1 No Grudges

As Vasudha walked through the tall bronze gates of The Solan General Hospital, she found a familiar figure walking towards her from the other side. Myra fastened her pace towards Vasudha and when she was within earshot, radiated a jovial hello. Vasudha replied with a gentle, "Hello Myra. How're you feeling today?"

Dr. Vasudha Rai was a resident doctor in the TheSolan General Hospital, and Ms. Myra Bakshi worked with the legal cell of the hospital. Lately, Myra had been visiting Vasudha often to get a lump in her breast checked out. Vasudha had conducted all the necessary tests and the results were in process.

"I'm fine. When are the results coming out? You're not hiding anything bad from me, right?" Myra chuckled nervously and asked her doctor.

"Your results should be out in a day or two. Don't worry; I'm sure the results will be completely normal with nothing for you to worry about. In the meantime, you should pray for the same."

Although Vasudha had told Myra to calm down, the doctor was as apprehensive as the patient was, or maybe even more so, because from her preliminary diagnosis, everything was in fact not well.

Myra and Vasudha had not only found close friends in each other, but also a respite from the loneliness in a city that was strange and new to both of them. They had met each other in the hospital hostel for the first time when Myra had come to the dinner table with a plate laden with food, and while munching on salad, Myra had asked Vasudha if she could join her. Ever since then, both the girls had developed a deep fondness for each other. Both of them enjoyed each other's company very much, and would spend many hours together; but that was before their lives got too busy to afford them the privilege known as time.

Myra was one of the prettiest girls that Vasudha had ever met; she was very beautiful. Myra had a dusky complexion of milk chocolate shade and a shapely face adorned with chiselled features; it was the kind of face that everyone looked back to glance twice at. There was an attraction in Myra's face that no one could ignore. However, Myra was not just a pretty cover; according to Vasudha, the most mesmerising feature of Myra's personality was her sober, sincere and gentle attitude towards all. She was so affectionate that people were drawn to her naturally.

Vasudha, on the other hand, shared none of the arresting features as possessed by Myra, but was the sort of beauty that could very well be compared to sunsets and starry nights. She had a rich glow on her face that complemented her milk and honey complexion. She had the beauty and charm that better fit the term 'beautiful', than pretty. Vasudha was the one person that Myra knew, who would not be on the receiving end of nonsense from anyone; she would speak her mind out loud and stand by it. She was not only beautiful but fearless as well. Needless to say, the affection between the friends was mutual, and so was the respect.

Evening had fallen, and the girls were back at their hostel. Myra was walking towards Vasudha's room when she saw the latter coming her very own way. Vasudha asked her, "What are you up to?"

Myra replied with a sullen face, "Nothing in particular. I don't feel like doing anything right now."

Vasudha suggested that they should go for a walk, to which Myra readily agreed.

The Mall Road of Solan could not be compared to the Mall Road of Simla, where fashion and vanity were at their best during the evenings and especially in the summers. It was a place where models were not justthe women, buttheir beautiful canines as well. It's noteworthy that be it the fancy Marine Drive of Bombay, the posh areas of Delhi or the Mall Roads of Himachal, people indiscriminately flaunted their dogs. One couldn't help but wondersometimes if they had only adopted the well groomed dogs to put them on display every morning and night.

While Myra looked like as if she was trying to melt away in the world around her, Vasudha asked Myra, "Tell me something. You are a city lawyer, who came all the way to a small town place like Solan; whileeveryone in Solan dreams of leaving this place to go where you came from. You should have been pursuing a raging career in some tall building in a posh business office. What are you doing in this place? You belong somewhere else."

Myra held a blank expression as she softly said, "I have nowhere that I belong to. I am here because I wanted to go away to a place so far away that no one from my old life would recognize me."

"Are you a criminal on the run? Should I be calling the police," Vasudha chuckled and asked, "but seriously, are you trying to run away from something, or someone?"

"I am a criminal. I ruin the lives of anyone who comes close to me."

