The breeze blows along his hair, making it fly behind him. On Pallavi's insistence, Rajesh agreed to take off his headband. They had taken a long ride to the beach to catch the sunset. Rajesh could not stop taking glances at her face from time to time. Her smile was so mesmerizing, her luscious lips so inviting, her rosy cheeks so soft.

'Wow she is so beautiful. Damn time ran away fast' Rajesh thinks as he takes one more glance.

"When we are with someone we like, time flies" Pallavi replies, as she walks in the sand, with her sandals in her hand, enjoying the breeze.

"Ohh. I thought it was just in my mind. I didn't know I said that out loud" Rajesh grins sheepishly.

"You didn't say it out loud. But it was evident in your face." she replies, turning back towards him, with her head tilted to her side, in a romantic way. "Ohh and by the way if you want to see me that much why don't we click some picture here. That way you can keep looking at them at your convenience" she adds.

"Yeah but that won't compare to your face" Rajesh flirts back.

"That is true. I am the most beautiful girl in the world" she replies back cockily.

They both sit down and watch the sun, inching its way to the horizon. Rajesh gets up to get some ice cream for them. He hands over strawberry flavor to her and retains chocolate flavor with him. Pallavi takes a bite eagerly as child, only to cringe and spit it out with an audible yuck.

"Hey what happened you didn't like it?" Rajesh asks as he leans towards her

"Yeah. I don't like it. How is yours" she asks, wiping her lips with her hankdkerchief.

"Why don't you try for yourself" Rajesh suggest as he extends his ice cream towards her.

"Are you sure? If I like it, I will finish it" she warns him, opening her eyes fully.

"I am sure. In the meanwhile hand me your strawberry ice cream. Let me get a taste of that" saying that he snatched the strawberry ice cream from her hands and passes his untouched chocolate one. She eagerly bites onto it and lo! A smile flashes on her face. She hungrily bites another chunk, before guiltily looking at Rajesh, with her big doe eyes. He just laughs at her shaking his head and gorges onto her strawberry ice cream.

They head to the water and get their feet wet in the waves. As they pass time, Pallavi's face turns little serious.

"Rajesh why are you so nice to me?" she asks as she turns towards him.

"What do you mean by that. You are an attractive, successful girl. Why should I not be nice to you" Rajesh explains, perplexed with her sudden change in her mood.

"You still don't need to. We are just business clients." She answers.

"I would like to maintain a good relationship with my clients." He fights back.

"That's not the only reason why guys are good to girls you know right?" she asks with a tone of sarcasm.

"Ok. I will be frank. I think you are beautiful. From the day I saw you for the first time in your office, I was smitten over you. Over the time you have showed that you are talented, independent, strong. So pardon me, but I would like to see our friendship grow" Rajesh blurts out, knowing that honesty is always the better way to a girls heart.

"I will appreciate your honesty. But I can't guarantee anything more than platonic friendship and client-provider relationship" she replies, looking at her own feet, sinking into the sand as the waves recede back.

"Life is like these waves Rajesh" she continues as she looks to him with a faint smile. "It will give you the pleasure and rewards, like when the water hits you feet. But just when you think that you have everything in your life, the water goes back and takes the sand beneath your feet, making you sink. It continues up to the point where you can't sink anymore" she says, with the faint smile still in her face.

"You are a strong woman. Things will work out for you. You will make them work out for you. You are still young...." Rajesh says, just before she cuts him off in the middle.

"I am older than you Rajesh." she says blatantly.

Taken aback by the sudden revelation, Rajesh tries his best to keep his composure. He inches closer to her. Thoughts of holding her hand comes to his mind, but he bushes them off.

"I am a widow Rajesh. I got married four years ago. He was loving, caring man. It was love marriage. We both were of different castes. But our parents were open minded enough and went along with our relationship. I was welcomed like a daughter in their house and he was like a son to my parents. They gave me full freedom to pursue my job and did not put any kind of pressure to start a family. It was the perfect fairytale." She opens up, as she starts to well up. Sensing that she needs his utmost support now, Rajesh throws all inhibitions to the wind and holds her hand into his. He squeezes her hand shut into his hand, with the perfect blend of force and firmness that she identifies the support. An Audible gasp escapes her mouth, as she reacts to his hold. Though this as not expected, she never thought that in a million years she will open up about her past to a person she knows only from the past six hours. But something about his face and his actions felt that he can be trusted. And just as she was reliving all of it, at the point where she felt at her lowest, he held her hand, like as if he knew how she felt. She turns towards him, a weak smile making its way to her face in between her tear stains.

