With one last look at the board, Rajjo bid adieu to her past, she was never going to visit this place again.

As the rickshaw whizzed through the narrow crowded lanes, both Raahat and Rajjo were lost in thought. Quietly, both boarded a bus back to the ashram. With a hint of excitement, Raahat enquired, ‘What would I be when you become Guru Maa Durga? Baapu-ji Raahat?’

‘Shut up, you will go back to college and then we will decide what to do with you.’

‘No, I am eloping with Asha then… I don’t want to study…’

‘We shall see…’

Rajjo stared out of the window with a calm look and a smile. It was a matter of time.

‘How are you getting Neeta Sahni?’ Raahat asked.

‘Get me the papers of the bogus land deal Mehtaab closed last month… I will give her news with the proof and she will cover my event.’

Raahat almost jumped up in his seat with a squeal, drawing some lazy glances from tired fellow passengers. The bus groaned and howled and screeched and wailed all through the journey, throwing its passengers mid-air with every bump.

As Raahat settled in his seat, and the bus hit a bump, and all were thrown out of the seats in symphony, and all settled back yet again, Rajjo leaned in and and repeated what she’s said.

‘Get me the papers of the bogus land deal Mehtaab closed last month… I will give her news with the proof and she will cover my event.’

‘Are you crazy? Mehtaab will bury us alive!’

‘Only if he knows… You better do it smartly… In fact you just point out the file to me and I will do the needful. You won’t get into trouble’ Rajjo placed her hand on his arm in a comforting gesture.

‘No…,’ Raahat said, shaking his head, already living the horrors that could follow once Mehtaab discovered their act.

‘OK, I will figure it by myself.’ Rajjo patted his hand yet again.

Raahat stared at Rajjo.

‘Slow down…’

Rajjo responded with a smile.

‘Fine! I will do it! Women!’ Raahat rolled his eyes already wondering how was he going to get to the Xerox machine.

The bus turned a sharp corner and finally stopped with a jerk right outside a bus stop. A deluge of people awaited the arrival of the bus. Before the driver could stop, Passengers made a dive for the doors in the hope of getting a seat. They waged a war against each other and those who could nudge, push, surge ahead through arms, bodies and legs were able to sit on the hard seat.

The bus instantly filled up. Amidst the ruckus she heard Raahat scream into her ear yet again.

‘Did you call your hero this week…?’

It pinched her, the question he asked. Like a snowflake accidentally caught in her eye.

‘I have stopped calling him.’ She heard her voice come out in a hoarse whisper.