Ex-wife, Please Come Back

But Tasha made no attempts to apologize. After all, an apology wouldn't change a thing. It would be pointless.

And now, she sat, not uttering a single word.

The only thing Tasha could do was cry. Tears continued to slide down her chin. All the bottled up emotions she felt began to get expressed in the form of tears.

Jacob held Sara in his arms. Even though she kept saying something hurtful to her mother, Jacob knew that was not what she really wanted to say. Otherwise, she wouldn't have shed tears for her mother.

"Are you hungry? I will take you out for lunch," he whispered in Sara's ear. Jacob knew how to deal with the present situation. He had noticed a shift in the atmosphere.

The resentment Carlos and Sara felt had disappeared.

"Yes. I am not hungry but we should go out for a walk," Sara said, composing herself. Her father and mother had been separated from each other for many years. She knew they needed to talk in private. It wasn't nice to disturb their privacy.

Jacob put his arm around Sara's shoulder and together they headed out of the ward. Once outside, Sara felt calm and stopped crying. The depressing atmosphere of the ward was left behind. Instead of talking, she stared blankly at the long corridor of the hospital. Restlessness clutched her.

Her thoughts were in a tumult. She knew this was just the beginning, not the end. Her father and she had a long way to go. For some reason, this thought brought her discomfort.

As Sara was immersed in these thoughts, Jacob followed her silently. He knew he couldn't do anything to dispel her sadness. But for Sara, his companionship was more than enough.

She walked at a snail's pace as if the mere act of walking required a lot of effort. Jacob didn't complain. Being someone who was used to walking fast, he had a hard time slowing himself down. He hoped she was feeling better.

Not wanting to disturb her thoughts, he didn't speak.

Sara heaved a sigh of relief. Even now, she didn't speed up. She continued

us, regretting her decision. But as years went by, I realized I was being stupid. And now that she is finally here, I can't

by strong emotions, she lowered her head. She was talking to herself more than

going through a hard time, Jacob simply listened to her. The more

a good life. But now that she is here with

thing. However, when she spoke, her face was bereft of expression.

no significance to her. At present, she was drowning in pain. She was

her mother out of her life. The day Tasha left home in the rain,

Other mothers made it a point to accompany their children. Their fathers seldom came. In my case, it was different. It was my father who always attended these meetings. Sometimes when my father was too busy, I had to go alone. I sat there all alone, watching other children talk

tragic life. This world was filled with miserable people. And today it dawned on her she

her father. He, like her, was miserable too. She thought about his life. 'Did he want to run a company? Or did his heart contain some other ambition?' she thought and shook

will. He perhaps spent all his life thinking about the day Tasha left him.

thought she was perhaps angry with us and wanted a break. However, as days passed, we realized this wasn't temporary. She had no intention of returning. We understood

pains before. Keeping a secret within oneself was quite difficult. But uncovering the wound and opening up one's life

exposed all her wounds, not intending to make another person understand her, but hoping that could let herself understand reality was indeed cruel and she had no choice but

she willed herself to speak. "One day I told myself that if she didn't return, I would consider her dead. But she's back now. If she is already dead to me, why is it so hard for me to watch her die? She had hurt us more than anyone could

else who had it worse. It was her father. How could he

was doing fine. But only Sara knew how much he suffered. He had been unhappy all these years.

road, she finally took a look at the people. Some, she noted, were quite sad whereas others had a wide smile plastered on their faces. 'Why is it

sigh. She knew life wasn't easy for anyone. Everybody had their share of troubles. It wasn't the present trouble that scared most people. Instead, people worried one trouble after another would attack them. Most people couldn't stand pain for a long time. Once it became