Myra was serious and the atmosphere had suddenly become heavier. Vasudha felt unsure as to what she should say next. Vasudha finally asked Myra about her past and her old life. Surprisingly, Myra did not resist. It was as if she actually wanted someone to listen to her entire story lest it be forgotten.

"I was the middle child out of three daughters. We were three Muslim girls looked after by doting parents with a liberal view of life. At the time, I used to live with my younger sister at a flat in Kanpur City in order to study beyond secondary education; the rest of my family stayed back in the Village Amrohiya, where there were no means of higher education. My elder sister had gotten married in a small town called Rura that was nearby to our village. I had just finished my degree course for law and had started looking for good law firms to join like any good lawyer soldier of Justice. I remember the day when I had gotten a call for an interview from one of the biggest law firms in the city, SKC, Samir, Kabir & Co. I remember how happy and excited I was, and religiously prepared for the interview for over a week.

When I reached their offices for the interview, my heart sank as soon as I saw the huge conference room filled with candidates. Eventually, it was my turn to go inside for the interview. I was expecting an old maverick of law with a face like a vulture sitting in front of me, ready to tear me apart with questions. Whereas, instead of an old and mature face, I was greeted by a young and breathtakingly handsome face. Needless to say, I was impressed even before he muttered a single word. Having observed my reaction to him, he grinned and offered me to take a seat. In a clumsy attempt to retrieve my certificates from the bag, I managed to scatter them all over the floor. The rest of the interview involved me doing everything that I had strictly prepared myself not to do. Somehow, I managed to finish the interview and walk all the way back home like a zombie. I wasn't sure whether I would get the job or not, but I was sure that I would do anything to be around Kabir Gupta." Myra paused to look back at every moment and decision from thereon that had led her to right here, right now.

"What happened then? Did you get the job? "Vasudha asked excitedly.

"Yes, but it was not the way I had thought it would be. Kabir Gupta had not been the hero that I had imagined him to be, but rather a most sinister villain of all.Since my first day of joining, it was as if he treated me rudely and with contempt on purpose. It was almost as if he was deliberately humiliating me. It was not what I wanted to do with my life. My dreams were being shattered every single day that I continued to work with SKC. In all honesty, I am not even exaggerating; even other people working in the office noticed that the behavior meted out to me was far below cordial, let alone even be polite. I had started losing weight, I would lock myself in room often and even on holidays, I would refuse to go outside.

Eventually, I realized that I was at the edge of the cliff and I was close to my breaking point. So, I decided to quit, but when I went to give my resignation to Samir Sir, he refused to let me go before I completed the assignment that I had been handling so far.As my last assignment, I had to go to Nainital to meet the clients and assess the property there with a staff member, with whom I'd leave all the details of that particular matter. For that, I had to go to Nainital with a staff member."

Myra's voice stopped slowly as if she had entered into a trance. Vasudha listened, captivated, and dared not call out to Myra lest she be stripped off the safety of her own thoughts. Too often in situations like these, if the chain of thought is broken once, the past starts to dissipate like thin smoke and it feels difficult to keep going on. So Vasudha waited on toes for Myra to continue, and that she did,

"I remember that it was 6.30 in the morning and I hadn't eaten anything, because I've never been good with travel on a full stomach. I had been waiting with a heavy suitcase at the side of the road when a familiar car came towards me. When Kabir Gupta halted the car in front of me, I froze with a sudden shock. I suddenly felt dismayed at the thought of the next few days, so much so, that I didn't even notice Kabir coming out to carry my suitcase to the car and helping me in. Even while we were already on road, I kept thinking how it must have been a joke to Kabir to humiliate and insult me during the entire visit, but I was determined to not let him put me down; if need be, I would return his conduct in kind. Sometimes, it happens such that you are so stuck in your own world that reality passes you by and you try to color it in your own thoughts. When I look back now, Kabir had been nothing but a gentleman but at the time even if he had discovered the cure to AIDS, I would've still tried to put him down in my head.

