Rajjo was quiet as she took in the sight of the ghats from this high point and let Prem Nath continue his customary greetings. They waited for her to turn and acknowledge them, but Rajjo wanted a few more seconds to herself. She noticed that every inch of the ghat was covered with piles of wood.

Did he know about all those calls she made and all those hours she waited for him? It made her laugh.

She heard Prem Nath say in his calm business voice, ‘We have come to seal and formalize our association in this pious place and to extend our thanks to the Durga trust for supporting the TRP party in the election next year. We can finalize the details with Karam-ji or Rano-ji, once you officially give your blessing. Harsh-ji personally wanted to meet you to start the alliance.’ Rajjo wondered why he did not say a word, why he did not step forward.

She turned to face them but the moment she faced him disappointed her. Nothing happened in those seconds that passed by as they stood facing each other. She was waiting to see something – a flicker of emotion, recognition. Nothing. He just stood there, without a hurry in the world, as if nothing was going to shake him up.

‘No,’ she heard herself croak.

There was an awkward silence.

And it was then their eyes met for a longer time. It was then that Rajjo’s heart skipped a beat. Slowly it dawned on her that he was not a phantom. Unfortunately, her memory had not done justice to him. Age had carved grooves and lines on his face that were etched in Rajjo’s heart already. His piercing ebony gaze forced Rajjo to hold her own. She dare look down, she dare look away. He smiled at Rajjo, with amusement lurking in his eyes. ‘We have met – a long time back.’ Rajjo challenged him before he could push her in a corner.

He nodded assuredly. ‘Of course we have…’

He was not upset, neither embarrassed. He was not anything. He met her like a stranger. Rajjo wanted to push him down from the ghat, so he could drown in the belly of the Ganga and learn some humility on his way back up!

‘Sorry to have wasted your time…’ She turned away from him before she could physically push him away.

For the first time in years she wondered what she wore. She hoped the saffron mark on her forehead was not smudged. Little did she know that her lithe form clad in the muslin white sari made her seem like an ethereal being.

‘I think we shall stay back and persuade you…’ she heard him say in a husky tone.

Rajjo turned to look at him, as he stepped forward, closer to where she stood. She could feel the heat trickle through the soft muslin cloth she wore. He was challenging her. He knew all along what she was doing. He was playing with her. Rajjo turned away from him, staring at the ghats.