Page 34 of A Kiss in Kashmir

Sharmila went over and hugged her daughter tightly, wiping her own tears.

“Alina, firstly, I am sorry. I was concerned that they would be angry with me. It’s because of me that they lost their son. If that was the case, I didn’t want you there to see that. I was just trying to protect you. I’m so sorry. I know you’re not a child now. Please forgive me, Alina. I meant no harm. I did not know how they would react to me, to us.”

A knock on the door startled them. Sharmila wiped her face and went to open it. It was George.

“What happened?” he asked when he saw her face. Then he saw Alina’s tears and, with more urgency, asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong, George.” Alina was now standing with her arms crossed. “Why didn’t you take me to see my grandmother? Why did you let my mom go without telling me? And now? What do you want, George?”

“Alina, that’s no way to speak to him.” Sharmila didn’t want to lecture Alina, but this was downright disrespectful.

George’s eyes were wide. He went to Alina and took her hands in his. “I’m sorry. I had no bad intent, Alina. Your mom and I were just trying to shield you in case things went south. Seriously, that’s all.”

Alina hadn’t stopped crying. George wiped the remaining tears on her face. “You don’t look so good with your eyes swollen like that. Tears are precious. Don’t shed them for this. After all, thisisgood news.”

“You didn’t trust that I could handle this?” Alina all but screamed and pushed his hand away. “You should’ve told me.”

Sharmila started to say something, but George motioned her to stay quiet for a moment. He let Alina rant on for a few minutes. Finally, the tears subsided, and the girl collapsed on the couch.

It was then that George spoke again. “My sweet Alina. I am sorry. If you want me to leave, I will.”

Sharmila sat by her daughter. “I am sorry. I guess I forget that you are an adult now and can handle tough situations. Not an excuse—I am just letting you know my intent wasn’t to hurt you. I see, though, that I did, and I am so terribly sorry.”

George brought Alina a glass of water and she reluctantly took it from him. He placed his hand on her head. “Alina, I have one thing to share. They want to meet you—they haven’t stopped messaging me. They wanted to come here, but your grandmother changed her mind and asks that you go there instead. So today I’m here to take you to Aru Valley, if you want. I don’t have to go with you, but I would really be honored to do so.”

“This is wonderful. I knew they wanted to see her. I guess they’re just as excited as I was to see them,” Sharmila said. “They are kind, Alina. I can see where your father got his kindness from. Alina, we should go. What do you think? Don’t let your anger affect your decision, please.”

Alina finished drinking the water. And then nodded.

“I really want to meet them, plus you owe me for not taking me the first time, Ma.” Calmer now, she got up and hugged her mom. “I am sorry I reacted so poorly. This is all too much to handle.”

The three of them stood together in silence for a few moments, just holding space for all the emotions that swirled within them.

Alina broke away from the circle and went to the bathroom to wash up. She returned looking more settled.

“It feels unreal that there’s someone from Dad’s family who can tell me about him. I just accepted I’d never know more. This is good news—you’re right, George.”

Then she went to hug George, a gesture that caught both George and Sharmila by surprise. “Ma taught me that we only get really angry and upset at people we love and adore because we feel safe, deep in our hearts, that they will understand. Thank you for understanding. And Dr. George, while I do accept your apology, you still owe me big time for this.”

George’s pained look turned to relief and he immediately tuned into planning mode. He told them to pack some clothes in case they needed to stay there overnight. The weather was getting colder, and he thought they should be prepared.

“Oh, by the way, ladies, Wajid said you don’t need to pay extra tour guide fees for the Aru Valley trips,” George tried to joke. But Alina wasn’t listening. She’d already pulled out a small bag and thrown in a few things. She hovered over her mom while she packed, then stood near the front door to indicate she was ready.

The three of them began the journey in George’s Jeep. Now excited, Alina was adamant that her mother tell her everything she’d learned about the family. Every. Single. Thing. She wanted to know all the details before she met them.

When they finally arrived, Alina hesitated outside the cottage. She held George’s hand on one side and her mother’s on the other. She looked questioningly at her mom, then at George, who gave her hand a big squeeze.

George went to knock, but the door opened before his knuckles could make contact. Suraj greeted them with warm familiarity as they stepped inside to meet Vikram’s mother.

In the corner of the room, the elderly woman sat on the edge of a bed. Her eyes filled with tears as soon as they fell upon Alina. She scrutinized the child from head to toe, as though trying to absorb every detail of her granddaughter’s presence.

“Why is she crying, Ma? What’s wrong?” Alina looked to her mother.

“Happy tears, child. These are the tears we want to shed. Happy tears.”

With trembling hands, the grandmother motioned for Alina to approach. Her arms enveloped the young woman in a tight embrace, and she planted a series of soft kisses on Alina’s forehead. With each kiss, she murmured words of blessing, each blessing carrying the weight of a lifetime of loss and yearning.

The old woman then reached beneath the thin mattress and retrieved an aged black-and-white photograph. Its corners were frayed, and it had faded with time. She held it up, her finger tracing the figure of her son, Alina’s father, Vikram, frozen in a distant moment. Vikram was no older than twenty in the picture.

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