My mother was silent the whole time while I fed myself and got ready for the day.

I stared out of the window at the mild raindrops hitting the glass and trickling down. It was an unexpected downpour but I prefer it to the sweltering heat that had come a bit early this year.

“Mom,” I called.
She kept her eyes on the windshield.

"Mom, I wanted to help him. He was so desperate to know if his sister was alive. What could I do?”

" You could have told him that you are the one,” her voice betrayed no emotions.

“It’s not as easy as you think and I’m not ready to accept him in my life yet.”

“But misleading him in this way isn’t going to help him overcome his grief. It’s not good for you too, all this hiding, all this stress. It takes a toll on your health.”

“I’ll take care to do it the right way,” I mumbled. “Can you trust me?”

She sighed, “Yes. Especially after the feat you pulled on yesterday, it’s difficult not to.”

I looked at her and saw the hint of a smile on her lips.

“That was an extreme even for me,” I commented.

We reached the hospital and I rushed into his cabin to see him sitting propped up on pillows, reading the newspaper. The grin that broke out on his face was enough to make me jump on the bed with him, kissing both his cheeks and then planting a peck on his lips. He seemed not to mind the crackle of electricity that flowed between us at that one kiss.

“I couldn’t say a proper thank you to you,” he said, taking my hands, wincing as it tugged on the IV line.

“I always have your back. I wouldn’t let my mistakes harm you.”

“That isn’t…” he began but I cut him off.

“It’s my fault. And I am ashamed to admit it that I’m too weak at heart and so I can’t stay away from you even if it was me because of whom that attempt was made on your life. Nothing would have happened if you hadn’t met me. Bad things are happening to you. I am born with a curse and that same black shadows are falling on you as you associate with me…”

I suppressed a sob.

“Phoebe, I never thought of that. You’re the best thing that could’ve happened to me and you know it. What I’m today. The decent, controlled man, is only because of you. You know what? It’s you who has indirectly brought me and my mother closer. It’s you who has solved many of the problems looming in my life. If you leave me, I’ll again sink into that pit of darkness I was in. please. Don’t let these small incidents tear us apart.”

I look in his eyes made me realise that he was speaking the truth after all. I had always known how much I mattered to him. What I didn’t know was if that gave me any consolation.

“Are you sure, it’s not my fault?”

“Two hundred per cent!”

“Then maybe it’s okay,” I said more to convince myself than him.

And then I went all to tell everything about Jamie, the mail, the phone call, ending with my mother’s reaction. He was thoughtful.

I looked at him for an answer as he had been silent throughout my monologue.

Finally, he shook his head and said, “There is no easy way out of this, Phoebe. One or the other always gets hurt. I know you’re not ready to accept them yet, but how long do you think you can play this hide and seek? I can see in your eyes that it pains you. Forgive me, but I agree with your mother.”

“But…”

“If Jamie says, he can keep a secret, I believe he’ll keep yours. Don’t distance yourself from your emotions, Phoebe. Learn to embrace them. It’s in this way that a human being grows. We all learn from our mistakes.”

His words made sense perfectly.

“Maybe one of these days…” I said finally.

“I’ll be with you.” he reassured, taking my bandaged hands danitily, softly tracing his fingers along the edges of the bandage. His touch sent soft waves of soothing calmness rippling through my body. The love, the longing, mixed with the feeling of satisfaction in his presence, made my tip back ny head as a little sigh escaped my lips.

He looked bemusedly at me and winked.