--Mia--
I slowly entered the parking lot of the apartment I once was familiar with. Pulling my hoodie over my head I lowered my gaze all the while hoping that I won't run into anyone.
I know that at this time the parking lot will we empty. So I choose this instead of the front lobby. I hesitantly reached to the elevator and pressed the button all the while praying that no one must be inside.
I breathed in relief when the elevator pinged open and was empty. Quickly entering in, I pressed the button. I held my breath until the doors closed but no luck. A man squeezed in at the last minute.
Shit, it's the apartment maintenance guy, Robin. I moved towards the other end far away from him. God, please don't let him recognise me. Please.
It's been 2 months since I left. Hope nothing has changed in here. Even after knowing about me, though the media has gone crazy, the people around me have been nothing but kind and gentle.
Then how can I be a burden to them? I thought that my departure would bring peace to them but see, what my man has done. He made the whole world crazy. Yeah! Because he is crazy.
Pulling my hoodie even lower, I glanced up at the panel from under my lashes and cursed when I noticed that we only passed 3 floors. Why? Why should Michael live on the 13th floor but again it's way better than Robert's who are living on the 30th floor.
Why do these rich guys need a penthouse? Can't they afford for individual house?
"Mia??" I suddenly heard Robin's voice. Shit, no. No.
"Mia, it's you. I know." He screamed. I have no choice but to pull my hoodie back and look at him. He hasn't changed a bit. A sort of surprise and shock occupied his face and I smiled nervously. Hope he still thinks the same about me.
"OMG!! It's really you." He screamed to the top of his lungs making my ears hurt. I just remained silent.
"God! Where have you been? How are you?" He frowned. "You look… thin. Pale."
"Robin." I finally uttered his name.
"God! I can't believe this. You are finally here. Does Mr. Collin know?" He asked jumping on his feet like a kid.
I shook my head.
"Let me inform him." He said, placing his hands in his pockets.
"No!" I scremed. He looked at me puzzled. "I want to wait for him."
He nodded. "These 2 months, Mr. Collin is not by himself. It's so depressing to see him like that. Thank god, you are here."
On 10th floor another one joined. I shook my head vigorously stopping Robin and he just nodded
I sighed in relief, when we finally landed on the 13th floor and I quickly walked out. I stood facing Michael's door. The first time I stood at this door, I felt nervous. Nervous because at the time I was stepping into a new path.
And now, I am feeling nervous. Nervous because I don't know what is going to happen next. I know Michael and I also can imagine his reaction but my heart just couldn't stop feeling nervous.
"I hope he hasn't changed the codes." I sighed.
"No. He didn't." Robin answered. I moved towards the keypad but stopped.
"He will be notified." I said. Michael mentioned that he will always be notified to his phone whenever the door opens. It also notifies him the person's name with whose fingerprint the door opened.
"Then he will come immediately." Robin said, grinning widely.
I shook my head, "I need some time. I'm not ready yet."
He frowned, "He is the same Mia."
But I'm not. The situations are not. I just remained silent.
"Ok, let me check. If he is busy he might not look at his phone." Saying that he fished his phone and dailed someone.
"I'm Robin. His apartment maintenance guy."
A pause.
"What is he doing?"
Pause.
"Hmm. Nothing. I just need something from his flat."
Again, pause.
"Not a hurry. I'll wait for him. No need to disturb him."
Robin then hung up and looked at me, "I called his assistant. He is in a meeting." I nodded.
While in the meeting Michael will keep his phone on silent mode. So now I have some alone time till he returns.
Calm down my raging heart! Everything is going to be alright. I tried my level best to calm it down but it looks like nothing is going to work.
Controlling my shivering hands, I finally punched the keypad and entered inside, waving off to Robin.
The familiar surroundings squeezed my heart and I choked a sob.
Nothing has changed. No even a single thing. It was the same as on the day I left.
I roamed around the entire house. His office room was like a mess with all the papers that were scattered around. The room Michael allotted to me for my work was squeaky clean. The kitchen too was just like a mirror. Landon is really a clean freak.
I entered the balcony where we first made love and flopped down on the little bed. I picked up his pillow and brought it to my nose. It still smells of him.
Hugging it tight, I drowned in the memories of that night. The one special night of my entire life. The night where the man of my dreams worshipped me. The night where the man of my dreams made love to me.