Kabir had been in a pleasant mood and kept trying to make conversation in a very decent and gentle manner. At the time, I was convinced that the reason for his good mood was the fact that after this visit to Nainital, he would have the pleasure to see me leave his firm for good; such a base person with petty motives. I bit my lip and kept quiet to all his attempts at making conversation; I might have been pushed to the point of leaving the firm, but I would have still not given in to Kabir's tricks.

After reaching Nainital, we headed straight to the client's office where we worked till the evening. Kabir and I managed to complete majority of work that one day, but some of the work still spilled over which would have to be finished the day after. As we were leaving the office, Kabir kept walking at my side closely, something which irritated me a lot that time. I kept walking faster and faster to get away from him, but he'd keep matching my pace with ease. I didn't even realize when I had started jogging away from him until I exited the building and straight into pouring rain.

I still remember Kabir standing there in the shade of the building, completely dry, while I was getting more drenched ever second as I stood there. I fumed with anger and did not even attempt to take shade, I simply started walking towards the parking lot in the heavy rain. I turned my back to Kabir and kept walking towards where the car had been parked. Kabir hadn't come after me to apologize or even call me back to shade to wait until the rain had stopped; it hurt that someone could be so cold. I had reached the parking lot but there was no car to be seen. I looked around in the pouring rain but I couldn't see the car, and suddenly I started crying. I looked back but Kabir wasn't even there anymore, he'd probably gone back inside to have a hot cup of coffee. I don't know why, but at that moment I felt as if every moment of insult and humiliation had come together and broken me completely. I was at least glad that since it was raining so hard, no one could probably tell that I was crying.

Then suddenly the rain stopped, at least above me, and I saw Kabir standing there holding an umbrella over me as he himself got hit by the rain. Kabir looked at me incredulously as if he had noticed that I had been crying until a moment ago. However, he didn't say anything except, "you are completely drenched. I suggest we go straight back to the hotel first, so that you can change out of those wet clothes." Kabir had been genuinely concerned and he looked worried, worried for me!!. He looked at me with those gentle eyes that had once enchanted me so much, and had once again taken me in.

With a twinkle in the eyes, I smiled, "No, it's okay. I like letting the rain pour over me."Kabir looked at me for a second and grinned as he looked at me and I looked back at him. He looked so intently at me that I had to look away out of shame. It was a fresh feeling that made me feel as if there were knots in my chest and my very breathing felt difficult. I kept my head down and hoped that this feelingwould, like the rain, wash away but instead itsimply washed over me.

In my fit of irritation, I had entered the wrong parking lot and Kabir had quickly taken me back to the car. As I sat there dripping over this expensive seats, I kept looking away from him, hoping he wouldn't notice the loud beating of my heart. It was an uncomfortable feeling as I felt choked from too many thoughts and red from embarrassment at the same time. I kept looking away intentionally, but I could still feel his gaze on me. I had to break the tension in that small cramped space, so I said, trying to sound casual, "What is the plan after we get changed? We should be free for the rest of the evening, right?"

"I want to go visit this Temple where I always go to pray at least once, whenever I come here, but if you don't want to come, you don't have to," Kabir said casually. While I was making up my mind whether to go or not, Kabir interjected my thoughts, "Actually, you don't have to come inside the Temple if you don't want, you can just wait outside by the car." My face reddened with irritation at the gall of that man.

"I want to go to this Temple. Why do you always make assumptions about me? Why do you always portray me so negatively? You know what; it's because of that attitude of yours towards me that I'm leaving the firm." I didn't know what had come over me, but I had finally said it. He seemed surprised at my statement, and after having collected his thoughts for a moment, said, "So, it is true. I am the reason that you're leaving the firm. At least now I know the reason why you wanted to leave even though you were doing so well." He then chuckled and added, "Good to know that I hold so much importance in your life to force you out of a job." Suddenly, I felt ashamed and immature at my little outburst, but even then I couldn't have missed the slight disappointment in his voice. After that he did not say another word till we reached the hotel, and neither did I.

