Destiny's Gamble

Coffee Date

"Luckily, Sushant - who was apparently my friend - was present in the hospital the day of the accident. He saw me on the stretcher and recognised me at once. Since that day he hasn't left my side, and I'm very grateful to him for that." Bastard. If only I could tell Angel about who Sushant truly is and the lies he's been feeding her. "God knows what I would've done without him. Manik..." Angel trails off, almost as if my name tastes odd on her tongue. "I-I didn't have any money, or any clue about who I should contact because trust me, my mind is a clean slate. I don't even know who my parents are." 

"Didn't the authorities find any identification on you?" I ask, pulling open the cafe door for Angel. She smiles, nodding her head in gratitude.

"No, they didn't. You know how India is, right? I'm sure someone took my belongings in the entire fiasco." My fists ball at my side in anger. If only even one occurrence in this entire chain of events had gone differently, Angel and I would still be together. 

"Haven't you ever tried to piece together the jigsaw of your past?" Angel chooses the table beside the floor length windows. Grabbing the back of a chair, I pull it out for her. For a second, my wife stands in place, staring at me with a puzzled expression.

"Chivalry isn't dead, huh?" She comments, seating herself. 

"It's my middle name." I tease, taking the seat opposite to her. A waiter comes over and hands us a menu each. "Wait, before you order, let me make a wild guess as to what you're going to have. A caramel Frappuccino, with whipped cream." 

"For two people who didn't even know each other's names until a while back, we sure are good at making  guesses that revolve around each other." Glancing down towards my lap, I allow a knowing smile to spread across my lips. Once we've placed our orders, I fold my arms on the table and lean towards Angel.

"Where were we?" I ask, eager to soak in as much information about her as I can. 

"My past's jigsaw puzzle," she replies. "That's where we left off." I gesture for her to continue. "Even if I wanted to, Manik, I don't know where to begin. Also, Sushant is adamant on keeping me in the dark regarding the life I once had until at least a year. My doctor thinks that's what is best for me and so naturally Sushant won't think otherwise." I can bet that if Sushant gets his way then he'd like to keep Angel in the dark for not just a year, but an entire decade, or more. He has everything to lose when the truth gets out, and I have my world to gain back when it does.

"Okay, enough talk about me." Angel says, leaning towards me curiously. "I want to hear about you, Manik. So go ahead, what's your story?" Sighing, I pout, wondering where to begin at.

"I don't know what to say," I voice out loud. "There's so much that I can tell you, but I'm not so sure you're ready to hear it all just yet." Furrowing her brows, Angel looks at me with a confused expression. 

"In that case, let me help you out," she offers. "Since I got to know you through my boyfriend, I'd like to know something about your love life. Who waits for you at home every night?" 

"Oh, no one waits for me," I say. "On the contrary, actually, I am the one who has been waiting plenty for someone." I shrug helplessly. "My Angel, that's who I wait for." My wife's face falls as I take her nickname. 

"Angel," she tests the word out on her tongue. I can practically hear the gears in her head turning - trying their level best to retrieve some data regarding this one word. "What made you name her that?" 

"She was my saving grace," I reply truthfully. "Unlike anyone I have ever met, my Angel, is a diamond in a world of mundane stones. You know, our time together had just begun when it ended sooner than it should've." A bark of laughter escapes my lips. "Honestly, though, I could spend an eternity with her and it would still feel less." 

"Mind if I ask what happened? I mean, you're speaking about her in past tense. Did she...pass away?" I shake my head.

"No, she and I suffered a fate much worse; one in which we're on the same planet, in the same city, probably even in the same neighbourhood, and still apart." 

"You speak like a love poet. I like it," Angel nods to herself. "And you. Yeah, I like you." I love you. Baby steps, Manik, baby steps. At least Angel and I have reached this stage. 

"Manik, enough talk about our past." She says, as our drinks arrive. "Let's about our present. Since we both agree on the fact that you're not someone who should be seen in a farmer's market, I'd like to ask what exactly were you doing there?" I can tell that my wife has changed the subject because she could see that the ongoing conversation was upsetting me.

"Fuck," I hiss, tossing my head back. Chachi has given me a list of vegetables that I must not return home without. The only problem is, I am absolutely clueless regarding vegetables. Heck, I don't even know their respective names, or how their appearances should be. 

"What happened? Is there a problem?" Angel asks, concerned.

"My...My mother has given me a list for grocery shopping. She told me to purchase all the vegetables from this farmer's market because apparently the freshest and cheapest ones are available here." I explain, loathing the task I am procrastinating. "Lord knows how I intend on fulfilling this task." 

"I can help, if you don't mind." Angel offers eagerly. "I mean, anyone can do a better job than you, right?" She teases, grinning.

"You know what? I would absolutely love your help," I say gratefully. "You're a blessing from Aiyappa." Eyes widening, Angel chokes on her drink. 

"Oh fuck." Hastily, I pop out of my seat and station myself at her side. "Look up," I instruct, patting her back. Tears glisten in Angel's eyes as she obliges. 

"I'm good," she manages to say after a few seconds. "Thanks." Smiling, I get back into my seat. 

"Manik, I have a feeling we'll be good friends." My wife declares, her orbs radiating warmth for me. Oh, we'll be much more than that. Just you wait and watch. 

A/N: Merry Christmas! I hope ya'll have a great one, surrounded by family and love, with lots of presents to act as the cherry on the cake. Also, I hope this chapter helped to answer your questions. If not, then ask away to your heart's desire. Take care and stay safe xx

P.S Don't forget to spread the Christmas cheer. I mean, you don't know who your kindness could greatly help out. One smile could possibly save a life xx