Page 22 of Right Where I Belong
Fourteen years had passed, yet not a day went by when she hadn’t thought of them or prayed for their well-being. Her life was filled with regrets for the mistakes she had made. But nomatter the regrets that haunted her, no matter how often she replayed her choices, there was one thing she would never,everregret.
Ahaan.
He was her reason to live, and the one thing she knew she had done right. She was a good mother to him. She lifted her chin. She wasn’t going to let her mother-in-law or anyone else ever make her think otherwise. She exhaled. Enough mulling over the past and the things she couldn’t change.
It was time to look ahead into the future. Towards better things. Singapore was going to change her life. She was going to manifest it with all her being.
6
Singapore
It had been a week since she’d landed in Singapore. She walked around the pleasant two-bedroom apartment, peering out of the window to take in the view. Tall residential buildings were dotted all around her. Below the fifth-floor apartment, she could see the garden and swimming pool. Being a Saturday evening, there were many children and adults all around. She was sharing this lovely space with Shauna Sehgal, Raashi Sehgal’s sister-in-law. Sabrina had met Shauna before. Shauna belonged to the younger crowd in their circle and was currently interning at a media company in Singapore for a few months.
Shauna had been very warm and welcoming, and was thrilled to share the apartment with Sabrina. She’d been especially delighted when Sabrina offered to handle their meals. Sabrina smiled to herself. Living with a young girl like Shauna was fun. She was vibrant, naughty, and loved to chat. When Aisha had suggested this arrangement, Sabrina had agreed on the condition that she would pay her share of the rent for the time she’d be staying there.
Their apartment complex was in a safe neighborhood with easy access to the metro. Although Shauna worked long hours, Sabrina appreciated having her around.
Shauna had explained the local transport system to Sabrina and helped her settle in. The past week, Sabrina had figured out how to move about in Singapore and get to her university and back.
The course was great, and Sabrina couldn’t believe that the first week was already done. She couldn’t believe she was actually here in Singapore, in a whole new city, in a completely different part of the world. Until now, her life had unfolded only within the familiar chaos of Mumbai. This… this was unlike anything she’d ever known. Everything felt new, polished, orderly—almost surreal. She was thrilled to be here, soaking in every detail, her heart buzzing with excitement at the adventure that lay ahead.
She checked the time on her phone. Ahaan had just landed in London. Her son was having a fun vacation so far, and she knew he was super excited about the remaining weeks as well. Come Monday, he would start his program with the school in London. He spoke to her often, and she was glad that he was having a good time as well. However, the only thing marring her happiness was the utter silence from her mother-in-law.
Sabrina checked her messages and grimaced. Her mother-in-law vehemently refused to reply to her messages or calls. In the days following their argument, she had completely stopped communicating with her and hadn’t even wished Sabrina good luck when she’d left for Singapore. Sabrina sighed, typing one more message to her.
Hi, Ma. How are you? For how long will you continue being mad at me? Don’t you think it’s enough now? Anyway, I want you to know that Ahaan’s safe, and so am I. Both of us needed to do this. Please reply. I hope you’re well.
Three dots appeared. Her hopes lifted, thinking that they could finally put this impasse behind them. But then the dots disappeared. A few minutes passed, and her text was still unanswered. Sighing, she put her phone aside.
Sabrina knew Ajay’s mother was doing fine by herself. Diya had visited her and confirmed it. In fact, when Diya had visited, a ladies’ kitty party was in progress in Sabrina’s home, which meant her mother-in-law was actually doing alright and having a good time. Hence, it irked Sabrina that she didn’t wish the same joy for Ahaan and her. Perhaps, this forced separation would be good for all of them. Her mother-in-law really needed to stop acting like Sabrina and Ahaan’s life was hers to micromanage.
A quartet of children playing in the garden below caught her attention—three little boys and a smaller girl, chasing each other around a bench, their shrieks loud enough for her to hear even five floors above. Her heart twisted.
For a second, she saw Mihir, Armaan, and Vedant in those boys. The way they used to run through the courtyard at the orphanage. The way they would protect her like a little queen. She blinked, pushing back the sudden sting in her eyes. That incident with Mrs. Braganza returned to her mind. She hoped and prayed the older woman was second-guessing herself. Since Sabrina hadn’t reacted with recognition, maybe she thought she’d been mistaken. She prayed that it was the case.
Stop it, she scolded herself. No one was looking for her.
The keypad buzzed. Sabrina turned as the main door clicked open to reveal Shauna. Sabrina gave her a smile.
Tall, dark-haired, and impeccably dressed, Shauna walked in with a bag of groceries in one hand and a bright, welcoming smile lighting up her face. From their many conversations, Sabrina had discerned that Shauna hoped to inherit the media arm of the Sehgal business one day. With her single-minded focus, her determination, and relentless drive, Sabrina had no doubt the younger girl would be extremely successful.
“Hi, Sabrina,” Shauna greeted warmly, dropping the grocery bags on the dining table.
“Hey! Here, let me help with those,” Sabrina said.
Together, they carried the bags to the kitchen, where she helped Shauna unload all the items and put them in their proper place.
“I got your message in the morning,” Sabrina said. “How come you were working on a Saturday?”
Shauna sighed. “I have a presentation on Monday, and I wanted to ensure everything was perfect. Anyway, forget about me. Let’s talk about you. I’ve hardly gotten a chance to spend time with you this last week. But now I’m free. How’s everything going for you? Wait! Don’t answer that. I mean, I want you to answer that, but not right now, and not here. Let’s go out for dinner, and we can catch up. It’s your first weekend here. It calls for a celebration.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do this,” Sabrina said. “I’m sure you must be exhausted after the long week you’ve had.”
“I’d love to take you out.” Shauna flicked her dark hair behind her ear. “You can try some of the local flavors. Besides, I do owe you for all the yummy desserts you’ve been bringing home for me to try, and all the delicious meals you cook.”
“Oh, that is nothing. I’m glad I have someone who enjoys dessert and gives me a non-biased opinion on the food I cook.”
Sabrina had to create several recipes as part of her course assignments. Which meant she came home every day with a new dessert she’d whipped up. The moment Shauna found out, she immediately volunteered to be the official taste-tester. What surprised Sabrina was how Shauna managed to devour desserts like they were everyday meals and still look effortlessly fabulous. In contrast, Sabrina only had to glance at something sweet for it to show up on her waist or hips. Ugh. Even here, she worked out daily at the gym in their complex.
