Chapter 4

A Second Chance

She was sleeping like a baby and he couldn't stop admiring the beauty she is blessed with. To him she wasn't just beautiful, she was art; she made him feel something every time he looked at her. Her calmness reminded him of the pristine ocean, while her anger was like lava flowing through cracks of an old mountain, capable of mass destruction yet so resplendent. To her he was a man, who felt like home. His simple gestures were healing the hidden soars in her heart and love was blooming like petals unravel a captivating flower in spring.

Fights, yes they happen, even between the happiest couples, and even between the ones, who die holding hands; Avni and Steve were no exception. The honeymoon period was over and they had a fight that devastated Avni. Shattered and heartbroken, she boarded the flight but as her mother says life goes on. It was her third visit to NYC in an year; they both made every effort to make this long distance relationship work but even the brightest bloom fades away in fall and so did their love. How she wished to get back in time and relive those moments with him. His surprise visit to India, his giant arms holding drunk Avni and his bad Hindi, so much was taken away from her in a day that she felt her heart freezing. Next few months were full of anxiety, therapies, and this wasn't as easy as Ankit was. Steve didn't make her fall in love, he made her believe in it and suddenly he wanted to change her belief.

“Why did I argue? He just wanted to go on a bachelorette, was it a big deal? No, it wasn't, I fucked up this time and I am going to die single. I am not good enough for a man like him, I am no good!” Jumbled thoughts kept her awake till dawn and this restlessness, this pain was taking a toll on her health. Therapies, parents, friends, everyone and everything that she needed were around but the one she longed for was not.

It was a cold winter night and Avni slept on a pillow smeared with tears and crushed with screams. A woolen blanket covered her and kept her warm through the cold winter night. Suddenly she felt a cold hand on her forehead and she immediately switched on the light. Her scared pale face turned bright red soon, as Steve comforted her in his arms. It wasn't a dream, a guy she loved has crossed seas and oceans to be with her and tears of joy started falling from her big beautiful eyes.