*********

  [THE NEXT MORNING]

  Meesha was lounged on the couch when the doorbell suddenly rang. She put a pause at her movie and rose from the couch to answer it. She opened the door to find Davis standing on the porch with a courteous smile. "Good morning, Miss Dasilva. Can i come in?"

  Meesha welcomed him in, and as they exchanged pleasantries, Xanqer descended the stairs, dressed impeccably in a tailored suit. However, the elegant attire was juxtaposed with the two suitcases he grasped in one hand, their presence sparking Meesha's curiosity.

  Xanqer's gaze met Meesha's puzzled expression, and his eyes flicked to Davis, instructing, "Put them in the car."

  Davis nodded and relieved Xanqer of the luggage, disappearing outside into the light.

  Meesha's eyes followed Davis before snapping back to Xanqer, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Where are you going?"

  Xanqer's response was matter-of-fact. "I'm going on a business trip for three weeks."

  Meesha's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in dismay. "Three weeks?" Her face scrunched up, and her lips pouted in a sad, childish complaint. "Xanqer, why do you have to go on a business trip? Can't you just stay here?"

  Xanqer's expression remained impassive as he deployed an option. "I'll stay if you give me a valid reason."

  Meesha's mind raced, struggling to articulate a convincing argument. But the truth, though unspoken, was that she couldn't bear the thought of being apart from him for so long. She loved him, despite his aloofness, and the prospect of his absence felt like an eternity.

  All she could manage was a feeble, "I'll be lonely."

  Xanqer's eyebrow arched, his tone tinged with amusement. "I'll be back before you know it."

  Before Meesha could respond, Xanqer turned and disappeared out the door, leaving her feeling bereft and forlorn. The silence that followed was oppressive, and Meesha's eyes prickled with unshed tears.

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  *******

  Meesha's days blended together in an endless blur of loneliness. Without Xanqer, her life felt dull and pointless. She spent her hours sighing wistfully, her phone glued to her hand as she dialed Xanqer's number every hour, craving the sound of his voice.

  At first, Xanqer obliged, answering her calls with patience and kindness. But as the days dragged on, Meesha's incessant calling began to wear thin. Xanqer's responses grew terse, and sometimes, he wouldn't answer her calls at all. Meesha couldn't blame him; she knew she was being clingy. But she couldn't help herself – the ache of his absence felt like a physical pain.

  To cope, Meesha fixated on the calendar, marking the 14th with a big red circle, the day of Xanqer's promised return. Each morning, she'd wake up, take a deep breath, and mark the previous day with a bold red X. The countdown was agonizing, but it gave her a sense of purpose.

  As she lay on the couch, scrolling through her phone with a listless expression, Meesha felt like an eternity had passed since Xanqer's departure. In reality, it had only been a week. She glanced at the clock, willing the hands to move faster. She had resolved to text Xanqer only twice a day, fearful of annoying him further.

  When she finally mustered the courage to call him earlier that day, Xanqer's voice had sounded distant, but his words had sent a flutter through her chest. "I'm back in America," he'd said.

  Meesha's face had lit up with excitement. "Can i come visit?" she'd asked, only to fall as she processed his words. "I'm on the opposite coast. Besides, I'm leaving for another trip tonight."

  She felt a pang of sadness and disappointment, remembering the conversation as she sighed and continued scrolling through her phone. Meesha's thoughts drifted back to Xanqer, wondering what he was doing at that very moment, and when she'd see him again.

  Meesha lay on her couch, scrolling through her phone, when it suddenly rang. She picked it up, and her friend Dana's voice came through the line.

  "Meesha! I'm in a bind, and I need your help," Dana said, sounding frazzled.

  Meesha sat up, intrigued. "What's going on?"

  "I have a company event tonight, and I still haven't found anyone to invite," Dana explained. "None of my friends have time, and I'm starting to get desperate. That's why I was wondering if you could please, please come with me."

  Meesha felt hesitant. She wasn't really in the mood for a stuffy corporate event. "I don't know, Dana. I'm not really feeling up to it tonight."

  But Dana was persistent. "Please, Meesha, you're the only notable friend I have. If I don't have an invited guest, the rest of the people will think I'm a strict, heartless businesswoman like people say – and that's why I have no friends," Dana joked, but Meesha could hear the underlying seriousness in her tone.

  "Please, you have to come with me to the Millennium Co. gathering," Dana begged.

  Meesha blinked, her interest piqued. "Wait, did you just say the Millennium company?"

  "Yes," Dana replied, sounding confused. "Why?"

  Meesha's face lit up with joy. That was Xanqer's company. If she could go to the event, she might be able to see him again, or even better, impress him.

  Meesha's voice was eager as she replied, "Yes, I'll come. I'll definitely come."

  Dana sounded happy but also confused. "Why did you change your mind so easily?"

  Meesha just laughed, trying to sound nonchalant. "Because you're a lovely friend, that's why. Goodbye."

  As soon as Meesha hung up the phone, she shrieked happily, bouncing up and down on the couch. She quickly grabbed her phone again and dialed her designer's number.

  "Bring me the most beautiful dress you have," Meesha ordered, her voice excited. "I need to make a statement tonight."

  Her designer, Fran?ois, sounded intrigued. "What's the occasion?"

  Meesha just laughed, feeling a sense of excitement and purpose that she hadn't felt in days. "Just bring me the dress, Fran?ois. I'll take care of the rest."

  As Meesha waited for Fran?ois to arrive with the dress, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. She was going to see Xanqer again.