Page 29 of Strictly Solo
“All my friends here have dads,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I want a dad too. I want one right now.”
Naina tried to pull Neil closer, to offer comfort, but he resisted, pulling away from her embrace.
“Neil, you know we’ve talked about this before,” she said, struggling to keep her voice steady. “We’re enough for each other. I’ll always be here for you, no matter what.”
But Neil shook his head vehemently. “No, Mom. I want a dad too. I want one! I want one. I want one now.” With that, he turned and ran towards the pool area, leaving Naina kneeling on the ground, with a heavy heart.
As she rose to her feet, feeling utterly lost, she caught sight of Ruhaan standing nearby. The look on his face told her he had overheard the entire conversation. To her surprise, instead of approaching her, Ruhaan turned and followed Neil towards the pool. Curiosity and concern warred within her as she watched him go. Why was he getting involved?
Unable to resist, she followed at a distance.
At the pool’s edge, Neil sat with his feet dangling in the water, carefully folding a piece of paper into a boat. Ruhaan approached casually, pretending he hadn’t overheard the earlier conversation.
“Hey champ, what are you doing here?”
Neil looked up, his eyes still red-rimmed but no longer filled with tears. “I’m sending my wish to God in this paper boat,” he replied softly.
Ruhaan sat down next to Neil. “That’s a great idea. What wish did you write?”
Neil hesitated for a moment before answering. “I asked God to give me a Dad.”
He sighed softly, gently pulling Neil closer and wiping away a stray tear from the boy’s cheek. Neil managed a small smile, looking up at Ruhaan with curiosity. “Do you have a daddy, Ruhaan?”
“I had a daddy,” Ruhaan replied with sadness. “Now my daddy is with God. I loved him very much.”
Neil listened intently, his own sorrow momentarily forgotten as he absorbed Ruhaan’s words.
“You know what, Neil?” Ruhaan continued. “I know dads are very important. But moms are enough too. In fact, moms have superpowers. When a child doesn’t have a dad, moms love that kid both as a mom and a dad. Just like your mom does for you.”
Neil’s brow furrowed as he considered this. Ruhaan pressed on, “Your mom does everything for you. She loves you so much.When you say things like wanting a dad, it hurts her. Do you want to see your mom hurt?”
Neil pouted, understanding dawning in his eyes. It was at that moment that he looked past Ruhaan and spotted Naina standing a short distance away. Naina, who had been listening to the entire exchange, was surprised. Ruhaan had managed to explain the situation to Neil in a way she never could, bridging a gap she had long struggled with.
Neil’s face lit up as he saw his mother. He jumped to his feet and rushed to her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. “I’m sorry, Mom,” he said, his voice muffled against her clothes. “I love you very much.”
Naina hugged him back fiercely, her eyes meeting Ruhaan’s over Neil’s head. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” she said softly. “Now go play. Your friends are looking for you.”
As Neil ran off to join his playmates, Ruhaan stood up from the pool’s edge. He glanced at Naina, their eyes locking for a brief, intense moment, before he too turned and followed Neil inside without a word.
Naina remained by the pool, watching the ripples on the pool’s surface. She reevaluated her perception of Ruhaan. The man she had been so quick to judge in recent days, seemed a far cry from the sensitive, understanding person who had just comforted her son.
Although she slowly made her way back to the dance rehearsal, but her mind was elsewhere. The image of Ruhaan sitting by the pool with Neil, speaking so gently and wisely, was now forever etched in her memory.
***************
Night
Naina stepped out onto the patio, her thoughts a swirling mess that refused to let her sleep. The events of the dayplayed on repeat in her mind, particularly the image of Ruhaan comforting Neil by the pool.
As she made her way towards the pool, the soft glow of the underwater lights illuminated the area, casting dancing reflections on the surrounding foliage. The gentle lapping of water reached her ears, and as she drew closer, she realized she wasn’t alone. Ruhaan was already there, his strong form cutting through the water with powerful strokes.
Their eyes met as he surfaced. Instinctively, she turned to leave.
“Yeah, run... all you can do is run away, Naina,” he taunted, stopping her in her tracks.
Anger flared within her at his accusation. She spun around, ready to confront him, only to find herself rendered speechless. Ruhaan was climbing out of the pool, water cascading down his muscular form. She couldn’t even look away, mesmerized by the sight.
He grabbed a towel, drying himself off before slipping on a Turkish robe and made his way to a nearby lounger where an open beer bottle waited. Taking a long swig, he settled back, his eyes never leaving Naina.
