Page 42 of Since the Night We Met
‘Hey! That was Swayam’s idea. He is the one liable for the damages caused, not me.’
‘Okay, miss lawyer. We have a deal that you’ll represent me when I sue him. Anyway,’ Meera said and pulled out a velvet boxfrom her purse. ‘Kashvi sent these. She has also sent a message, asking you to wear these. She plans to give a taste of rebellion to your father.’
Siya opened the box and found the pearl drop sapphire earrings that once belonged to their late mother. A tear-shaped sapphire was hung below a big pearly strand and the pair had been among her mother’s favourites. She’d always made sure to wear these at every milestone celebration. Kashvi had inherited them when she turned eighteen.
In all the chaos, Siya had prioritised focusing on only the matter at hand, but looking at the earrings brought forward an aching loss she tried to live with. Her mother had been a ray of sunshine in her life, and despite being forced into getting married, Siya wished her mother could be here.
Siya accepted it with her heart full of love. The garment bag caught her attention and she fidgeted with its zipper. ‘Did you see the dress Dad’s stylist chose? How is it?’
A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes as Meera tugged her by the hand and pulled her into the closet. She hung the dress on a rack and said, ‘This isn’t what she chose but before I tell you the full story, you’ve got to see the dress. I’ve waited all night to show you.’
She furrowed her brows, confused by Meera’s excitement but as soon as she pulled down the zipper, Siya understood. Her breath caught in her throat, eyes fixated on the beauty in front of her.
The sundress was the icy blue colour of the winter sky. The satin soft fabric had a sheen woven into the threads, making it sparkle under the sunrays seeping in through the glass skylight. Thin straps of crystal beads framed the neckline and the bodicewas form-fitting, flowing down to her knees in shimmery waves. It looked straight out of a fairytale, modified for the comfort of a modern woman.
She reached out and let her fingers slide along the satin, and it was so silky that it felt as if she were playing with water.
She assumed Meera had chosen it for her and said, ‘Mihu, this dress… I’m speechless. You’ve picked a damn winner. If I had to face the cameras, the scrutiny of the public, and glares from my family, this isthedress I could do it in.’
Meera shook her head and said, ‘It wasn’t me.’
Siya blinked. ‘Then who? Kashu picked it?’
Meera slowly shook her head again, a small smile playing at her lips.
Siya looked at the dress, really looked at the dress. The colour of the fabric tugged at a faint memory in her mind. The realisation sank in slowly.
Four years ago, on that ballroom balcony where she met Abhay, she’d worn a saree of this exact shade. She could still remember his warm lips moving against hers as he had her pinned to the wall.
A lump of desire formed in her throat so suddenly she practically choked on it. She tried to exhale through it as she lowered herself on the velvet cushion. Had he picked this exact colour to remind her of that night?
She breathed. ‘Why did he…? When did he even…?’
Meera admitted. ‘We were having dinner late last night when Abhay came by your apartment to check up on Kashvi. He made sure she was okay, insisted on checking the door andwindow locks, and then offered to bring her back here right away. He said he’d put together a new room for her without needing to move her stuff and no one would know she was staying here.’
Siya gasped lightly, clutching the robe at her chest. ‘I can’t believe he did that.’
Meera nodded with a soft smile. ‘But Kashu refused. She said that the apartment is home for both of you, and at least one of you should be living there. Abhay played the “I’m the elder one so I know better” card that you use on her and insisted that she come with him right away.’
A reluctant smile curved up her lips. She raised a brow and asked, ‘How did that work out for him?’
‘As well as it works out for you,’ Meera giggled. ‘He got a lecture for five minutes on how that concept is one of the core problems of our society. By the end of it, he had held up his hands in surrender. It was very fun to watch.’
‘I bet,’ Siya said, and all of a sudden a sliver of energy raked around her heart. She would see her sister soon, and she couldn’t wait to get a firsthand account of how she had handled Abhay.
‘She rolled her eyes when he tried to tell her she could call him anytime. She tried to act casual but I could tell it mattered to her that he cared.’
After putting her to bed, Abhay had gone over to make sure if her sister was okay? Siya tried not to let it affect her, but whether she liked it or not, the knowledge sank into her like a pebble. ‘How did he even see this dress?’
‘When he turned to leave, he noticed the dresses hanging on the back of the door. He looked at them for a moment, then told me he’d love it if you wore the blue colour.’
Her eyes drifted back to the dress. She reached out to touch it again as if the dress were tugging her closer. The icy blue glittered like a waterfall under the light, and the colour now felt too familiar for comfort.
‘I hate that he did this,’ Siya whispered and pulled her hand back.
Armed with decades of their crazy friendship, Meera could understand her silence just as well as her words. ‘Do you hate it or you think you should hate it?’ she probed.
Siya shrugged in response, unwilling to voice the truth. ‘He seems to be handling all of this well.’
