This chapter is dedicated to sanavibhore . Thank you girl.. ❤

I park my jeep and jump out walking towards the main door.
"How was it ?" I hear my dad walking to the living room, with a beaming face. He looked so proud of himself.
"The same.." I say hanging the car keys in the hut shaped wooden key holder hanging on the side wall.

And there. His proud smirk vanished..
"Dad.. You are a good father and a great former police officer.. But matchmaking.... Naaaa!!!! Not your area of expertise." I say taunting him as Mom comes out of her bedroom with the folded pile of laundry..
"So.. You're having dinner, Right ?" My mom says walking towards her bedroom.

"Why not? " i look at her confused.
"I thought, you would have already eaten outside." She says and I facepalm myself almost immediately as the realization strikes me.
Shit.. Goddamn it..
"What's wrong ?" Dad says..

"I made a guy pay for my food.. The food that I never ate.." I say regretting. I could have just taken that as a take out, instead of dine in. That restaurant seemed filthy expensive.
Guilt clawed at my heart. I don't let anyone pay for my food, unless its their treat. And I've never let a stranger pay for me.

Gender roles are something my dad was always weary of. You don't get to eat for free, just becoz you have a set of ovaries. There are equal pay rules for salary of different genders, so why not for expenses?

"Its okay. Let bygones be bygones." Mom says as I shake my head going to my bedroom. I change into casuals and look at the small broken hook of the design of my earring when I remove it.
"Stick in the ass" I whisper refering to the handsome guy with curly hair who I just couldn't get out of my thoughts. And now that I owe him money. It was worst.
Dad has his number.. Right ?

The bulb of enlightenment, lit up bright. I picked up my phone and went out to the living room.
"Hey, dad.. Where's your phone?" I say as he looks up from his book.
"it's on my bedside table, getting charged."
"Thanks", I say going to his room and taking out his phone. I type his pin and look through the contacts. I find his name as *SP Ambar*. I double check by looking at his contact picture from whatsapp and copy the number to my phone.

I come out of my parents bedroom saving his contact, so I can pay him money through Google Pay. I was lost calculating the approx. amount when dad clears his throat.

"Sneaking his number from my phone and you say he was the same as others ?" He says. his eyebrows doing that 'i told you so' dance.

"No.. I.. Was.. Looking for Saby's number. I deleted it by mistake." i say looking straight in his eyes, like the good liar that I am.

"So, now you'll lie to a former detective ?" He says and I shout Immediately "Moooooooooooommmm".

"Yes, honey.." Her voice booms out from kitchen.

"You remember when you asked me if I wanted my life partner from a particular profession ?"
"yeess.." She replies as I hear the simmering of something followed by the scent of strawberries. She's most probably making oats for dad, as Gina must be chopping something on the board.

"Make sure he's not a cop." I say showing my tongue to my dad, who laughs at having caught my lie.

"Oh.. You don't need to look for anyone. You've found him" I hear Dad say as I close the door to my bedroom.

I plop on my bed and looked at his contact. I should be sure, if he is still in touch with that mode of online payment or not.

[Hey.. Samayra here.. ] i type and then delete it. Too polite for the douche that he was.

[I owe you money. Tell me how much and how to pay..] I write this time and erase it again. Too rude for my polished upbringing..

[Hey, SP. Ambar, I owe you money, If you could..] I type and erase again. No.. Too formal..

You know what.. Fûck this..

"Sammy... Dinner's ready." I hear mom and throw my phone away walking for dinner.
And thankfully, Dad didn't bring his name up, just gave me few mean glances of that 'I know, more than you think' kind of look.

That night I dreamt of my fingers entwined in curly black hair and brown eyes all over again. Needless, to say he has affected me more than I am ready to admit.
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I woke up the next morning.. And Voila.. It's a bloody monday morning.. I find my scrub suit and take a shower. I dress up and tie my hair in a pony tail before going out. I grab my smoothie and french toast gulping it down quickly. I go to my jeep and drive for work.
Work was usual.. Cute, unwell animals and the familiar smell of cow dung and fodder. Yes, I was in a shift at the Large animal wing this month. We change alternately with months.

I work at a govt. run public hospital and its good. To be honest, I don't work for money. I work for the satisfaction of my heart and help these speechless souls..

Work was more or less usual.

I complete my shift, and drive my jeep to the next destination.
The police HQ.

I park in the parking lot and pick up my phone and wallet. I step out of my jeep and walk towards the door, unlocking my phone casually to check up on texts and stuff.

13 missed calls
Mom
5 missed calls
Sabby

My heart stopped for a minute and panic took over. I usually have my phone on silent at work, and anybody who knows that, doesn't call me. But this.. Unless there's an emergency..

I immediately dialed Mom and it rang.. Each ring of the call made my heart beat faster, until it stopped.

The ringing, not my heart..

I called Sabby next and she picked up on the fourth ring.
"Ayra, Reach the MG hospital soon.."
She says without waiting for me to speak, her voice scared and throaty. As if she had been crying.
" What.. what's wrong ?" I muster up the courage to ask.
"Just reach here." She said.
"Sabby.. Please.." I whisper my hand kept on my mouth. I was silently praying for my parent's well being.
"Uncle Jeet had a heart attack.., a major one." She says and the phone in my hand slipped falling to the ground as my knees gave up. I collapsed with my back to the jeep as tears filled my eyes.

No.. Not dad.. please.. Just take me, God.. Not dad..

"Is it you, Samayra ?" I hear a bold masculine voice and feel someone sit by my side.
"Hey, what's wrong ?" he said and put an arm around me. I broke down, hugging him, crying heavily in his arms, gripping his shirt tightly.

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Author's note

Thank you so much everyone..
Your votes and comments keep me going..
Love
Reet