Meera (Part 3)

Today 19.45 hour (UTC +01:00), Stephanplatz Cathedral Square, Vienna

I could recollect my fond memories of this place. Never visited this place after that night. Never thought I would be with Meera again here. I think life is a loop, there is always a junction where it comes back to connect to the point of where it all began. I think this is that point of my life.

“Do you really think this will work out Meera?”, I asked her.

“I don’t know, but Nethra insisted, I really didn’t know what you thought about it. I won’t say that I will listen to whatever you say, I believe it is possible, you may not” she was firm in her reply.

“I gave it a good thought before coming here Meera. I think Nethra is right”

11^th March 2018, 11.00 hour, (UTC +05.30), in my residence

I kept on thinking since morning. Nethra left to her friend’s house after the small fight we had. I wanted to talk because I couldn’t take a firm decision. I took my phone and dialed Nethra.

She had set a dial tone to her phone I think, it was ringing in my ears “Kanna varuvaaya? Meera ketkkiren” [Kanna, will you come, Meera’s asking]. I was really moved. My daughter is a master strategist. She picked the call.

“Appa, I said I did not want to talk to you” – she said with a discouraged tone

“But I do want to talk to you Nethra, come home please’- I said.

She came back home.

“Nethra, do you think it is a sensible decision? To go back to Meera after this long and ask her to live with us? Will she accept it? I really do not know what would go through her if I get back to her life? I think I’ve kept myself away from her all my life because of the guilt that I decided to walk out of her life”

“Appa [Dad], stop all these. Just answer my questions please” – intervened Nethra.

“What’s your age? And What’s Meera aunt’s age?” -Nethra asked

“I am 57 and Meera is 61” – I said

“Listen appa, all these years, you have lived your life bearing a guilt and Meera aunty have lived a life with and without you in it. You both somehow are present in each other’s lives in thoughts. I can challenge you that there wouldn’t have been a single day where Meera aunt’s thought didn’t cross your mind. And at this age, you both should get together and live together. I want to see you both together. I want to adopt Meera aunty as my mother. And if you think what the society will think and what will others say about this, just ignore them appa, they will not be interested to know how much you both will support each other and love each other” – she was fierce with her answer. She also said a few more things which are personal and will remain between us.

“What will Meera say?” – I asked

“I will handle that” – Nethra replied.

Today 20.00 hours (UTC +01:00), Stephanplatz Cathedral Square, Vienna

I smiled at Meera and said “I think it is possible as well Meera. Will you marry me?”

Meera said “Yes” – we both had tears rolled out. I thought Nethra should have seen this.

I kissed Meera on her forehead. I think I loved her at the time I left, I shouldn’t have. I didn’t realize it then. I had a good life after that. Meera too had a good life. However, we should have had a great life together. My daughter now made it possible.