15:30

Fifty Five

Back home, Tara had started to regain her health. She was healing. Things were getting better. Jay didn't leave her side for even a minute. He was there for her, her companion. At all times. With Jay's nurturing nature and Miracle's childlike tendencies, she was getting better. Heather and Olivia were always around too. Tara felt so happy that she had a loving family around her. The wounds of her past were healing.

One afternoon, many moons after Chris' funeral she decided to take Jay for a little walk around Central Park. This was the first time she had suggested that she wanted to go out so Jay jumped at the opportunity. He packed a picnic basket for them.

They decided to walk around a little bit and then eat some snacks in the grass. Summer had just begun so it wasn't too sunny. But it was a comforting sort of warm.

"I'm so glad you decided to go out."

"I just wanted to get some fresh air."

"Yay. The weather's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It really is. Oh wow, look at those ducks! What a pretty sight." Tara exclaimed.

Jay's heart swelled up. The old Tara was coming back from the dead. He thought he had lost her forever, but time was healing her. For the first month, Tara was not even able to sleep. She would get constant nightmares of Chris dying, and it scared her to no end. She would wake up crying, screaming. It was gut wrenching to see her like this.

"They're very pretty indeed."

"So, I brought you here to tell you something."

"Sure. You can tell me anything."

"I am grateful that you didn't leave my side when I needed someone."

"I would never leave you. Through trial and tribulation. I made a promise"

"Thank you. I appreciate it. You're a very good boyfriend."

"I love you Tara."

"I am so glad to have found you. I had this whole life imagined with Chris. But now, I see my future with you."

Jay put his arm around her.

"Really?"

"Hundred percent. Most people get one soulmate. I got two. I could not have gotten any luckier."

"What was life like with Chris? If you don't mind me asking that?"

"No of course not. Ahh, life with Chris was beautiful. It was breathtaking. Every day was an adventure with that man. He was so full of life."

"I'm glad you have good memories of him."

"Yes."

"How did you two meet?"

"Chris was a 3L when I was a 1L. Nate too was a 1L. In fact Nate and I were best friends. But I barely saw Chris. Only once or twice , maybe. He was a busy 3L. Plus that time was different. I was still coping with the death of my sister. Chris too was going through a breakup. His fiancè left him for another man. He was miserable. So Nate wanted to set him up with someone. He met this girl in a bar who was also a Tara. He spoke to her and asked if she would go on a date with his brother. He pointed to Chris and she agreed to do it sometime. Nate took her number. Unfortunately, he goofed up and sent my number to Chris instead. So when Chris called me to meet, I was bewildered. But I met him nonetheless. 'Hey! You're that girl Nate hangs out with. I'm so glad it's you. I know you,' he said. So you see, it was a complete co-incidence that we met. But we went for our first date as planned. Later, things were cleared with Nate but Chris and I decided to keep seeing each other. He helped me get over my sister's death. I helped him get over his ex girlfriend. We were great for each other."

"Oh that's quite nice!" Jay said. He was genuinely delighted.

"It was amazing. It was the best year. Chris made me believe in love. He made me want a family. Things became a little sour after Chris' graduated. His dad wanted him to join politics. After all, Chris was Senator Harrison's son. But Chris had other plans. He wanted to join the army. He wanted to serve his nation another way. And I was completely supportive of his ambitions. Sure I missed him, but I was also very proud. Then of course, the unthinkable happened."

"The war."

"Yes," Tara said, her tone dropping.

"I'm sorry."

"I had graduated from Harvard Law with a job at a firm. We were closer than ever, in fact we often spoke about a future together. It didn't matter that he was away for almost the entire year- when he came back it felt like he had never left. Then in 2024, the war happened and he was at home when he received the message that he was deployed. I had a bad feeling but I brushed it aside. Without protest, I let him go. Because duty calls. It was what made him happy. I wasn't going to stand in the way. On our last night together, we were extra passionate. That's how Miracle was conceived actually. It was like at the crack of dawn, I had to let him go. But on that night I held him so close. I felt one with him. We had dated for almost four years. It felt like the end game."

"And then, six weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant with his child. And it freaked me out because how was I to raise a kid on my own? I panicked and called him. You should have heard how delighted he sounded on the phone. It was his own child. I could tell that he would have loved the kid more than anything else in the world and it wasn't even born yet. But he knew I was not ready for kids. So he said that he would support my decision, no matter which way I went. We were both young, we could try for a kid again when things were better. It made more sense to do it then. And before meeting him, I would have never even imagined being a mother. But his kids I wanted to have. Because I knew he would make a great father. So the next day I called him again and told him that I would keep the child. You have no idea how happy he sounded. I cannot express it in words. My Chris was going to be a father. Then he said that he was going to come back and ask me to marry him but he couldn't wait till then. Then and there on that phone call, he asked me to be his wife, and I agreed of course. That was probably my last phone call of happiness."

Jay smiled at her and then intertwined his fingers with hers. They kept walking for a while, without saying much. They didn't need to speak. They understood each other.

Then Jay arranged the picnic food for Tara and they ate and made out in the park. It was after quite some time that  things felt normal.

That night, Tara was finishing some work so she stayed up late. Jay was already in bed and asleep. Tara slipped into bed and spooned him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek, his neck and then buried her head into his back.
After a while, she whispered into his ear, " I think I'm ready to move on."

Jay lay asleep but moved his hand and placed it on top of Verita's. That night, Verita slept well, for her heart was finally, finally at peace.