt a deep sense of gratitude for the kindness he had shown him, offering him a blanket on those chilly nights. It was a minor act, but it had meant the world to him.

Meera joined Raghav a few minutes later. The thought of Meera sitting in a car made Raghav anxious, but he knew he had to get over it sometime. The only thing that comforted him was the fact that he was driving.

The drive home was quieter than usual. He could see that her mind was far away, lost in its own web of thoughts. He wondered whether he should have sprung all of this on her at once. Maybe it was too much for her to digest, especially after the cold distance he had put between them over the past few days.

Raghav still felt guilty about his behaviour, but it got worse when he’d wandered into the living room in the morning. The open drawing book Meera had been sketching in caught his eye.

Her sketches were always beautiful, but this one hit him with a force he hadn’t expected. It was a charcoal sketch of him. She had been thinking of him too, just as he had been thinking of her. The scribbled snowflake in the bottom corner had inspired him for the tattoo.

When they arrived home, Meera didn’t even glance his way. She walked straight to their room and shut the door behind her. His heart sank with the sting of rejection, even though he knew it was foolish to feel that way.

Raghav had convinced himself that he expected nothing from her, but it seemed his heart hadn’t got the memo. It felt as if the walls were closing in on him, so he stepped out onto the living room balcony.

Yet, as he stood staring at the city below, he didn’t regret a single thing. He loved Meera with everything he had. The only thing gnawing at him was whether he had chosen the wrong moment to say it all.

‘Raghav,’ her voice cut through his thoughts, and he turned to see her standing behind him. ‘Will you come with me?’

He nodded, following her as she led him to their bedroom balcony. He was waiting for her to say something, but she looked at a loss for words. Raghav grew worried and asked, ‘What is it? Is everything okay?’

‘Yes,’ Meera said and pulled him down to sit beside her on the chair. She took a deep breath, looked around the balcony and said, ‘This was the place where I opened up to you the first time.’

The memory of that night washed over him. It felt like a lifetime ago.

‘Because that topic started here, I want it to end here,’ Meera said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a thin, pink-beaded anklet. His brow furrowed in confusion as his eyes followed her gaze, still fixed on the anklet in her hand.

‘Rutvik gave this to me on my last birthday with him. The first and only gift he ever gave me,’ she told him. Raghav tensed at the mention of Rutvik, but he forced himself to stay silent.

Her smile was bitter as she continued, ‘I was so happy that day. I thought things were turning around for us. I thought this gift meant that he was ready to commit. Why else would a man who’d never tried before suddenly give me something so personal?’

Her words hung in the air as she answered her own question. ‘No. It wasn’t his idea. He asked Ahana to buy it for me because he felt guilty for cheating. And then, during the dance, he placed all the blame and responsibility for his actions on her.’

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