Chapter 1

Meera Gupta ran into the hospital, leaving her luggage in the car, she slowed down on entering the building and briskly moved to the reception. She unzipped her handbag and began rummaging through it, looking for her phone. The nurse on the reception glanced at her curiously, she took a peak at the boarding pass that had fallen out of Meera's bag but could only see the destination of Departure, mentioned as New York. The boarding pass was dated of the same day, well obviously the destination of arrival was their city, the nurse told herself. Meera quickly scrolled through her texts and frantically asked, "Room no 103?"

"This way madam" The nurse pointed to her right. Meera swiftly began walking towards that direction, her sneakers squeaking with the lustrous marble under them. She glanced around chanting, 'room no 103' to herself and spotted the room, she slowly peaked through the window and saw an old man, his skin pale and hair grayer than the last time she had seen them, which was on video call just a week ago. He was inflicted on with various medical equipment and various Tv like boxes that monitored his vitals like they were the score of a cricket match.  Meera gasped and placed her hand on her mouth, her eyes began tearing up as she sniffled for breath and turned around to look away from that sight, she saw a man waiting for her, "Uncle" she said as she went and hugged him, beginning to sob profusely. The man caressed her hair 

-

"Heart attack" Her uncle began, "His heart is only 40% functioning now" 

Meera sat on a chair, wrapped up in a shawl, her mother's hand was around her shoulders as her nose prepared itself to play the role of Rudolph, for Christmas this year. 

"Don't worry beta, he'll be perfectly alright" her mother cajoled her. 

"Doctors have given him 6 months" Her aunt said in a phlegmatic manner

"Choti, shh, she doesn't have to know she is still a child" Her father said putting out his hand in the air

"Why bhaiya! why shouldn't she know! She isn't a child anymore! Papa loves her the most! She has a right to know!" her aunt said choking on her words as her uncle rubbed her shoulder.

Meera Gupta had been working as an architect in a firm in New York, after her masters. To her, the most important person in the world was her grandfather and today she felt threatened as she was on the verge of losing him. Her mom and Dad, Niyati and Manish Gupta had never objected to their daughter being ambitious, her aunt and uncle, Nidhi and Yash had always been her pillars of supports, encouraging her to follow her dreams, sometimes saving her from her mother's rebukes, sometimes saving her when she fought with her brother Sidhant.

Nidhi was Manish's sister, to her, her father had been her support system, she was always closer to her father than her mother, when Meera was born, Nidhi was merely 18, she accepted that the place of princess in her father's heart had changed with the incoming of a granddaughter and Nidhi had no qualms whatsoever, she was happy to share her place. To her Meera was her first daughter, before of course she got married, moved houses and had her own kids. But today, seeing her father dependent on a machine to simply breathe, she was scared and furious. 

"Nidhi, why do you worry, now that papa's darling princess is here, he shouldn't take any time to recover" Niyati said as she stood up to hug Nidhi 

"Bhabhi, but do we ignore the fact that he'll be gone?" Nidhi asked, her eyes tearing up, she then looked towards Meera and slowly walked towards her, cupping Meera's face with one hand, she tried to speak without breaking down, "Meera, he loves you the most, he didn't miss me as much after my bidaai (farewell), as he missed you after you left home, I know that your career is important, but Meera, he is your dadu (grandfather), just come back home Meera, stay with us now, stay with him, that's all that he needs, just stay with him" She said beginning to sob uncontrollably. An emotional Meera hugged her back, she hadn't flown across the globe for nothing. As soon as she received the news of his deteriorating health, she realized how much she loved him and how little time she had with him. Priorities were bound to change, yeah maybe she'd have to start over at a less reputed firm, probably deal with a few jackasses in the industry, all over again, make her space in a man's field, but it didn't matter! She'd do it, she'd do anything for her grandfather. Anything.

-

Prithviraj's eye's slowly opened, his eye lids fluttered, he regained consciousness but too him it all just seemed like a nightmare, he slowly processes all the beeps what he couldn't process was his vision. There was someone familiar sitting in front of him, holding his hand, "Meera? My doll? My angel is this really you?" he said, his flat lips curving

Meera smiled as she delicately held his worn out hands, almost like a skeleton, veins protruding out. She hated that it wasn't the same fleshy palm that she had always been used to. "Yes Dadu, it's me, it really is me" she said as she caressed his forehead. 

"I had to go through so much to get you to come back to me, these doctors here keep poking me and the nurses here keep putting into me disgusting tasting things, all so I could see you in person!" Prithviraj cried out feebly yet with a certain playfulness in his voice

"I'm sorry Dadu, I am sorry"  Meera cried out as she bent to hug him

"Okay so my child, now that you have come, I want you to promise me that you will fulfill my last wish" Prithviraj said, still feebly

"I'll go climb the everest if that is your last wish, just try me" Meera said, she could do anything, I repeat, anything, he wanted. 

"I wish to see you married, before I die" Prithviraj declared

Marriage hadn't even crossed Meera's mind! Marriage! What had he just said! She hadn't even been in a serious relationship, ever! That's how commitment phobic and non supporter of relationships and marriages she had been! Boys were friendzoned within a glance. Even the most sexually appealing boys who had offered her space in their beds and hearts, were refuted to.  Listening to the word Marriage made her "Eww" to herself and here she was, at cross roads.