UNCONDITIONAL

XX

"Bhuji!" Harleen exclaimed cutting her off. "Please don't say that. Nothing could have happened to you!"

"Yeah, I lived but what this heart attack has made me realize is the impermanence of things. Nothing is promised. I could be perfectly fine and well one moment, and poof, gone in the very next moment. Life is too short, too unpredictable to be taken for granted and lived the way Prem and Noor are. I need things to be well between them again. I want them to prosper in their love once again. I want their house to vibrate in joy day in and day out once again, and I believe you can make that happen! Will you help me fulfill my dream of seeing Prem and Noor together again?" Bhuji questioned Harleen.

"Of course, Bhuji! Is that even a question? That's my biggest dream too! It has been for weeks now. I will put my life into fulfilling this for us." Harleen had tears in her eyes as she answered. "You, please just tell me everything about them. From the very beginning, everything you know, till now. Please."

"Thank you, darling. God bless you." Bhuji placed a hand on Harleen's head to bless her. "And yes, I will tell you. I will tell you everything from the start." She cleared her throat and shifted slightly to get comfortable. "So, it begins when they were about 6 years old, when Prem's Tayaji and I got married. I had been in England for about 8 years at this point, I studied and worked there. Prem's uncle and I fell in love during my very 1st year there and suddenly, I had both a home to visit on the weekends and a family that loved and welcomed me like one of their own. I would go over often and grew very close to them, especially Prem's mom. I was there at the hospital when she delivered Prem and was one of the first people to hold him. It was an extra special moment for me because my brother and sister-in-law back home in America were also expecting a child. Noor, she was born in the same hour and I got a call informing me of her birth as I was holding Prem. I took that moment and imagined not only my future nephew in my arms but my niece as well. I had the pleasure of watching Prem and Noor grow up in their respective homes whenever I visited them. Time went on and soon both of them were blessed with younger siblings. Noor, with a beautiful little sister, Gurleen, and Prem with a handsome younger brother, Arman. The younger ones were about 4 years younger than them. Soon Prem's uncle and I were where we wanted to be career wise and decided it was time for us to get married. The wedding was in India and both families decided they would go. However, in the days leading up to the wedding, Noor fell extremely sick and the doctors forbade her from travelling. Prem, on the other hand, got a huge opportunity to be on the front of cover of a kid's magazine in those days. He was so handsome since childhood, we put him into modeling as a kid." Bhuji proudly told Harleen. "Anyway, since it was a matter of only 10 days, both the families decided they would leave all 4 of the kids behind with their maternal grandparents who happened to be near and available at the time. We had a grand wedding that lasted almost a week. Two days after completion, my husband and I headed to Paris for our honeymoon while both my families were on their way to London, from where my American family would take a connecting flight over to Seattle, WA. We had just made it to our hotel room when my phone rang, and I got the news that my entire family was no more. Their plane had crashed. And suddenly, my husband and I had no one left. Not one person. All we had were our brothers' children, who luckily or unluckily, I'm not sure, had been left behind." Bhuji wiped her tears.