Chapter 27: chapter 27

"Animesh, there's something from my childhood that I haven't talked about because it's not a pleasant memory," I began, my voice soft and tinged with sadness.He listened intently, his expression considerate. "You don't have to share it if you don't want to, Riya."I took a deep breath and continued, "No I am not sure why I am getting the courage today to tell you as I hadn’t told this to my parents too.”“It’s okay, Riya sometimes good friends are the only cushion we have, who can listen to our darkest secrets without any judgments, so don’t think, I am here with you and you can tell me anything weird, I will not judge you!”, Animesh softly spoke and I was looking deep into his eyes and they were genuinely caring.It was one of those secrets, I couldn’t imagine, telling to even myself again, but before Animesh, like I child I was ready to pour my inside out.“My father had two brothers and both of them had one son each, me being the only daughter in the entire family, since Mother was the only daughter at her side. These two sons, my cousins, were a few years older than me. When I was around ten years old, we used to visit each other's houses during vacations. They lived in a different city, and we would spend our summer holidays together."Animesh nodded, encouraging me to go on."I used to look forward to those vacations as we had a good time with each other, but one summer, something happened that changed everything. My cousins, who had always been supportive and mischievous, this time treated me differently. At first, it was just harmless teasing, but it escalated into something much worse."I paused, the memories flooding back. Animesh reached out and gently placed a hand on mine, offering silent support."One of the days, they cornered me in their room, and I was scared. They made fun of me, called me names as I had killed my mom and I should stay away from their families too, and then they slapped me. I started crying and then they unbuttoned my shirt and hit me badly on my stomach. I felt trapped and helpless and tried to shout when they gagged me and told me not to tell this to my father anytime, if I do my father will also die!"Animesh's eyes held a mixture of sadness and anger as he listened to my story."I never told anyone about that incident, not even my father, because I was so afraid about what they had told me, and I believed them that I was the reason behind my mom’s death. Someday I thought of getting over this thought and planned to tell my father, but that night he got a message that he had to go for the war and then few days later, I lost him too. So I wasn’t sure if I would tell this to anyone including myself ever. I just tried to forget about it, but it left a deep scar."Tears welled up in my eyes as I relived that painful memory. Animesh squeezed my hand gently, offering comfort."I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Riya," he said softly. "No one should ever have to experience something like that."I nodded, grateful for his understanding. "Thank you, Animesh. It's not something I like to think about, but I somehow trust you enough now, to share it with you."Animesh smiled warmly, his eyes reflecting the depth of our friendship. "Riya, I'm honoured that you trust me enough to share your experiences with me. And please remember, you're not alone anymore. I'm here for you, as your friend."His words touched my heart, and I felt good about having Animesh in my life. He was more than a coffee companion now; he was a genuine friend who cared about my well-being.As we continued our brunch, the atmosphere lightened, and we shifted our conversation to lighter topics. Animesh, ever the optimist, began sharing funny stories from his childhood. His tales of school pranks, adventurous vacations, and quirky family gatherings had me laughing so hard that tears streamed down my face."Animesh, you were quite the troublemaker, weren't you?" I teased.He chuckled. "I may have had my moments. But it's all in good fun, right?"I nodded, wiping away tears of laughter. "Absolutely. It's these stories that make life interesting."Our plates were empty, and we decided to take a stroll through the steps of the Gadisar lake. Animesh had a train to catch later that night, and we wanted to make the most of our time together.As we walked, we shared more about our hopes and dreams. Animesh spoke about his passion for finance and his determination to succeed in the world of banking. I listened attentively, knowing that he had the drive and intelligence to achieve his goals.When it was my turn to share, I talked about my love for travel and how I dreamed of exploring different parts of India and few places of the world. I mentioned my fascination with Taj Mahal and how I hoped to visit it one day.Animesh's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "Riya, I believe you'll make that dream come true one day. And who knows, maybe I'll join you on that adventure."The idea of traveling to Taj Mahal with Animesh brought a smile to my face.As the evening sun began to set, we made our way to the train station, where Animesh would catch his train back home. We stood on the platform, the warm glow of the station's lights casting a soft halo around us."Animesh, thank you for coming and being such an amazing friend," I said, feeling a sense of gratitude that was difficult to put into words.He smiled, his eyes reflecting the sincerity of our friendship. "Riya, the pleasure is all mine. You've made my trip to Jaisalmer unforgettable, and I'm grateful for the bond we've formed."We hugged goodbye, promising to stay in touch and continue our coffee adventures whenever our paths crossed. As Animesh boarded the train, I watched it pull away from the platform.As I walked back to my car, my old key ring had been already replaced with the decorated coffee bean key ring given by Animesh and I couldn't help but blush at our magical connection and the well-spent time. Animesh was a source of support, laughter, and warmth.Life has a way of bringing unexpected treasures into our lives, I knew that our friendship would continue to grow. With a heart full of gratitude and a smile on my face, I drove back home but this was not the end, something more was waiting for me in the cantonment.~~~~~