Page 29 of Since You Came Along (Ever Since #1)

T he entire journey home was a blur of guilty thoughts and desperate prayers. Raghav replayed every moment, every word left unsaid, imagining all the ways he could have been better.

The weight of it all pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe. The thought that Meera believed she wasn’t a good enough wife stabbed at his heart. If he had any purpose left in life, it was to prove her wrong.

With that hope, he entered his home. His ears buzzed, his mind too fraught to focus. Then he caught the sound of soft music. The sweet, familiar scent of hot chocolate drifted through the air. A gentle scratching sound came from the living room.

As he walked into the room, he saw her. Meera was curled up on the sofa, her legs tucked beneath her. A sketchbook rested on her lap, her hand moving over the page with a piece of charcoal.

She had pulled her oiled hair into a messy bun and was wearing an old, oversized hoodie that she often stole from him. From where he stood, Raghav noticed the small wince of pain that flickered across her face with each movement.

For a moment, he froze. Relief coursed through him like a tidal wave. His Meera was home, alive and safe. The thought consumed him, leaving no room for anything else.

A loud ring from the phone behind her startled Meera. She turned hastily and then gripped her head as the sudden motion sent a sharp pain shooting through her. Through narrowed eyes, she saw Raghav standing at the living room entrance, looking like he had been through hell.

Raghav didn’t even glance at the phone as he answered it. He murmured, ‘She’s here. She’s home.’ He let the phone drop to the floor and took a tentative step forward. His feet dragged as if each step took all the strength he had left.

‘Raghav?’ she said, concerned.

He reached for her, stopping just a foot away. His gaze didn’t waver, fixed on her as though he couldn’t believe she was real. When she tried to get up, Raghav shook his head.

Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out and caressed her cheek. His fingers brushed her skin like a whisper, and he let out a shaky sigh. Then, leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before dropping to his knees in front of her.

Raghav rested his head on her lap. His shoulders trembled, and though he made no sound, she knew he was crying. Her hand went to his hair, stroking it.

‘Raghav, honey, what are you doing here? What’s wrong?’ Meera asked, scared.

He didn’t answer, only wrapped his arms around her waist, clinging to her like she would disappear at any moment. She could feel his silent sobs against her.

‘Are you hurt? Did something happen?’ she pressed, panic rising in her chest.

Still, he didn’t respond. Meera cupped his face, tilting it up so she could look into his eyes. They were bloodshot, his face haggard, as though he hadn’t slept in days.

‘Why is your phone switched off?’ he rasped.

‘I told you, it’s been acting up. After your call earlier, it just shut down and hasn’t switched on since. Why? What’s happened, Raghav?’ Her heart pounded as she searched his face for answers.

‘There was an accident,’ he said, closing his eyes.

‘Oh my God,’ she breathed. Her hand went to her heart as she asked, ‘Who was it? Is someone hurt?’

He mumbled something, but his tone was so quiet that she missed it.

‘Who was it? Someone we know?’ Her thoughts raced, imagining the worst.

‘No,’ he repeated, but the agony in his eyes didn’t fade.

Relief washed over her before a fresh fear gripped her. ‘Were you in an accident? Raghav, are you hurt?’

She touched his face, his arms, his chest, frantically checking for injuries. But he shook his head. ‘I’m fine,’ he said hoarsely.

‘Then who was it?’ She asked, frustration and worry bubbling over. But as she shouted, a sharp pain shot through her head, making her wince.

‘You have a fever,’ he said, his thumb brushing over her forehead.

‘Forget about that. Are you sure everyone is okay?’

He nodded. After a moment, he asked, ‘You didn’t go to Bandra?’

‘I did,’ she said, confused.

At her answer, he gripped her hand tight. ‘When?’

‘Around nine in the morning. Why?’

‘You told Siya that you’d go at noon,’ he said.

‘I know, but I couldn’t stay at home after she left, so I went earlier. Wait—how do you know about it?’

He tried to relax his grip and said, ‘There was an accident in Bandra today. A truck hit a woman in an Audi A6. The car went up in flames. She... she didn’t survive.’

Meera gasped. Everything suddenly made sense.

‘You thought it was me?’ she whispered.

Raghav nodded. Meera could see the pain brimming in his eyes. Without a second thought, Meera wrapped her arms around him. She couldn’t imagine the torment he must have gone through. He buried his face in her shoulder, still shaking, and she stroked his back.

‘I called your university. They said you didn’t come in, didn’t call in sick either.’

Meera closed her eyes, the weight of his words sinking in. She could only imagine the thoughts that must have plagued him, how his mind would have spiralled to the worst conclusions.

‘I took a medicine, and it knocked me out. I woke up just an hour ago.’

‘We all thought… I thought… I thought I lost you, Mihu,’ he said, choking back a sob.

The nickname struck a chord deep within her. It was the first time he had called her that. Her heart clenched, and a lump formed in her throat. She fought back tears as she reached for him.

Gently, she cupped his face in her hands, her thumbs brushing against the stubble on his cheeks. She pressed her forehead against his, and said, ‘I am right here in your arms, Raghav. I’m not going anywhere.’

He exhaled, the tension easing out of his body. The erratic pulse at his neck calmed, and the tremors finally stopped after a few moments. They sat there in silence, entwined in each other’s arms.

Raghav leaned back, lifting his gaze to hers. His eyes still glistened with tears. ‘Come to bed with me, baby. I need to hold you,’ he whispered.

Before she could respond, he bent down and scooped her up into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her to their room.

Raghav laid her down on the bed, taking care to prop a pillow under her head. He stripped off his shirt, tossing it aside before slipping under the covers. He pulled her close, tucking her into his side as though shielding her from the world.

For a while, neither spoke. Meera traced patterns on his chest. Raghav gazed at her, his hand brushing strands of hair away from her face.

‘I’m sorry, Meera. I’m sorry I hurt you. I… I don’t know if I can ever make it right, but I’m so sorry.’

Meera didn’t want to dwell on the pain of the past, not tonight. After everything, being in his arms was enough for now. She smiled, and said, ‘I’m sorry too.’

Raghav frowned, his knuckles brushing against her cheek in a gentle caress. ‘Why?’

‘There’s charcoal on your face.’ Her lips twitched as she showed him her charcoal-smudged fingers.

They both stared at each other for a second and then burst into laughter. Meera clutched her sides as her face lit up with joy and seeing that, Raghav relaxed even more.

‘Good night, Raghav,’ Meera whispered as she peppered his face with feather-light kisses and soon drifted off.

Raghav pulled her closer and breathed in her scent before whispering, ‘Thank God for my second chance.’