After a quick change of clothes and drying ourselves at the Hotel, we left for the Temple since soon the darkness would start falling. It was getting dark and windy when we reached the Temple. It looked as if a storm was about to come. As soon as we reached the Temple, Kabir started walking towards it without having even looked in my direction, as if I did not even exist at that moment. I felt a little apprehensive if I should have been intruding on something that was very important to him but not to me. I decided to stay in the car lest I end up disrespecting something that Kabir held so important.

As time passed, the weather continued to become more and more hostile and even through the closed car, I could gauge the intensity of the building storm. It had now become almost dark and the daylight had disappeared for the most part. The storm roared around me like an untamed beast on all fours, and I had started to become scared. I tried to wait for Kabir to come back to the car, but it had been quite some time since he'd gone and I wasn't even sure if he could make it back to the car in this weather. So, scared and worried, I came out of the car hurried on the trail that Kabir had gone into.

It was like a dark tunnel covered by thick bushes and trees overhead. As I went deeper onto the path, I could no longer hear the roaring of thunder and it felt as if suddenly I was miles away from where I had just been. I saw a faint light coming from up ahead, so I walked towards it. It was right there in front of me, a majestic lingam of Lord Shiva, smooth as water, and as dark as a moonless night. There was both a grand majesty and a glow deserving reverence, coming from the lingam. There was a bountiful offering of fruits and flowers all around, and the Temple itself felt untouched by the outside world, and belonging in a peaceful and tranquil realm of its own.

It was only after a little while that I noticed Kabir, with his forehead bowed to the lingam, who was yet to notice me. Kabir was in deep thoughts and it looked like it was something that had been troubling him very much; his entire body was trembling and he had kept his head bowed for quite some time. Initially, I waited for his prayers to conclude but when he didn't move an inch even after some time, I went to him and gently placed my hand on his shoulder. I asked Kabir if he was okay. He gently raised his head and looked at me as if it was the first time he had seen my face. His face had a calm countenance but his eyes appeared red as if there was a storm raging on within them.

His lips trembled to say something but he decided to stay silent, when I asked him again what was wrong. He took hold of both my arms and said, "Will you forgive me if I told you that I love you; that I have loved you for a long time now. I have tried everything within my power to avoid you, and my feelings that yearn for you, but to no avail. Ever since the first time I saw you, I have felt a indescribable attraction to you; and since then all I've done is to try to ignore those feelings in any ever rude manner possible, but it won't be, my feelings grow stronger with every breath. I confess that I had realized that in the process of denying my feelings, I had also started hurting your feelings, but there could have been no future for this relationship. I have always wanted to say all of these things to you, but ever since I heard of your resignation, I could not hold it in any longer."

I had a hard time believing my ears and my heart, but all I could manage to say was, "Why is there no future for this relationship?" He looked at me, eyes wide, and said, "Does that mean, you, too, feel the same way about me?" It was as unbelievable for him as it was for me; after all, even in the house of god, miracles aren't that common. "Yes, I do. I might not have admitted it before, but standing here, before God, and denying the truth and my feelings is no longer possible for me either. I have felt this way for you since the first moment that I saw you. However, what I thought was love, got torn and tarnished by your insults and humiliation over time, so I decided to let go of that hurtful love and that is why I was going away," I wanted to say more, so much more, but even saying that much had been difficult for me, but it no longer felt like me who went on, "I have failed to hate you as you've pretended to hate me. I feel like I've fallen in love for you all over again."

We wanted to hold each other in our arms but somehow neither one could take a step forward; an invisible wall that constricted our minds and bodies stood between us. There was a question between both of us, but I finally managed to ask, "What about our families? My family will never accept you." Kabir looked at me with eyes that shared the same fears as mine but then a moment later I could see nothing but affection in them as he gently came close and said, "There's nothing to worry about, everything will be alright after some time. I'm just so happy because I never imagined that you would love me as I've loved you, too. Perhaps, I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I stayed oblivious of everything else."