"Though we did not plan to start a family for until we were ready, I became pregnant after a year into our marriage. I told him on the phone and he was ecstatic. He insisted on returning back home the very moment. In spite of my refusal he wanted to come home and take me to temple. Even though I didn't want him to come, on some part I was happy that he was making his way back, speeding ... through the ...traffic" she chokes at the last part. Words come to her mouth, but something is stopping her. Sensing this, Rajesh tightens his hold a little bit. This gives her a newfound courage.

"He met with an accident on the way home. When I heard about it, I fainted. Luckily, my mother in law came back from the market quick and she found me lying unconscious on the floor, with the phone little away. She quickly phoned my father in law and the hospital from and took control of the situation. She helped me regain consciousness and made me calm and we went to the hospital. What I saw through the door, sucked out all my life force. My loving husband was lying on the table, with various tubes attached him. We waited outside for some hours before the doctor advised us that we can see him but not disturb him as he was in a critical condition. I did not have the courage to see my man in such a condition. So my mother in law came inside with me. I could not find any words to speak. So I just held his hand and cried. After some time my father in law also came, with my family right behind him. Everybody saw my husband and were consoling me, in vain. I was gripped with the fear of the inevitable. That night, my husband gained consciousness and we spoke a little. He spoke with my mother in law for quite some time. Since the visiting hours were finished, the hospital staff asked us to leave, leaving just one person to attend to. I badly wanted to stay, but my father in law was stubborn on taking me back home with him. But my mother in law saw the love I had for my husband and agreed to let me stay for the night on the condition that I will head home the first thing in the morning when my father in law comes. That night I slept holding my husband's hand, with my head next to it. Next morning my in laws came early. As I was supposed to leave, my husband went into a toxic shock. The doctors rushed to his help. At that I was too stunned to even move. My father in law supported my while my mother in law was offering prayers silently, standing next to me. Ten minutes later, I heard the news which no wife wants to hear. My husband was no more. The apple of my eye had left for heavenly abode. I was too distraught to even process the information. I fainted there in the hospital itself and woke up only 3 days later. My mother was next to me. She helped me through to my in law's house. There I saw, My husband's photo in the wall with a garland and incense sticks" she breaks down at this point, sobbing incessantly.

Not sure whether to hug her, Rajesh stands holding her hand, fighting his conscious to hug and console. But seeing her crying inconsolably, his conscience wins and he just pulls her in for a tight hug. He just runs hand over her back, trying his best to console her. After a couple minutes, her crying comes under control and she again opens up in between her sobs.

"I lost my baby in the stress. I was too distraught to even come out of my room. I would just sit in the corner and keep on staring at the wall throughout the day. My mother in law would come and feed me and make me sleep. But I never got any slept. Because of that I suffered high fever for one whole week. That was my last straw. My father in law forced me to go to my home for some days where I could gain some strength. My mother nursed me back to health. My mother in law helped me cope up with the emotional stress and helped me come out of it. On suggestion of my father law I moved here and joined SIDCO. Four years have passed on since and still my in law's take care of me before. They helped with the guilt I had that I killed my own husband. They keep on telling me to move on and find love. But I am not able too." She confesses, wiping away her tears.

"It's ok. I am proud of you Pallavi. After all that had happened, you still found the strength to keep on moving. I admire your strength." Rajesh comforts her cupping her face.

"Thank you Rajesh. You made me feel very light today. I rarely opened up about my past to anyone, but with you I felt that I could trust you." Pallavi replies, a faint smile making its way.

Rajesh pulls her in for a hug and runs his hand on her back. "You can always trust on me and count on me. I will always be there for you" he consoles her.

"Thank you Rajesh. It means a lot to me" she replies in between sobs. They break the hug, Rajesh wipes of her tears and holds her hand.

"How about some more chocolate ice cream before I drop you back?" Rajesh suggests with a smile on his face, hoping that Pallavi will agree. Pallavi nods in agreement, her faint smile becoming bigger.

They head back, holding hands, leaving the setting sun behind...like their past...towards a new start.