Winner of Wattpad India Awards 2020 (Judge's Choice) in the New Adult category.
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"The lights are cheeky, you can't live without them, and yet if you get too close, they'll blind you. Darkness? Well it doesn't cheat. It's cool and soothing. It's r...
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The following morning, Madhu embarked on a quest to find the nearest telephone in Bhabra.
Her stomach growled angrily in reaction to her decision of skipping breakfast. Even though Nakoo had given zero indication about being interested in the contents of the letter, she still felt apprehensive about facing him. Especially after the decision she had arrived at.
Her discomfort, while technically misplaced, made sense in some weird way. In spite of her legal ownership over the property, Nakul was the one maintaining and using it. Going behind his back felt like betrayal.
Later. She would tell him later. He would understand.
Arriving at the bazaar, she went straight to the paan shop whose owner also operated a pay phone. He lazily nodded when she asked to use it, mouth already stained red from paan containing chewing tobacco, which unfortunately was the only type of breakfast most residents of Bhabra could afford.
Madhu tried to ignore his gawking as she dialled her father's number. He answered on the first ring.
"Hello?"
That was too quick. She hadn't even finished practicing greeting him after so long and almost stumbled over her words. "Uhh--Hello? It's me Papa, Pranam."
"Oh, jeeti raho." The static of poor network could not hide Mahesh Lal's awkward cough after he blessed her. "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay, couldn't contact you because my phone broke. How's Jasm Inn holding up?" she said in a rush.
"It's still fully booked so that's reassuring. Don't worry too much about the hotel, I'm handling it. Did you receive the contract about Bhabra?"
"Yes, that's why I called." She relaxed into the conversation; glad they had moved past the stiff small talk. "I don't really see a hotel here; the site is too isolated and Bhabra isn't exactly...welcoming." She took a deep breath. "Mr. Bansal's offer is our best option."
"Are you sure you want to sell it?" Came his quiet voice from the other end.
"Yes."
"Well it is your decision, everything would be signed and done on Dhanteras. You'll be back by then, right?"
Dhanteras. The auspicious day which falls two days before Diwali, specifically significant for making expensive purchases. "Yeah I'll be in Delhi."
It was four weeks away. Madhulika had just about a month to arrive at a closure with her village. And she decided to make the most of it.
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