(Three days later)

Ratneshwari had returned home. She went to her bedroom and took out three photos from her bag. They were Shivan's photos.

Ratneshwari did not have any explanation for her actions. She could not understand why she did that. She only knew that, if she did not do so, she would lose her sanity. Ratneshwari had a few photos of Shivan with her. Every month, she used to visit the shop and get them photocopied. Then, she used to bring the photos home and keep them somewhere - sometimes in the drawer, sometimes inside her diary and sometimes in the almirah.

Ratneshwari kept the photos inside a book and then, went to take a bath. After bathing, she went to the kitchen to cook food for herself. She wanted to cook mango rice but realised that there were no green mangoes at home. She did not want to eat anything else. So, she went to the market to buy some mangoes.

She bought the mangoes and then, took an auto. A passanger was already sitting there. She turned around to look at him. It was Dhruvan. Dhruvan smiled at her nervously. He said,"Actually, my car is being repaired. That's why I took an auto." Ratneshwari nodded her head. Dhruvan wanted to apologise to her.

"Ratneshwari, actually I am sorry. I should not have asked you such....."

"No need to ask for forgiveness. I am sorry. I spoke to you harshly for absolutely no reason."

"It's okay."

"I got angry and scolded you. I bothered you with my personal problems for no reason. I am sorry."

"It's okay, Ratneshwari. I can understand. Well, you have bought green mangoes. Are you going to make mango pickle?"

"No, I'm going to cook mango rice with these."

"Mango rice! That's tasty. My grandmother used to cook that for me when I was young. What about your grandmother?"

"My grandmother had died before I was born. Her name was also Ratneshwari. That's why, my father named me after her."

"Your grandmother must have been a very nice lady like you."

The auto stopped and Ratneshwari got down. She paid some money to the auto driver and left.

(One hour later)

Ratneshwari had cooked mango rice.

She served some rice in a plate. Then, she started serving rice in another plate. Just then, she realised what she was doing. She broke down in tears. There had been numerous instances like this. Before the divorce, Ratneshwari used to serve food in two plates - one for her and the other one for Shivan. That habit had not left her in these 8 years which she spent alone. Very often, she used to forget that she did not need to serve food for Shivan.

Anyways, she wiped her tears and had her food.

(At Dhruvan's house)

Dhruvan was busy studying the textbooks. His mother came to him and handed him a cup of coffee. He took the cup from her hand and started drinking the coffee. His mother said,"Whole day, you keep yourself busy with these history books. If things go on like this, one day, our lineage will also become a history. Tell me, why don't you want to get married? You find faults in every girl you see. You don't even have a girlfriend. How will I....." Dhruvan did not let her complete. He said,"Ammaaaaaaaaa, not now. I am studying now."

Dhruvan's mother took the empty cup and left the room. Dhruvan looked outside the window. He saw raw mangoes on the tree in their neighborhood. He smiled and said to himself,"Ratneshwari, my hair is turning grey. Marry me at the earliest and save my ears from this old lady."

After sometime, Vaijayanti entered his room. Dhruvan saw her.

"Hey Viji!"

"Anna! Did you meet her today?"

"Yes"

"Thank God! What did she say? Is she still upset? And where did you meet her?"

"We met in the auto. I apologised to her. She told me not to apologise and then, asked me to forgive her for being rude to me."

"That's great Anna!!! She's really nice."

"Yes, she is."

"Ohoo ohooo ohooo Annaaaaa. You're blushing. Annaaaaaa..... Oho.... I think that I should give the good news to Amma."

"Viji........"

"I am going to give the good news to Amma. Bye"

"Viji.....wait! What do you want, naughty girl?"

"Awww...my dear Anna. Actually, I want to eat chowmein."

"You....okay wait..... I'll order chowmein for you. Don't eat too much junk food. It's not good for your health."

"Okay my sweet Anna......"

(Evening, at Ratneshwari's house)

Ratneshwari was sitting alone. She had no one to talk to. Years ago, she had tried to end her life. But she was not successful as someone had saved her. She thought,"Is life really worth living? No one cares whether I am alive or not." She felt thirsty. So, she went to the kitchen to drink water. When she was drinking water, she started coughing.

Once, someone had said to Ratneshwari,"If you cough while you are eating or drinking something, it means that someone is thinking about you." Ratneshwari laughed remembering those words while her eyes because moist. She thought,"Who thinks about me now?"

Strange is the game played by fate. Unknown to Ratneshwari, there was someone, who was thinking of her. Love and hate, life and death, these are in the control of none.

(Next morning)

Ratneshwari took her medicines and left for school. She boarded the bus. Two men were sitting on the seat in front of her. They were reading the newspaper. Ratneshwari was listening to their conversation.

"That's bizzare."

"You're right. It has never happened before."

"You are just 25 years old, Joseph. It has happened before. It's just you who haven't heard of something like this."

"Three murders in a day! Who could have done this?"

"God knows. People are being killed by unknown murderers in broad daylight. Who knows? We may be the next ones to die."

"Moses, don't speak nonsense."

"Leave it! What about Rachel? Did she agree to marry you?"

"No! She has a crush on her professor. She rejected me and behaved as if her professor is waiting in the church to marry her."

"That will pass away. It's obvious that her professor is not going to marry her. Don't stop trying. By the way, who is that professor?"

"Professor Dhruvan"

"Professor Dhruvan? The one who teaches history? He is a handsome man."

"My cousin Helena is also his student. She also has a crush on him."

"He's a lucky man."

"Very very lucky"

Ratneshwari let out a chuckle.