Page 14 of A Kiss in Kashmir

Srinagar, Kashmir

George waited for Sharmila and Alina outside the hotel in his Jeep. He’d had to help Wajid that morning, so over the phone he had suggested the ladies go to Lal Chowk to do some shopping, offering to meet them at their hotel after.

“India’s first prime minister unfurled the Indian flag in Lal Chowk in 1948 shortly after the independence of India,” he told them. “And now to information you can actually use—you can do some casual clothes shopping there if you like. It warms my heart to see it filled with people again. This chowk has seen its share of political unrest, rallies, and more. But now, I love that life is back to usual here. Oh, and be sure to check out the clock tower in the chowk. Alina, you may want to take a photo there to show Emilio. It is a unique place filled with so much history.”

Wajid’s ankle seemed to be getting worse. George thought it worthwhile to get it checked again, and Wajid, sharing none of his sister’s reluctance about Western medicine, had agreed.

Now as he waited in his Jeep, George thought of Daneen again. His memories had come flooding in when he’d shown Sharmila her photo the day before. It had taken him all night just to get his balance back.

It had been years since her death, and yet the memories were so fresh. Grief, George had learned, was a giving companion—sometimes, unrelentingly so. He clearly remembered the days after she passed.

“Wajid, I could have saved her. But I gave in to her stubbornness. It’s my fault that she died,” George had confessed to Wajid when he called to tell him that his dear sister had passed away.

“No, George. I know my sister well. We all knew her heart was weak. She often told me she was living on time borrowed from the universe, just to be with you. I think in the end, perhaps, she felt it was time to go. It is the only way to deal with this—make peace with it, dear friend. Or it will break you.”

It took little convincing from Wajid for George to take early retirement and stay in Srinagar. The houseboat, owned by Wajid and Daneen’s late grandfather, was the perfect sanctuary for his grief. He filled it with all her artwork. Daneen had been a brilliant textile artist. Designing patterns on cloth using silver and gold threads was her specialty. “Tilla work is my life. These patterns all tell a story,” she would say as she crafted some of the most elegant embroidery George had ever seen. She taught her craft at a local community center in DC and had small exhibitions to sell her pieces. All the money she earned, she sent back to Wajid to donate to local Kashmiri charities.

After moving to Srinagar, George spent many a night on the deck of the houseboat, drinking scotch and nursing his broken heart.

“George, hello.” Alina’s chirpy voice brought him back to the present. “Good afternoon. Where are we heading today? Also, what happened yesterday? Mom said you looked upset when you left Sukoon. Did something happen?”

“Hah. No, no, nothing like that. Something came up and I had to go. Did you all get anything fun while shopping in Lal Chowk?”

“Dude, define ‘fun’ here. The clock tower you mentioned was nice to see, but the rest was, you know, a crowded shopping area. My mother thinks shopping for wedding jewelry is fun. I really wanted to see a nightclub. This isn’t exactly my idea of fun, or a place for a wedding or… well, you know,” Alina said, looking rather frustrated.

“You’re being a doll about it, I must say. Since I’m not a wedding planner, tell me, why does she want you to get married in early spring?”

“Oh that. Yeah, she and my dad were supposed to get married here on her birthday, at the beginning of April.”

“Oh, I see. Well, April is the perfect time as it is the best season in Kashmir.” George then changed to a softer tone. “You said ‘supposed to get married’? What happened?”

“Yeah, so.” Alina hesitated. “Ma was pregnant with me, and she and my dad wanted to get marriedbeforeshe had me. But… well, that never happened. And her parents disowned her because of the pregnancy.”

“Oh?”

“She never married him or anyone else,” Alina said softly. “My adorable Ma deserves so much more than what life has handed her. I see her happy here. Your stories have made her smile. I cannot tell you how happy that makes me. I told Emilio last night that if we have to be here, it’s good we’re here with you.”

“You’re a darling, Alina. I don’t mean to pry, but why didn’t they get married? What happened?” George was beginning to guess. It hadn’t occurred to him until now that Vikram was killed before they married, but it was too late to back out of the conversation.

“I think my father came home here to tell his family about her. I don’t really know what happened to him after that. I think he went missing and was presumed dead. In any case, that’s the reason.” Alina stopped for a minute, debating whether to continue. “I never knew my father, but I wish I did. Every Father’s Day, I would imagine that he was there with me telling me how much he loved me. Thanks to my mom, I have heard wonderful stories about what a kind man he was. Today, I’m here because of my mom. And Idowant to honor her wishes. But honestly, George, getting married in a country where I don’t know anyone? It isn’t easy.”

George nodded. “I’m sorry, Alina, about your father. But, yes, I understand your hesitation. It’s lovely of you to support your mom like this. But don’t you think if you really, honestly, tell her that you don’t want the wedding here, that she’ll understand?”

“She’s never asked anything of me. She has always given me everything. I am honestly warming up to this idea. It is funny that Mom was a rebel when she was young, but here she is being all traditional.”

George nodded. “Well, I think that is enough deep conversation for one morning! I have a great day planned for you both. First, I’m going to take you to a special shrine that’s very famous here. Then the rest of today is all about shopping. Your mom mentioned she wants you to buy your wedding dress here. Believe it or not, I know the best places here to buy wedding clothes. I guess I’ve traveled so much with Wajid, I didn’t even know I knew this,” George said, laughing. “Speaking of your mom, where is she?”

“Oh, she’s coming. She said she had to talk to someone.”

George saw Sharmila coming out the door, and for a moment the sight of her took his breath away. She was dressed in a stunning pink saree. Her hair, which had previously been in a stern bun, was now open and cascading down her shoulders. Her lipstick matched the color of her saree, and as she waved to him, he could see that her glass bangles matched too. The blue shawl from the houseboat was neatly folded over her arm.

“Good morning!” she called. “Sorry I’m late. I was just talking to the manager. Where are we headed today, George? We have so much to do for this wedding and don’t even have a venue. Oh, and did I tell you that we decided to hire Zarina for the flowers? She sent Alina more pictures of her arrangements with tulips and won Alina over. And yes, the houseboat, Sukoon, too? Do they need a deposit?”

As they got into the Jeep, George looked at Sharmila. “Take a breath. It will all get done. You decide on everything first and then we can go to all these folks and confirm with deposits. It’s at least five months away, right? So it will be fine. Don’t worry.”

George drove the Jeep onto the main road. The streets were already bustling with tourists, vendors, and schoolchildren. A few uniformed guards patrolled parts of the city as they drove through.

“George, is it even safe to have a wedding here? I mean… what about those guys?” Alina stared at the guards.

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