When You LOVED Me...

71.

*Unedited*

Mia looked at his sleeping face. In this 3-4 months Aaron had healed physically. He did not have any scars that testifies for anything else than he was just in deep sleep.

"Aaron, Do you know what day is today?" Mia asked knowing that she wasn't going to get any answers from him. Not yet anyway. But she still hoped that he could listen to her talking and remember that someone somewhere was waiting for him to wake up.

"Today is very special day Aaron. Our wedding has completed one year." Mia said trailing her fingers softly on his eyebrows and then resting it on his cheek. When she was getting married a year ago, she hadn't imagined that here she would be after a year.

"Happy Marriage Anniversary." Mia took Aaron's hand in her hand and placed a kiss on it. She rested her cheek on his hand remembering every kiss he had taken from her, every heartbeat that he had stolen. Every memory of this past year was vivid on her mind but the feelings of his loving touch was getting fainter and fainter. For how long she can hold onto them before they slip past from her fingers. Mia squeezed Aaron's hand. This one year had changed her life but time has stopped with Aaron. So, no matter how much time will pass, it will not be another day until it would be with him.

"We would be getting divorce right now, if we had decided to stick with the arrangements we made on our wedding. I know we had forsaken that deal long ago but imagining that that was a possibility at some time still give me chills. Not knowing you, not having you, not loving you, a world like that would have been so incomplete, so unlivable."

"And it is." She hiccuped. "Please, Aaron. I know you had never promised me forever. But I will always want a lifetime with you. Please don't take that away from me. I had never thought that I could love someone and someone could love me for me but you did. I can't lose that Aaron. Please come back to me." Mia put her head on Aaron's chest and heard his heartbeats, they did slowed the chaos in her head and heart. "Please." She closed her eyes in prayer.

*

Almost an hour passed. Mia didn't know when she fell asleep but she didn't felt rested when she woke up. Her heartache was still there when she decided to go home. Before leaving the hospital, she looked with longing at him last time,

How can I feel closer to you Aaron, because this distance is killing me?

*

She didn't left for home straight away. She midway told the driver to take her to the Rehab facility.  Arnav was getting better day by day. But still it will take time to heal all the wounds his father may have inflicted upon him.

She had tried to visit him many times. But he always refuse to meet her. She also didn't know where to start but she cared for him. Arnav was always a mystery to her and so much more. Mia was glad that Arnav was doing better and he didn't refuse to talk with his mother and Arav or Manvi.

Maybe Mia reminds him of Aaron. He too was very guilty about it and how angered it has made him, Mia hadn't forgotten.

Mia met Arnav's doctor first, Mr. Pratik Bhatiya. He was a middle aged man and very experienced psychologist. Mia asked him about Arnav's health and how he was doing?

Mr. Pratik told her what she already knew. That he was recovering well from the trauma and PTSD. He was here close to six months and first his condition got worse before it begin to get better.

Mia asked Dr. Pratik if she can meet him? Mia was totally ready for a declination but when he came back after sometime he told Mia that Arnav had agreed to meet her.

She couldn't tell what she felt. She was going to see him after that incident and she was not sure how to proceed in a delicate situation like this. She asked the doctor, if Arnav had any trigger about something she should be careful about mentioning something and doctor adviced her not to delve on the topic of his father otherwise he was fine.

Mia had a raising heart when she turned the corridor and step into an open garden, it was beautiful and peaceful view. She saw Arnav sitting on a bench staring ahead at the vast grounds covered with beautiful trees and shrubs and flowers.

"Hello Arnav." She called him as she went near him.
He looked up at her. His black eyes, stormy as ever but he has a little ghost of a smile present on his lips. He looked less threatening and calm, Mia was surprised because she was expecting his annoyed expression especially reserved for her.

"Hello Mia." He replied quietly. He was looking lean and dark circles under his eyes betray the sense of calm he was emitting. For the first time, Mia was truly distressed about Arnav, seeing him like this broke her heart.

"I...How are you?" Mia didn't know what to say. She sat down on the other side of the bench.

"I should be asking you that. The last time we met I was choking you." He replied reminding Mia of that day. He sounded slightly remorseful.

"I have forgiven you for that day. Though, I don't fully understand, i know you were not yourself at that time." Mia now know due to his bipolar disorder Arnav has unable to control his extreme emotions.

"You are really naive." Arnav laughed bitterly. Mia still failed to understand him, his actions, his words.
Because she was still unaware of his past and what he has gone through. "My family had caused so much pain to you yet you are still here. I had thought that you would have given up by now on my messed up family."

"Maybe I am." Mia conceded. "And everyone was messed up one way or other. That's no reason to give up."

"I am truly Sorry. Because of me, brother is not with you. I...I was a coward-"

"Arnav, what happened was not your fault. You.. You shouldn't think like this. Your brother would want you to heal and take care of yourself. And I have already forgiven you. You don't have to apologise to me for the things you could not have any control over." Mia tried to reason with him.

"But I had control you know. I knew what was going to happen. I just couldn't care for your life, like I would care for my brothers. I had never considered you family, and it is still hard for me to see you as one." Mia was swept away by his honesty. It was an indication that he was slowly but surely coming in terms with his feelings.

Mia smiled lightly, "Maybe one day you will."

*****

Listen to the full song on YouTube.
Title is - Meer Abru song ost.

*****