Chapter 1 - The Awaited Moment Tiny drops of dew lined the blades of grass like beads of pearls adorning a slender neck. Netra walked on the grass, her dainty feet crushing the glassy globules beneath them. The loose end of her versatile green-coloured saree formed waves in the air. An intricate design lining the fabric shone under the morning sun. The air was crisp yet soft. It was akin to a mother's embrace. Warm and soothing. Leaves swayed and produced a subtle piece of music. She felt as though a hundred guitars thrummed in her ears. The blooming flowers painted the empty canvas with brilliant hues.  It was a little late after sunrise. Birds were on their morning flight. Butterflies hovered around the flowers and sucked nectar. Her dimpled cheeks nuzzled against the breeze. She sat under a mango tree with her legs folded. Her hand caressed the earth, its suppleness pulsating through her skin. The morning's pleasantness slowly disappeared. The sun became fierce. Heat pierced her skin like needles. The wait felt excruciating. Were four years not enough? He had warned her, not once but on many occasions.  She knew that it wasn't going to be easy. But it was worth it. Or she thought so. As the time passed, thoughts brewed in her mind. Negativity gnawed at her, sinking its claws deep into her skin. She foresaw the worst. Hours later, she noticed a faint figure appear at a distance. She covered her eyes with her palm and tried to get a better look. Seconds later, it was clear. It was him. He looked radiant under the pounding sun. But something about him felt different. His features were taut. His expression was grim. He appeared troubled. Wasn't he happy? Before her mind could decipher an answer that might calm her soul, he approached her and scooped her in his arms. Twirling her in the air, he watched her eyes dance in delight. She squealed like a child on a giant wheel and held him.  "Netra," he whispered.  Her name sounded like music as it drifted from his lips. She hugged him, her fingers trying to feel every bit of his warm skin. Years of longing that stung her heart like a burning piece of coal began to cool down. His breath lingered on the nape of her neck. Her pores opened. Her racing heart slowed down a bit. She clung to him like an anxious bird holding onto a branch. He caressed her back with his rugged hands. A sense of snugness trickled down her spine. Her lips twitched, its redness increasing multifold. The past came rushing to her like a speeding train. Without any warning, it gripped her.  Chapter 2 - The Past Rises Its Head She walked between the stacks, her fingers tapping against the spines of books. The jingling anklets and the sound made by the cardboard resembled a beautiful medley. The title "Romeo and Juliet" made her stop. She retrieved the book that nestled between its companions. She stood still and turned the sepia-tinted pages when it slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor. Heads turned and gazes pierced her. She picked it up and walked to a table. One pair of eyes remained fixated on her. They were sharp and accentuated but spoke the language of tenderness. She stretched her lips in an awkward smile. But in a split second, she pursed them together like that was how they were meant to be. He shifted his focus to a book that lay before him. It appeared to be a compilation of ancient architecture. The pages rustled. It felt like the wind flutter. Hours went by. He remained engrossed like a meditating saint. Preventing her sinking heart from drowning further, she walked out of the library. A piece of paper landed at her feet.  "At the coffee house, opposite the library." The note read.  She felt his smile stab her like the cupid's arrow. She folded the paper and placed it in her purse, conveying her approval for the rendezvous. It was a little after four. He was sipping coffee when she entered.  "I didn't think you would come." Words flew straight out of his heart. A man who didn't mince words. She made a mental note of it.  "The book you were reading interested me." She dragged the chair and sat. "My choice intrigues you. I'm glad," he smiled.  His smile was tenuous. But it carried with it a strange sense of strength.  "It was a book on architecture," he mentioned.  "So, I assume you are an architect?" She wanted to know more about him.  "I have done my bachelor's in agriculture. I work in the fields." His voice echoed with pride.  Her eyeballs twirled. Her eyelashes oscillated and her mouth remained half-opened for a long time.  "Farming is not a bad profession," he quipped.  She cleared her throat.  A few seconds of embarrassed silence later, she clarified, "Not at all. It's unique and rare in today's times." A waiter appeared. She was thankful. It gave her some time to organize her thoughts. After placing the order, she looked out of the floral-painted glass door. Pedestrians thronged the pavement. Hawkers readied themselves for their evening hustle. Everyone was busy getting their lives in order. But she chose to spend her time with a stranger. He observed her. She blushed like a love-struck teenager.  "How are you liking Romeo and Juliet?" He broke the silence. "I got started this morning." She kept her answers simple.  "Does architecture interest you?" she asked. "I like to read all sorts of books. Whenever I find time, I frequent the library. You can call reading my passion." He didn't blink even once. His eyes emitted light. She felt drawn towards him like there was a magnetic field around him. More than an hour flew by.  "I need to leave," she hurried lest she stayed with him forever.  "You can find me in the library. We can discuss books if you wish to." His smile worked like a charm.  She nodded and spent the rest of the evening waiting for the sun to rise again. They met every day and shared coffee and their insights on different books. Spring paved the way for summer. Their love bloomed like pink blossoms. Over the next six months, she spent every day hoping that he would propose. But that moment never came. He loved her. But why wasn't he committing? She decided to find the answers to her questions. The town shimmered in shades of red. A red rose and the right words to express her heart would suffice. Or so she thought.  On Valentine's Day, she paced up and down the corridor of the library. Even after three hours, there was no sign of him. She didn't want to contact him over the phone and ruin the surprise. But the constant wait frustrated her. Dejected, she walked to the coffee house and found him there. The anger dissipated like raindrops on the windshield. She waved at him, her face glowing with ebullience. He looked away. It felt like he wanted to shrink and disappear. Was she making a mistake?  "Are you okay Raghu?" The lines on her forehead deepened.  He nodded and cast a tepid glance at her. The red rose in her hand didn't go unnoticed.  "It's nothing," she tried to hide it.  "Netra, I know that you have been waiting for a proposal. But I can't do it. We don't have a future together." His words shocked her.  "You said that you love me." She was on the verge of a breakdown.  "I do with all my heart. But I can't marry you," he was adamant.  She didn't speak. But her eyes shot many questions at him.  "A curse runs in my family." He finally revealed.  Air spurted out of her lungs. With her eyes wide open, she gawked at him. Was he lying through his teeth? Was he trying to get rid of her? Accusations rolled in her mind like rocks. Her jaw muscles tightened. She wanted to leave and never look back. But she loved him. The insane romantic in her wished he was speaking the truth. "Whatever I said is true." He held her hand and squeezed it. His touch sent a drizzle of electricity through her blood. It felt comforting and assuring.  "I want to believe you. But what you said seems absurd. I don't believe in curses. They are a myth." She didn't feel like stopping. He placed his index finger on her lips and said, "Calm down, Netra." His words had a hypnotic effect on her. Her breath normalized. Her mind was in her control. But her heart wasn't. "Do you believe in blessings?" he asked. She nodded in response.  "You must then believe in curses too." A dry smile played on his lips.   "Decades passed since it happened. But the effect lingers on my family to date," his narration had begun.  She sat upright and looked at him intently.  "My grandmother was a pious woman. Her days were spent in prayers. She spent the nights singing praises of the God. Priests and saints frequented our ancestral home. She served them all with devotion. But even the most righteous person makes some mistakes. During the twilight phase of her life, her health had begun to give up on her. Her nerves were damaged. She had vestibular issues. She wobbled. Her hands trembled when she offered water to the tulsi plant. She felt disoriented most of the time. My parents pleaded with her to give up on the rigorous traditions she followed. But she rubbed them off. Years went by. Her condition deteriorated. Much to my father's chagrin, she attended a ceremony in the temple. She was acting delirious. But was adamant not to give up on her whims. When asked to offer water to the idol, she unknowingly poured water into the holy fire. Infuriated by her action, one of the saints performing the ceremony cursed her. He said that the eldest son belonging to every generation will never be able to experience a happy married life. He would find the love of his life. But he cannot be with her forever. He can be with her only during the leap year. That too, for only one week. Over time, he might end up forgetting her. If the man ignores the curse, he and his family will fall prey to a catastrophe." Tears coursed down his face and landed on her palms. She held onto them carefully like those beads defined their lives.  "I love you. I will continue to love you and live for you till eternity. But I cannot spend the rest of my life with you. Neither will I ask you to wait for me. You have a long and beautiful life ahead. Don't let your destiny get entangled with mine." His chest ebbed and troughed.  "My destiny got entwined with yours the moment I fell in love with you. It can't be undone. I don't want to." She bent forward and kissed him on his cheeks.  "I might forget you," he said.  "But your name will be etched in my heart forever." Her eyes were resolute.  "Is the curse true? Has anyone else in your family experienced it?" she asked. "No. My father was married and had kids when it happened. I will be the first," he sighed. "Then we don't know if it's true. Maybe, the curse is gone. The priest might have forgotten about it," she spoke. "Curses don't disappear just like that. Words once uttered can't be taken back." he choked.  "The curse is true." He hugged her tightly. A silent promise to never let her go dwelled in his heart. "There is a garden a few kilometers from here. Let's meet there tomorrow," he said.  The truth took time to sink in. She mulled on it all night. Not once did the thought of leaving him cross her mind. The next morning, she waited for him in the said garden. She lay on the grass under the mango tree beside him  "Let's get married," she sounded hopeful.  