Stay Mine

Chapter 49

Fiza and Alan had finally completed their postgraduate courses, and it had been a long 10 months since their last communication. Fiza had landed a job as an Assistant Professor in Pediatrics at their university hospital in Bangalore, where she was also involved in their new developmental pediatrics clinic. To further her expertise, she was concurrently pursuing an online certification in developmental pediatrics. With student loans to repay and living expenses to manage, she needed to dive into her career.

On the other hand, Alan had secured a position at Apex Hospital, a prestigious private institution in Bangalore.

During this time, Fiza had distanced herself from her old friends, including her former roommate, Shahana. However, it seemed their paths were destined to cross again as Shahana had also found employment at the same hospital, making avoidance impossible.

"Fiza, it's been forever!" Shahana exclaimed, wrapping her in a tight hug the moment they crossed paths at the hospital mess.

Fiza managed a faint smile. "I'm okay," she assured her.

Shahana's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Are you attending the reunion? It's in a month!"

"What reunion?" Fiza asked, a touch of confusion in her voice.

"Our batch reunion! It's happening at Palm Meadows Resort in Whitefield. Didn't you sign up?" Shahana inquired.

Fiza hesitated before confessing, "I'm not in any of the college WhatsApp groups."

Shahana's expression softened as she leaned in closer. "Fiza, I know you don't want to talk about it, but I should've been the one you talked to when you guys broke up. You know I would have understood. I've been through..." Her voice trailed off, and Fiza recalled Shahana's own college romance with Vineet. It had seemed like they were destined to marry, but Vineet had chosen not to confront his parents about their relationship, fearing it would hurt them. They had taken a break to see if they could live without each other, and in the end, they both moved on.

"Let's meet over coffee." Said Fiza. "I'll tell you everything that happened over the last year."

"OMG, Fiz!" Shahana exclaimed after hearing Fiza's story, pulling her into a warm hug. Fiza didn't shed tears; she had come to terms with the path her life had taken.

Yet, beneath her newfound independence and her impressive achievements, a profound emptiness lingered. Fiza was proud of her accomplishments, but a subtle sadness colored her existence. She no longer found joy in spontaneous laughter, nights out with friends, or dancing to her favorite tunes. The most significant change was her disconnection from music, which now felt unbearably painful.

She poured herself into her work, taking on extra shifts during her rare moments of respite and diligently pursuing her certification. She maintained contact with her mother, calling her often, and sporadically spoke with her father, as she didn't want to sever all ties with her family. Over time, her father had offered profuse apologies, even suggesting he cover her loans and expenses again, but Fiza had politely declined.

In contrast, Farzana had been completely cut off from her life. Fiza couldn't find it within herself to forgive her sister. She understood that beneath Farzana's actions lay a deep well of jealousy and hurt. Fiza had also come to grasp the truth about Fahad and Kiran; Farzana had always dealt with her own hurt by inflicting pain on Fiza. Instead of privately discussing her concerns about Alan, Farzana had added fuel to the fire when things had gone awry.

Now, Fiza was in the process of applying to adopt a child, seeking a path forward and a source of healing.

After opening up to Shahana, Fiza felt a profound sense of relief. Shahana, though happy in her own life as a married woman of ten months, had learned to accept her circumstances too. She shared her perspective with Fiza, offering a glimmer of hope. "It's about finding things you love, small things. For me, it's my sister-in-law. Would it be weird if I said she's the best part of my married life?" Shahana chuckled, and Fiza managed a smile, knowing that it couldn't have been an easy journey for her.