It took a couple of months for Shiva to get the house loan and investments. Along with his savings, it was enough to buy the property he was interested in. And as the interior design of the café started, I went there every evening to oversee how it is going.

"Do you think green is looking good on that wall?" I asked Shiva. He was watching the pale green wall. "Yeah, I guess," he said. "You will know better," he said. I had more colour sense than him. I looked at the wall and at Shiva... "I think it looks good," I commented.

It was a couple more days before the opening of the café. And we were excited. After seeing the wall, I went on to arrange some decorations on the wall. I was busy with my work when a pair of hands slid around my waist.

I almost screamed and flinched.

"Mia, what happened?" Shiva's voice was behind me at one.

I realised it was just Shiva and released a breath of relief. Shiva was looking at me concerned. I tried to act like I am okay. "What?" I asked him as he was staring at me with worried eyes.

"You flinched at my touch," he said.

"I just did not realise it was you," I said, trying to cover up. "And it was a natural reaction."

"No. It is not. Mia, I think you need help."

"Help...?" I asked. "As in, therapy?"

"Yeah," He said. "You went through something traumatic." He said. "You need someone's help to deal with the trauma. I had thought I would support you as much as I could. But I think a professional would be able to help you deal with it better."

"I am fine," I said.

"No... You are not." He said. "We are not having sex." He said. That was right. After that incident, we did not have sex. We do hug and kiss sometimes. But it has not even elevated to a second base. "I wanted to wait till you are ready for it," Shiva continued. "I still do not want to force you or anything. I can wait as long as need time... What I am concerned about is you... I don't want you to flinch every time someone touches you. You need to figure out a way to deal with that trauma."

"I am fine," I lied again.

"No, you are not," Shiva said. "I want to be able to touch you like before. That does not mean that I am impatient for sex. But I wish we can have sex someday... Like a normal couple. And I really want to touch you normally. Like before... And for that, I think we need to tackle what happened to you. And process it and get over it."

He was right... But I did not want to talk about that night.

"I'll come with you," Shiva said. "We can figure this out."

"To therapy?" I asked.

"Yeah..."

I nodded. Because even I did not want to live my whole life like this. If therapy can help, I was willing to give it a try.

"Let's talk to your dad. I am sure uncle also would want you to take help."

"Okay," I said. "And did you just refer to my dad as 'uncle'?"

"Yeah..." He said, realising that.

"You changed the 'sir' to 'uncle'?"

"He asked me to," Shiva said.

"What?" I was surprised. In these two months, something had happened that I did not expect. Dad and Shiva were communicating daily about finding out about Jasper. Shiva was helping dad. Turned out that Jasper Reels was his real name after all and they located him easily. And we were doing things legally. It was not easy. But we were still trying. So far we have managed to file a complaint against Jasper in the USA law system.

"Yes. Last day I was calling him 'sir' and he was like 'why don't you call me uncle?' I was like stunned. Do you think he is accepting me a bit more?"

"Clearly..." I said, happily. Dad asked me about Shiva and how his café is coming up, and his tone and expression were casual, not negative.

"You look happy about that," Shiva told me.

"Of course, I am happy about that," I said. "I am happy that dad is accepting you."

"He is not exactly accepting me as a son-in-law though." He reminded me.

"That will happen someday." I said, "And someday you will hopefully address him as 'dad'," I said, hugging Shiva, and pressing my head to his chest.

"That's weird. I don't refer to anyone as mom or dad." He said. "Ever since aayi-baba died, in these 18 years, I have never referred to anyone by parental terms."

"You don't have to if it's weird for you," I looked up at him.

"No. It's not that... Just..." He smiled at me, "I cannot imagine your dad and me being so close." Even I cannot imagine that. "But he is slowly opening up to me," he added, "I can see that. I smiled.

"Shiva...?" I called.

"Yeah?"

"Can I stay over tonight?" I wanted to be near him.

"Do you even need to ask?" he asked.

I looked up. We kissed softly. Just a short one.

I had not stayed over after he shifted to the apartment. Shiva often did visit and stayed over at his old house, because Ajji was still not keeping well. But his Kaka and Maushi did not react negatively to the fact that Shiva was moving out of the house. It was as if they expected it. And that did hurt Shiva a bit. But he said this was the right move for him to have independence. Someday he and I will build a life together and this was the correct step towards it.

"It's not like I am leaving Kaka and Maushi forever," he had told me. "They will always stay my parents and I will always support them."

I also understood the importance of that family for him.

I changed into Shiva's t-shirt and got on the bed with him. I did not have any pants on. His eyes fell to my naked legs and he turns his eyes away. "There are pants in the cupboard."

"I like my legs free," I said. I usually wear shots to sleep. And Shiva's t-shirt came past my thighs anyway. And I am wearing my underwear. "And what's the big deal? You have seen me naked anyway..."

"I am getting distracted," he complained.

I chuckled and lay down beside him.

"Mia..." he complained.

"Bear with it." I lay hugging him. He groaned. I laughed.

We lay cuddling for a while. I could feel that his breath was unsteady. "What are you thinking?" I asked.

"Nothing." He said.

"Tell me," I pulled his T-shirt.

"Nothing," he insisted.

"Tell me..." I climbed on him and sat over his waist.

