Heart and Soul

He sat there at the bar nursing his drink, keeping to himself, occasionally scanning the room, taking in all who were there, most of whom were the regular patron who had come there after a long day of work, trying their best to unwind over their drinks. A few had taken to the dance floor, showing off the moves they had learned.

He sat there, quietly with his drink, savouring every sip, minding his own business.

He could feel the eyes that were on him, the sly glances his way. He was an attractive man, even though he never agreed to this assessment. Although he was dressed casually, he was indeed one fine, rugged looking man. He could easily be a cover model of any of those romantic novels. But still he never thought of himself that way.

He was very aware that many of those eyes were quietly undressing him, wanting to take him to bed, wondering what he would be like in bed.

Though he never liked the attention, but secretly he savoured it. It felt good to be desired and know that none of  them could have him.

And just as he was lost in his thoughts, he saw a sight that literally snapped him out of his self-adulation and back down to earth.

Who was this magnificent creature, he wondered. They certainly wasn’t one of the regular patrons, or he would have known them.

He just couldn’t take his eyes off them like many of the others who were totally enamoured by them.

And though he tried to not to make it too obvious he couldn’t help be drawn towards them. It didn’t help that they sat right opposite him at the bar, right within his line of sight.

So he kept glancing in their direction diverting his gaze when his glances was caught.

Just as he felt like he was going to keep it all together a familiar tune began to play. 

He found himself walking towards them, like a moth drawn towards a flame, wanting to  ask them for a dance but somewhere scared that his request would be rejected.

To his surprise, they placed their hands in his and followed him to dance floor. 

He just couldn’t believe his luck. He was very aware that all eyes were on them, many of those were envious. He just didn’t care. He felt like the luckiest man in the room who had this beautiful person in his arms. Others would have given anything for just a chance but it was as him they had chosen to dance with.

As they danced to the music, he felt them come close to him, and hold him tight, to the point it felt like their two bodies were one, moving in unison to the music.

He could feel their breath upon his face. He felt the warmth of their body as they pressed it against his. He could feel the beating of their heart. 

Life couldn’t get any better than this.

He felt so attracted and drawn to them. He didn’t  know what got into him, he leaned in, half expecting his advance to be rebuffed, but he couldn’t help himself, he had to give it shot and pray it happened.

To his pleasant surprise, their lips met his, halfway. And then they kissed. Not a simple a peck, but a beautiful passionate one, right there on the dance floor.

They didn’t care that others were privy to their kiss, for them the world just faded away. It just two of them on the dance floor and the others faded away to the background.

He wished this kiss would go on, but then they broke the spell he was on. They looked coyly into his eyes and placed their head on his shoulder as they continued to dance.

They then whispered in his ears, “Just wanted you to know that I am married.“

“That’s ok”, he whispered back, “so am I,” he said with a smile.

“I wonder what my husband would say if he found about our kiss,” they said with a coy smile.

“I don’t think he would mind,” he said as they continued to dance.

“I wonder what would mine say,” he asked with a sly smile.

“Well”, they said glancing into his eyes, “ I think he would say, Happy Anniversary my love.” 

As he said this he leant in and kissed him passionately once again as they continued to dance, two handsome men in each others  arms, sharing a tender moment, celebrating their union, as the music continued to play -

“Heart and soul

I fell in love with you

Heart and soul

The way a fool would do Madly Yeah

Because you held me tight

And stole a kiss there in the night 

Heart and soul

I beg to be adored

Yes, and I lost control

And tumbled overboard Gladly

That magic night we kissed

There in the moon mist 

Oh, but your lips were thrilling

Never before were mine so

Strangely willing

Darling, and now I see

What one embrace can do

Come on and look at me

You've got me loving you Madly

That little kiss you stole

All my heart and soul”

A Summer Romance

Their’s was a summer romance, but somewhere down the line he lost his heart and he fell in love. Unknowest to him, he didn’t feel the same way.

He made it known to him, from the start, that he was not looking, he was not looking for anything substantial, anything long-term, anything that would be labelled. But despite it all he fell in love with him.

He knew what he was getting into, and though he tried to ground himself, he let it his heart heart flutter, he let his guard down, brought down the fences that he put up to keep the unwanted out, to keep them from trampling on his lawn that he cultivated with pain. He let himself be vulnerable and bare for him.

He waited with baited breath for his call, and cancelled all his plan just in case he called, if he wanted to meet , or just hangout, or to just hookup. He was ready to drop it all just to spend sometime with him. He was always willing to drop it all just spend time with him. 

His heart fluttered whenever he used “us” to refer to them. He quivered whenever he touched him, whenever he  put his hand on his shoulder, or grabbed him by his waist. 

When he hugged him him he felt he could melt into him, just having his body pressed against his.

And he felt he could die whenever he kissed him, even when it was just a simple peck on cheek, or kiss on his forehead. To feel his lips against his, against his skin, was all he wanted in his life.

He cherished every moment they spent tangled between the sheet. He called it hooking up, but for him it was making love. He gave himself wholely to him, to do what he pleased, and in it he found pleasure.

He loved the their clandestine meetings , they making out in places where he would never dare to be this bold, to be this open.

He made him feel bold. He made him feel free. He made him feel sexy. He made him feel desired. Most of all, he made him feel loved.

And then with the end of summer he was gone, leaving him behind pick the pieces of his broken heart. He had moved on to another, just like he said he would. He said he was free bird who couldn’t be caged. Who’s spirit couldn’t be pinned down.

And though he knew this day would come, cause he knew he was never his, but he rued the fact he let his heart love him. He cursed himself for letting himself fall in love (he couldn’t curse him, no matter how bad he would have wanted to).

He felt hurt and betrayed by himself though he tried to stay practical and grounded, though he knew what was to come.

So he let him slip away, let him become a memory, cause he was never his, cause it was only summer romance for him, but in this all he lost his heart and got it hurt.

A Map to Him

He stared at the map of the city that stood in front of him. It wasn’t like he was a stranger to the city. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been to the city before. But still it felt different, it felt strange. It was the first time he was in his city but he was not with him. It will felt strange to be in the same city and not be with each other.

As he continued to stare at the map small footprints began to form tracing the places they had been to. The cafés, the parks , the restaurants, a roadmap of their courtship on the map.

He remembered the hours they had spent in each other’s company, the parks where they roamed hand in hand, stealing glance and kisses, when mo one was around. All the names of places and streets and restaurants and cafés, began forming pictures in his mind of about the places they had been, the good time they had, memories of them together.

