Her Not So Fairytale

24. Him

He slowed down the car and parked to the side as if he wanted to focus all his attention on me.

“A chance?”

“To love and be loved.”

My answer seemed to surprise him and his observant eyes gazed at me trying to find all the unsaid words within me.

I broke his gaze after a while and I could see he was struggling to give me a reply.

“As I said open about feelings.” His voice was a bit teasing but I could see his eyes had turned glassy.

I gave him a slow smile.

“I was running away for so long. But not anymore. Now after talking with Dad, I feel like I begin to clean up my mess. I think I won’t be prone to running away anymore. And maybe I can stay and get settled for my loved ones this time. So do you think you can give me chance to do that?”

“You never ran away from love Sria. You ran in search of it. You didn’t run away from your family. You ran away to find your own and both of us know you found it here. With your best friend and her family. Sometimes family is not about blood and DNA, it’s about love and you have yours. You moved here and made a home here. You are far stronger than you give yourself credit for.”

He continued before I could protest, “I am not saying that you face every obstacle head-on. You do try to avoid when things get difficult. You do that, I know. But this time I won’t let you. I can promise you that. So I guess I am taking a chance with you, with us. Also it is not only me, you are also taking a chance to be with someone who is over- committed to his work and its causes. So be forewarned.”

“Ok Lawyer. But I get it. Your work. Your disappointment with yourself when you fail even a bit. You give a lot. I get it. You give a part of yourself to everything you do. And I guess I am selfish enough to want some of it for myself.”

It took him a moment respond.

“I don’t think anyone else gets me and my passion for my job, the way you do. And you know you already has it. A part of me. A part of myself.” I smiled at his words. The rest of the drive was silent.

I was surprised when we drove into the parking lot of a restaurant that I often visited. His choice of restaurant shouldn’t have surprised me but it did. The place wasn’t exactly meant for dates but friendly hangouts.

I looked at him in surprise as we settled down in a table of two near the window. Sitting across each other it didn’t matter where we are or the serious conversation we had earlier, it was just us.

“I know I should have gone all out for our first date. But I don’t want to rush us. Let us take the steps from where we stand and slowly take the path.” His tone was easy but there was a hint of worry behind those intense eyes.

I put my hands over his in the table and gave him a gentle squeeze. “It’s what I need.” I shook my head and corrected, “What we need.”

The dinner was a light affair. We shared more about each other, the small facts that was left behind, few of those embarrassing incidents from school and college. In between I gave him run down about my Delhi visit and I could see it made him happy when I shared that and my feelings about it.

“So your mom will be here this month right?”

“Yes they will be. They will want to meet you. Keira is already excited about it.”

“Me too.”

“Excited? I thought meeting-the-parents kind of made people nervous.”

“Oh believe me, I am. But I already have your family’s permission. And I think with Aditi’s family being so impressed with me this will be only a formality.”