Page 74 of Since You Came Along

‘I knew this was worth the effort,’ Raghav said, taking off the tape.

When Meera saw it, a wave of sadness hit her. The name Nica was tattooed in soft blue ink. It felt like a tangible reminder of his past, one she could never erase. When Raghav caught her teary-eyed look, he shook his head and urged, ‘Do you remember what you told me that night on the balcony?’

Her gaze met his, and his question stirred a faint memory from months ago, a conversation about the tattoo he’d wanted of Veronica’s name.

She recalled what she’d told him, ‘Don’t get that tattoo now. Take your time. The day you know for certain that you’ve moved on, that you are ready to lay your past to rest for good, get it then. Let it be a testament to your love for her and a way to honour her memory.’

The realisation hit her like a thunderbolt as she said, ‘I told you to get it when you were sure you’d moved on.’

Raghav nodded. ‘I did! It…’ He hesitated, his gaze shifting away. Meera reached up and cupped his face, urging him to meet her eyes.

‘It wasn’t easy. When I was getting the tattoo, it hit me that this was it. Veronica will always be a part of me, of my life, but she’s my past and I’m laying that chapter to rest.’

Meera cleared her throat and asked, ‘Do you regret it?’

With a relieved smile, Raghav said, ‘No, I don’t. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision, Meera. I did it because I’m ready. Before I met you, I thought I’d moved on, but I hadn’t. It was a comforting lie. I kept my emotions locked away, thinking my past was the best I’d ever have, and that I couldn’t offer anyone anything more. But the wound festered, bleeding and hurting. And then you came into my life.’

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he said, ‘You began healing me without even trying. I didn’t even realise it at first. My days started and ended with thoughts of you. I’d rush home just to see you in that purple apron, chocolate smudged on your hands. My heart would race every time you smiled at me. Slowly but surely, you claimed me, body and soul.’

Meera shook her head as she cried. She wanted to tell him how he made her feel, but the words tangled in her throat. Raghav leaned closer, brushing away the tears with his thumb.

He said with a tender smile. ‘I knew you wouldn’t believe me if I just said the words.’

With that, he reached for her hand and guided it to the inside of his wrist. Meera blinked as she could feel a bump under her thumb. Her vision blurred with tears as she recognised the intricate snowflake tattoo etched in red and black ink. The skin around it was still sore, but she recognised the intricate design.

She gasped, staring at it in disbelief. ‘This... This is my signature,’ she whispered. It was the same signature design she drew on every one of her sketches and paintings.

Amused at her reaction, he said, ‘I kept giving myself a pep talk while I got it done. I told myself that your reaction would make all the pain worth it.’

When her lower lip trembled, he laid a tender kiss on it. ‘Yes, sweetheart. That’s your artist signature. The one you put on everything you create with love. I knew just telling you I loved you wouldn’t be enough. Someone said it to you before but never proved it. So, I had to show you that I mean it.’

He held up his wrist, the tattoo catching the sunlight. ‘This snowflake is your mark, your imprint, just like you’ve left on me since the day we met.’

Raghav cupped her cheeks and said, ‘The love I have for you only belongs to you, Meera. I love you like I’ve loved no one else before. Nica’s tattoo symbolises what I’m letting go of today. The tattoo of a snowflake is to tell you what I feel. I’ve found joy I never thought possible since you came along. I’ve known peace that feels like home since you came along.’

He leaned closer and touched his forehead with hers and confessed, ‘And I’ve fallen completely and irrevocably in love with you since you came along.’

A shudder of joy coursed through Meera. She felt happiness bubbling inside her, warming her from within.

She wanted to respond, to tell him everything she had buried deep within herself for so long. Overwhelmed by the surge of emotions, a sob broke free. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Raghav pressed his finger against her lips, silencing her.

‘I know you understand how I feel for you,’ he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. ‘And I know you don’t feel the same. That’s okay.’

Confused, Meera asked, ‘What are you talking about?’

‘I know you’re still in love with Rutvik. It’s alright, Meera. You don’t have to explain.’

Her brow furrowed as she struggled to follow his reasoning. ‘What makes you think that?’

‘I saw it,’ Raghav said, as if confessing a secret he’d carried for too long. ‘That day, when you two were dancing. The way you moved together, it was like watching two halves of a whole. And when you smiled at him before walking away, it said everything.’

Her chest tightened as she realised the depth of his misunderstanding. ‘Is that why you’ve been so distant?’ she asked.

Raghav nodded, his eyes closing as though shutting out the pain. ‘I didn’t know when I fell for you, but I did. And I hoped, foolishly, that you felt something for me too. But that moment… it made me realise I was just the man you settled for. So I stepped back to give you space.’

Her heart ached at the raw vulnerability in his voice. She realised it hadn’t been just her. He had been suffering too. ‘Why? Why didn’t you just talk to me?’

‘I was scared,’ he admitted. ‘You told me he apologised, that he wanted you back. I couldn’t bear the thought of you choosing him over me. It was tearing me apart. But I thought maybe that’s what you wanted, so I tried to give you the freedom to decide.’

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