Page 78 of Strictly Solo
“Please,” Naina’s voice cracked slightly. “Don’t make this more complicated than it already is.” She turned to Neil. “Neil, you cannot meet Ruhaan like this without my permission, okay? Come on, let’s go up.”
Neil nodded slowly. She squeezed his hand and turned back to Ruhaan. “And you need to stop this right away. Stop coming here and disrupting our lives.”
As she began leading Neil away, Ruhaan felt desperation rise in his chest. “I’m not leaving, Naina!” he shouted after them. “I’ll stay right here at your security gate all night if I have to, until you accept what we have for each other!”
Naina didn’t turn back, but her steps faltered for a moment. She tightened her hold on Neil’s hand and continued walking, telling herself that Ruhaan wouldn’t actually stay. This drama would end soon enough.
The watchman looked uncertainly between Ruhaan and Naina’s retreating figure, decades of experience telling him this was more than just a casual dispute. As darkness began to fall, Ruhaan settled himself on the stone bench near the security gate, making it clear he meant every word he’d said.
He watched as lights came on in various apartments, wondering which window belonged to Naina and Neil,wondering if they were thinking about him too. The evening traffic buzzed behind him, but his focus remained fixed on the building that held the two people who had become his world, even if one of them was currently trying to push him away.
Chapter 23
Naina’s Apartment – Same Night
Naina moved around her kitchen preparing dinner. An hour had passed since they’d returned home after she had warned Ruhaan not to stalk her anymore or try to get in touch with even Neil without her permission.
For one week since returning from Delhi, she had managed to keep Ruhaan at bay, convincing her heart that some relationships were better left in the realm of‘what if.’And then he had walked into her office today, not just as Ruhaan but as a potential client. The universe had a cruel sense of humor. He wasn’t just back; he was even adamant and relentlessly invading both her professional and personal spaces.
No, she wouldn’t fall into that trap again. That beautiful, tempting trap of casual companionship that had nearly cost her son’s emotional well-being.
As she began setting the table, she noticed Neil’s absence inside the house and found him in the balcony instead.
“Neil, what are you doing here? Did you finish your homework?”
He nodded, then looked up at her with a hint of hope. “Mom, Ruhaan’s still there. Can he come up and have dinner with us?”
She followed his gaze and saw Ruhaan perched on the hood of his car, his eyes lifting to meet hers. She froze. Before she could stop him, Neil waved enthusiastically, and Ruhaan’s face lit up with triumph at finally discovering their apartment.
“Neil, no!” She pulled his hand down, perhaps too roughly.
Before Ruhaan could wave back at Neil, she quickly ushered him back inside.
“Come on, Neil. It’s time for dinner.”
At the dining table, she served him his food, trying to ignore the way his lower lip trembled slightly. “Why can’t Ruhaan come up, Mama? He must be hungry too.”
“Neil, enough.” She kept her voice firm despite the ache in her chest. “And no more TV today. Eat your dinner and then straight to bed. You have school tomorrow.”
“But, Mom—”
“I said no!” The words came out sharper than intended, making Neil flinch. He picked at his food quietly.
Guilt gnawed at her as she watched him eat without his usual chatter, but she steeled herself. This momentary hurt was better than the lasting pain of false hopes and broken promises. She couldn’t let Neil’s innocent hopes bind him further to Ruhaan, to a man who had always dodged commitment.
Later, as she tucked him into bed, pulling his favorite Superman blanket up to his chin, Neil caught her hand just as she bent to kiss his forehead.
“Mama?” His sounded worried. “Ruhaan will go home, right? What if he gets sick staying outside like that?”
Tears pricked at her eyes, but she blinked them back quickly. “Don’t worry about him. He’s a grown man who knows what he’s doing. He’ll be fine.”
“But Mom—”
“Sleep now, Neil. It’s late.” She kissed his forehead again, her lips lingering a moment longer than usual, hoping to somehow transfer all her love into him.
With a gentle pat on his shoulder, she coaxed him to close his eyes. As he drifted off, Naina stood there for a few seconds, before leaving the room. But she couldn’t head back to herroom without checking once on Ruhaan. She cautiously slid the curtain open, unable to stop herself from glancing down at the street. And there he was…still there, pacing on the road next to her apartment, his gaze periodically flicking up to her window. Her fingers clenched around the curtain fabric.
“You stubborn, impossible man,” she whispered, watching him run his hands through his hair in that familiar gesture of frustration. Needless to say, she was a bit worried for him as it was getting cold, and knowing him, he probably hadn’t eaten anything either.
