You Belong With Me... *New SS* Chapter 3 : Pg 21 (Page 14)

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- Mahak

He heard the sound of someone coming towards him. He knew that it was her. He could sense her. He knew her way too well. These past months, he had his time bonding with her and understanding her. He even recognized her smell.

He knew that she was coming here to console him for his loss. But he needed no sympathy. He only needed some time alone.

Before she could even mutter a word, he said, 'I don't want to talk about anything now.'

She sighed and said nothing. She knew when he was serious. She understood his underlying tone. She knew him completely. Even though she wanted to talk to him, she knew that he meant what he said. He didn't want to talk. She would have to wait.

As she sat next to him quietly, he looked at her. She looked extremely worn-out and tired. And then he realized something, he was wrong.

He was very wrong to put her through this, especially after just 7 days of her discharge.

Shaking his head ruefully, he said, 'Maitri, look, I am sorry. It's just that everything in these past seven days have changed my entire life. And I have no idea where to go from here. While I know that it's no fault of yours, I still don't want to talk about anything.'

She looked at him. There was un-denying pain in his eyes. But why was he forgetting the fact that the last seven days had changed her life as well? What about her pain?

She said, "Maan, look I know that whatever has happened is painful to say the least. But we can't simply stop our lives. We have to move on from here. It has been a week since Moulik got proper love from you. He is your son. He needs you as much as he needs me."

Maan couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could she even talk about moving on? Was it really that easy to move on from someone you loved more than you could love anyone else? How do you even do that? How could she not understand how much it was paining him?

He said, "Maitri, it's easier said than done. I know that, as a father, I have certain set of responsibilities towards Moulik. But, that doesn't mean that I have to move on in life. Pari will come back to me. She has to come back for us. Until she does, I will wait for her."

She knew this was coming. She had the vague idea that something like this would pop up in his head. How could he, after knowing her so closely, interpret her like this? All she wanted to say was that it was about time when Maan focused on his son.

She took a deep breath to relax herself. God knows how much she needed it.

She said, "Maan, when have I told you to move on from her? You loved Pari Di. So it's obvious that you want to wait for her. But you cannot wait for her for a lifetime. Sometimes, everyone needs to move on in their lives. And while it's soon for you, I am simply asking you to return to your normal routine now. You cannot live in this hospital. It has been a week Maan! Moulik deserves some acknowledgement from you..!! Pari Di would have wanted that."

He simply couldn't get why she was behaving like this. But then, she wasn't suffering like him. While he respected her for trying to console him, she wouldn't understand what it was like for him. He sighed.

He said, "See Maitri, the thing is that it's easier for you to move on. It's never going to be the same for me. I cannot return to my normal routine right now. I am not at all in my correct frame of mind. I cannot because I have lost the two most important people in my life. It's easier for you to say all this because you are not paining like me. Your heart isn't the one that's being broken into pieces. I know you have lost too, but it isn't the same. I am paining a lot more than you can even think."

She felt the rage she hadn't felt in ages. She used to be proud that she doesn't ever become angry. But boy was she wrong! She felt the pure rage pass through her. She just couldn't believe what she was hearing. How dare he? She had composed herself for him but now, she blasted.

She said, "How can you even say such a thing? How can you even think that I am not in pain? Just because I am here to console you don't mean that my heart isn't tearing apart. If you have lost your friend-cum-brother, I have lost my fianc. If you have lost your wife, I have lost my sister! My own flesh and blood! Think what I am going through. How can you even say that your pain is greater than mine? Maan, pain cannot be compared or measured, okay? And on the top of that, my post-pregnancy hormones are creating havoc in my mind. I am an utter mess inside. I am on strong medication since 7 days! Still I am holding on, just for the sake of Moulik and you. I..."

Before she could say more, she faded into the darkness.

As he saw her faint, he realized one thing: He had committed a grave mistake.

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