Sanyukta became aware of herself as the dawn sky showed off its hues in the soothing pastel bedroom through the french windows. She stretched her arms above her head and smiled to herself, she had vivid recollection of the night that had passed even though she had been high. Not that any night they spent together was less magical but she would remember this night for a long time. After she lost her clothes in a hurry she had pounced on him, with her mouth , tongue and teeth all over and her fingers teasing him where he was most sensitive. While she tried to dive right in he had moderated her overture sensibly.

"Hush baby! We don't want to burn and sizzle like a chinese firecracker!" He had said before making gentle sweet love to her, lingering over her erogenous zones to prolong her pleasure. The night had been more about her rather than him. When she had tried to reciprocate he held her back, simply running his fingers through her hair. She could recall a hundred reasons to be in love him madly, if it had not been for Randhir she could have never come this far! She blinked her eyes, becoming aware of his absence and  sat up feeling just a little woozy. Had he been next to her she would have gone right back to sleep, her body draped over his.

He was not in the bathroom when she went in to check, this meant he must be out jogging. She showered and went to the kitchen to get breakfast started. She rustled up a one dish Turkish breakfast meal called Menemen by cooking eggs over sliced onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, spices. She was almost done when Randhir returned and looked into the kitchen. "Smells appetizing in here! Be back in a jiffy, after a quick shower." He smiled at her as he turned toward the bathroom. "Randhir, can I use your phone to speak to Mom?" She asked him.

"Sure, go ahead!" He replied. She put the stove off and sat down at the kitchen table, dialing her mother's number. Anju answered quickly and both mother and daughter forgot themselves as they chatted with each other. "Don't worry Ma, I'll be back in India in a couple of weeks in time for my college term!" She assured the anxious Anju. "Yes Ma, I eat at work mostly, and the food is quite decent." She added. "Sanyu, don't be out too late, not even with friends, I've heard that the city can be quite unsafe at night!" Anju warned her. Sanyukta went on to explain how she vigilant she was about her security while Anju listened to her patiently.

Sanyukta was unprepared for what came next, suddenly a familiar male voice boomed in her ear through the phone and her heart sank immediately. "Papa!" She blurted out unwittingly. "How dare you call us, how dare you?" Her angry father thundered. "Papa I was just...." Sanyukta stammered. "You have no shame trying to contact us after all the humiliation you put us through! Let me say this, you are as good as dead to us! I was stupid to bother to bring you up. The day you walked out of my threshold leaving that letter behind you ceased to exist for me! Don't bother calling  back, I will make sure your mother never touches this phone again. And for your information Ankit will be my sole heir. I neither care if you live or die, just don't try to get in touch again!" His angry voice reverberated. 

The next moment Sanyukta heard a crash and the line went dead. Her father had probably smashed her mother's phone to smithereens. Her blood ran cold as she imagined what indignity her mother would have to face on her account. When she left home two years ago she knew could never return, and now her father had made it abundantly clear that he had disowned her legally. She could neither cry nor restrain herself, she stood there frozen, warm tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to find release from the sense of doom that enveloped her. When Randhir returned to the kitchen he found her pale as a sheet,  sobs racking her body.

It did not take him long to figure out what had happened, he took the phone from her hand and placed it on the table before throwing his arms around her. "Sanyukta, say something baby!" He steadied her gently as she stood there shaking. "What happened?" He asked, but she refused to speak. He carried her to the bedroom and put her down on the bed, lying down besides her while she buried her head in her pillow!" She continued to weep silently for some time and he held her close. "My own father hates me so much Randhir, he destroyed my mother's phone when he realised she was talking to me!" She opened up slowly, narrating to him what has passed.

"Just let go, Jaan! Forget it like it never happened!" He tried to calm her down. "Why did he have to be so harsh Randhir? I am his daughter, am I not?" She wailed. "We will always be our parent's kids Sanyukta, but you have to learn to let things go! Your father has burned the bridge that connected you. You will bring yourself pain if you try and walk that path again. We don't know what lies ahead, if a reconciliation is possible in the future we shall welcome it, but until then just focus on our present and try to forget the bitterness!" He hoped she could figure what he was trying to say to her. 

She said nothing and just continued to cling to him as he caressed her, trying to fill the void inside her heart. "Please Randhir, don't ever leave me! You are my world now!" She was emotional and he let her cry. "Sanyukta, get up, we are both hungry! Let's have some breakfast. Splash some water over your face, come on!" He coaxed her to get up. In a few minutes he served her some warm coffee to go with the eggs topped with Greek yogurt, prodding her to eat. She was much calmer than before. She had always anticipated her father's rejection but to experience it first hand had been heart-breaking!

After breakfast they went back to bed to let her recover fully. "Don't forget that our country still practices honour killing in certain parts, lovers often meet with a terrible fate. We are lucky we live a different life from them. Look ahead Sanyukta, so that there is no stopping you. If you look back you will only find despair. You can ask after your mother's well-being through your Bengali aunty in Kolkata, but let the dust settle over this matter first!" He said to her as she listened silently. "Can we please go to a temple today Randhir? Any place of worship will do, no matter what faith!" She entreated. "Sure, let's change and step out, if that helps to make you feel better!" He replied. They got up and changed before locking up the house to go out.