It was a pleasant day as sun was shining bright and in the month of October when winters are slowly climbing up and temperature is falling down gradually, the valley tends to go in hibernate mode.

One could observe the lively mornings and silent evening where people liked to stay at home and live the time. By the time they reached Kangra it was already dusk and sun slowly went down welcoming the night to take over as Aratrika insisted on meeting Rumi at the earliest.

And everybody marched, there was a certain faith in Amrita regarding this- the ends will meet and may be time will be the bridge in between.

Meeting Rumi…

There was no surge in anyone of them and they all felt some positive vibe inside as they all were standing outside her house and they found the main entrance door was locked. They opted to wait outside, in the garden and saw the sun going home amid the air becoming colder and night taking over. An hour went by and they all were in different directions viz. Vikram went for a long walk along with Nirdosh and Shelja while Amrita and Aratrika preferred to stay there.

A girl came in walking. She looked slim, tall and fair wearing no makeup but a smile that completed her look. Her face was looking different. There was a certain glow on her face and one could sense the inner confidence that did complement her presence. Seeing her, Aratrika turned towards Amrita telling her that she was here, and behind her came the rest.

She looked surprised yet calm and her first question was, “Where is Kul?”

She greeted everybody and with her child like curiosity she asked about new ones, Amrita and Vikram. She got her answer from Amrita. It was well passed evening and night took over as they all sat down in her living room and sipped the much needed tea.

Amrita went forward to answer her and she was confident, “Kul wanted you to read this letter that he had with him time since he joined Indian Army and we hope that this will answer all your questions.”

“Hey Rumi,

So finally we meet. It’s been a long time, but never late. As you always used to say; life should keep moving, never take a break. In your words, time when we were born, there were no strings attached but some invisible threads of love and relationships. And while we go from here, there should be no strings attached but it turns vice versa.

Our walk should be free not limited to a milestone neither to a pole lamp on an empty road and this road only finds an end when these footsteps stop leaving an imprint. My walk ends here. It has been a good journey, there were bumps but you were there, also the rest whom I loved the most; Nirdosh, Shelja, Aratrika, Colonel Uncle and my mother.

With you or remembering you, I learnt to live in the present moment and following that a life that is lived without expectations and it’s been a pleasing experience. I haven’t seen my father ever since I left Delhi and I chose this life for me that many thought was a recluse but I met myself there. Between my father and Rumi, I chose Kul. I learnt faith; I learnt wisdom from you, although you cannot deny I have always been a good learner.

So, to adieu in your words-

Live a life that breaths, talk like it’s music to someone’s ears, have a sleep that dreams good, love someone for their soul and I completed the rest- you are Rumi and I am Kul. I hope that life may find a home for us someday, a home addressing our name and we end up digging happiness there.

Good bye.”

She went blank and so did everyone present there. It was never a win game between them but she wanted to meet him at the earliest, to see him and she did.

For Amrita and Vikram, it was a walk back home with something they never expected they will achieve. They were happy but they wanted to see the ends meet. And they did, as Kul was given thumbs down from the hospital and Rumi bravely took the decision of living with him for the rest of her life and to see whether her faith will reimburse the good life back to her.

It was nobody’s fault but sometimes life needs to be dug deeper only to go higher. “The future is unseen but let’s go for it,” Rumi said to everyone present there as she travelled back to Delhi along with the oldies and a new one accompanying them, Amrita. Finally Colonel had a smile and glass of wine with Vikram’s father.

This is the Final Chapter of the story. Links to the rest – Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter Three (Part One), Chapter Three (Part Two), Chapter 4.