7 Years & Waiting

Chapter - 36

One day before D-day....

"I don't know..Saru" I huffed angrily for the hundredth time in the last thirty minutes of our session. "Why do you keep asking the same question?"

"Because...it's important Amy! You are going to meet him after seven years...and you don't know what you will say to him when you first see him?" he raised an eyebrow in his irritating inquisitive manner.

"Ugghh! Don't you think I had thought of that already!" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation and walked towards the window. "It's just....It's just that I don't even know what to expect, Sarthak! I don't know what he is expecting to see after spending long seven years in there. I don't know if he will be the same Vivaan I knew. Hell..I don't know if he will still recognize me". The last thought makes me cringe every time.

"Okay! Let's say he recognises you...hypothetically! Then...." he spoke calmly ignoring my anxiety that pisses me off even more.

"There is nothing hypothetical about this...for god's sake!" I spat at him. "Will you just please for once come out of your shrink charade and be my friend!" I dropped myself on the couch and covered my face with my hands. This was a bad idea! Today is not the day to be with anyone. I should have stayed at home...Alone!

I felt the couch beside me shifting and a minute later, a hand snaked around my shoulders. The smell of his body wash had a soothing effect on me as always.

"I am sorry...Firebolt! I guess my profession is taking away all my sensitivity" he snorted guiltily that made me smile. "Tell me...Tell me anything you want! I will just listen. As a friend" he spoke softly with such conviction that made me turn my tear-stained eyes towards him.

"I am scared Sarthak. I. Am. So. Bloody. Scared" I spoke slowly and resignedly. "I did everything I could to prepare myself for this day. But now that everything is done and the day is finally here, I am...I am scared to face it" my voice wavered as I spoke but he kept his silence, patiently listening to me as he promised.

"Seven years! Since seven years, I have been looking forward to this day. Everything I have done and has been doing is for the future I anticipate with him. Even if life gave up on me, I did not give up on my life." Now since words had started to flow from my heart, I couldn't stop them. "I have been working so so hard Sarthak, be it for the house or the security that Rakesh uncle told about. But what if...what if all these efforts have been for nothing?"

"If..If he doesn't recognise me, then...then I'll die, Sarthak" I broke down completely and realised that my legs had given out and I was leaning totally on Sarthak for support. He dragged me towards the couch and hugged me tightly, moving his hand gently on my back.

"Sshh! Stop crying and listen to me" he spoke in his sweet, chastising voice. "He is going to recognise you. I have heard all the stories about you guys, so I guess my instincts are quite a reliable source" he spoke jokingly but there was honesty in his eyes.

"You think so?" I asked in a small voice.

"I know so" he replied firmly and his face broke into a charming Sarthak smile.

I left the Sarafs after an hour after being hugged and cheered up by all the family members. Ashok uncle promised to complete all the remaining paperwork for Vivaan's custody and hand it over to Rakesh uncle before Vivaan's arrival. Radha aunty gave me a box filled with sweets for Vivaan. And although Naina was not very excited about this whole Vivaan homecoming, she still wished me luck for tomorrow.

As we walked out the door, Sarthak came to see me off and I made him promise to be present at my place, first thing in the morning so that we can go to the station together. Although Shubham and Natasha had already volunteered to come with me, there was no way I was facing him after so many years without my support system being on my side. Sarthak just nodded his head on my request which I found a bit odd but didn't push the matter.