As I stepped out of the car my phone started ringing.
When I took it out of th clutch found that the call was from mother. I am sure Jayden must be calling me.
Today is Sunday, and I had some work, Jayden wanted to come along with me but I brought him with m because I needed to talk to Marvin. This is why I am here!
I have called him in a cafe to have a conversation and I know no matter how much Jayden is involved with his own things, he keeps an eye and ear on me. He always hears what his mommy has to say wether it is meant for him or not and he understands it or not. And then I have plenty of questions waiting for me before going to bed.
“Hello”
“Hello mommy” came his chirpy voice from the other side of th call.
“Jayden misses you”
“Come back soon”
As during the weekdays, I stay busy with courts and cases, he gets only one day with me and he doesn’t want to stay even a second away that day. I am sure he must be cutting the time by looking at the clock. I would have surely taken him with me if I didn’t need to talk Marvin over certain matters.
“I will be there pretty soon. And mommy will bring lots of chocolates for Jayden for being a good boy” I said.
“Yay, mommy Jayden loves you”
“I love you too my sunshine. Take care”
I hang up with a broad smile on my face. Jayden’s presence and voice always make me happy no matter how much stressed I am that’s why I always need him at the end of the day.
Opening the clutch, I put the phone back into it. I am sure Marvin must be waiting for me inside and I had to speed up if I wanted to return home early.
I was able to take only two steps when suddenly my clutch was snatched away from my hands. Before I could understand what was happening around I saw a man running away with my clutch.
“Thief! Thief!” I shouted and tried to run behind him but my ankle twisted and the man disappeared from my sight in the blink of an eye.
My screams caught the attention of many around but no one tried to run behind that thief.
The clutch has already my cards, phone, and car keys.
What would I do now?
“What happened, Nara?” Came a concerned voice of Marvin.
“Marvin my clutch. A thief stole is just now. It had my essentials” I told him.
“Don’t panic Nara!” He spoke softly. “Be calm. Draw deep breaths ”
I inhaled and exhaled.
When he was sure that I had relaxed a bit he took out his phone.
“Do you see his face?” Marvin asked.
I shook my head.
“It’s okay. Let me call the police and tell them about this. Your clutch will soon be back with you and that too with everything inside it”
I was still not sure that the police could help me with this. For them, it was just a clutch over which they would not like to waste their time.
He was about to call the police when we saw a man running towards us which stopped him midway. He was holding my clutch. When he came closer I could see bruises on his face and his clothes were torn from places.
“I am sorry ma’am” he apologized as he came to me.
He is the thief. Though I was unable to see his face but I saw his back and clearly remembered his clothes.
His eyes flicked to my back and suddenly h collapsed on his knees. He places my clutch over his open palms, offering it to me.
“I am really sorry. I will not steal anything anymore”
I picked up my clutch and checked all my belongings as he was asking forgiveness on his knees.
“How could we let you go!” Marvin hoisted him up with his collar, his jaw clenching tightly with anger. “You will go to jail”
“Please, forgive me. I have kids, I don’t want to go to jail” he joined his hands and turned his face to me. “Please ma’am”
“Marvin let him go” I murmured.
He has learned his lesson and has already got the punishment for what he did today. I am sure even if he thought about stealing something in the future then be would remember this day.
Listening to me, Marvin let go of his collar and the man ran away. Marvin drew breaths to calm himself down. We turned around together to walk inside the cafe as all the people were staring at us.
Before stepping inside I turned my head to the right, the direction in which that thief was looking again and again. He was shivering like a leaf and it seemed like someone was making him go on his knees to give me the clutch back. And I wasn’t surprised when I saw Ansell there.
I saw him for a second before he disappeared from my sight because I was sure he didn’t want me to come to know about it. He knows that I don’t like the fact that he follows me everywhere.
Why is he still not over his anger issues?
‘Because he always sees red whenever someone tries to hurt you or anything related to you. He can get ov r his deadly obsession but not his protective instincts.’ my subconscious mind reminded me.
I shook my head as I stepped inside with Marvin. I need to talk to him and while doing that I should not be thinking about Ansell.
“It was weird that he first stole your purse and then came by himself to give it back. I have never seen such a case before” Marvin said bas we stepped inside the cafe.
I decided to stay silent instead of saying anything.
“Here” Marvin gestured towards a table where he must have been seated before, waiting for me.
“Can we got there?” I asked.
“In the private chambers?” He was a bit confused and taken aback at the same time.
I nodded.
“I don’t want anyone to hear our conversation”
He simply cocked his head and we went inside the private chambers. He ordered two coffee in the way.
An awkward silence settled between us because none of us knew how to start a conversation.
It has happened for the first time that I have called Marvin to meet and that too out of the office. He was completely blank and clueless.
“It’s been around 2 months since you kept forward the offer of marrying me” I said.
He blinked and leaned forward a bit as he realised why I had called him here. He nodded his head and I could sense him holding his breath. It is quite clear that he wants to marry me and the decision lies upon me.
“I don’t want you to wait forever because you also have your life” I spoke.
“It’s okay Nara. You can take as much time as you want. I am about to turn 35 and I have taken do many years to decide about getting settled ” he chuckled . ,”I believe that it is a matter of life so we should not rush into it. I am well aware of your about the incident happening in your life and the emotional turmoil you must be going through. I don’t want to put more pressure on you. Take your time, I am waiting ” he ended with a small smile.
My heart clenched as I looked at that smile. He genuinely likes me and with my past, I don’t think that I would ever be able to love anyone else.
I was about to open my mouth when the bartender came with our coffee. I waited for him to leave so that I could continue.
“I have already taken enough time and I know you for the last 5 years so there is nothing for me to know about you to get sure about your profession, your nature, or anything else”
H blinked and took a sip. H always stays confident in the court even if it is the most difficult one but at the moment I could see th nervousness in his eyes which h was trying to hide by sipping coffee.
“But there is a lot about me that you don’t know”
His body froze for a second.
“Before taking any decision I want you to know about the truth of the past, the existence of Jayden, and the the reason for my heart being unable to accept anyone ”
I could tell his heart started beating fast as I could that because earlier than this I have always left the room if anyone asked me about my past but at the moment I myself is opening up. The simple reason behind this is that if I decided to accept Marvin then he must accept me with all my flaws and my dark past. I don’t want him to regret his decision in the future.
I would be better if he took his steps back now by knowing my past.
He leaned forward and listened to me intently as I opened the chapters of my dark past before him…