But the hope was sprinkled with doubt.  "We will. But after four years," he averted his gaze.  "But.."  She snubbed those thoughts in her mind. His words sounded like a 'get-out-of-cage' card. She would never forget him. But what if he did? She closed her eyes and prevented the tears from rolling out. Despite her efforts, a few of them escaped her orbs. It was when she felt a firm grasp around her waist. With her eyes still closed, she felt him pull her closer. His lips caressed hers. Slowly, the kiss turned hard and deep.  "I will come for you. Four years later. Same day. Same place." It was an earnest promise. They lay on the grass till the sky turned grey. A treasure chest filled with memories, a heart brimming with love, a promise, and hope was all she had for the next four years.  Chapter 3 - When The Curse Gashed Their Lives She held him so hard that his skin almost turned a hue darker. He cupped her face and kissed her. The kissing didn't stop for what seemed like an eternity. Suddenly, she freed herself from his grasp. Through his misty eyes, he noticed her face turn red. She took a step back and rubbed her palms against her saree.  "I can understand..."  She gestured to him to stop talking.  "You cannot fathom what I have gone through in the past four years. Groom hunting for me had begun. I spoke to my parents about you, the curse, and our lives together. As expected, I didn't get their blessings. I was forced to leave them. I have spent the last three years all by myself, in a small room. Don't tell me you understand." Her eyes grew larger and the rims turned red.  "I'm here now. Let us get married." He knelt before her.  A green-colored stone encased in a golden ring shone under the sunlight.  "Life with me will be a roller coaster ride of trials and tribulations. But I promise, I will do everything in my power to make it less difficult for you," he spoke.  A faint smile crept up at the corner of her lips. His words were scary. But they managed to alleviate her angst. Under the mango tree that stood as a testament to their love, he slid the ring onto her finger. His arms wrapped her petite frame like a cozy blanket. Like a caterpillar wriggling into a cocoon, she wished she could disappear into him. The ferocious sky turned orange. Slowly, the stars appeared. The moon peeped from behind a coconut tree. Its aura dispelled the darkness giving them a zest for life. Under the starry sky, they became one. Forever.  Time was a thief. It escaped like sand through a sieve.  "Don't go. I don't believe in curses. Whatever destiny throws at us, we shall endure it together." She held his hand firmly.  Without him, all she felt was a vacuum. He wiped his tears and turned to face her.  Stroking her chin gently, he spoke, "What you believe or not doesn't matter. Curses cannot be ignored. I will not make you suffer I must go." His voice was stern. It was devoid of any emotion. Defeated and dejected, she sank to the floor. With her eyes closed, she lay on the ice-cold floor, its frigidity biting her in the spine. Hours later, an attenuated ray fell on her sapped face. Her head throbbed. Her muscles ached. The savage pain was the only evidence that she was alive. Seated upright, she looked around. It was when reality sank in slowly like air escaping from a balloon. He was gone. And, he wouldn't be back for the next four years.  It was difficult to say if the earth rotated faster than usual or if she accepted the truth like a bitter pill. Four years passed like a raft drifting away in the stream. This time she wasn't alone in welcoming her man. Their little prince accompanied her. The moment Raghu's eyes fell on the little one, a dull ache rose in his chest and radiated to his throat. Life had mercilessly pummeled him against the ropes. Every bit of his existence stung. Tears seemed to evade him. As though in a daze, he rushed to his son, tripping more than once. He hugged the boy and clasped Netra close to his chest.  "Our son," he mumbled.  "Our Rudra," she smiled. She sniffled. Her tears wet his shirt. She felt his sweat spread through her skin. She felt like a wet rabbit. Desperate and needy.  "I'm not going anywhere," his words punctured the silence.  She covered her mouth with her hands and turned away. Everything felt hazy. Her eyebrows were scrunched up. He held her closer and whispered, "I'm not going anywhere. I need you and our son."  "What made you change your mind?" She asked minutes later.  "I left you alone during your pregnancy. The phase when you needed me the most. I cannot make up for the lost time. But I want to be there for both of you." "The curse," she muttered. "Living without you has been a curse in itself." He sealed her lips with his. Chapter 4 - Destiny's Final Blow A year and a half passed. Nothing untoward happened. Thoughts about the curse began to fade away. Destiny lurched around in the dark waiting for the opportune moment. Happiness was at its peak. It was when fate struck them in the form of a drought. Crops failed. His land turned barren. The cracks on the earth were deep and vivid. The lack of rain left a crater in their lives. Eventually, their resources were depleted. "Forget farming for a while. Try something else," suggested Netra. "Like what?" he frowned. "Take up a job as a professor. I will work too," she tried to convince him.  "Farming is my life. It's a part of me," he walked away. "Our savings are exhausted. We have to find a job at the earliest. Or we will end up starving." Her no-nonsense tone made him stop. "Do it for our son," she pleaded.  "I will find something." His tone exuded fumes of reluctance.  