By the time we had come out of Temple, the storm had subsided and the mountains were so tranquil and quite, as if the nature also shared our happiness. We decided to get secretly get married in Nainital itself, and while Kabir had told me not to worry, I was still worried. Although we had tried to keep the marriage a secret, it had already become public knowledge amongst the people that mattered. The news of Samir Gupta's little brother getting married to a Muslim girl of a modest background was a big affair in our small city and everyone in the city was talking about it.

Kabir consoled me while I worried on our way to his house, and told me that it didn't matter what others said as long as I believed in him and that he believed in me. When we stood at the threshold of Gupta Sadan, a servant came out to curtly open the door. He bowed down a little before us, but his eyes kept shifting away from us, and then he said, "Saahib, Maaji has told me that nobody in the family has any connection with you any longer; that you're dead for everyone. Panditji has been doing last rites for your death since the afternoon. I'm sorry, but I cannot let you in." With having said that, I heard the door close softly and the loud clank of locks being turned from inside.

I looked at Kabir's face, but instead of a calm and gentle demeanor, Kabir himself was completely shocked, because even he hadn't expected this. All along, he had been telling me that the situation would be difficult with many people in the family against the marriage, but his mother would stand by them and she would definitely handle everything. He had told me how his mother adored him and there was nothing in the world that could turn her against him; that there was nothing that he could do that his mother couldn't forgive. I tried to think how my family would react to this situation, and if it would surprise me as much, or worse.

Anyway, we took shelter (that's what I would call it) at the home of Ayush, Kabir's friend, until we could arrange for a flat on rent. I told Kabir that I wanted to meet my family. He offered to come with me, but I told him that I wanted to first go alone and test the waters, and only if everything was fine, he should come later. I wanted to face the anger of my family alone. After all, it was their right to be angry with me because I had taken such a big step of marrying a Hindu boy, and that without their permission or consideration. I, like any child, was sure that they would forgive their daughter and further accept Kabir. It's almost funny how even the most mischievous of children hold this unbreakable confidence of love that their family must hold towards them; that there is nothing so bad in this world which won't be forgiven.

Kabir looked at me with pity in his eyes and told me to sit down first. He said that, "People of the Muslim community, and specifically friends and relatives of your family, are looking for us to punish us. In fact, your elder sister Jubaida is the one leading this persecution, because the political party to which she claims affiliation wants to punish this act of sacrilege to curry favor with the people of this community. For your family, it's no longer a family matter, it's religious and more than that it's political. You can't go to your home because your family is not ready to meet you. I had a friend visit your house earlier today, but he was abused and beaten up in the name of being a Hindu when he told them that he was a friend of mine. I'm sorry, but right now staying this way is our best option."

Eventually, using all our friends and valuables, we started building a new life slowly, but happily. It's the truth that we were very happy in each other's company, it remains true as well that both of missed our families terribly. At that time, I had come to realize that no happiness is happy if you don't have a family to share it with. I would sometimes lie awake for hours at night thinking how it would have been if I had not gone to that Temple with Kabir, and I could have still been my papa's gudiya. At moments like this, out of some primal intuition, Kabir would roll up to me and hug me so tightly that I would close my eyes and just thank God for having given Kabir to me.

I had dreamed to living in a paradise, but like all things utopian, it could not sustain forever. Slowly, things began to change and I came to know a new side of Kabir. A different, and ugly side of Kabir has surfaced itself as a result of separation from his family and problems at work. Kabir started to remain in a foul mood all the time; even shouting at me without any reason, and misbehaving with everyone who came to our house. One day, my sister, Jugnu, came to our home to see us because she had been missing me. Kabir neither came out of his room, nor talked to her. Jugnu obviously sensed the situation as she went away only after staying for a little while. I approached Kabir about his misbehavior and day-by-day worsening mood, and then we had a very bad quarrel that day. That was our very first quarrel, but I understood soon that I couldn't let things like that spoil my marriage. Since I had taken the decision to get married to him, I had to stand by it and make it work. I convinced myself that it was a temporary phase and that as soon as our problems were solved, everything will become right. I was wrong, because since then, instead of getting solved, the problems had only multiplied.

