THERE ARE MOMENTS in your life when you rethink every decision you have ever taken. You analyse every moment from your past that shaped you into who you are today. That was what Laavanya was doing as she saw the notification of Fred's expose going live. Sydney had warned Laavanya with everything that could happen once her name goes live. It could affect her life in ways she can't imagine.

She had willingly crossed that door.

She had her story straight and had talked to a lawyer if it came down to it.

She waited. She waited for her phone to be clouded with notification. Or for someone to barge into her apartment with an accusation that she was a liar. But nothing had happened. Ryker was with Paris for Rain's vaccination. Julie was working on the manuscript of her new book at her apartment.

Laavanya wanted to be alone in the apartment on this particular Sunday.

Her phone buzzed and she flinched. She sat on the bed and hugged her knees before she answered the call.

"Honey, hi. I wasn't sure if you'd pick up my call."

"Frankly, mom—" she sighed. "I wasn't sure I would either."

Her mother called her almost every week. And everytime she would either send her to voicemail or hang up in a couple of minutes. Her mother, Sara, was trying really hard to be a part of her life again but Laavanya had learnt to live her life without her. She didn't need her anymore.

Even though she wasn't sure why she had attended her call right now, she sure wasn't planning on letting her into her life.

"I was going to call to let you know that I am in town but I crossed paths with my old friend Gina. And I–she showed me your article. Honey, I am so sorry you had to go through all of that. The world is never kind to women and I am sorry there was no one to protect you when it happened. I—"

"I didn't need anyone's protection, ma. That was not the point of that article." She let out an exasperated breath and got out of her bed. She stood near her window and looked outside. Her eyes caught a mother holding a baby in her arms while another boy in her other hand as they crossed the road together.

"No, I know. I just...can you give me your address? I want to come visit you."

"I don't want to see you. Please. And I hope you don't visit dad in the rehab too. He is there because of you. You can't just pop into our lives anytime you want."

"Baby, no. That was not my intention. I am here on business but I wanted to see my family before I left."

The mother and the children disappeared in the crowd. Laavanya turned around and leaned her back on the window. "You abandoned us when I was a kid to your birth family, remember?" For someone who was speaking of her childhood trauma, she was talking quite calmly. "You ran away to India to be with your parents and cousins because you couldn't bear the thought of bringing me up. You never even told them that I existed. You gave up on us. Family doesn't do that, okay? Please leave us alone and go back to India. I don't need you. Neither does dad."

"Laavanya, I am your mother. You don't understand what it's like to be me."

"Well, you don't understand what it's like to grow up without a mother!" She yelled into the phone. "Now if you're done, don't call me again. For the last time, let me just live my life!" She hung up and a whirlwind of emotions passed by her. Her knees began to feel weak. Tears had already begun to roll down her cheeks. She could feel eyes swell with emotions and she wasn't even sure what she was crying for. It was like the weight of her past was crushing her down and she didn't know how to breathe. She sat down, hugging herself again. She picked up her phone and dialled Ryker but before he could pick up, she disconnected and switched her phone off. She threw the phone away and let the sadness of everything she never cried for, wash her away.

Her doorbell rang and her eyes quickly fluttered open. She looked around to find herself lying on the floor. The wooden surface beneath her face had a couple of drops of water—which meant she had fallen asleep just for a moment. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and stood up. She looked at herself in the mirror and it was evident that she was crying. But she dropped her shoulders and rushed to open the door anyway.

"Laav, hi." He smiled softly. It took him less than a minute to decipher that she was crying. "You called and then switched off your phone and I got worried. Is everything okay? Do you need anything? I brought—"

"I insisted on coming here," a woman beside him said. She was holding Rain in her arms who was fast asleep. The lady was wearing a long summer dress with her blonde hair tied in a high ponytail. She stretched her hand out with a comforting smile. "Hello, I am Paris. Rain told me a lot about you."

"Oh, y–" she looked between them. Rain had gained the pretty genes from both of them. "You're Rain's mom!" Laavanya stepped aside from the entrance and ushered them inside. "Please get in. I am sorry about the mess. Work has been super crazy." She closed the door and rushed to the bedroom area to make her bed. "Lay her here, the bed is very soft."

Paris laid Rain on her bed while Laavanya picked up things from her couch for them to sit. She glared at Ryker for bringing them here out of nowhere but he looked at her with concern. Paris approached her and clutched her wrist softly just when Laavanya was putting her pens in the drawer. She didn't say anything but pulled Laavanya into her arms.

"I read the article," Paris mumbled. "I have been through something like that too. I can understand what you could be feeling." Laavanya's eyes met Ryker who nodded at her. She put her arms around Paris and hugged her back. She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her eyes. Paris rubbed her hand on her back. "We got you some ice cream."

"I heard ice cream!" Rain sat up from the bed. Paris and Laavanya parted from each other and laughed. "Did you hug without me?" She frowned and jumped down the bed to run towards them. Paris picked her up and the three of them were about to hug when she turned to Ryker. "Daddy, join us!" And he did.

And it felt so good.

It felt like the first ray of sunlight after a storm.

It felt safe.

And most importantly, it felt like home.