As he continued to stare at those imaginary footprints, he wondered if their path would ever cross, now that they were both in the same city? Although it was his decision to call it quits, but he couldn’t help but miss him so, and now that they were in the same city, he hoped that somewhere, somehow, destiny could conspire and bring their paths together.

He didn’t realise it but his eyes began to well from the yearning, from the longing that he felt for him. Just when he thought he was finding a way to heal, he once again began to miss him, to want him more.

However, he was determined to not to think of him and cry. That would be an insult of the bind they had once shared. He wanted to think of him and smile, for all the good moments they shared, the sweet memories that they had made.

So he wiped away the tears from his eyes and smiled, thinking of him. He noted the place he had to go to, using the map. He hailed a taxi and off he went into the city, smiling.

The Map to their Heart

Like clockwork, he saw her everyday at the bus stop, staring at the route map, trying to figure out the bus that would take her to her destination. And every time she ended taking the same bus as he.

He couldn’t help but admire how beautiful she looked, especially when the sunlight fell on her face, making look all the more beautiful, all the more radiant. He loved the way her hair fell over her face, from the window breeze, and how she tucked it behind her ears, every time.

She didn’t need no no make make up, no accessories, to enhance her beauty. She was beautiful naturally from the inside and out.

Oh how he could stare at her all day, if only his staring didn’t creeped her out. If he didn’t appear a weirdo to anyone who caught his glances at her, her included.

He was mesmerised by her, he was taken by her beauty and her simplicity. Seeing her each morning was the high point of his day.

Oh how he wished he could find it in him to talk to her.

Like clock work she saw him from a distance, as he approached the bus stop, a handsome, well-groomed, well-mannered man. And every time she saw him approach, she would immediately stare at the map, afraid he would see her stare and think I’ll of her. So she tried to steal glances at him when he was not looking her way.

How she wished to get a seat next to him, cause she loved the way he smelt, an earthy, musky, masculine smell. She was not sure if it was his aftershave, or his perfume (did men wear perfume, she wondered), or was it just his natural scent? Whatever it was, he had her under his spell.

She could sit and stare at him all day, if he didn’t think her mad, just try and avoid her. Seeing him was the highlight of her day.

Then one day, as luck would have it, the seat next to her was vacant, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

They sat next to each other, trying not to have their glances caught, itching to say something, if that something was a simple, hi or hello, or a good morning, or a how you doing. But they couldn’t muster it in them to say those words. And if by chance, they happened to glance, at each other, at the same time, they just smiled and glanced away.

He sat there hoping that someway, somehow, he could find a map, like the one she stared at, that would show him the direction to her, to direct him to her heart, cause he couldn’t help himself but fall in love with her.

She too wished she had a map, a map to his heart, that would help her find her way to him. If she had the said map, she would know what to say and know what to do, she would know how to win him over. Oh how she wished,  she had map to him.

And as they both sat there, in seat next to each other, wishing they had a map to the heart of the other, not knowing that what they wished was one and the same. All they had to is ask and they would find the map to their heart.

The Last Rites

They met each other at a conference. The moment he saw him , his Gay-dar started buzzing. He wanted to know him. It wasn’t like he was desperate for him, but there was something attractive about him, a magnetic personality, with a face and smile to-die-for, with a fit body under those clothes. This thought made him hot under the collar, a bit embarrassed as he literally swooned, undressing him with his eyes.

Somehow he found it in himself to introduce himself, after all he had a confidence in himself, but somehow he knew this one was different, unlike the ones found on dating apps, for people to hook up.

He was surrounded by a group of ladies, who were desperately trying to get his attention, and why not, a gorgeous man like him deserved his own entourage. He felt a  pang of pity for these women as they didn’t  stand a chance, or did they?

He used an exercise of discussion, to swoop him away, a white knight rescuing a maiden fair. He smiled at the thought.

When they were safe from the crowd, he thanked him for coming to his rescue. To which they both burst into laughter. They introduced themselves. Though they kept their respective orientation under wraps, they agreed to meet each other for drinks.

The rest of the conference, he kept staring at his watch trying to will time to go fast. But it seemed like time had chosen the day to take it nice and easy.

He had butterflies flapping around his stomach, while he waited for him at the bar, afraid he may have come on too strong. He hopefully he would come. This was so unlike him. He dated men before, and been on the other side. Was this god’s way of punishing him?

When he finally came , he felt a relief, which was quickly replaced by a giddy feeling. He could swear, at that moment, he turned crimson.

He couldn’t actually remember what they discussed, all he could remember was his eye, how they lit up, his lips, the dimples they formed when he smiled. He so wanted to grab him and kiss him, but he had to control himself.

That night, they formed a  friendship, which was sealed with a hug, and not a kiss. They exchanged number.

Overtime they met over coffee and drinks, went for movies together, shopped together. They constantly texted and called each other.  He so wanted to make a move on him, but he had to contain himself. After all he wasn’t a guy you wanted to fuck and forget. He was a type of guy who you could come home to, and share the rest of your life with. The only thing stopping him was that he had not really mentioned about his sexuality.

Then one evening, after a few drinks, they were walking in the park. There was something on his cheek, which he tried to brush off. Suddenly, he was holding his face, staring into each other’s eyes. And then he leaned in and kissed him. 

He sweared that in that one moment his heart stopped beating, his world stood still, a moment frozen in time.

When he came out of his dream, the first thing he saw was his irresistible smile, and then he heard the words come out of his mouth admitting that he really liked, to which, he dumbly responded, thank you.

He remembered how embarrassed he felt, but it was a memory that they had a good laugh over. He quickly tried snap out of this trance, only to have him kiss even more passionately, and this time he kissed back too. He felt like he died and went to heaven, if heaven was being in his arms.

They walked for a while in the park, holding on to each other’s hand, smiling at each other, like two teenagers discovering love for the very first time.

He took his hand  and kissed them, making him go even more crimson. He told him that he really liked him a lot, loved spending every moment with him. He would love to see where this would take them. But before they could  do that, there was something he wanted to share with him. He told him that he was married and had a son.

Suddenly the whole quickly changed for him. He couldn’t focus on what he was saying. He felt giddy once again. He had to get out of there.

His eyes were welling with tears, and walked around like a drunk, even though he tried to explain to him. He hailed a taxi, and without waiting to hear an answer, got in and instructed the driver where to go. How was it possible that his life could from heaven to hell, from a dream to a nightmare. 

