Her confession overwhelms me. “I’m so sorry for what I did to you and for ruining our friendship. You have no idea the regret I live with daily.”
“I forgave you a long time ago. I should’ve told you, so you didn’t feel lonely. I could’ve reached out too.”
“I also stayed away because I thought I was in love with you.” Surprise flickers on her face. “I didn’t want to cause a divide between you and Kian by coming back into your life. As months went by, I realized I missed our friendship more and I was confusing infatuation with love.”
“I didn’t know you felt that way.”
“I do love you, Iris. But it isn’t romantic.” My angel’s stunning face flashes before my eyes. “Arya is the woman I aminlove with.”
“She is perfect for you,” Iris praises. “The way she looks at you is how I look at Kian. I’m so happy you found someone. You deserve it.”
“She makes me want to live. To dream. To grow old with her.”
“Arya is your other half.”
“Yeah, she is.”
Caressing and rubbing circles on my hand, she asks in an emotional voice, “Can we start over? I want to put the past behind us.”
“Same, Iris,” I say thickly, joy spreading inside my chest. “I want you and Kian to be a part of my life.”
“It’s all I’ve ever wanted, Nathan.” Her face lights up and she leans over, looping her arms around me. “As soon as you’re all better and out of here, we’ll have dinner together. I have so, so many things to tell you.”
I hug her back and sigh. “Looking forward to it.”
Moving back, her small palm smacks my bicep.
“Ow! What was that for?”
She glowers. “For almost giving me a heart attack yesterday.”
“Sorry!”
Turning somber, she says, “I want to say I’m shocked by Rakesh’s actions. But I’m not. That man is heinous. Thank God, Arya got to you in time.”
“I gave the detectives enough evidence to put him away for life.” They came to get Arya and my statement this morning, along with the lawyer Kian hired. There’s no chance of him getting a bail while we fight the case in court. “He will never harm anyone ever again.”
“Sonya came forward as well.”
“That’s good. It’s about time she got justice too.”
“Yeah,” replies Iris.
We stay conversing for hours. Kian shows up as well and they stick around for another hour before going home. The rest of the day passes by with the rest of my friends coming to check up on me, along with Arya, who stays glued to my side.
And for the first time, I don’t feel lonely.
I feel loved, surrounded by all of these people.
***
It’s been two days since I was discharged from the hospital and came to stay at Arya’s apartment. While I’ve been resting mybody by staying hydrated and following a strict bland and low fiber diet, Arya has been fussing around me nonstop.
I’m beginning to worry. “Angel?
“Yeah, babe?”
“Come sit with me.” Pihu, who is perched on my lap while I lean against the headboard, purrs to show her agreement.
