"Walking between the raindrops
Riding the aftershock beside you
Off into the sunset
Living like there is nothing left to lose
Hold on and take a breath
I'll be here every step
Walking between the raindrops, with you"
Chapter 10
"I'm sorry."
"Its okay." He nodded before replying and continued tying his tie.
"You wouldn't ask what I'm sorry for?" She was baffled at his response.
"No."
"Why?" She couldn't help asking.
"Because I know how difficult it is to be sorry and apologize. And I don't want to make it hard for you by asking you to explain further." He said giving himself a last glance in the mirror after getting ready for work.
She thought the Romi who she knew before and after marriage were two different people who were poles apart. Until now she hadn't paid much attention to his apology he made earlier but today she realized he meant it, really. Somewhere deep down she hadn't forgiven him too for his recklessness but now she got the glimpse of his redemption, knowing how hard it must be to apologize and being punished repeatedly for one crime, when he was considered a culprit in her mother's accident too. May be he had changed after all, looking at him as he gathered his stuff for work, she thought.
"I also want to thank you."
"For?" He turned around to face her. Now she had his attention.
"For saving the day, for saving me."
"I saved myself that day, you don't need to thank me." When she continued to stare at him in bewilderment, he resumed speaking "somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew you hadn't forgiven me and I was somehow looking for a way to redeem myself in your eye, in my own eyes." He looked down for the briefest of second before continuing. "You wouldn't believe it but I had come to realize later what a grave mistake I had committed and I wanted to make it up to you." He shrugged at his last remark.
"There must have been some other way to earn my forgiveness romi, why did you get married?"
He came close to her and looked deep in the eye before asking "tell me honestly, if it weren't for these circumstance and what I said today, had you have forgiven me otherwise?"
She could only shake her head, without breaking the eye contact. And he smiled, a genuine one before saying " that's us, the Punjabi's. We either do it with all our heart or we don't."
The newly weds were having breakfast when Raman and ishita approached the dining table. "Where are you off to?" His elder brother asked him.
"The same place you are off to."
"But I didn't get married 2 days ago."
"There isn't much to do at home." He shrugged.
"Then find something to do, accompany mihika to... I don't know mall may be? Movies?"
"This early jiju? In fact, I am also thinking of joining back work from tomorrow."
"Stay home with me, we'll have party when the boys are away." Her sister pitched in.
"Nobody is stopping you even now bhabi." Her brother in law interjected.
"I don't know about the day but I can make it in time for dinner tonight. What say? Besides, ishita we owe them a wedding dinner."
"Sounds good." Mihika exclaimed.
"It has to be my lucky day today, bhai.. Does the package include a ride back home too?"
"It also includes the ride to office. Let's leave in five." He smiled and left to get his coat from his room.
"Why are you smiling?" His wife asked him.
"He reminds me of somebody but I can't recall exactly." He said as he wore the blazer with the help of his wife.
"You." When he turned to give his wife a goodbye kiss, he asked "was I that bad during our first days of marriage?"
"Actually he is a better version.. " her husband didn't let her complete the sentence.
"Really?" He asked her.
"What?"
"My brother is becoming me?"
"I'm certain."
"Then I have hopes in their marriage."
"You think so?"
"Yes, it will turn out to be fine if they are anywhere near we were 6 months ago." He assured her before he left for work.
Don't forget to leave your comments down below.
Also I have fallen in love with my new pair already and I will soon make a come back with another SS on them. Looking forward to seeing you in 'Chasing Cars'.
P. S- It has been a pleasure to write this ss and I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Love,
Amna
Anupamaa
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