It was a pleasant sunny day, but the neighbourhood, where I was now waiting, seemed to be just like those movie sets, where usually kids and girls were kidnapped and assaulted or teenagers came to deal in drugs at night.

It was difficult than I thought to dodge dad's cross questioning and come here. Finally he had agreed with the condition that our maid, Sheela didi, a lady in her late thirties, accompanies me, who sat now in the passenger seat, and Ryan drive me there. Afterall I couldn't blame him for his over-protectiveness. Losing the love of your life and nearly losing your daughter had really gotten into his brain.

I sat inside the car, behind the passenger seat, some two hundred metres away, when I saw her coming out of a building, that seemed to fall apart any day. She looks around for a few seconds before sporting my car, which wasn't hard considering the fact that mine was the only car that wasn't rusty and broken, among the ten or so other cars, and walked towards it.

She gets into the car, behind the driver seat and nods at me in greeting, while closing the door. Her eyes widen as she saw we had got company, afterall she agreed to meet and talk to me alone. Turning to me she raises a brow.

"Ryan, can we go? You know somewhere me and Renuka could talk alone!"

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For the past five minutes we have been here, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks filled the silence. Both me and Renuka were sitting on a raised platform overlooking the sea. She sat on the bench beside me while I was in my wheelchair. Ryan and Sheela didi were seated behind us, leaving some safe distance, so that we had privacy as well as they could come get me if something went wrong.

I stared blankly at the sea before us, waiting for her to speak. I could see her squirming uncomfortably from the silence.

"What did you want to talk?", I asked finally breaking the silence.

"I....", she starts but then stops, she runs her fingers through her hair and takes a deep breathe. "Go back to Arjun."

I turn my face towards her raising my eyebrow in a questioning glare. She looks away from my glare and stares off into the sea.

"I'm not proud of myself Pooja. The way I used Arjun for granted cannot be justified in anyway. All I cared about in my life was to make money. Whether it was by hook or by crook, I didn't care. But as always karma is a bitch. Isn't it?", she lets out a dark chuckle before continuing. "I left Arjun a few months back, when I knew nothing was going to work in my favour anymore. But then I fell into the same trap I had made for Arjun."

"I...I really liked Arjun. But with the years passing by I started loving his money more than him. And after leaving him I found someone whom I really did care for. Someone whom I wanted to share the rest of my life with. But all he cared for was my bank account. He made me sign papers to transfer everything in my name to his. And it was too late for me to realise I was played. And also he had left a present inside my belly. I had contacted my so called friends but it seems just like me they too only cared about bank balances.", there was a sad smirk on her lips.

"Sooner or later I'm going to end up in streets. It's only that I wanted to talk to someone, but being left alone I had no options. And when I saw you last week, I just wanted to come out clean. I know you would never be able to forgive me for ruining your life. And you have every right to hate me. But don't take it out on Arjun. That guy's just crazy about you and I shouldn't have come between you.", tears had begun to leave her eyes as she turned towards me.

"I know whatever I say isn't going to heel anyone's wounds and everything to go back to normal. But know that I'm sorry. Sorry for being a bitch to you. Sorry for being a slut and trying to snatch your husband. Sorry for every fu*king thing I have done to both of you guys and your families."

How am I supposed to react to her. It was true she had played a major role in ruining my life. But can I blame only her? There were things I could have done other than running away and hiding from everyone. There were things Arjun could have done other than shutting me out from his life. There were things my dad could have done other than staying in shadows. There were things everyone could have done to make not just mine but also theirs and everyone around us lives better.

"Come. I'll drop you back at your place.", leaving my response at that I turn my chair ready to leave.

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More than three months have passed and now I could not only just stand steady for fifteen minutes without help but also walk, with small steps for a continuous of ten minutes and better with the help of a walker. Even Dr.Prameela, who now had occupied a major role in my life, was surprised with my speedy recovery. She said it had something to do with my sudden change in attitude, that I didn't have before these three months.

Even Ryan, Dad and Sheela didi and all others around me had noticed the change. I had talking more than a hundred words a day as noticed by Ryan. I have started spending more time with Dad and apparently he is on cloud nine. Sheela didi found that I had been smiling more often and was eating a little more than usual, which meant a lot to her since I had been eating mostly nothing before.

I guess what everyone were saying was somewhat right. After talking with Renuka I felt like I wanted make the best of my life. With who ever was there with me. Even if she had asked me to go back, it was near to impossible for me. It was true almost a year had passed since everything, but I wasn't mentally or physically ready to bring my past to the present until it was unavoidable. And I dread the day I meet everyone.

It was a week day and as usual I was in my office when the call came.

"Hello?"

"Hello. This is from Dr. Raeeza, from Co-operative Hospital. Is this Miss. Pooja?"

"Yes."

"Ok. Could you please rush here. There is an emergency situation needing your attention."

"May I know what it is?"

"Sorry miss. The details can only be given in your presence. Pls make sure to come by."

The caller hanged up. The call was more than weird. But still there was nothing to loose if I go there. I decide to inform dad and he accompanied me to the hospital.

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