The Mukherjee Family

12

MEERA POV

There was a loud knocking sound on my door. My breathing got unstable and my eyes started to burn. "Biwi". My breath hitched and my eyes shut. He's here. Prem is here. I started taking loud and deep breaths because of the uneasiness. "Meera, open the door." I heard his deep voice once again. "Please..." this is the first time he said please to me. I could hear the disappointment in his voice. "I'll stay here till you open the door, biwi. No matter how many days it'll take you." What does he mean? Why is he even back? I heard him speak again, "Fine. Just give me 10 minutes of your time. Let me explain and then I'll leave. Please, Biwi."

Should I open the door? Would his explanation be worth it? Is my husband actually going to explain why he used me? I'll give him a chance to explain. But what if he gives a silly reasoning?

I didn't let myself over think more and opened the door slightly and kept looking down. I didn't want to look at his face without a proper answer to my questions. "Only 10 minutes and you're out." I said while still looking down and moving towards my bed. "For sure" I could hear the joy in his voice. I heard an emotion other than coldness in his voice for the first time. "How are you, biwi?" He asked me after locking my room door. "Explain." I said coldly and looking at him dead in the eye. "N-now?" I heard hesitation in his voice. He's finally showing me his real self. Finally.

"Then when? Didn't you come here to explain? You only have 10 minutes. Don't forget that." I said while looking at everything other than his face as I didn't have the guts to talk to him in that tone. "Sorry. I will." He slowly came and sat beside me on my bed. I distanced myself a little from him making him sigh sadly. "Can I?" He asked me while pointing at my hand. I hesitantly nodded but wanted to do the same. He gently held my left hand with of his hands, passing all of his warmth to me. Unknowingly tears started to pour down my face. I missed him so much. After all he's my husband. I looked to my right, hoping that he didn't see my tears but I failed.

"Biwi, please look at me." He gently held my chin and turned my face towards him. "Just let me explain. Please don't cry, baba. It hurts me." I heard the sincerity in his voice but I couldn't trust it anymore. "It hurts you? What about me? I was the one who got hurt because of all this. Am I not capable of getting hurt?" I said while looking at him straight in the eye. God he changed so much but didn't change at all. I could see emotions in his eyes, hear longing in his voice. His hair looked longer and voice sounded softer. "Biwi, I'm sure your dad already told you everything. I know it's mainly my fault. I shouldn't have done that. But when I started all of this- giving us a chance, I realised how much I need you in my life. How important you are to me. It's impossible to ignore you, baba. I got to know your value." He said while caressing my neck. Did he mean this?

"I'm falling for you, Meera. Slowly but surely. I don't know what love is like and if whatever I feel for you is love, then it's the best feeling on earth. I never felt such emotions for anyone and now that I'm feeling that way for you, I don't want to share these feelings with anyone but you. You are my top priority, biwi." My tears once again betrayed me and started flowing down. "The day you left home? I was shattered. I couldn't process anything. I felt so empty. I felt so alone. Even though there are so many people in our house to care for me and look after me, I didn't have you. No one could treat me like you. I missed pampering you with hugs and gifts. I missed listening to your rants about schools. I missed your touch. I missed the way you woke me up everyday. I miss you, Meera. So fucking much." I let out a loud sob and looked down immediately. He pulled me towards his chest and I sobbed more and more.

"Why didn't you ever call me then?" I questioned him sobbing while he quietly chuckled at it. " I called you so many times but you blocked my number. I called you from a different sim. In fact from different number of sims but you don't answer unknown numbers unless you know someone's going to call. Whenever I tried talking to you from our family members' phone, you used to just cut the call as if you heard my voice from a distance. So I knew that you wouldn't even care to talk if I spoke." So he actually tried talking to me? I was the one who didn't notice it? "Do you want to talk to me now normally, biwi?" He said while caressing my cheeks.

"I don't want to," I said while trying to stable my shaky voice. "How do I know that it's not a deal now? What if this is a part of another deal? Huh?" I said while still shedding tears. "It's not, Meera. Trust me. I regret whatever I did so much. I can't lie to you once again." He said while patting my hair. "I can't trust anymore, Premji. After what you and dad did? I can't trust myself anymore too. I don't want to." I said as I detached myself from him. "I'll gain your trust then. I'm ready to do anything at this point. Just come back home, biwi," He pleaded me. "I won't come back. Not anytime soon," I said weakly but sternly.

"Huh? What do you mean?" I could hear the panic in his voice. "I can't stay in the same room as the man whom I don't trust." I saw him nod his head in disbelief as I completed my sentence. I knew he was hurt but he deserved it. "Biwi, I'll do whatever you want to earn your trust and forgiveness. Just come back to me. I can't stay without you." He said while making me look at him. I could see the sadness in his eyes. "You'll do anything?" I asked confirming his words. "Anything." He said with confidence.

"Beg." I said looking at him with seriousness. "Beg for my forgiveness, my trust, my love, my everything. Beg, crawl on your knees, touch my feet, I don't care. Do whatever you want and I'll give you two weeks time. I don't know what you'll do but convince me and I'll come back home. And if you don't, consider me gone from your life," I conditioned confidently. "What?" He was shocked and that would be an understatement. "What? You are stepping back now?" I scoffed out loud and distanced myself from him. "No, I'll win you back no matter what, biwi. Even if I have to beg on my knees or crawl on my knees," He slowly leaned in to kiss my forehead. I closed my eyes when his lips touched my forehead. I missed this feeling. I just hope I won't keep missing this and go back to him soon. I hope he doesn't fuck it up.

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How was this chapter??
The next one will have a lot of grovelling 😋
I'm so excitedddd
Let me know your thoughts though!! And if any changes requireddd