Entwined

Chapter 3

The upstairs house had a bed. The rest needed to be bought as well. As they did all this Sanvika stayed in the house itself. On the first day, Sanvika slept on the bed with no mattress. Even when she was used to sleeping on the best of the mattresses, she felt happy and peaceful to be sleeping in her own house.

Shardul did help out Sanvika to set up the restaurant. He worked with Sanvika as they brought in the new tables and chairs and a new couch to be placed on the side of the restaurant. The upstairs house was set up similarly.

"Mr Flower...."

"Hm?"

"What is the story behind that dried flower? You said that it's important."

"It was given to me by someone I love." He looked into the distance.

"Ex-girlfriend?"

"I am not sure if she is an 'ex'. Because she died while we were still dating."

"They were quite cute of a couple." Suchil didi said to Sanvika. "We all thought they will end up married. But fate."

Sanvika nodded.

"San, you want more prawn crackers?" Aaron, Suchil didi's husband asked.

"For free?" Sanvika asked.

"Hey, pay up." Suchil didi pushed her playfully. "Friendship and business should not interfere with each other."

"She is just a miser. You don't need to pay here." Aaron said walking in.

The next task was to hire a cook. Suchil and Shardul helped Sanvika with it and they took the interviews together. The first guy knew only Indian foods. The second was a drunk. The third woman looked like she will steal something. The fourth seemed good but he said he was just released from prison. Fifth's food tasted terrible. Sixth was a foreigner – a French girl. She did not know any Hindi, but she cooked really well.

So she was hired. Astrid. 27 year old. She had blue eyes and blond hair. And was beautiful.

Two days later, in the evening, Sanvika saw Shardul sitting on the beach writing something on his small book. She walked to him and peeked from behind casually to know what he is writing. He saw her and hid the page. "What?" She asked. "Can't I see?"

"It's not that good." Shardul closed the book. The dried flower flew out. Sanvika ran after it and grabbed it from the air and came back to give it to Shardul.

"Thanks..." he extended his hand. "It keeps flying away or dropping lately." He took the flower in his hand. And they noticed that one of the petals was now broken.

"I am sorry." Sanvika said.

Shardul looked so heartbroken. He shook his head though. He put the flower back into his book and sat back on the sand. Sanvika joined him. "Maybe you should let it go." She said.

Shardul looked at her.

"You know like... from inside you as well?"

"Can't. She is part of me."

"She can be part of you... But you don't need to hold on to the pain forever."

"It's just been five years."

"Five years is a long time, Shardul."

He was surprised and looked at her. "You are not calling me Mr Flower."