Two months later, he found a job. He joined an agricultural university as a trainee assistant professor.  "The eldest son and his family will fall prey to a catastrophe." The priest's words echoed in his mind.  Bells rang violently. The fire emerged angrily and engulfed everything around him. The world he passionately built was reduced to ashes. Disconsolate and defenseless, he watched the destruction. Every bit of him prayed the fire ate him alive and put an end to his sufferings. Droplets of sweat left his forehead and landed on his chin. Half-drenched, he woke up startled. Netra wiped the adamant beads and gently caressed his back.  "It's going to be okay," she repeated until he fell asleep.  But the nightmares didn't stop. They became hideous and gave him chills. Night after night, he woke up screaming. Sleep eluded him. He sauntered around the house, darkness forming a sheath around his debilitated form. Wanting a way out, he approached his parents. Looking at his frail figure, his mother wept inconsolably.  "You shouldn't have married Netra. Even if you did, you shouldn't have stayed back." His father voiced his opinion while pacing up and down the porch.  "But I love Netra," Raghu hoped to hear a few consoling words.  "I don't disagree. Netra is a perfect choice. But under the right circumstances. You knew about the curse. Interlaced with yours, her life is disfigured too." His father sat by his side and held his hands. He paused and took a deep breath like he was about to say something displeasing.  "It's not too late. Leave them and maybe, their lives will improve," his father implored.  His voice was wet with sorrow. Raghu looked at his mother. Her stoic face showed that she agreed with his father.  Days passed. The notion that he was cursed created a mayhem in his mind. Resentment and misery became a part of his life. Nitpicking became his habit. The constant dissatisfaction coupled with hunger leads to frequent fights between the couple. Fissures took shape in their relationship. As time went on, the fissures deepened into clefts. His muddled mind didn't let him focus on the job. Eventually, he was fired from the university. Depressed with himself and life, he spent most of his time on the creaky wooden chair. Her small-time jobs didn't help meet the ends. The love they felt for each other began to dwindle. But neither of them gave up. Not until that fateful morning.  Netra spotted Rudra lying unconscious. Colored dots floated before her. Her mouth became dry. Words failed her. Clutching him close to her bosom, she rushed to the hospital. On seeing her go haywire, he left his comfort zone and followed her.  "Your son is dehydrated and malnourished. He needs to be in the hospital for a couple of days. Make sure, you give him nutritious food," the doctor informed.  She sank to the chair and covered her face with her hands. Tears rolled through the lines on her palms and rested on her lap.  "Netra, this too shall pass." He didn't believe what he said.  How would things get better? The fields were still arid. He lost his job and had no hope that he would find another anytime soon. They had no money. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her. He wanted to tell her that he would set things right. But he didn't want to lie. He retreated to a corner and sat with his eyes closed.  "How do you plan on making it happen?" She read his mind.  "I don't ....know," he stuttered.  "What do you know? You withdraw to your favorite corner and feel that everything will happen on its own. Stop dreaming, Raghu. We need you," her words reached his ears but didn't make any sense to him.  "It's the curse," he muttered under his breath.  She walked toward him like an angry hyena. He shook.  "Yes, It's the curse. But a self-imposed one. You tethered yourself to the words a priest had uttered years back. You didn't let your mind and body function to their fullest. And, that's a curse in itself. It's not too late. We can redeem ourselves. Together we can make our lives better," she knelt on the floor and held his hands.  They sat numb until Netra fell asleep. Raghu stood up and walked to Rudra. He ran his hand through his hair and whispered, "You will be fine soon. Your mother will take good care of you." He looked at his son one more time, kissed Netra on her forehead, and tiptoed out of the hospital. His entire life played before him like a movie. The day he met Netra was the best day of his life. And, that reminded him of her words. Was he at fault? He believed he was cursed. And, designed his entire life based on the words uttered by a priest. He didn't even know if the curse was true. But he believed in the words of a stranger and lost confidence in himself. Could it be undone? No. Not his actions but his inactions had done irreparable damage. The stars glimmered like diamonds. The night's breeze pervaded his skin and he shivered. He folded his arms, brought his knees close to his chest, and rested under a tree.  He looked around and perceived his surroundings. Everything was still and serene. Except his mind. He closed his eyes and never opened them again. The doctor said that he succumbed to cardiac arrest. But Netra knew that he fell prey to pessimism. She stared at his lifeless form without blinking even once. Her tear glands were depleted. Emotions escaped her being like steam. His death turned her heart infertile. He took the easier way out. But she had to live. For Rudra.  If only he believed in himself and her. Life would have been different. Now all that was left was memories, what-ifs, and if onlys.