Page 33 of A Kiss in Kashmir

“Your parents? Your parents are lucky to have you. I can see why he fell in love with you,” Vikram’s mother said in Hindi. “I feel sad that I lost my son, and I couldn’t take care of my daughter-in-law during her time of need and have never taken care of my grandchild. I have failed Vikram in so many ways. But your parents, they are lucky. They must have taken care of you.” When Sharmila explained what had happened with her, Vikram’s mother appeared shaken. “This is the problem with us humans. We do not have gratitude for what God gives us. We want everything to be our way. But that is not God’s way.”

She decided it was time to feed them. She told Sharmila to call the gentlemen inside. Within minutes, she had heated up rice and lentils and prepared some chicken kebabs laced with cinnamon and cloves.

Sharmila and George sat with the family on the rug. Vikram’s mother insisted on feeding them with her own hand, as though they were young children. She gave them each a single bite of rice with meat and then kissed their foreheads as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I cannot wait to meet my grandchild. I only wish Vikram was here. And Vikram’s father. Poor man saw little joy in his life. He was very ill, died very young.”

As the meal progressed, George gave Suraj details of how he found the family, adding that the note about the incident with his brother on that fateful bridge was what helped him make the connection.

“Yes, it was devastating for us. The police gave us the painting, but not much else.”

The sun was getting ready to set. “You must head back now if you want to make it to Srinagar before too late,” Suraj advised them. “The roads are menacing at night with all the traffic. You should head out to avoid getting stuck on the roads in the night. It isn’t safe.”

“I still cannot believe this is real,” Sharmila said. “I wish Vikram was with us. But I know he must be happy that we are together.” Sharmila added that she couldn’t wait to introduce them to Alina. She considered video calling her daughter but then thought better of it. Vikram had been right—some news was better to give in person.

It was still almost an hour later before a radiant Sharmila and a relieved George were ready to head back to Srinagar. Vikram’s mother called George over and kissed his forehead. She thanked him for making this meeting a reality, adding, “I did not know that there was anything left for me in my old age, but you have made an old woman very happy.”

George bowed down to get her blessing, as was customary in that part of the region, and indicated to Sharmila to do the same. Vikram’s mother was touched and hugged them both with promises to see them again very soon. And, of course, to meet Alina.

“George, Suraj said he will bring his mother to Srinagar in a day or so to meet Alina,” Sharmila said. “I don’t know how to thank you. You have become such an important part of my life in such a short time.”

Suraj knew they needed fresh horses to trek to the parking spot where George had left his Jeep. He quickly arranged for a neighbor who owned horses, and often provided them for return journeys, to help George and Sharmila get back.

As they began their trip back to Srinagar, George noticed that Sharmila’s whole demeanor had changed. She was now relaxed, but also excited about telling Alina. “This changes everything, George. We will finally have real family with us. I am so happy.”

They drove back in the Jeep discussing the next steps—the catering and hotel and more.

“George, I meant to ask you earlier—how exactly did you find them? I know you asked around, but how did you know where to look?”

“Well, it’s a rather long story,” George said. “I have to take you back to 1993. At the old courthouse in the center of Srinagar.” As he drove, he explained that it was the day of his civil marriage to Daneen. They had been inside the courthouse, getting ready to sign papers, and outside it was hell. Protests, grenades going off, gunfire—terrible.

“Our precious Kashmir was under attack. She and I had decided to get married. But it was so unsafe to live here back then. It broke our hearts to leave Kashmir.” He stopped as he choked up.

He went on to explain that as soon as they had signed the register, a group of young people came in, talking about the Pandit families who were leaving. They were heading to Aru Valley or to the Jammu area. They were either escaping the violence voluntarily or being forced from their homes. This exile continued for the next few years. That sort of relocation would have been recorded at the courthouse, but most of the records had been destroyed when the courthouse was vandalized. However, there was an old judge who had saved some of the files. As it happened, that judge was Wajid’s father-in-law.

“I called Wajid and asked if he could ask his father-in-law. I think we just got lucky that someone in Vikram’s family filled in the forms before they left. Most families, they just moved into camps, and no one heard from them again.”

George didn’t mention that there was something else he had discovered about the paperwork. Something possibly more sinister, or perhaps just missing. He was determined to find out which.

It was late when they returned to Srinagar. George stopped at a small roadside food stand on the edge of the city where they ate chicken biryani while planning out the next few days. Suraj had already messaged Sharmila some old photos of Vikram, and she couldn’t wait to show them to Alina and tell her about her newly found family.

Just then her phone buzzed. It was a voice message from Alina.Ma, how was your day? I am so tired from this trek, I am headed to bed. Talk to you in the morning, Ma. Please tell George I want to talk to him about other trekking spots here. It was simply amazing.

Sharmila and George both smiled as they listened to the message. “Did I or did I not tell you that she will fall in love with the valley? You can feel free to say I told you so,” George teased.

“Thank you, George. It isn’t just her. It’s because of you that I feel connected with life again too,” Sharmila said. As George dropped her off at the hotel, she leaned in, kissed his cheek, and gave him a hug.

As she turned to go into the hotel, George whispered, “Yes, and because of you, I am connected to life, and love, again too.”

Chapter 13

The next morning, Alina did not take the news about her father’s family well. “You did what? How could you, Ma? I can’t believe that you did it without me. And took George! Why didn’t youtellme? How could you do this?” Alina’s irritation turned quickly to frustration and ranting. “How could you keep this from me? Isthiswhy you wanted to come to Kashmir? Did you even want to come for my wedding? How long have you been looking for him?”

“Alina, listen to me.” Sharmila tried to interrupt but Alina kept going.

“I thought you told me that there was no way to find them. I remember when I was younger, you had been searching for them. And then, I remember you telling me that there was no trace of them. And now, now suddenly—”

Alina burst into tears. Sharmila took a deep breath. She hadn’t expected this reaction. As a child, Alina was mostly fairly even-tempered, and rarely threw tantrums. But when something did rub her the wrong way, there was very little that could be done to calm her down.

“Why, Ma,why?”

---