Page 5 of A Kiss in Kashmir

Despite law school, Emilio had flown to Italy for a few days to be with his grandmother, who needed emergency heart surgery. All had gone well, and she was now recovering.

Alina stayed on the phone as Sharmila confirmed everything with Wajid and they exchanged contact information.

As the two ladies began to walk back to their hotel, Sharmila couldn’t help herself, and discreetly turned to look back at George, even as she couldn’t quite believe she was doing it. Was she really, actually, reacting to a man? At her age?

As she looked at him, she saw that he was looking at her. Quickly she turned back and increased her pace. Still, she admitted to herself that even at that first glance, she’d felt something tugging at her heart.

But surely this was stupid? Here she was, at her time in life, looking at a man—and a possibly married man at that. What was she thinking? This was crazy. Perhaps it was the intoxicating valley that was making her look at this handsome fellow. Yes, that was it. It was the valley. Vikram always said that.The valley was intoxicating.

For a moment, Sharmila wondered if there was such a thing as love at first sight. Was it possible for the cosmos to create chaos in hearts in a single meeting? Was it possible for eyes to meet and hearts to melt in a single glance? Were mystic unions only in poetry and fiction—or in real life too? Could a soul connect with another based on a single look?

Even as the questions swirled in her head, she cast them aside. This was silliness.

This will pass,she told herself.

That night, as Sharmila fell asleep, the last thoughts she had were of shaking hands with George, of his firm grip, his blue eyes looking into hers, his salt-and-pepper beard and hair.

And she wondered, quietly and with some guilt, what it would be like to kiss him.

Chapter 2

The Next Day

“Ma, you look radiant this morning,” Alina said admiringly. Sharmila had draped herself in her favorite blue pashmina over a white sweater and jeans, keeping in mind the dropping temperatures outside.

“You, my child, are such a delight. You’re the one who looks radiant for your wedding planning. I’m just along for the ride,” Sharmila said.

“And the bills, Ma, you’re here to pay thebills.” Both of them laughed as they quickly finished their breakfast—the hotel’s Western-style buffet was a poor substitute for the traditional Kashmiri fare they wanted to taste, but they were excited at what Wajid would be showing them, and little bothered them this morning.

“I’m happy to see that you’re at least a bit excited about this now, Alina. I am sorry, I don’t mean to push this on you. I just feel so deeply that if your father were alive, he would’ve wanted this,” Sharmila said as she finished the last sip of her unsweetened coffee. Sharmila worried that she was being like her parents, wanting her daughter to have a traditional wedding. She was about to voice her concern, when Alina spoke up again.

“Ma, Iamhappy to visit here and learn about Dad’s culture. I’m just a bit unsure about having the wedding here. I do agree that Dad would’ve wanted this, given his love of the valley. I promise to keep an open mind,” Alina said warmly. “Also, look at this. Wajid has awesome reviews on so many travel websites. Someone even said that he sings songs during the shikara rides. Just like the guys who sing in the gondolas in Venice. Emilio will love that. It reminds me of when he proposed to me on a gondola in Venice.Thatwas amazing.” Alina had been up late reading through the reviews and, of course, texting Emilio the minute-by-minute update on their Kashmiri adventure, which so far had been anything but.

As Sharmila finished her coffee, she wondered, just for a fleeting second, if George would come with Wajid.

“I wonder if George will come with Wajid?” Alina said, as if reading her mom’s mind. “He seemed really nice.”

“Why? He isn’t the guide. I hope Wajid is as good as all those reviews you’ve been reading, Alina. Maybe I should have planned better? I just don’t know if this is a good idea.” Sharmila waved her manicured hand to the waiter that they were done. Alina shook her head and rolled her eyes.

They stepped outside the hotel and waited under the hotel’s large awning. The canvas sheltered visitors from the hot sun, the cold rains, but more importantly, from bird poop. Before it was installed, a flock of the vibrantly colored Kalij pheasants had decided that the roof over the hotel entrance was the perfect place to build their nests. Several attempts to remove the nests had failed. In addition, the birds were so beautiful, almost like peacocks in their appearance, that many hotel guests wanted to see them. But the birds, well, pooped. The hotel was inundated with complaints about bird poop falling on the shoulders and hair of guests. The final straw was when a baby bird fell down and stopped a very superstitious sports superstar in his tracks. He cancelled his reservation, because he took that as a sign of bad luck. Within hours, the awning had gone up.

Alina was the first to spot the Jeep. Driving it was George.

“Good morning, ladies,” George said as he pulled up in front of them and popped out. “There’s been a slight change. I am so, so sorry. I am afraid Wajid can’t make it.”

“What happened? Where is Wajid?” Sharmila was clearly irked, but seeing George’s bright smile held her back from declaring this a complete and total disaster.

“Wajid had a nasty fall last night. At first we thought it was just a bad sprain, but it isn’t. He went to the hospital early this morning and turns out it’s a small hairline fracture of his left ankle. A tour guide who can’t walk along with you isn’t much use, I’m afraid.” George stuffed his hands in his pocket. “I’m here to give you options. We can get you a tour guide from another company or, well, there is another option, but… even I’m not sure about that.”

Sharmila muttered, “Another company? Oh, my. This is getting to be such a mess again. Why can’t one simple thing work out?”

Alina was annoyed too but wanted to hear what George was proposing. “What’s the second option? I’m sorry Wajid fell. Kinda inconvenient, but whatever.”

Sharmila said quickly, “Of course, I’m sorry to hear about Wajid as well. Now, getting another guide—I mean, how reliable will they be? I don’t want to waste yet another day. We have such a short time left, and I just don’t know…” Sharmila found herself locked into his deep blue eyes. She hurriedly looked away.

“Then let me just offer option two. I’m happy to be your guide. I’m not a tour guide or a wedding planner by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know and love this valley. I’ve lived here on and off for many years. I got married in Srinagar. For what it’s worth, I’ve accompanied Wajid on tours many times. I know I can help in finding you options that you’ll like for venues, food—and heck, I even know where to buy wedding clothes,” George said warmly.

Sharmila looked unsure, yet her heart was beating fast. She hoped Alina didn’t notice that her hesitancy was turning into anticipation.

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