A few weeks later, Jugnu visited us once again at our house, but this time to meet Kabir, who had sent a Legal Notice at my parents' house to demand a share in the family property on my behalf. I was shocked to hear of such a thing, and refused to believe it until I asked Kabir about it, and he did not deny it.

"What the hell is this? Why did you not tell me anything about this?"

"Why should I tell you about everything?"

"This concerns my family! I do not want any share in the family property from my father. If only you had told me about this before, I would have forbid you to do this. This sort of thing is utterly against my principles." I was boiling inside but I did my best to keep my temper in control. Suddenly Kabir started shouting, "Oh, please stop Miss High Headed! You and your damn moral preachings! I am sick of them, and of you; Kabir do this, Kabir don't do that, Kabir this, Kabir that. What do you think of yourself?" I was completely speechless by this behavior of Kabir's and went inside to get a glass of water for him but he did not cease his shouting, "There is no need to do this drama! Go sit with your sister, who has come into my house to insult me." He was out of control.

After Jugnu left, I told Kabir, "Listen, you will have to withdraw the notice that you've sent to my family for the share in the family property. I will never let you do this. This flat, in which we are residing, is also in my name. It was allotted to me before I had even gotten married to you, but I didn't leave it to my family and used it for ourselves because we needed it more."

"So? What is the big deal? Girls are supposed to bring dowry with them in marriage but your family didn't have to give anything," he shouted more than he spoke.

"Yes, but those girls don't bring shame to their family by getting married against their family's wishes like I did. Please try to understand that Jugnu is a widow with a child, who is wholly dependent on my parents. My father is already retired and his pension isn't sufficient to sustain four people, but they are still trying to get by somehow." I was sick and tired of the argument and wanted to end this but Kabir wasn't ready to listen. "If you cannot support me in supporting ourselves, then we can't stay together anymore. It's not like I wanted to send the notice, but I am doing this for our sake. I will not take back the notice. This is final." Kabir told me with a straight face. He was no longer the Kabir that I had fallen in love with and married. I left my flat that very night and took a random bus, which brought me here. I came where fate has brought me."

Myra and Vasudha were quiet after that. Myra did not offer any words after that, and Vasudha could find none that were proper to the situation, so both of them walked back in silence to the Hostel.

Myra's reports had come and she had been diagnosed with cancerous cells in her stomach lining. She required chemotherapy to even have a fighting chance. Everyone in the hospital was hopeful that Myra would respond to the chemo, but unfortunately the treatment did not work well on her. Myra's body did not react favorably to chemotherapy treatment, but the treating doctors were hopeful that a higher dose of chemical would work and kill the cancerous cells. The days turned into seasons, Myra's soft beautiful hair turned into a wig, the beautiful radiant eyes turned to two dark sockets, and the poison of chemotherapy turned from the bottles into the very body of the patient. Myra's condition had refused to improve despite extensive chemotherapy. Myra had suffered through the treatment without a complaint, but often at nights she would stay awake, not from the usual coughing or the unbearable pain, but looking at a picture of a man.

Vasudha could not longer see the emotional suffering of her friend and got hold of Kabir's number from Myra's phone. Vasudha contacted Kabir, "Hello, is this Kabir Gupta? I am Dr. Vasudha, calling from The Solan General Hospital in Himachal Pradesh."

"Yes, how can I help you?" a gentle voice asked from the other end.

"I am Myra's friend."

The voice on the other side sounded cold, and stiff, "Where is Myra? How did you get my number? Why isn't Myra the one who's calling me?" It was evident in Kabir's voice that he was anxious and nervous.