He cried all the way home, and cried himself to sleep. He wanted to crawl under a rock and die. He didn’t feel like getting out of bed. He just lay there and sobbed. Why did it hurt so bad when there was nothing really between them. But somehow he felt cheated.

He refused to answer calls and messages, especially his, for he had tried calling him. He didn’t reply to any of his messages.

Then he heard a knock on the door. He tried to ignore it, hoping that the person would give up and go. But the knocks continued, and if it went any longer it would attract attention, which was the last thing that he wanted at the moment. So he finally answered the door, hoping he could get rid of the person. To his horror, it was him and he refused to go away till he was given a chance to explain himself.

He felt conflicted. There was a part of him that wanted to let him in, while the other wanted nothing to do with him. There was part that felt like a jilted lover, while the other hoped all this was some crazy, cruel prank. But most importantly he didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of seeing him in this state.

But then his heart won over his head, and he let him in. He warned him that he would hear what he had to say, but there was no changing his mind, which he meekly accepted.

He asked him to sit down while he made a cup of tea  for the them.

When he took a sip of the tea, he smiled, knowing he had not been joking about the tea. After taking a couple of more sips, he placed his cup  and took his hands in his.

He desperately tried to avoid his gaze but he saw a similar hurt and sadness and pain in his eyes.

He started by apologising for the hurt he had caused him, though hurting was never his intention. He tried not to get attracted to him, but he couldn’t help being drawn to him. He didn’t want to lie to him, there was something special about him, the way he felt about him, something that he tried to avoid, but somehow he succumbed to it. He explained that he came out to his parents when he was a teenager, but they refused to believe him, and cursed him. They sent him for therapy thinking it was a mental ailment.  When he was an adult, they forced him into a marriage against his will, even resorting to emotional blackmail. He had no other option but to give in. He had hoped marriage would be better, but it turned into a living hell. His wife was aware of his orientation and used that as a weapon against him, finding every opportunity to humiliate him. Then they had a child, the Apple of his eyes, and once again she turned it into a pawn in her wicked game. She threatened to cut him off from his child if he ever tried to cut her off. She would humiliate him and his family and would take them to court.

When he finally narrated his story, he looked at him, waiting for some indication, some response. He stared into his eyes that were welling with tears. He just hugged him tight and kissed him.

That day they made love, it wasn’t just plain cranial sex, or a mere hook up, this was love which they made. It was the starting of something beautiful. With each passing day, their love for each other grew stronger. 

But it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies, or even a bed roses, cause every rose comes with it share of thorns, and there was bound to be rain sometimes. He always felt like a third wheel in the marriage, a mistress. Though this hurt him a lot,they did have their fair share of arguments about it, he bore the pain because he loved him and he knew he was the most kindest, loving, generous man. He knew the predicament it  would put him in if he insisted on legitimatising their relationship. And besides Same-Sex couples were not legally recognised. 

When he least expected, his love found a way to stand-up to the emotional blackmail. He finally stood up to his family, to his wife. He had enough of living a lie, a dual life, of being bullied. He wanted to live his truth.

What followed was reasoning, which turned to tears, then to threats and abuses, but he stood his ground because of their love.

He finally broke off from his family and separated from his wife and child. He lost the custody of his child, and paid his ex-wife a big fat alimony. His family berated him and disowned him, but they focused their anger on him, their sons love, blaming him for corrupting their son.

As painful as the separation was, it had to be done. He knew he had lost so much for him, for them. He would wake up at night to sound of his sobbing. It took him a while to grieve this loss, but he somehow managed to do it. And when he had finished the grieving process there was a sense of freedom, a weight lifted off his shoulders. And from that moment they began living as them.

He had moved in with him, cause he lost everything in the divorce.  It was a small place, but it became their place. Their little nook in a cruel world. Their house may have been small but their home was large, because they were each other’s home.

Over the years, they managed to get  a bigger place. He even managed to make amends with his family, and managed to get visiting right for his son. He was happy to see him happy with these amends, but he could feel their coldness. They didn’t miss a chance to insult him. But he kept quiet, knowing the happiness this had brought him.

And so their life went on, with all the twists and turns, people coming and going. The only constant was each other.

And then came the pandemic. Like everyone, they stock piled all the essentials. They  tried to stay away from the news cause it only made them more nervous. They followed all the safety protocols, even ensuring that they went out with masks and gloves and kept distance from people.

Then one day, he started feeling feverish. He began to exhibit all the symptoms of the virus. Though they tried to stay calm there was nervous undercurrent. He informed the society and his family doctor about it, who initially advised him to quarantine him at home , keep a watch for any other symptoms.

However, his fever refused to come down, and he also complained of breathlessness. The doctor advised to be hospitalised immediately as his oxygen levels were low.

He called up all his friends, took him from hospital to another, trying to find a bed for him. All this while his condition only worsened. 

Finally, when he found a bed for him, doctor informed him that he would need to be put on a ventilator. He begged them to do all what’s needed to be done, however, a consent form had to be signed, which could only be done by a blood relative, or a spouse. Since their relationship was not recognised, he couldn’t do it. In his desperation he called his family, who initially refused, but finally gave in. His father came and signed the form. However, he gave instructions that only the family should get get any information. 

So he sat there outside the hospital, waiting for any piece information on his love. However, there was none to be found. Everyone refused to give any information cause their relationship was never legal. However, there was a nurse who was sympathetic towards him and gave him bits and pieces of information. He sat there all night and all day without much budging from that place. He ran for medicines, when it was needed, running from pillar to post when they were not available. And all though he was spread thin, he refused to leave the hospital. He felt sad that no one from his love’s family stayed back.

Seeing his state, the friendly nurse told him to go home and freshen up, if there was any update, she would call him.

He knew he wouldn’t be of any help considering the state he was in, so he reluctantly went home, had a shower, ate his food, and then exhaustion took over. He didn’t how and when he fell asleep, but when he woke he saw there were a number of missed calls on his phone.

He frantically dressed up and tried to call up the number, but nobody answered. So he quickly drove to the hospital.

When he reached, he ran up to the ward, asking the receptionist for information. However, she told him that no one was there. He asked her for information of the patient who was there earlier. However, she politely told him that she could not  give him the information as he was neither a blood relative or a legal spouse of the patient. As same sex marriage or partners were not recognised, she couldn’t give him any information.

He begged and pleaded with her but she wouldn’t break hospital rules. She even threatened to call the security if he created any further ruckus.

