Chapter 25
She checked her phone while quickly changing out of her clothes and brushing her teeth.
Isha,
ow’s your day been? Mine had a few unexpected twists and turns, but I was thinking of you and wanted to check in. I miss seeing my inbox filled with your name. Hope that’s not too cheesy.
—Sunil
Manisha couldn’t help but grin. She quickly started typing her reply.
I wanted to write to you sooner, but I got caught up helping a friend. I was thinking about you, too, so I guess we’re both fans of cheese. Although I draw the line at blue cheese. Please tell me you’re not a fan.
Isha
She hit send before she could second-guess herself. But as she wiped off her makeup in front of the mirror, another message popped up from Sunil.
A ban on all blue cheese? I’m here for it.
She laughed to herself as she read on.
It’s nice to know we were both thinking about each other.
You seem like such a wonderful friend, always ready to help.
I’ve had a tough time seeing Baskin in as friendly a light as I once did.
Maybe I’m just getting more skeptical as I get older.
Or, I’m not too proud to admit that I’ve made some mistakes in the past. But I’ve been focusing a lot on self-improvement lately, and I think I’m finally becoming a better version of myself.
Learning from our mistakes is the best we can do, don’t you think?
Manisha’s fingers hovered over her phone as she pondered his words. He seemed so sincere and perceptive.
She typed back:
You’re right. We all make mistakes, but that doesn’t mean we should give up on ourselves, and depending on the circumstances, others, too. I think in my next relationship, I want someone who will be there for me through thick and thin. That’s the kind of love I believe in.
She hit send, then leaned back on the bed, her mind racing. Moments later, Sunil’s reply popped up.
You and me both. Relationships can be tough, and it’s hard to keep going when people bail.
But I want my future wife to know I’ll always be there for her.
That’s how I was raised. My mother once told me that one of the things she loved most about her relationship with my father was how he allowed her to be her true self.
He accepted and loved all of who she was, and, no matter her roles as a wife and mother, he always supported her dreams and never tried to hold her back.
I think I’ve inherited that mindset—life is too precious to live anything less than fully and authentically.
Hopefully, one day, I can experience that kind of partnership, as a husband and father, too.
Manisha smiled at his response. She loved that Sunil wanted to model his future relationship after the values he had grown up with.
It felt grounded and real, and she appreciated that.
She might have complained about her parents more often than she’d expressed how grateful she was for them.
But lately, she was trying to change that.
While she may have gotten most of her romantic ideas from cheesy Bollywood movies, it was her parents who’d taught her the true value of unconditional love and family in ways no film ever could.
She quickly typed back:
Your mom had the right mindset. Something tells me if I ever met her, I would really like her…
Manisha had barely hit send when her phone lit up with another message from Sunil.
Something tells me she would have liked you, too.
Manisha stared at the message, stunned. A wave of sadness overcame her as she thought about the loss Sunil had experienced, touched by his deep dedication to honouring his mother’s memory.
While her own mother could sometimes be overwhelming, Manisha felt immense gratitude for having her in her life.
Her conversations with both Rohit and Sunil had made her realize just how lucky she truly was to still have that connection.
Sunil, I’m so, so sorry…I didn’t know. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult losing your mom must have been.
But I can tell by the way you speak of her, that she was an incredible woman and mother.
I just know she would be so proud of the good, kind, and honest person that you are. You should be proud, too.
She hit send.
Manisha sat there for a moment, reading his last few messages over and over again. Their sweetness, their vulnerability.
Her conscience nudged her as the reality of the situation hit her. She couldn’t forget the truth that lingered underneath it all—that this connection with Sunil was all built on a fabrication. A beautiful, fun one, but a fabrication, nonetheless.