I inhaled deeply at the mention of the word‘love’.
Painful memories clouded my mind, dark clouds filled with pain, horror, and sacrifice, made me clench my fists.
“What if it’s not love again?” I asked timidly, meeting her eyes. Her brows furrowed.
“What could it be, then?” she asked, her voice slow.
“A need, attachment, attraction—anything that feels short-lived. What if it’s just a thread tying us together from each end, making it impossible to escape each other, yet also impossible to live together?” My throat felt tight as I spoke slowly, and she smiled warmly.
“That's exactly what I meant when I talked about giving life another chance. You’ll never know until it happens. Trusting once is easy, but giving another chance is the actual battle, not against others, but within yourself. You constantly judge that journey, whether it’s a person or life itself, watching every step so closely that you’ll miss the essence because you’re too busy critiquing it to feel the happiness it can bring,” she said, leaving me too stunned even to respond.
The image of his face and green eyes blurred through my thoughts.
Maybe Daadi-sa was right; I had been too rigid in thinking and closed myself off.
Perhaps I should’ve placed my trust not in individuals, but in life itself, waiting until it led me to him.
I nodded silently, and she smiled, gently touching my head.
“Come with me,”
She didn’t ask me to wear anything but bangles. I took the dupatta and adjusted it on my forehead.
Honestly, I felt nothing—absolutely nothing. Not even a hint of excitement. I knew where I belonged, even if the doors were closed.
I walked with her to a guest chamber where couches were arranged. I noticed a tall man standing as we arrived.
“Please, sit down,” Daadi-sa said, and I helped her onto the couch. She held my hand, pulling me closer to sit beside her.
I remained silent as they spoke.
“Pranaam, Rajmata34,” I heard a deep voice.
“Pranaam, Bhaan Singh.” Daadi-sa replied, then turning toward me, she added,“This is Suman.”
I couldn’t help but bring my palms together to greet him.
“Ji, pranaam,” he responded kindly, and I heard a woman beside him ask Daadi-sa a few questions about me, to which she replied politely.
Daadi-sa was humble; she knew that he would have done it if she had ordered him to marry me, but she wanted the best for me. That’s why she was putting in extra effort to build this relationship.
Suddenly, she said,“Suman, take him inside and ask him whatever you want to.”
My eyes widened in shock, and I sat in silence, immobile.
She nudged me, and I gulped nervously, standing up. He too stood, and I clenched my fists, silently walking inside as his footsteps followed me.
I looked around to see if Kunwar Agastya was there. I didn’t know if he was too angry to do anything.
“Um… are you comfortable?” he asked politely, and I turned to look at him, nodding slowly.
“Please, have a seat,” I said, gesturing towards the couch as I watched him sit down.
There was a long pause before he began.
“Um, are you happy about this set-up?” he asked quietly, and I bit my lip nervously when he added,“Please, sit down; you don’t have to keep standing.”
I walked over to the other couch across from him and sat down.