Vasudha told Kabir about Myra's condition. Vasudha wasn't sure how Kabir would react, but to her surprise, he appeared very concerned about Myra and just the next day he reached Solan. Vasudha was extremely impressed to meet Kabir; by his good looks, his way of talking, and his behavior in general. However, she did not forget what Myra had told her, and how he had treated Myra. It was his fault that Myra was living such a life of solitude from all she had known, that she was here and leading a lonely life.

Vasudha met Kabir outside the hospital and told him about Myra's condition; how the doctors had tried everything and nothing had seemed to work, and that they had almost given up hope. She told her that it was also the opinion of the doctors that Myra herself did not want to get better and it was one of the participating factors that no treatment had taken to her. After briefing Kabir about Myra's situation, she took him to Myra's room, "Look, who has come here to meet you." Vasudha said happily.

Myra was absolutely shocked to see Kabir and showed a reaction of surprise such that she hadn't shown in days, "Kabir! How is it even possible," and then she looked at Vasudha, "Vasudha, you did this!"

Vasudha did not say anything, but at this point she didn't need to. Kabir expressed tearfully, "Once you were gone, I came to my senses. I cannot even begin to apologize for what I had been doing, and become. I had become a weak person after separation from my family; the fear of losing everything that was left me a very insecure and weak person. I had wanted to give you all the luxuries that life could afford, but instead what I gave you was pain, so much of it, that you were forced to leave me come to a place so far away. However, it's going to be alright now. You don't have to be afraid anymore, now that I am here."

Vasudhaleft them in each other's company and exited the room. By the time Vasudha had returned, all the complaints and grudges, had been washed away amidst the tears from both sides.

Kabir told Myra that he would take her to America for her treatment, and that he would make sure she became better again, but Myra refused. Myra told Kabir that she could already feel that her days in the world were numbered, and she didn't want to go anywhere else as long Kabir was with her. Myra had made up her mind and refused the pleas of Kabir to take her away. Respecting her wishes, Kabir rented a place in Solan to stay near Myra. After that Kabir left no stone unturned, whether it was towards Myra's treatment or for her daily needs, it was only he who was doing everything for Myra.

Kabir also contacted Myra's family, and they also came to see her. Myra's elder sister Jubaida had also come, and insisted that Myra should be taken to Delhi for better treatment. However, Myra refused this proposal saying that she did not want anybody's favor, "Having you do something like that will kill me even before my destined end. Instead, I want you to forgive me for having given all of you so much pain and grief. I'm so sorry for leaving you all of you without so much as a proper goodbye or without respecting your wishes. I did not even know that Papa had passed away; I wasn't even present at this last moments. I'm much too lucky to have met you before I breathed my last." Myra's mother wept silently holding the hand of her daughter and her sisters sat besides her looking at her. Vasudha had been standing in a corner all this time, as Myra wouldn't let her go anywhere. Myra had told Vasudha that, "Kabir, my family, and even my sister, are here with me because of you. Promise me you will be with me till the very end."

Myra's death was peaceful because in the end she had no grudges with anyone whomsoever. After her cremation, everyone went their own way. Kabir was the last one to leave Solan. Vasudha asked him politely, "What are you going to do now?" During these several months that Kabir and Vasudha had been taking care of Myra, a bonding had developed between them.

"I honestly don't know," Kabir answered absentmindedly.

"Are you going to go back to your parents' home?" Vasudha asked.

"Never! I have cut ties with them as they cut ties with me."

"You must always remember that if you ever need someone, I am here for you," Vasudha said and she meant it.

"Will you come to meet me, if I call you?" Kabir asked with a skeptical smile.

"Try and you'll find out," Vasudha said chuckling.

Kabir left Solan that day, but then he came back.

One year later, Kabir and Vasudha got married in Solan. Vasudha gave birth to a baby girl later, whom they named Myra, because it was Myra's last wish that they both should get married to each other.