"Aunty, please! I understand that you may be too busy to take time off but at least let Sanyukta attend!" Parth was at Anju's place in Mumbai to formally invite mother and daughter for his wedding. No matter how frosty the relationship between Anju and his mother Anju had been his teacher and Mowgli was a childhood friend. 

"You know Parth, it is not about how busy I am! You know the truth, it is best for me to avoid being in the presence of your parents, although my blessings will always be with Vidushi and you. I know the two of you will make a splendid couple. Just hope Randhir finds himself an ideal partner soon enough." Anju's lips curved into a genuine smile as she plied Parth with homemade snacks and coffee. Sanyukta blushed as Parth winked at her quickly. Fortunately Anju did not notice their interlude.

"Ok Mowgli, if you cannot make it to Goa I want you there at the cocktail party in Mumbai. The resort is just a short distance from where you live, you have no reason for an excuse!" Parth paused as Anju turned to go to the kitchen with the empty coffee mugs.

"I am sure my brother would be pleased to see you too, so make sure not to disappoint us. My parents will just put in a brief appearance, then we'll have only friends around. I am counting on you to be there!" He whispered to Sanyukta.

Sanyukta was perplexed. As much as she would love to attend because it presented a chance to meet Randhir, the prospect of bumping into Renuka made her nervous. But Parth made her promise that she'd be there. After chatting for a while Parth said goodbye and left to go.

"Ma, I know I have asked you this many times. But why did you not remarry after you took up the teaching job? Maybe your life would be different if you had found a partner!" Sanyukta was familiar with her mother's response yet she was seeking any answers that had not emerged earlier.

"Sanyu,  I have told you the reasons so many times! My marriage wasn't the most brilliant experience. After complete lack of compatibility and having suffered so much, widowhood was actually quite liberating. I was a single parent but it gave me the right to choose how I wanted to live. I was no longer in constant fear of being beaten up or blamed for that man's misfortunes. Moreover my new-found economic independence gave me the confidence to make my own decisions. Marrying again was a risk I was unwilling to take, a stepfather could turn out to be as bad as your abusive father." Anju had other reasons but chose not to disclose them to her daughter. Nevertheless Sanyukta suspected that her mother's not having gotten over Harsh Shekhawat was a strong one. To Anju's mind nobody was good enough to replace him.

Sanyukta asked herself if unrequited love was enough to live by. Anybody else would have moved on and tried to find happiness after a failed relationship. On the other hand her mother had lived her best years on just memories of a few moments spent with her first love who had visibly prospered after marrying someone else. Since her early teens this deal had struck Sanyukta as unfair and if she quizzed her mother the standard reply was that it was enough to see Harsh Shekhawat doing well for himself. 

After brooding for months on whether or not she should accept Parth's invitation Sanyukta decided that she would not give up the way her mother did. Randhir would be in Mumbai for a short break, she'd never forgive herself if she had not tried approaching him. She was never this eager to know the outcome. She had to plan carefully, it was important to show restraint. She had to be understated in her attire and manner alike.

She treated herself to complete body and hair spa twice in the fortnight before the occasion. Never one to lavish attention to herself she was glad Gayatri had gifted her a chic cocktail dress that was well cut and she invested in a pair of smart shoes and a clutch bag. She checked her reflection carefully one last time before disembarking from the cab she hired. Her looks would definitely pass muster at the classy soirée.

Her eyes zeroed in on Sahil and Yoyo, a part of her old group of friends from Goa who greeted her affectionately. She was meeting them after years. Kaustuki and Jignesh had moved to Dubai a few months ago. Sanyukta waited in the shadows till she saw Renuka and Harsh leave the party. Only then did she follow her friends as they approached the newly weds. 

She greeted Vidushi and Parth warmly, congratulating them. Vidushi looked elegant as usual, with just a hint of fatigue that was masked by her bridal glow. Surprisingly she met Sanyukta enthusiastically, even complimenting her on her looks. 

"So glad you could come! Hope your mother is feeling better now!" Parth hugged Sanyukta.

"You know her, Parth! She will not take a break, her health is bound to be affected!" Her eyes darted around trying to locate the person who was playing hide and seek that evening, appearing every now and then but vanishing in between, probably busy attending to all the guests. The cocktail party at the beachside resort in Mumbai had been Randhir's idea, it was one of his many gifts to the bridal couple. Sanyukta knew she had to wait a while until Randhir was free enough before she could strike up a personal conversation with him. So far they had just exchanged looks and he had grinned approvingly at her from a distance. 

Sahil went to the bar to get another drink while Yoyo met someone he knew professionally. Sanyukta found herself alone for a moment and she clutched her glass a little more firmly as her eyes followed Randhir in the crowd, wondering how she was going to initiate anything with him when so many people were around.

"Hello Cinderella! Looks like Fairy Grandmother's magic touch transformed you into quite a sophisticate!" Sanyukta froze to see Vishad standing before her. He looked different, almost as if he had been touched by the Fairy Godmother too. Sanyukta hated to admit that he looked handsome, just like she had blurted out once to Randhir.

"Hi Vishad, where's Tanya? Hope she is well!" Sanyukta faked a smile, trying to appear unruffled by Vishad's presence around her. Nothing could make her forget what he had tried to do to her. 

"Yes, thank you! She is a great gal and enjoys good health the year round! Girls who keep in shape do well for themselves. But you know that already, Ms Physiotherapist!" Vishad smirked at her, his eyes making her feel uncomfortable as they took in her contours in the well-fitting dress. Suddenly Sanyukta felt self conscious and wished he would go away from there.

"Still got designs on the most promising Shekhawat boy? Don't say you were not forewarned, but don't expect anything more than getting into bed with him! Every hot and rich girl has being trying to get him to date her but our elusive bachelor is determined to save himself for his special American girlfriend! So don't get your hopes up yet! I must admit though, you will make a tasty little hors d'oeuvre for any Shekhawat male apart from Parth who is already sold into slavery!" Vishad laughed aloud at his own joke, making Sanyukta cringe.

"Hope you don't mind if I whisk this young lady off to meet some friends!" Randhir's eyes betrayed his dislike for Vishad even as he grabbed Sanyukta by the wrist and led her away from his cousin and the rest of the company.

"Where are we going, Randhir?" Sanyukta could see that they were walking down a side path that led to a secluded cottage.

"Someplace where that bast**d cannot eye rape you! What were you thinking hanging out with him? In case you have forgotten he is the same guy who tried to violate you once!" Randhir's handsome face was flushed with his heightened emotions. Vishad could easily bring out the worst in him.

"He just showed up out of nowhere! What could I do? Make a scene?" Sanyukta retorted indignantly.

Randhir swiped the room key at the door and it yielded, admitting them inside. He slipped the keycard into the slot on the wall to switch on power in the room.

"Of all that I had been imagining this is hardly the way I had expected us to meet today!" Sanyukta bristled.

"You know I hate that ass being anywhere near you! He brings out the Mr Hyde in me! Sorry Mowgli, did not mean to be so abrupt with you!" Randhir relaxed his grip on her arm.

In response she just  threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek affectionately. He reciprocated by pinning her against the wall and brushing his lips on her neck and cheek, holding on to her in a surprisingly warm intimate gesture.

"Missed you so much!" She whispered.

"Missed you as much, Mowgli! Just wish that creep was not around you as I found him!" He growled huskily. 

Sanuykta was glad he held her firmly in his arms, because without that her weak knees would simply cause her to crumble into a heap. She wanted time to stand still so that the moment could be frozen for eternity. She wondered what lay ahead and hoped she was not imagining what was happening right then.