Page 87 of Right Where I Belong
Sabrina’s breath hitched. Her worst fear was confirmed as she recalled the image of their faces from the night before.
Her voice was barely above a whisper as she addressed Aisha. “And what about you?”
Aisha’s eyes softened. “I could never be mad at you. You’re like a sister to me.”
Sabrina’s throat tightened; tears pricked the back of her eyes.
“I am sad that you broke Aditya’s heart,” Aisha continued gently. “But I also know you wouldn’t have done it unlessyou had a reason. Avalidreason. And that’s what I want to understand.”
“Is it because of me?” her mother-in-law asked, speaking for the first time since Sabrina had come home.
Sabrina’s head snapped toward her, her eyes widening. Shock rippled through her chest. After their last brutal confrontation, she had been convinced that her mother-in-law wanted Aditya nowhere near her or Ahaan. But this? She stared at her, unable to make sense of the older woman’s words.
The older woman continued to hold her gaze, her eyes softer than Sabrina had ever seen them.
“I know you’re mad at me,” she continued. “And I know you think I don’t care about Aisha or you. But I do. I finally realize now how selfish I’ve been.”
Her mother-in-law’s voice trembled, though her words were clear. “After Aisha got engaged to Rithwik, I promised you both I would try to be better. To move on from Ajay’s death. But I haven’t really done that. I’ve been mean and controlling with you, I’ve been rude to Aisha, and I’ve clung to Ahaan—replaced Ajay with him, instead of letting him just be a child.”
Sabrina’s lips parted, but no words came. Her gaze shifted to Aisha.
“I told you she’s been worried about you.” Aisha smiled. “Mom called me today to come over, and she and I have had a long talk and resolved everything. I hope you can do the same.”
Sabrina faced her mother-in-law again. Her eyes glistened, a tear slipping free.
“That night,” the older woman began, “when you confronted me for the first time, I heard the pain in your voice. I heard your anger, and I heard your love. In the days that followed, I remembered how happy you were in Aditya’s presence, how Ahaan was happy, too, to have a father figure in his life again. I realized how wrong I was to deprive you both of a better life.”
Sabrina’s heart lurched, her chest tightening as her mother-in-law continued, her voice breaking, “So, I began to try. The first step was to be a better mother to Aisha. I started calling her daily and tried to build a relationship with her again.” She reached for Aisha’s hand, clasped it, and offered her other hand to Sabrina.
Sabrina stared at it, still bewildered by this conversation.
“I’m sorry,” her mother-in-law said. “For being so consumed by my own pain that I let it poison you both and Ahaan too. I know my promises don’t mean much to you. I’ve broken them before. But… can you both give me another chance?”
A tear spilled down Sabrina’s cheek as she took her hand in hers. She’d never imagined she would hear these words from Ajay’s mother.
“I’ve always considered you as my mother,” Sabrina said. “You know that. But I cannot let your pain consume me or Ahaan anymore. However, if you’re willing to truly try, then I will as well.”
Her mother-in-law nodded. She sniffed, as if blinking back her tears and then said, “Which means I won’t stand in your way if you want to be with Aditya.”
Sabrina swallowed thickly. “I didn’t break up with him because of you, Ma.”
Aisha studied her. “Which means this has something to do with your past.”
Sabrina nodded.
Aisha kneeled next to her, holding both her hands firmly in hers. “You became my friend the day Mom hired you to work in the café. And when you married my brother, you became my sister for life. You and I have been through so much together, Sabrina. So… will you be honest with me and tell me something? Do you love Aditya?”
Sabrina’s breath caught. The question landed in her chest like a stone, yet at the same time, something inside her loosened. For so long, she’d chained her feelings inside her, burying them beneath fear and denial.
Her throat worked as she brought herself to say, “Yes.”
Aditya’s image slammed into her mind—his laughter, his mischief, his concern. Tears blurred her vision as she whispered, “I love him. I love him so much it scares me. He walked into my life all of a sudden, and now I can’t see beyond him. When he’s with me, I feel alive in a way I never thought was possible again. He makes me laugh, he makes me feel safe, he makes me… happy. And he’s so good with Ahaan.”
“Then what are you afraid of?” Aisha asked. “You’ve never told any of us about your past ever, and I am smart enough to understand that something dreadful must have happened. That’s why you never talk about it. I’m not asking you to reveal anything to me, but you can talk to Aditya about it. He will understand.”
“What if he doesn’t?” Sabrina asked. “What if my past comes to haunt him too? What if he wants no part of it? What if he rejects me?”
“How will you know unless you don’t take a chance on him?” Aisha said. “He loves you, Sabrina. Have a little faith in that… in him. He may just surprise you.”
