Sea Mist

Epilogue

Six months later ...

Khushi stood on the sea shore looking at the horizon as the waves lapped gently onto her feet. The sea that had cause so much havoc six months ago, seemed absolutely calm and soothing. Just like the sea, everything had settled down in their lives. Sometimes she still couldn't believe Payal had retuned safe and sound, after having been gone from their lives for eight long years. She still wished her sister had returned home on that fateful night, even though Payal had recounted her predicament as to why she had decided against it.

After she had fainted at the hospital, Payal happened to be in the section of the hospital where they were running an illegal abortion clinic. When she had told them she wasn't pregnant, the nurse had told her that they had tested her and that she was positive. That's when she knew she had to escape at any cost.

After witnessing the murder, when she got into the taxi, she was still planning to come home and then she began to recall what the murderers had talked. They had made a phone call and told the person on the other end that they had killed "Payal" and " brother-in-law Akash" was on his death bed. That's when she knew that it was Akash's wife's brother that had planned it. She thought that if the man found out that she was alive, he would come after her and her family. She couldn't reach out to Arnav since he was running helter-skelter to save Akash.

She wasn't sure if she had a life growing inside her, but she couldn't risk it. So, she made a quick decision to get away as far as possible from there and thankfully the taxi driver had helped her.

In the train, a kind lady called Sarah Fernandes had befriended Payal and sensing that she needed help had told her she worked for a Christian trust that helped women in distress. She had involuntarily assumed Nandita's identity. The nuns who worked at the trust had taken her in and given her shelter and since she was educated, they had given her a teaching job in the convent. After she had given birth to Akshat they had continued to help her raise him. Just the previous year, she had moved him to a residential school so that she could take up some more work.

But all that was in the past for the last six months had been a period of healing for all of them. After her return, Payal had preferred to stay in Bangalore and thanks to Arnav, they had managed to retrieve the house from the errant tenant. Their mother had also moved from Chennai so that she could spend time with her grandson.

Khushi raised her face to the sunlight, inhaling the fresh sea air.

"Khushi!" Arnav called out from behind her.

She turned around, ran up to him and into his arms, to reach up as he leaned in to capture her lips. Her heart raced as she pressed herself to his hard frame.

After a while they broke apart to watch the sun shining brightly just above the horizon. Khushi held on to Arnav's arm as they walked along the shoreline.

"Why couldn't you come last night?" he demanded.

"You know I had exams Arnav," Khushi said, "and mom didn't want me to take the night flight."

Arnav pursed his lips. "It's been six months Khushi!"

"Well, you were away the first three months," Khushi pointed out. Arnav had also gone to the US with Manav, for a series of meetings and they had both returned three months ago.

"So, you took revenge in the next three. Every time I came to Bangalore we are either socializing at your mom's house or with Akash and Payal at my apartment."

Khushi knew he was miffed with her a little as they hadn't been able to spend time alone in the last three months. As Arnav had work in Delhi, he had been traveling back and forth.