Just at that moment the kind nurse came out. She took him to one side and tried to calm him down. She told him that he had passed away.

When she told him that he was dead, it felt like the whole world had come crashing down around him. As he was not related, the hospital reached out to his father, who after finishing of the remaining formalities they had released his remains to the family. She had tried to call him but he was not reachable, and considering the current situation they couldn’t withhold the body for too long.

He frantically tried to call his family, but no one was picking up. He ran like a maniac, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to breakthrough and blind him. The news still hadn’t sunk in. Everything felt like a blur, but he tried to keep focus. He finally got someone on the line who informed him that someone had passed away, so few people had gone to the crematorium.

He quickly made his way to the crematorium, but they wouldn’t allow him inside, as only immediate family would be allowed, and he couldn’t prove he was family. 

Somehow he made found his way inside. He ran like a mad man around the cremation ground, till he finally came across a lonely pyre where there was no one there. The person tending to the cremations informed him that the family of the deceased just performed the last rites and left.

 Seeing pyre in front him he finally broke down and began to cry. It finally hit him that he would never ever be able to see his smiling face again, feel his sensation of his arms around him, he would not be able to kiss him, make love to him ever again.

He collapsed to floor in tears and sat there till there was nothing but embers. He finally took the pot that contained all that was left of him home, hugging it as if he was hugging him.

They were brought together in life, but sickness and death and a legal system tore them apart, not even giving him the legal right to be there with him in his last rites.

The Fireplace

He felt a cold breeze blow, always carrying him with it. He could hear his bones creek as he wandered in the cold evening. He tried to keep himself warm but his flimsy worn out clothes were no match for the cold. Though he pulled his shawl, his only defence from the cold, his teeth chattered loudly.

How did he get here? What was he doing out on this cold evening? What was he looking? So many question to which he had no answer. The  cold breeze had now turned into a blowing wind. He could hear it  in the trees, in the rustling of the leaves. He pulled the shawl around his shoulders, trying desperately to keep himself warm.

After while he saw a faint glow, a fire simmering in a clearing. He made his way towards hoping to find someone who could help him. But there was no one there. How strange was that, he thought, on a cold night like this, it was strange to find a burning fire with no one there. But all that didn’t matter. He was cold, and the fire provided the warmth he needed.

As he sat there, warming himself, he remembered another warm fire, but that wasn’t in a open place but in a house. A fireplace, that’s what it was, not like the bonfire that he was sitting in front of. This felt like a distant memory. He found it strange that he could recollect this but had no recollection of how he got out, where he came and what he was looking for.

The warmth of the fire warmed his body and his heart. It wasn’t a searing heat, it was a warm gentle heat. It made him feel warm and it made him feel safe. There was something pleasant, a homely and loving warmth. He could no longer feel the cool.

As he sat in front of the fire, his mind jogged back in time. He remember when he first brought to his master’s place by his parents who worked in master’s household. As he was quiet along and almost the age of his master, he was allowed to play with his master.

He remembered the fond memories of playing in front of the place, especially on rainy days, when children were not permitted to go out and play in the rain, and winter evening when it was too cold to go out to play. It was in front the fireplace where his faster taught him how to read and write.

He remembered, when he grew a little older, his mother said it was time he too helped with the domestic work. He couldn’t play much with his master, but he did find time to sit in front of the fireplace so that he could sit with his master and learn from him and sometime listen to him read the news from the paper. They became close with time.

Then one day, his master was sent to a foreign land to complete his education. When he heard about this he felt sad, he wanted to cry and tell his master not to go. But then he was a lowly servant, besides why would his master pay heed to him. When the time came for his master to leave, he could see a sadness in his master’s face, in Anis eyes. But neither of them could express it due to the status quo that was in front of them.

As the years went by, he continues to work with his parents as the caretaker of the of the house. Every vacation his master would come to village  to spend his break. And though there was a lot to be done, he remembered how his master ensure that he made time to spend it with him in front of fireplace. He was  always fascinated by stories that his master would tell him, about the teachers and libraries, the parties, the girls, the various sports he played. While there was not much he could share with his master, except all the happenings in the village, the latest gossips, which cow gave birth, and so on. But his master always listened to him intently, even though he knew he was boring his master. 

Over the years his mater grew into a handsome young man. He could see the village belle swoon when ever he came over, and would eavesdrop especially when he would go for a swim in the lake. They keep needling him to take them to him, so they could a better view of him. He just shooed them off saying that his master had better thing to do and he would not want to waste his time on a gaon ki chori when he could get a well educated and a beautiful angrez memsaheb. But secretly he too would find himself staring at his master. There were times when his master changed right in front of him. He could see every inch of master’s toned body. And even though he tried to look away from him, he could feel a stirring a longing within him.

Then one year his master came to the village during the monsoon. His parents hadn’t come with him and he added alone. That evening parents sent food for his master. But before he could reach it began to rain. He was thankful that his mother had wrapped the food securely so that the water wouldn’t harm it. But the same couldn’t be said about him. By the time he reached the house, he was soaked to the bone. 

His master was concerned when he saw him at the door, and though he tried to protest that he would need to go home, his master commanded to wait till the rain passed and if he got wet again he catch a cold or pneumonia or malaria, or whatever rain sickness. He asked him to come and dry himself off by the fire.

As he couldn’t disobey his master’s words, he went quietly and sat by the fire but was still shivering because he was wearing his wet clothes. Seeing this master asked him to remove his clothes and let it dry. When he saw him hesitating he jokingly told him that there was nothing that he hadn’t seen. Although he protested, his master refused to listen and come over playfully tried to get him to remove his  wet clothes.

They began to wrestle like they did  when they were kids. The wrestled all over the place till they were out of breath. His master was on top him, pinning him to the ground. He could his master’s warm breath on his face. And then he felt something growing harder. The. There was that feeling he got every time he saw his master in the buff. And when he looked into his master’s eyes, hey found them mesmerising, almost leaving him in a trance. He tried not gaze, but his master kept drawing him in, like a magnetic pull.

His master lowered his face their nose touched  and shared airspace. He tried to avoid his masters lips, but in the end they met. He had never kissed anyone, let alone a man, so sensation was new and awkward. But then something happened deep inside him, something burst and he could feel this warm wonderful feeling that was growing deep within him. He  gave  in and kissed him back.

