Chapter 4 : New Beginnings

Rosy is busy tallying her restaurant income for the week, when suddenly she spots her son Raphael's school diary and she scans through the diary note given by the teacher that tomorrow is parent-teacher meeting and the teacher requires both parents to be present, reading this fills Rosy with hopeless desires that they will ever be as a family to visit Raphael's school as a husband wife or just co-parents.

*

A neighour Anjali who is sitting in her daughter's room and just admiring her stuffs in the room and just trying to fill the void of her daughter whom she has lost, her 4 year old and she clutching her battery operated instrumental wand and sobbing.

*

"We all have moments in life that we regret...." but even so we can never turn back the clock"

Neil who is searching through his wardrobe to pick out some fresh pair of clothes after his morning routine stumbles upon a suit thats being lieing in his wardrobe and while his hands touch the fabric, he zones out thinking about the regret that he had back then which is connects him to the suit, a fragment of memory that he wishes to be burried.

*

In Alwyn's cafe, while his cafe has just opened for the day, he sits by the counter and his eyes fall into some old cassets of the songs that he had once sang for singing events, he regrets that he hasnt made it big as a singer to which people would recognize him as a singer.

*

Bianca walks inside her in her newly opened up clinic's and she makes her to the windows which overlooks the sea and she says in her mind

"but even so we can never turn back the clock."

2 weeks ago...

Neil takes her to see the location to set up her clinic, and she climbs upstairs to the spot and she takes a moment to see the surrounding

"Cool isn't it?" he shows her the windows which is overlooking the sea, "if you open your clinic here, your patients will be heal with just with the view..hun".

"Yeah it's nice".

"It can't get better than this when it comes to good sea-side view, the mountain behind with a shoreline right in front of you".

"I see the water but where is the mountain?"

"Did you forget the hill, where we just met on the tree house a while back?"

She sighs...He then adds in and says "If you are done? Let's go , am quite busy actually".

"Hold on a sec, I have a long list to go through". she then checks where can be a outlet for the sink, and checking regarding a good ventilation system, the AC ..

"The AC might fit here perfectly".

"Seems like you a quite the perfectionist type".

"Isn't it obvious that a person has to check everything before taking a space?" she then has a peek through the other rooms and then she then says "Okay! Let's move on to the next location.Is it far from here?"

"It's just this one" , to which she replies "Are you serious, weren't you saying that we should get going?"

"Yeah, I meant to overlook about your house, to see what all renovations does it require! Since it's been locked since ages I assume".

"Then is this the only office space you are showing?"

She is astonished and then she sees once glance back to all areas of the office space.

*

She then opens the door of her childhood home, with which the furniture are drapped with white sheets and windows have spider webs, and the house is now home to lizards as well.

"Seems like alot of work needs to be done over here! plumbing, electricity, cleaning, and discarding old furnitures and replacing it with new."

"Yes it does! So when are you planning to move in?"

"Lets see if I am able to find any good discounted home renovators".

He chuckles "Before that let's sign the deal!"

*

At Rosy's Fried Chicken, when she meets Rosy again, she is suprised to know that Rosy is the landlord of the office space and Rosy nods in her head in a yes.

"Seriously this is so odd".

"Why", Neil asks her

"I am saying because, when she came to know that I had my intentions of starting a dentist, she made me to meet you and then coincidently the office space that you showed me is her property.How's that a coincidence?".

Rosy laughs at her sillyness .

"You aren't scamming me cause my not a East-Indian, right?"

"Dr. I completely understand that this might me not ordinary for you, but you can ask anyone from this place, everyone knows who we are and how we operate!".she then adds in "I assure you it's quite professional".

"Am on a government payroll after all".

"But how is that possible when you are the owner of a restaurant?"

Rosy then sighs and says "Ahh, I guess it's my turn this time" she then shows her business card which reads as Rosy Dsouza - Uttan Zone Chief".

"Uttan Zone Cheif?"

"Yes that's right every month they pay me Rs 1Lakh 90 Thousand and for meetings 2K or more, Pradhan Pereira here is just a regular cheif only 3500Rs ".

"Forget it she still doesnt belief you, let me show her some more proof".

He shows her his phone which shows the rates "See how of much bargain price, you will get us both for". and then he adds in, "The office space that you just saw, was the space that she was saving for her second restaurant, but because you had a good purpose of wanting the office space which help full of Uttan or may be attract customers from Manori-Gorai you never know, so she offered you that".

"Let it be na Neil, she doesn't have to know that".

"But she should know as well.If you don't care, give it back" he then takes his phone from her fingers and then suddenly she stops him giving him a signal she wants to.

*

They across the dinning table at Rosy's Fried Fish Restaurant, while her staff is on the clock, they were busy cracking the deal and Neil hands over each one a copy which means that each them as to adhere to rules of fulfilling the duties as tenant and landlord, Rosy then asks Neil how many hours did he work today

"4 hours in total" he says

Rosy then calculates in her phone "So 4 hours, divided by 2...1100. Neil why don't I Gpay you, keeping exact cash nowdays is total trass, mostly my customers do online payment only who are tourist, while as locals are the only ones who tender cash just for all times sake even the younger lot too".

