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Rohan finally turned to face her, his expression softened, though the hurt was still evident in his eyes. He looked at her for a long moment, as if searching for something—some sign that they could move forward from this, that they could begin to heal.
“I don’t know if I can just forget everything,” he admitted, his voice shaky. “But maybe… maybe we can try.”
Aditi nodded, her heart swelling with hope. It wasn’t a resolution, but it was a start. And after all these years, that was more than she could have asked for.
The next few days passed in a blur as they sorted through their father’s belongings, packing up the remnants of a life that had once been filled with laughter and love. It was hard, and there were moments when the tension between them threatened to resurface. But for the most part, they worked in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts.
It wasn’t until the final day, as they stood side by side in the garden, looking at the house one last time, that Rohan broke the silence.
“Do you remember when we used to play hide-and-seek here?” he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Aditi nodded, her heart warming at the memory. “You always hid behind that old oak tree. I could never find you.”
Rohan chuckled softly. “You were terrible at hiding.”
Aditi laughed, the sound light and free, and for the first time in years, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. Maybe they couldn’t erase the past, but they could start building something new. Something better.
As they stood there, watching the sun set behind the hills, Aditi reached out and gently took Rohan’s hand. He didn’t pull away. And in that simple gesture, the unspoken apology between them was finally understood. ( END)
Rajat Chandra Sarmah
Guwahati , Assam , India
13/10/24
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