They rid themselves of their clothes , and continued to kiss. He felt intoxicated the smell of his master’s skin, it was the beautiful smell which he had smelt. With bodies entangled, skin on skin they made love that night. It was the first time he had ever done it and this was a kind of feeling that he had never felt before. His body was tingling, and shuddered with every touch. He felt orgasmic, to the point of ecstasy. 

When they were climaxed, they just lay there, their bodies entangled, their manhood pressed against each other, sweat of their bodies mingling with each other. It felt magical, it felt warm, it felt natural and beautiful. He knew he had broken more than a dozen taboos, but in that moment it didn’t matter. It felt like their bodies were fused together from the heat that emitted from the fireplace in their hearts, and the fireplace before which they lay in each other’s arms.

He stared at his master’s face, looking into his eyes. There were so many things that he hadn’t noticed before, thanks to the social boundaries that were in between them. But now that they had fallen there were so many minute details that he noticed, like the grey fleck in his  eyes, the scars above his eyebrow from the stitches that he had to get from a fall, the perfect straightness of his nose. There were so many details he could see.

His master turned and took his face in his hand and kissed him. His lips felt so soft against his. He didn’t want this moment to end. He just wanted to just lay there in his master’s arm. He felt warm and safe there. But he had to get up leave for home. Though he didn’t care he was worried if his parents would begin worry.

He remembered that vacation distinctly, even as his memory tried to deceive him. He held on to those memories cause they were the best days of his life. He found some excuse to spend more time with his master: they held hands, when no one looking, they kissed and made love every at every chance. His life was beautiful, he was finally in love, he hopes and prayed that his master loved him back. It is as a perfect monsoon love story, if there was any such thing.

As all things had to come to an need, his master’s vacation came to an end. He had to return back to his studies. He didn’t want to go and he didn’t want him to go, but reluctantly they parted, not before he promised to come back for him and take him with him, away from the village ways. 

They returned back to their lives. They made it a point to write to each other, and every now and then he used to get a call from his master. He distinctly remembered that he continued to work with a hope of one day being able to spend the rest of his life with master.

In the present he sat there staring at the flame wondering what exactly had happened. And then he remembered what happened, and as he thought about it he felt like a dagger was driven through his heart. Though he didn’t want to remember he still remembered it.

One summer day he received a call from his master. What his master said made his world come crashing down around him. His master had been into a marriage against his wish. Some family promise that had to be kept. His master tried explaining his predicament but couldn’t listen to it. His head was spinning around and all he could hear the sound of his life coming crashing down.

His master tried to call, tried to write to him,tried to meet him, but refused to meet him at all. His heart was broken to a million pieces. His master was only person he had ever loved. He had kept his end of the promise but his master hadn’t kept his end. He felt cheated. 

After that what happened was a bit fuzzy, things he couldn’t remember. He tried to remember what happened after that be he couldn’t recollect it. Secretly he was glad he couldn’t remember it, he was sure they were more painful if he couldn’t remember them.

As he sat but that fire, he started to feel sleepy. He couldn’t help but lay down next to it. As he lay down next  to it he felt the same warmth that he had experienced when he lay in master’s arms after they had made love. He felt as if once again he was in his master’s arms. Sleep came quick, and within minutes he was fast a sleep.

In the morning, when the people came to the site, they found his body laying next to the funeral pyre. He must have passed away sometime in the night, in his sleep. Someone recognised him as the caretaker of the house who’s owner had just passed away and next to his pyre  he had passed away, reuniting with his master in the after life.

Here’s to us!

Though he tried to get back to the life he once knew, somehow he couldn’t get her off  his mind, and this was not something he wanted to do. He wanted to call her, to talk her, to hear her voice, still hoping to convince her. But his ego was hurt, and that kept him from calling her. 

He got so involved in his work that he didn’t quite get much time to do anything, and his work kept him busy most of the time. Finally when he got the time to call her, her number was not reachable. He was aware that the network connection on the island was quite bad. But then when he tried her again, after a couple of days, his call went directly to voice mail. Now he was worried about her. When he finally got the time to take a few days off, he returned back to the island. But she was not there. She had left her job at the cafe and no one knew where she had gone.

This made him furious, how could she do something like this to him, how could she be so cruel towards him. He wanted to scream and shout. But he refrained from doing any such thing, his old life was returning back to him and he was loosing all the spontaneity that he had discovered when he was around her.

He returned back to his life, pained, hurt and disappointed. He spend the next few days, next few weeks trying to locate her, even taking the help of professionals, but to no avail. It was like she vanished into thin air. He hadn’t asked about her past, so he knew little to none about it. He cursed himself for not knowing more about her.

Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, months to years. He got totally involved in his work, totally consumed in it, totally immersed in it. But every now and then he made the effort of trying to locate her. He tried to date, but no one matched to her, no one made him feel the way she made him feel. She was his standard of love. But most importantly his heart refused to let go of her, to let him forget her. So he was not able to bond with anyone. 

Then after almost over two decades, since he left the island, since he last saw her in person, he found a postcard lying on his desk. There was something vaguely familiar about it, he couldn’t put a finger on what it reminded him of. The handwriting seemed oddly familiar but one he hadn’t seen before. It was an invitation to visit the island. And then it struck where he had seen the picture before. This was the picture of their favourite place on their island, where there spent countless hours lazying away, making love. As he stared at the postcard he could hear his heart beat against his chest . Had she finally relented, and come to her senses. The writing didn’t quite look like that of hers, but when people change over the years, wouldn’t their handwriting do the same. 

He couldn’t contain his happiness, his excitement. He took days off, well that was not needed when you were running your own division. He quickly got a flight and a ferry to the island. When he finally stepped on the small dock of the island, he noted that even though things had changed, there was still something familiar about the island. He was so excited to see her after all this while.

When he arrived at the cafe he was greeted by this beautiful, striking girl, who must have been in her late teens or early twenties. She was dressed in loose flowing trousers and blouse. Although she seemed quite young there was something confident and sure about her. He continued to stare at her, as there was something vaguely familiar about her. She greeted him with a warm smile and then it struck him that staring at her eyes was like his eyes staring back at him. And then what she said took him by surprise.

She introduced herself as Mia, her daughter, his daughter. And then he recognised the striking resemblance of her in Mia, her features, her spirit, mixed with that of his. He couldn’t contain his happiness, he couldn’t contain his joy. He had a beautiful daughter. And then he felt this burning rage towards her. How could she be so cruel, how could she keep something so big from him. How could she deny a child the love of her father, how could she robe a man from the joy of fatherhood. He was furious. He wanted to see her immediately. Mia asked him if he would like to have anything, but all wanted to do was to confront her. So she took him to the place where they had lived previously. And when they reached there, she handed him an envelope and left him, as she had some errands to run but promised to meet him at the cafe.