The memories of that night have got engraved deep into my skin that whenever I close my eyes, I travel back to the moments where Michael held me in his embrace so preciously.
Still hugging that pillow, I walked into his bedroom. Flopping down on the bed, I buried myself into the mattress, remembering the last day before I left. The day when I saw Michael looking so troubled. The day when I saw Michael in pain which made me hate myself.
Everyday after my departure I longed to see him. I longed to hold him. I longed to come back but the troubled look on Michael's face made me stop.
But after my man's marvellous interview, I couldn't hold back anymore. I decided to come back on the immediate day but the unexpected news of my life made me halt a bit. It made me sink back in fear but the trust in my Mike had let me to take a step.
One after the other, his memories kept on filling me. Suffocating me.
I need him. I need to see him. I need to feel him. But for right now, I raced into the closet. I opened the racks and found that all my clothes and accessories that I left were sitting in their places, untouched, unmoved.
I also traced the little butterfly I drew on the mirror. Why did I leave?
Yeah, just to see my man opening up so charmingly to the entire world. I laughed. I looked at his clothes and a suit caught my eye. The same one he wore to that interview. I immediately grabbed it and draped it over me.
Feeling his masculine scent and the warmth of his clothes, my knees went weak and I dropped to the ground.
Hugging his suit closer to me, I wished it was him whom I'm hugging.
_________
"Mia!!" A loud shriek made me shudder.
"Mia. I know you are here. Come out." It's Michael. Isn't he early today?
"Mia! Please come out, Little." He said and the tremor in his voice hasn't gone unnoticed by me.
"Little, please." His pleading tone is enough for me to bolt out of the room. Racing into the living room, I stopped in my tracks when I saw him at the couch.
My heart stopped for a moment. Just a look at him and my heart broke.
He became thin but he is still the most handsome man. My handsome man.
I let my gaze travel from his head to toe and I winced when I saw the heavy dark circles under his eyes.
Isn't he sleeping well?
Of course he will sleep so well when all the shit is happening around him.
When I finally met his gaze, which was already strained one me, everything around me was still. Pure silence.
One.
Two.
That's it. In an instant, he raced to me. Hauled me into his arms and crashed his lips against mine.
For a moment I couldn't register anything but slowly I let myself sink into him. Raising on my toes, I tried to match him but no, my man was ravaging me. This kiss is not at all the slow and gentle kiss he usually gives me. It's hungry. He tightened his arms around me almost suffocating me.
God! How much I missed him. How much I missed being in his arms!!
When I felt the need for oxygen, I broke the kiss but he kept on trailing kisses on my cheeks to my ear and to my temple and all over my face.
He then suddenly lowered a bit, wrapping his arms around my legs, he raised me and started twirling.
Woah!!
"You're back." He screamed.
"My Mia is back." He screamed loud, still twirling me.
Along with me my stomach too started churning.
No baby. Not now. Your dad is happy. So, you rest there quietly.
But no. My stomach kept on churning and the urge to puke increased.
As soon as he let me down on my feet, I raced into the nearest room and rushed inside the bathroom. That's it. All that food I stuffed inside has burst out.
Why can't it just stay inside?
Only when my tummy felt settled I raised up and cleaned myself.
"Mia!" Michael appeared behind me. I raised my eyes to the mirror in front of me and met his eyes from the mirror.
He is looking like he have seen a ghost.
"What's wrong? You look… so… pale. You lost weight and what have you done to your hair?" He shrieked, touching my hair.
I sighed. It's about time. "Mike, we need to talk."
"No!" He said immediately, "First, you need to eat. Rest. And then we are going to doctor. You lost weight."
"Mike, first let's talk." I tried to argue with him with the minimum energy that was left within me.
"I said no. Come on now. Landon must have stored something. Let me feed you." He said, tugging my arm.
"Mike, I need.."
"First you need to eat." He said stubbornly cutting me off and dragging me out.
"Michael Collin!" I yelled to stop him. This man should start listening to others!!
He turned towards me and raised his brow.
"We. Need. To. Talk." I said, stressing each word. Of course I don't have any more energy left within me but I can't drag the situation. We need to sort out everything first.
After a whole minute of thinking he finally nodded.
We then moved into the living room and flopped on the couch and I flopped a bit far from him. I need this distance to talk. It's not that I'm worried about his reaction but I just… need… oh god! Why am I feeling nervous?!?!
