EHSAAS - A Collection Of Short Stories

5.

Meera's Pov

The clock struck midnight, yet sleep remained a distant dream. Why is it so hard to understand this man?
Why does he hold the power to both break and mend within the same breath?

Understanding him is a challenge, and resisting the urge to do so is even tougher. Ughh! My physics numericals were much better to solve than to understand this man's behaviour patterns!

But this is what I understood from today.

First - He is a kind man. A great doctor who takes good care of his patients. Something that I will always admire him for.

Second - He does know how to smile. And the curves of his lips look even beautiful when he tries to hide his smile.

Third - He is also very unpredictable. One night he goes from not wanting to see me To making breakfast for me.

But the biggest mystery hangs heavy in the air - why did things fall apart with Heer? My questions remained unasked today, choked by the sheer force of his presence.

He has this way of stealing the words right out of your throat, leaving you standing there feeling like a clumsy marionette with tangled strings.

♡

The next evening I was talking to my mom when I heard his voice. He shouldn't be here at this time.
As I rushed outside to check if it was really him or my mind was playing tricks with me.

There he was, surrounded by a mountain of books, giving instructions to the driver  uncle.

Medical books, some worn paperbacks, and… NCERT? My eyes caught a glimpse of titles I swear I saw on my list.

Before my curiosity could get the better of me, he saw me. He waited for the driver to leave before meeting my gaze.

"I didn't know you had to put your dreams on hold because of me and my family," he said, his voice low and serious.

"But I promise, Meera, our marriage won't stop you from achieving anything. You can live your life just the way you want."

There was pin drop silence in the room. My eyes were heating up and things seemed blurry. So, it means I still have the chance to become a doctor? To be what I've always dreamt of?

A tear slipped down my cheek, blurring the world around me. In that moment, I hugged him, a foolish, impulsive act driven by a surge of relief and… something else I couldn't quite define.

He stiffened, his discomfort clear. "Uhm," he mumbled, "You can take your books from the study. I have something important to attend to."

With that, he left me standing there, feeling as dumbstruck as a goldfish out of water.

Later, after a much-needed shower, I went to check the books he bought for me as I took slow steps towards his study all I could think about was the breakfast we had.

a whirlwind of conflicting emotions swirling inside me. The books he bought, the breakfast we had, the way he looked at me in that shirt (white really suits him, shut up Meera!), all played on repeat in my mind.

Then, reality slapped me like a cold towel. His words on our wedding day echoed in my head, a dark cloud casting a shadow over this fragile hope.