|| ENIGMA || Editing

♣️44.

Her feet froze as her eyes fell on the familiar person . His face looked rugged , beard grown , lean body and his head threw back everytime he laughed happily

She gulped , a bitter feeling tugging at her heart. He sat there with another woman , most probably a few years younger than her mom. She smiled wide everytime he said something .

She looked away from their table , trying to focus on her meeting and what the other people were saying but she couldn't . she was in a daze. He was happy ? He didn't deserve to be happy after he left her and her mom to suffer like that. Her fists clenched as she looked their way again and this time her eyes met his . She stared at him but his eyes were away in a second as if her presence was insignificant . Ofcourse to him it was. He didn't even recognise it was her , the ten year old he left sobbing on the driveway years back.

***

" He's married? " She asked toneless , making her colleagues look at her. she took a deep breathe and nodded at the researcher who provided her the information

" Wow , He has kids too" She scoffed dryly not opening the envelope with the other details and photographs

***

Her heart sank when she saw him finally get up after an hour of them sitting in silence. Was he leaving forever ? He did say he'll be here with her forever . Then why was he leaving ? Did he change his mind ?

She burried her head in her knees , her heart bleeding. She wanted to be understood .

" He left me again. he said he will be here but he left . I was right aai . I was right , nobody wants a person like me . Nobody wants to be burdened with the damaged girl i am.Why did you have to leave me ? Why did baba and you have to leave? " She mumbled

" I am here teju. Meri bachhi , I am always here. Me and baba loves you so much " Her head snapped as she heard her mother's voice

" aai? " her vocie cracked and her vision blurred when she felt her mother cupping her face

" Aiii " She choked out and let herself in her mother's arms sobbing . She brokedown , her mother rubbing her back after all who could  stop themselves infront of their mother right ?

" Aii, Mujhse nahi ho raha. Take me with you please. Please i can't live here " Her voice broke in between as tears rolled down her cheeks making her top wet .

" Nahi bachha aisa nahi bolte. Think about what's going to happen to pra if he loses you too " Her mom carressed her hair

" It's always about him isn't it ? Why aai ? Why can't i live my own life on my terms ? Why is it that i had to think of pra before taking my all decisions ?  Everything i did till now was for him , because i promised you i would take care of him. I couldn't even live my life properly . Now when i want to end  all of my pain , think about me , then also i should think about him ? What about me Aai ? When do i get to think for me ? Do things for me ? Tell  me ??" she cried asking her mother for the kind of life she had to live

" You are right though. I was just living for praa. But now it turns he doesn't need me too. No one needs me aai. No one does. What's the use of living then ? Take me with you please " She whispered tired her face soaked in tears