He didn’t want to read the letter but still he sat down and opened it. As he read it tears welled up in his eyes. It was from her. It said that if he was reading this meant she had long since gone, passed over to the other side. In it she asked his forgiveness, but explained why she did what she did. A few days after he left, she discovered she was pregnant with Mia. And although she was tempted to call him to give him the good news, she restrained herself from doing this, cause once again she didn’t want him to do something for her, she didn’t want to be the reason for him giving up on his dreams. So she decided to bring up Mia on her own, but never lying to Mia about her father. But on hindsight, what she felt like she was sacrificing, was actually a very selfish act. She denied Mia of knowing father, a father’s love, she robbed him the joy and experience of fatherhood. For which she was terribly sorry, something that ate her from within. She went on state that Mia shared her father’s acumen for business and her mother’s spirit for adventure. Now she had gone she hoped he would care for her.

He read the letter a couple of time, and each time he read it he missed her even more. When Mia returned, he hugged her tightly, not wanting to let her go. And as he held on to her, tears streamed down his eyes. He looked her in the eyes, kissed on her forehead. He promised to make up for the years they had lost, the years they were not together. He had found her and there no way he was he letting go.  And they stood there holding on to each other with tears streaming down their eyes.

Few months after he had discovered that he had a beautiful daughter, he was sitting with his daughter in a beautiful cafe, one he knew her mother would love. She got admission to the best college, but every now and then they took father-daughter trips, spending as much time as they could with each other, making memories. And as they ate at the cafe, they tasted each other, the adventures they had and will have, cause life’s short and the world was large and they wanted to make as much memories as possible. So here’s to us!

All Good Things Come to an End

This was not the life he planned for himself, not the one he had envisioned for himself. This was hardly something he would do. But yet here he was. Never in a million years he would have envisioned himself in the situation he found himself in. 

He would have never met someone like her. Never in his life he had met anyone like her, and he knew he would never meet anyone quite like her. She was just someone else. She wasn’t someone he thought he  would feel drawn to, but still here he was. She had turned his whole world upside down, and yet he felt drawn to her. Like a moth drawn to the flame, and he couldn’t resist. This life was not part of his plan, but still here he was, living it, and it felt surreal.

He was over qualified to be a bartender, but still he had no knowledge or experience bar tending, unless you count mixing drinks in college bar tending. Even with all this, here he was, behind the bar, learning about things he sometimes wished he didn’t know. But it gave him an opportunity to earn a living, and you couldn’t live on love and fresh air alone.

His days were filled with love. He moved in with her, giving himself the opportunity of  spending more time together. When they were not working, they were exploring the city, and when they weren’t  exploring they were making love.

Life wasn’t perfect but it was wonderful. It surprised him at every turn, showing him how he was able to adapt to a situation he was never been in before, he had no clue about, but still was living it. But somehow he felt a yearning for the life he had left behind, for the sense of order, the sense of security he was used to. And somehow he let it show (though never intentionally,  when he spoke with her), though he tried to conceal it. Then one day he got a call from his old life  with an offer he couldn’t resist. But still he had to refuse it cause he was sure she wouldn’t give in. Still they were keen to get him onboard though he clearly told them that he wasn’t interested (which was a lie).

When he shared this with her, he was surprised that she told him that he should take him, cause that was something he wanted. She insisted he should take it. He was happy to hear this, but this was short lived cause no way she was getting off the island. In which case he was no mood of accepting the offer, though he wished she would relent.

They argued on this point, but still she was not willing to relent from her position though insisting he take the offer, arguing that this life was not his life, this was the life she wanted, he was adjusting just for her. Expecting to give up on his dreams would be selfish of her.

There was no winning an argument against her. He finally, relented and have in. He accepted the offer, and started to pack his bags and return to the life he had once lived. He could see the pain in her eyes as he packed, no matter how much she tried to mask it, no matter how much she tried to avoid him. As he boarded the ferry that would take him back to the main land, back to his old life, he still hoped she would change her mind and join him. Alas, no such thing happened, not even to the very last moment.

As the ferry left the dock, he kept staring at her till she was a mere speck in the horizon. Though this wasn’t the life he planned for, this was not the way he wanted to close the chapter of his life. So he stared in the direction of the island, in her direction. A tear welled up in his eyes, glistening in the evening sun as it made it way down his cheeks. Why did all good things have to come to an end!

A Rendezvous in the Moonlight

The baking had taken longer than he has expected it to. He knew that he would be late for their meeting. He could have either postponed their meeting and carried on with his baking, or he could have postponed his baking and gone and met him. But he wanted to do both, after all he was doing one for the other. So he continued to bake. 

As soon as it was baked, he left it too cool on the rack and hurried to get ready for their meeting. Once it had cooled down, he boxed it, got on to his bike and off he went. All along the ride he wondered if his effort would be appreciated, would be liked. He was excited, not because of their meeting but what he was getting to their meeting, something that was made specifically, not for the occasion, but for someone specific.

So he rode down as fast as he could, as fast as the speed limit permitted him, as fast as his two-wheeler took him. He didn’t want to upset the content of the box, so he made sure he rode carefully. Although cautious he felt excited and could feel the butterflies fluttering in his system. He had this strange nervous excitement in him.

As he reached his destination he could make out his silhouette in the moonlight. Seeing him, he ran towards him and gave him a tight hug, hoping that the warmth he felt, on seeing him,  could be transferred to him. So he embraced him tightly, never wanting to let go, never bothered of what would the world say.

Slowly he wriggled out of the embrace and took him by the hand and led him back to his two-wheeler. This wasn’t where they were supposed to be, their rendezvous point, but since he was going to be late (like really late) he decided it would be best to pick him up from somewhere near his place and head to where they were to meet.

So they got on to the bike and rode to their destination. As he rode he could feel a cool breeze on his face but at the same time he could feel the warmth of his breath at the back of his neck. As they drove he could feel the warmth of his embrace as he held on to him tightly. He could feel his head on his back as they slowly made their way to their destination.

He didn’t want the moment to end. He wanted to stay there and live in the moment forever, never wanting to come out of it. But he could hear the ocean calling, the sound of the waves running towards the shore. He knew their destination was near. Reaching, he stopped at the designated parking lot and parked his two-wheeler there. He took him by the hand and lead him to the beach. 

