Chapter 17 – It's Always Been You

Veeresh looked into Poornima's tear-filled eyes.

His own eyes were red from crying.

Slowly, he stepped closer.

Veeresh: "Poons... I never cheated on you."

His voice trembled.

Veeresh: "And I never received any of your calls."

Poornima didn't answer.

She simply stood there.

Inside, everything she had believed for fifteen years was falling apart.

The anger...

The hurt...

The loneliness...

It all suddenly felt different.

Veeresh slowly went down on one knee in front of her.

He gently held her hands.

Looking up at her, he said,

Veeresh: "It's always been you, Poons."

A tear rolled down his cheek.

Veeresh: "No one ever took your place."

His voice broke.

Veeresh: "Not then... not now."

He lowered his head.

Veeresh: "I lost my wife... and I didn't even know why."

Unable to hold himself together anymore, Veeresh stood up and wrapped his arms tightly around her.

He broke down.

His shoulders shook as he cried.

Veeresh: "I'm so tired, Poons..."

Veeresh: "Fifteen years... I carried this thinking you had stopped loving me."

For a moment, Poornima stood still.

Then, slowly, she lifted her arms.

She embraced him just as tightly.

Resting her head against his shoulder, she closed her eyes.

Tears streamed silently down her face.

Neither of them spoke.

There were no explanations left.

Only two hearts, finally beginning to understand that they had been separated not by a lack of love, but by a misunderstanding that had stolen fifteen years of their lives.