"No worries".

Neil and Bianca head outside the restaurant and Neil follows her and she is taken aback why is he falling her

She questions "Why are you falling me?" He scoffs and says "You not that smart haan?" "Do I really need to tell you?" she then questions him "What do you mean?"

"Ms.Dentist, you owe me cash for today, 1100 Rs".

"Money why?"

"Listen, whatever is the task at I get, I go by the minimum wage and am sure that you know that, which is 550Rs and I worked for 4 hours which means 2200Rs and since the fee is split between you both, it's not fair on behalf of Rosy."

"Okay fine, can I Gpay it? since I don't have cash remember?"

"No issues, take my qr code to scan and pay". he then shows his personalized qr code and she scans and pays him the amount and she says "Done.So we are done now right?".

"Don't you need renovations? I do that as well for minimum wage".

She glances at her phone , while not looking at him "There are others to that as well! she then adds in "You know it right ever since we saw the office space, am quite picky".

He then removes his business card folder and drops in front of her a whole collection of his business cards and she is taken a back and surprised "What?"

All the business cards specify that he is well qualifed to do different odd jobs like painting, plumbing, real estate etc.He then takes back his business card folder and walks away "So then I consider myself hired" leaving her in shock that what she just witnessed. "Weird guy"

*

The late afternoon sun slanted through Bianca’s Bandra apartment, casting on warm glow of honeyed light. Boxes were stacked in neat rows along the living room, labeled in her tidy handwriting—Dental stuff, Kitchen stuff, Books, Miscellaneous. A faint smell of cardboard and tape hung in the air, mingling with the coastal breeze that slipped in through the balcony door.

On the floor near the sofa, Bianca knelt beside an open carton, wrapping her last set of framed photographs in old newspapers. Outside, the distant honk of traffic mingled with the clamor of the street—vendors shouting, scooters rattling past, and the occasional burst of laughter from a group of teenagers.

Suvarna, her oldest friend, sat cross-legged on the rug, fiddling with a coffee mug she hadn’t touched. She was staring at Bianca as though trying to memorize her face.

“I still can’t believe you’re actually leaving this fast,” Suvarna said at last, shaking her head. “Why can’t you just... rethink this whole decision? Bandra has everything. You belong here.”

Bianca glanced up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Belong here?” She gave a short, dry laugh. “Suvarna, I can’t even afford to think of opening a clinic here. The property prices are in crores. Bandra isn’t the coastal town it once was—it’s a high-fy town now. Crowds swarming outside film stars’ gates like ants, buses and autos clogged by fans instead of locals. And every second lane has some new eatery that’s replaced someone’s family home. People are selling their heritage bungalows for cafés and restaurants. Some are selling to outsiders who have no idea how to keep the neighborhood’s character alive. The whole place feels... different.”

Suvarna leaned back against a box, eyebrows raised. “But technically, you are an outsider.”

Bianca’s hands stilled mid-wrap. Her gaze sharpened. “Excuse me?”

“I mean—” Suvarna lifted her palms quickly in mock-defense—“your parents and grandparents lived in both Uttan and Bandra, yes. But originally? Your dad’s side is Goan, your mum’s side is from Mangalore. You’re not Marathi, you’re not Koli, and you’re not East Indian, whether the Koli kind or the other caste kind.”

Bianca closed the box with a firm push, her voice clipped but steady. “Yes, but at least we’ve been here long enough to respect the place. We’ve coexisted with the Kolis and the East Indian Kolis. We’ve tried to keep the peace, to preserve what’s here, not exploit it.”

Suvarna’s expression softened. “That’s true. I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I guess I’m just... going to miss you. Our late-night movie marathons, talking nonsense until two in the morning, gossiping about our crushes like teenagers, arguing about which actor aged better...”

Bianca smiled faintly, taping the final box shut. “We’ll still have that. Just... a little farther apart.”

And she gave her a warm deep hug.

The movers would be here in less than an hour, and soon the apartment—her little world in Bandra—would be nothing but four empty walls.

*

The narrow lane leading to Bianca’s grandparents’ old cottage buzzed with low murmurs that grew louder as her little white hatchback rolled in, followed by the rickety movers-and-packers tempo. She parked by the gate, stepped out, and began directing the workers—where the boxes should go, which ones belonged in the front room, which in the kitchen.

The sound of dragging trunks and clattering utensils seemed to pull the neighbors out like clockwork. Faces appeared behind half-closed windows, then bodies leaned on doorframes, arms folded in casual curiosity.

Anjali, a graceful woman in her late thirties with neatly oiled hair, strolled over first, pretending to examine the flowers in her own garden but keeping her gaze firmly on Bianca.

Behind her came Tai—sixty years old, wiry as a fishing net, one of the elderly fisherwomen Bianca had once helped clean bombils and she recalled how amatuer she was.