"Mia, you are killing me." He breathed.

"You want to have sex with me?" I asked.

"Are you kidding me? SO much..." he said.

I felt sad for him. I really did not want to be this way. But I could not help it. "I am working on it," I mumbled.

"No hurry," he said. "But it would be thankful if you stop looking so hot in front of me."

"Well, I am born hot. I can't help it." I teased him. I lay down on his chest. "Shiva," I called.

"Yeah..." He asked.

"If I go to therapy, I would have to talk about what happened that night, don't I?"

"You may have to."

I thought about it. "I think I want to tell you before I tell some other person," I said.

"Really?"

"Yeah...." I said. "You are the closest person to me in this world, and so... You have the right to know." And so I started it... "That night, I had gone down to the club to meet with Janvi and Rhea..." And I told him... every detail of that night. He did not interrupt me in the middle or anything. He silently listened, while moving his fingers through my hair at times.

When I finished, I had tears in my eyes. I looked up at Shiva. He dried my tears. "You would not have to suffer something like that ever in your life." He whispered to me, "I promise to never leave you alone or be lonely ever in our life again." He said.

I nodded, "That is a hard promise to keep though." I told him.

"No... I will make sure to keep that promise." He said.

Two days later it was the café opening. And everyone from college, including Harsh and Kashish, came. Shiva's whole family was there. Ajji was still not fully well, but she was having all the fun in her life by dictating people around.

She even told Jhanvi that her ripped jeans were torn and she can stitch them for her if she wants. We all laughed.

When the inauguration event was about to end, I saw my dad's car stop in front of the café. I was surprised. I had invited dad, but I had not expected that he would actually come.

"Hey..." he said coming to us.

"Uncle..." Shiva got up, and politely shook hands with him.

"Looking nice, this place." He said.

"Thanks," Shiva said.

I saw dad give Shiva a look of approval. I was thrilled. "I have news," dad said.

"What?" I asked.

"The trial will happen in the US and will start in a few days. Sam, you might have to come to the US for a few months. Until the trial is over." He said.

"What?" I asked, a bit uneasy. I was nervous about the trial. But Shiva squeezed my hand. "It would be okay." He said, "We all are with you."

"Yeah, Sammie." Harsh who was by my side told me too. "We all are by your side." Jahnvi and Rhea smiled at me too. They both were extra sympathetic and extra nice to me ever since the incident. They feel responsible because they left me alone with Jasper. I told them they need not feel responsible because it was I who took the decision to go to Jasper's room. But they felt responsible all the same.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Shiva asked.

"No, No..." I said. "You should manage the café here. It just opened. It needs you. If you want to make it a successful one, you need to be here."

But his eyes said that he will miss me and would be concerned about me. "I will be okay," I told him. "And we can talk on the phone."

When dad was about to go back that night, I walked him to his car. "Dad..." I asked him.

"Yes?"

"I am scared," I told him.

"About the trial?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Don't you worry about a thing! I am going to be there for you. I am coming with you."

"What about the company?" I asked.

"They can manage a few days without me." He said. "And I want to be there for my daughter." He said. I never expected this from dad. He had always thought of his work and the company as more important than me. But ever since what happened to me, he is changed to be more caring towards me.

"Thanks, dad..." I said.

"No need to thank me. I am your dad. This is my duty." He went on. "After what happened to you, I wished so much that Partiksha was here. Your mother would know exactly how to support you. Me... I have always just worked. So when you were suffering, I did not know what to do for you. I am glad you at least have that boy with you..."

"Shiva?" I asked.

"Yes. I can see how he makes you happy. Or else I was useless."

"No, dad. Don't say it like that." I said. "And by the way, do you approve of Shiva now?"

"I am not approving or disapproving anybody. But the guy is not so bad. He has a good business mind and determination if he launched something like this café. I see potential in him That is all."

"Be honest, dad... You like him, right?"

"I won't like any guy with whom my daughter is sleeping with." He grunted. "They all are bastards for me."

I laughed. Dad watched me laughing. "What?" I asked.

"I am glad to see you laughing again." He said. "I am really happy... And you know what... Your mother would have loved your Shiva."

"I know." I smiled. And I knew that that was the most positive thing that dad could have told me about Shiva. That is him giving his seal of approval on Shiva, even when he did not verbally say it. I was really happy.

"So are you not coming home with me?" Dad asked as I was just standing when he opened the door of the car.

"No. I am staying over." I said.

"Damn, I will never get used to this..." he said.

"Dad, we are not going to do anything." I laughed. "But if I am going to the US, I want to spend more time with him."

"Fine. Whatever..." He got in the car and the car drove away.

The friends from college stayed over at the café till late at night and we had a small party-like thing, with drinks and games.

After people were gone, Shiva and I retrieved to his apartment. We cuddled on the bed. "Will you be alright?" he asked, "about the trial?"

"I don't know..." I said honestly.

"We need to get you a therapist before that." He said.

"That can be done. Since they do online therapy these days." I said. "I will be able to manage."

"Right," he said.

"I will miss you," I said.

"I will miss you too." He said, "But I am going to promise you... I will call you often, every day... And never let you feel like you are alone. You are not alone. We all are there with you."

"I know..." I said, playing with the gold chain andpendant on my neck. I was wearing it every day now.