Page 127 of No Boss
And now… her breath hitched.
Tears came slowly. Unstoppable. She let them fall. There was nowhere else to put any of this.
‘Maa… I don’t know what just happened.’
Her fingers tightened around his shirt. It held his scent. Cedar. Rain. Him.
‘Maa, you could have warned me. You could have said something. I didn’t even see it coming. And now…’
She pressed her face into his shirt.
‘Is this real?’
The door opened.
She knew who it was without looking up.
Gauri crossed the room. The moment her arms wrapped around Meera, everything gave way. Meera cried into her mother’s chest, not holding back this time.
Gauri held her, one hand gently rubbing the back of her head. After a while, she drew back, lifting Meera’s face, wiping away her tears.
“Tell me.”
Meera shook her head. “I don’t know where it began… I was fighting him… every day… And somewhere in the middle… I started to feel more. I think… I’ve loved him longer than I knew.”
Gauri listened.
“I didn’t know what he felt. I told myself it wasn’t real… that it would pass… And now…”
Her voice broke.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel. I don’t know if I should be happy or afraid or both. I don’t even know why I’m crying.”
Gauri pulled her close again. They stayed that way.
The rain softened outside.
The door opened once more.
Devendra stood there. He took in everything at a glance. His daughter, her red eyes, the shirt around her shoulders. He stepped forward and placed his hand on her head.
“I have never stopped you from anything, Meera,” his voice low. “Because I have always trusted you.”
His hand remained there.
“His declaration is his to make. Your choice…” his tone softened further, “that will always be yours.”
Meera looked up at him. He met her eyes. No pressure. No expectation. Only trust.
She didn’t answer.
The room settled around them. Her mother beside her, her father’s hand resting on her head, the rain easing, and his shirt warm against her skin.
Chapter 24
Abhinav paused at the doorway to the family sitting room, his hair damp from the shower.
Inside, Rajan’s voice rose dramatically, drawing gasps and laughter from Naina and Sarita. Abhinav did not need details. He knew what was being retold.