As soon as I flopped down I was again raised up and a shriek escaped me.
That's when I realised that Michael actually dumped me into his lap.
"Michael, what are you doing? Leave me." I said wriggling in his arms.
"No." He said stubbornly.
"Michael, we need to talk. Leave me." I said, trying my level best to pull his arms away.
"I said no." He said authoritatively, "Whatever it is, talk like this." He said tightening his arms around me.
Accepting the defeat I relaxed into his arms.
"Mike…." Well, with what should I start?
"You believe me, right?" Well, what am I asking?
He scowled, "What are you asking?" He asked in return.
Ok. "Mike, I too really hadn't expected this. It's really unexpected. If I had expected this I would have atleast spoken with you in prior…"
"Mia." He called me and I looked at him.
"What are you even talking about?"
I bit my lip, "Well, actually. I too found it recently. I know it's a bit… I mean… as I said, unexpected for both. It's ok if you don't want this but …. I thought… at least I should let you know….."
"Mia! Will you cut the crap and come straight to the point?" He hissed.
"I'm pregnant." I blurted out.
"Huh!" That was his reaction?!
"I'm pregnant." I said again.
He froze after hearing the news I said. I don't know how he is going to react because even for me it was a huge blow when I first got the results. Never had I ever expected that I would be pregnant.
When I was in that house, they gave me huge medications so that I won't end up being pregnant with one of their clients and be a burden. I too gladly accepted it because I don't want to end up on the roads with a baby.
Because of those medications I have had all those years I never thought I would be pregnant. Those medicines even messed up with my periods. So I had been carefree all these years. When I told the same to the old lady, who checked me, she chuckled.
"Miracles happens dear." She said, chuckling.
For a whole minute Michael stared at me as I had grown two heads and then he loosened his arms around me. Taking the cue I climbed out of his hold and into the couch.
He stood up and strated pacing. Isn't he going to say anything? Even though I feared, deep down I expected he would be happy because he loves kids a lot. Or don't he want kids with me? Or… or… is he.. thinking…. He isn't thinking like that, right? No. No. No.
"Michael, I swear. I haven't been with anyone in the last two months. It's only you. The baby is ….. "
"Mia! Will you do me a favor and shut your mouth?!" He roared and I jumped in my place. Remember Mia! You should never make him angry.
Angry Micheal is really scary.
He then crouched in front of me, "Say that again." He said so gently.
What? "I haven't been with…."
"Not that!" He gritted.
Then what? I stared at him.
"You're pregnant?" He asked.
I just nodded.
"You're pregnant." He said again and this time I notice a small upward curve of his lips.
Biting my lip, I nodded.
"We are going to be parents?" He asked and trust me just the word parents had made my heart beat faster.
"God! We are going to be parents! I'm going to be a father." He screamed out loud.
"I'm going to be a father!" He screamed again and crashed his lips on mine.
This time, I wrapped my hands around his neck and we both fought eachother for dominance.
He only released me when we ran out of our breathe.
But he still didn't leave me. He kept on prepping kisses over my face, my hands, well… wherever he felt feasible.
"Thank you….. Thank you so much…. for this…. beautiful gift, little." He rasped in between kisses.
I felt like a huge burden released my shoulders.
"Oh god! We have so much work. We need to go to the doctor. Have you consulted anyone? I doubt that. We also need to buy some things. Don't worry. I learned a few things when Isa, Sanju and Ash were pregnant. They have a common doctor. She is the best. We can consult her…." He kept on talking and I just smiled.
"Mike…" I called him but he isn't listening.
"Mike." I called again this time cupping his face and dragging him close.
"We can do all those but first you relax." I said and that when he actually relaxed.
He then came up and slumped beside me.
Pulling me close, he wrapped his arms around me and I rested my head on his chest, listening to his beating heart.
Seconds passed and minutes turned into hours but neither of us hasn't uttered a word. We just sat there silently relishing in each other's arms.
_________
For some moments, words need not be spoken just we need to cherish them. For Mike and Mia this is that moment. What more they want? Being in eachothers arms along with their little one. Isn't this enough to have a peaceful life??
__________
So, here is the another chapter my lovelies.... Hos is it?
Finally Mia is back. I'm so happy.
Don't forget to share your views....
Love,
Sanju....