Reaching the there they kicked off their shoes, because he wanted to feel the coolness of the  sand between their feet, and also they didn’t want to get sand in their shoes. They walked for a while, strolling hand in hand down the beach in the moonlight. 

At last they came to a familiar spot, one they had been to many times before. He sat down on the sand and with it pulling him down towards him. He removed the content of the box and stared at it. Be then took a small bite of it, slowly trying to savour it, take in the taste of the chocolate that had thankfully not melted.

He stared at his face trying to gauge his reaction. He took another bite and then slowly closed his eyes, as if to let the taste sink in. He just looked at him admiring the way he relished the chocolate ganache tart which he has specifically baked for him.

When the content of the box was completed, he leaned over and gently kissed him on his cheek, and put his had hands around his arms. He in turn put his hands across his shoulders, pulled him closer, as he rested his head on it. They sat there under the starry skies, with just the moonlight to illuminate the night, staring at the inky black ocean, letting their bodies and their love to keep each other warm. They let the waves play a symphony, serenading them, as they made the most of their rendezvous under the bright moonlight.

Addiction

She woke up in a pool of sweat. She had this strange uneasy feeling, as her heart thumped rapidly against her chest. She sat up and tried to calm herself down, but she couldn’t shake off this uneasy feeling, threatening to drag her deeper and deeper into an abyss which seemed bottomless. She could feel a panic grip her as she struggled to breathe, struggled to catch her breath, or was it that she had altogether forgotten how to breathe.

She got off her bed and slowly walked to the window, taking deep breaths, trying calm herself and the world around her, through the affirmation she had learned. It did help a wee bit, but still she couldn’t shake off this feeling that was gripping her heart.

This wasn’t the first time and she knew to wouldn’t be the last time she would have these episodes. She made some coffee and made her way to the he window. As she stared down at the world below that was groggily awaking from its slumber. As she stared at the world below she felt like the ground below her beckoned her promising to set her free. And she was tempted to giving into it, to take that leap of faith and let it all go, to se herself free from the pain she felt. But at the same time she knew this wasn’t the answer to her problem, the answer she sought.

As she she sipped and stared outside her window at the pre dawn skies wondering how did she find herself in this mess. How did she get entangled in this web of deceit as hard as she tried to not to get drawn into it. Yet her she was, all messed up and entangled in this shit. She had tried to protect herself from it and yet she found herself fallen for the things she protected herself from.

He came on the wings of the wind and ensnared her heart. She fells for his words, although she thought she was immune from it. Somehow she found herself giving herself completely to him and to the ideas and notions he planted in her mind. And although her head tried to caution her (as she had been here before), her heart wouldn’t listen. He had taken control over her soul. 

Her friends had warned her but she paid no heed, but now was paying the price for her deed. And when she realised this , it was much too late, he had a hold on her heart. How much she tried to escape his grip, the more she felt his claws dig deeper  into her heart, refusing to let go off her no matter how hard she tried.

She knew what she had to do, remove him from her life, erase him and set him free. Cause like a wound he was festering from within and she couldn’t help but keep tormenting herself. But this one simple act she was finding very hard to do, cause letting go meant letting go of all the moments that they shared, even though at hindsight, it was just an illusion.

So there she found herself checking her messages, checking his status, his posts, though not responding to any of them. Somehow she sensed he knew what she was doing and through his post manipulated her even more, messed with her head, making her feel like the villain of the piece, when in fact she was the victim.

She stared outside into the night sky, having this strange sensation that he was behind her. She wondered how long would she go on living this way, tormenting herself. Her mobile beeped and instinctively she looked at it wondering if it was from him. But then she sighed and knew what she had to do, if she had to make it through. She looked at the skies and muttered “I forgive you”, setting him free, she deleted his contact, from her address book and social media accounts, from her heart, setting herself free. She dropped her mobile phone and sunk back into bed to a peaceful sleep.

A Second Chance

She was young and enthusiastic, with a lot of hopes and dreams. She had fought her way to a good education, cause her parents didn’t believe they needed to invest in her, cause once she reached a marriageable age they would get her married to a suitable boy, then her only duty would be to him and his family, and to the children she would bear him. Where was the use of a good education then. They wouldn’t see it any other way. But still she pleaded and begged and bargained, to get herself the education she needed.

She was bright and beautiful and a promising student, always at the top of her class. Her teachers and professors saw a bright future for her, and she too wanted the future they saw for her. But she was aware of what she was up against, a family that didn’t support her, who would rather see her learning the ways of a housewife rather than pouring hours over her books. They didn’t quite take much pride in her academic achievements and constantly reminded her of the destiny they saw for her, which didn’t involve education.

But still she didn’t loose hope and tried to make the most of  that which was afforded to her. She tried her best to postpone, to delay, the inevitable. Happy and content with the shape her life was beginning to take, hoping her achievements would convince them otherwise. But then her life swerved. She was married off, finally giving in, when her parents’ patience wore thin.

He was a simple man, with simple taste, nothing quite remarkable or out of the ordinary, not quite the man she had hoped she would marry. He had a stable job and was able to provide for her. However he didn’t encourage her to continue with her education, and she was afraid to broach the topic with him. In many way he was like her parents, sharing their ideology, their ways of thinking. Maybe that was the reason they were eager for her to marry him. 

She finally gave into to her situation, settling into the rhythms of a domestic life, taking care of him and his needs, never getting anything much in return. When she finally conceived, she desperately prayed that her unborn child wouldn’t be a girl, she didn’t want her to go through the same fate she had been through. 

Much to her relief and his delight, along with that of their families, she gave birth to a baby boy, giving them the “Ghar ka Chirag” which they craved for, that they desperately wanted , to further the family’s name. She added another title to her already burdened head, a mother. Taking care of the needs of her child and husband became her life, and her needs no longer took a back seat but was all but forgotten. She just gave in into this way of life.

Just when it seemed nothing more could happen to her, life took yet another swerve. He was involved in a fatal crash, loosing his life on the spot. She felt like her world had came crashing down. It wasn’t like he was the love of her life. In fact she was with him out of a sense of obligation, a sense of duty, and now all that changed. She had to dedicate her life to her son.

Being an independent woman she refused to take help, not out of pride or ego, but she knew she had the faculty to provide for her son, and she did just that, devoting her life to his upbringing, ensuring he got what she didn’t have. Her entire life went caring for him.

