SS - We Meet Again! Chapter 5 - page 13 - 23Jul13

Zoya was finally where she had always wanted to be, on vacation at her private beach house overlooking the ocean. The beach house was divided into two luxury one bedroom units with a huge surround balcony that walked out to the beach. Zoya loved spending her evenings on the balcony with either a book or her trusty Ipad, lounging on the double papasan chair. Zoya liked to curl up into the chair and sometimes she would doze off to the gentle sound of the waves hitting the sand. She had already been here for 5 days of her 2 week holiday. It had taken almost all that time to relax and become one with the surrounding. Her sister Humera, who was married to her best friend Ayaan, had finally convinced her to leave her 16 year daughter, Sara, with them to go on a much needed vacation. It was ironic that she ended up here, her perfect vacation spot, the resort she had picked so long ago, she thought with a sad smile.

Tonight she felt a bit restless as she gazed out into the setting sun creating a fabulous orange hue on the azure water. So much had happened in the last 20 years. Her life, from where it started when she got to Bhopal to where she ended up, was so different that it was unrecognizable. She was finally in a very good place within herself. It had taken her a very long time to get over Asad's betrayal and marriage to Tanveer. Or maybe she had accepted the reality of what happened. She had never thought she would recover enough to accept someone else in her life let alone marry him and have a daughter of her own. The thought of Sara, brought tears to her eyes. They had lost her husband two years ago and she again had to put her life back together. If it hadn't been for Sara, Humera and Ayaan she didn't know what she would have done. Zoya had no one else, Aapi and Jeju had moved to a retirement community in Florida, New York weather was too much for them. She saw them often but it was hard for them. Humera, Ayaan and their two sons lived on the same street as them and had been very supportive during the last two years while she took the reins of the business without the support of her husband. Prem and Zoya had known each other since college and had always planned on starting a consulting firm together. When she returned back to NY with Humera and Ayaan it seemed natural for them to get back to their original plan which had been interrupted by Bhopal, Asad, her almost Nikhah'Nikhahs. Zoya let out a deep sigh. It had taken him almost 3 years to convince her to marry him. She smiled as she thought about Prem. They had built a perfect life of calm, trust, respect, admiration and affection that only two friends can. Maybe they didn't have the fiery passion but it had given her her wonderful daughter who was the joy of her life, her reason for living.

After Prem's untimely death Zoya had been working nonstop for the last two years and was completely exhausted. Sara had found a brochure of this place in some of her old papers and had taken upon herself to book this holiday for her. Zoya had not wanted to come here but on thought this was the perfect place for her to get closure on something that nagged at her for the last 20 years. She sighed again and took a sip of her black coffee and walked towards the beach. She sat down in the sand and watched the colours on the ocean become even more brilliant as the sun made it's way to the other side of the world.

This was the place she had wanted to come on her honeymoon with Asad and share her love of the ocean with him. Funny how life is..she was here but alone. She got up and walked back to the beach house and imagined Asad standing on the balcony waiting for her, watching her walk back to him. He had his typical almost smile on his lips as he watched her walk back. His beautiful eyes surrounded by fine lines had the same passion as always. His wonderfully shiny hair with grey at the temples.

She frowned as she stood in front of her imagined Asad. Lines, grey!

"You!"

"You!"