The woman standing about Bianca’s age, who arrived with Alwyn with ands in pockets, the faintest smirk playing on his lips, murmured something to the group. “My husband Leon said Pradhan Pereira told him—she’s a dentist.” The statement hung in the air, curiosity sharpening every glance toward Bianca.

Alwyn tells Jessica that though Bianca had payed her debt back to him, but he recallss how he had been skeptical about her claim of being a dentist.

That’s when Rosy emerged from the lane, her pace brisk and her smile warm. “How are you managing so far?” she asked, reaching Bianca’s side.

Bianca gave a small laugh. “Surviving. Still figuring out where everything is.”

Rosy’s gaze flicked past her, catching sight of the little audience across the road. She leaned closer for a moment, then deliberately straightened and spoke in a voice loud enough to carry.

“These are my neighbors,” she announced, gesturing toward the onlookers. “Just curious to know more about you. And Bianca—make sure you always say hello whenever you see them, keep a good rapport. In this town, strong bonds aren’t optional—they’re how you live.”

Across the way, the watchers smiled faintly, a few lifting their hands in tentative waves.

*

After movers and packers swiftly unpacked and done their job, Bianca had finally begun to feel at home. The movers and packers were long gone, and the smell of fresh paint had faded, and the little cottage now carried the faint warmth of her own presence. The evening light streamed in through the windows, casting a golden haze across the newly polished floorboards.

As she wandered through the living room, her eyes caught a row of photo frames neatly arranged on a side cabinet. She reached out, brushing her fingertips across the glass, as if the memories within might stir to life under her touch.

There they were—her parents, smiling with a joy so full it made her chest ache. Some photos were of the three of them together; others captured her parents in quiet moments by the old Bandra pier, wind teasing her mother’s hair, her father’s arm draped around her shoulders.

One frame in particular drew her in—a picture of them standing on the beach, the waves lapping at their feet. Bianca remembered that day. The sun had been low, the sky awash with orange and pink, and she had been small enough to fit between them, her hands locked in theirs.

She smiled, but it was the kind that carried a weight.
If only you were still here, she thought. We would’ve been one big, happy family.

The thought lingered like the tide—soft, persistent, impossible to ignore.

*

Bianca was still standing in front of the beach photograph when the sound of a knock—two quick raps and a pause—pulled her back to the present.

When she opened the door, Neil was there, hands casually tucked into his jacket pockets.
“Just came by to check if you need any help,” he said. “You moved in today, right? Wanted to make sure everything I fixed is still working.”

Before she could answer, he stepped in, scanning the place like a man on a mission.
“Plumbing’s fine? No leaks? Electricals all working?” He went from room to room, flicking switches, testing taps, and checking fixtures. “Garbage cleaners come by at 7:30 a.m. sharp. Leave your trash outside before that or you’ll be waiting till the next day. Boxes should go into the recycling bin—just label them so the cleaners can segregate them properly.”

Bianca nodded, following him as he moved through the house.

“Oh, and your smart door lock’s installed,” Neil said, tapping the panel beside the door. “You can use a key, a pin, or both. Plus, the video intercom is set up—like you asked—for safety.”

“Great. I’ll set my own pin then. What’s the one you used for now?”

He smiled faintly. “Six-digit code. My birthday. 900617.”

She punched it into her phone to remember, then paused, eyebrows raised. “So… you’re thirty-five? That makes you just a year older than me.”

Neil shrugged. “Guess so. Any other questions?”

“Nope,” she said.

“Alright then,” he said, heading out.

*

The air was cool as Bianca set off for her early jog, her sweatshirt crop top and black jogging leggings hugging comfortably against the breeze. Down the lane, three elderly fisherwomen were making their way toward the dockyard, their wicker baskets swinging with easy familiarity.

Grandma Flory, with her sharp tongue, walked ahead. Grandma Cynthia and the youngest of the trio, Grandma Savita, kept pace beside her.

Savita said,. “Do you know the woman who moved in yesterday. Jessica told me—she’s a dentist.”

“So what if she’s a dentist?” Flory sniffed. “My grandson lives in South Bombay. He’s an accountant.”

Cynthia rolled her eyes. “Again with your grandson, Flory. Everyone in Uttan knows about him. Everyone also knows he won’t travel a few kilometres to visit his only grandma.”

Savita waved them off. “Forget the grandson. Think of the benefits—Bianca can do your root canals right here in the neighbourhood.”

Flory stopped mid-step. “You think I’m going to spend the money my grandson sends me just to save a molar or two for the few years I have left to munch on my favourite foods?”

Cynthia scoffed. “Implants aren’t that expensive these days. It’s not like they’ll cost you your kidneys, the way you talk.”

Then Savita’s eyes widened. “Look—there she is!”

Across the lane, Bianca was jogging past, her ponytail swaying with each step.

“Isn’t she the dentist?” Savita said, pointing.

“And is she wearing… leggings?” Cynthia asked, her voice tilting in disbelief.

Flory squinted. “What on earth… these younger ones today. We’ve come to a time where we can see every fold!”

The three grandmas stood watching her go, muttering their own blend of curiosity, judgment, and grudging amusement.