He grew up to be a fine young man, respectful to all, thanks to the values she had inculcated in him. He was handsome and successful young man who had girls and guys clamouring for a bit of attention, if not the entire attention. She was constantly pestered by relatives to get him married to the proposal they brought. But she knew her son and this was decision she left to him, and didn’t want to force upon.

When he finally did get married it was with a girl of his choice, out of love, but not before taking his mother’s blessing, which she happily gave. He moved out of the house to set up a home of his own. She knew he didn’t have to do this, he could continue to live in this house, but she knew he was independent like her and wouldn’t have it any other way. So she didn’t stop him. 

For the first time she found herself all on her own. It wasn’t like he didn’t check on her, but for all logical purpose she was living on her own.

One day, while she was out, she spotted someone who made her heart race, someone from her past that she had long but forgotten, buried in the back of her mind. He was someone from her college who she had a huge crush on, and learned from one of her few friends that he too was asking about her too.  Afraid at what her parents would say, and already burdened from all their restrictions, she didn’t act upon her feelings. Seeing him once again flooded her with all those feelings. She suddenly felt like a giddy little girl meeting her crush for the first time. Age had been kind to him and he hadn’t lost his youthful features to time. 

She tried her best to avoid him, wondering if he had ever noticed her then, would he remember now? To her shock he actually did recognise her and walked towards her. She tried to keep calm and not act like the girls who would hang around him during their college days. But no matter what she tried she still had this giddy feeling, making her go weak in her knees, a feeling she hadn’t felt in a while, actually in forever.

He was surprised that she didn’t live up to all the potential she held, the expectations that her professors had from her. She on her path was surprised that someone has good looking like him was single. They both surprised each other with their life choices. She tried hard to maintain her composure as she chatted with him, fighting a conflicting feeling of wanting to just runaway from there and the same time frozen to the spot where she stood, drawn to him, like a moth to a flame.

They chatted for a while trying to catch up with each other, trying make up for lost time, before time ran out on them and they had to return to the lives they lived, the one they knew. He promised to meet her soon, actually asking her out to dinner. She surprised herself by accepting his invite, something that she never did, something so unlike her. But she did it and now she had to keep her word, something that was very much like her.

Over the next couple of weeks they ended up running into each other, meeting each other. Sometimes over coffee, other time over tea, brunch, lunch and dinner. She enjoyed his company, he on his part encouraged her to get back to the life she put on hold because of marriage, a life she didn’t think she would be able to return to. He encouraged her to pursue her dreams which she had long since forgotten, she had lost all hope of chasing, and didn’t think it would be possible at her age. But yet here she was chasing them with his support.

She began to feel more alive than she had ever felt, more independent, more confident. She began to feel drawn towards him, an attraction, something she had never ever felt, something she never thought she was capable of. But still here she was falling for this man who supported her and encouraged her to find herself, the one she had lost, the one she long since forgotten. She wondered if he felt the same way towards her. But then she was afraid of what he felt towards her, she was afraid of society and what it would say. And was worried what her family and friend would think of her. But she argued that she was a person and as a person she deserved to be loved. But she was not too sure what to do, she has no one to confide in, to discuss her feelings.

Then one day, while she was meeting him for lunch, her daughter-in-law saw them together. She didn’t have a very close with her, this was due to the fact that they didn’t make time to get to know each other. She felt a bit embarrassed and her initially thought was that of flight! But she knew she was doing no wrong, nothing to be embarrassed about. So she tried not to look embarrassed.

Her daughter-in-law looked at her and gave her warm smile, something that she didn’t expect. She came over and hugged her and like a dutiful daughter-in-law sought her blessings. Though she was surprised by her gesture, she maintained her composure and returned the warmth that she felt. She introduced her to him, and asked her to join them, but since she was already with her friends she said it was nice seeing and returned to her table.

Throughout the lunch they was an awkward silence between them, as they tried not to broach upon the topic. That evening she was surprised to receive a call from her daughter-in-law, who said it was so wonderful to see her, and apologised for not spending too much time of getting to know her. But then that was something they both were guilty of. They continued on to have a wonderful chat between them. They spent quite a while on the phone that evening, after all there was years of catching up to do. Where did the time go, they didn’t know.  She promised to come over for lunch so that they could continue their catch up.

The next day, as promised, they met each other for lunch, which then extended to tea and beyond. That day their bond grew so strong that the formal title of “in-law” got lost by the way side, and they didn’t even realise it. For the first time she felt a longing for a daughter, which she didn’t want have because of the struggle she had faced growing up, and yet now she found herself with a daughter, who may have not come from her womb, but was her daughter nonetheless, by law. 

With every moment they spent, their bond grew stronger. They learned so much about each other, their hopes, their dreams, their lives. Her daughter (cause now it was no longer in law, more by heart) was both surprised and proud to learn that she had began to pursue her dreams (with his support). She promised that she would be on board with her 100%, to stand with her and support her, and even get her son on board with it. Then she coyly asked her about him, to which she had no response, or didn’t know how to respond. How could she tell her how she felt about him without the fear of what society would have to say, more importantly, what her son would have to say about it. But she didn’t have to say anything cause her daughter understood it from the look in her eyes. She just told her do what her feels to do, to follow her heart.

From that day on they made it point to catch up with each other every day, whether in person, over breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner, or over the phone. They shared everything with each other, she even found the courage to share about him. And as promised she stood behind her 100%, even convincing her son to get on board. She became her source of support and strength, along with him. 

When she finally completed her graduation, which she had initially abandoned for marriage, they all stood in the crowd and cheered her on. That night as they celebrated her feat, he got down on one knee and proposed to her. She was taken a back, shocked at what was happening, but at the same time delighted. She nervously looked towards her son, to study his reaction to what happened. He smiled and gave her a nod of approval, as both of them was already in on this secret. It became the most joyful moment of her life, something she thought she would never have.

Few months later, they got married in a small, intimate ceremony, involving just few near and dear ones. That day as she got dressed, with the help of her daughter, she embraced her and whispered in her ears with a mischievous smile, “I know why you did all this, you wanted to get rid of me”, to which her daughter replied, “Yes, I wanted to get rid of you, the old you, so you could find the new you, your second chance in life.” To that they both laughed and hugged each other tightly, with a sense of warmth and gratitude for each other. She then escorted her mother out, symbolically moving her from her old life, into the new one, her second shot at life.