The Woman My Grandmother Loved.

Chapter Thirteen

"We loved with a love that was more than love."

Edgar Allan Poe.

It was the onset of May and the beginning of summer when a beautiful little envelope found its way to Becky's study table. It had found its way all across continents and traveled to her table. As she traced her fingers on the smooth surface of the envelope, Becky sighed. Accepting what was within the envelope made her feel a bit guilty but also; it was time, was it not? Summer had started again and it would soon be time for Anita to go back. This was how it was always supposed to be. It had begun ending the moment she had kissed Anita back in Winter.

She didn't have to say goodbye immediately but she knew it was inevitable.

****

Anita made her way to Becky's house that day, her customary white hyacinths in her hand as she almost skipped. Dressed in a long skirt, her dark hair pulled up carelessly and her eyes tired; they had been tired for a long time now. It had been two months since she had last seen Jha and now there was radio silence on his part.

There weren't any letters and she hadn't sent him any either. But she would be lying if she said that it didn't hurt her though she was secretly relieved as well. Bhuwan had taken her aside and asked her about what had happened and she hadn't had the heart to tell him about it all. She wondered if Jha had filled in Bhuwan about everything she had been up to. But he was still regularly corresponding with her so she didn't deem anything to be amiss. Bhuwan had told her in his last letter that he would be setting out on one of his travel adventures and that would perhaps be the last letter she would be receiving from him in a while. He had promised to write to her as soon as he settled down in a place but Anita knew that it would take her brother a long time to find a place he liked. But all of this wasn't unusual; this was always how it had been when he dropped out from college and disappeared. There were times Jha had accompanied him but now, Jha had grown more serious and begun working.

She paused a moment to reflect on how she felt. The slight summer breeze blowing gently, the lightness in the atmosphere and her heart. She takes a deep breath to look at the flowers dangling from her hand and she smiles. Life takes you to unimaginable places and journeys that you cannot even think of.

"You're here." Anita feels the familiar rush in her heart as she sees Becky's sweet face opening the door to smile at her.

"I am," Anita says, her own smile widening, the sparkle reaching her eyes.

"You really need to stop bringing these flowers," Becky says, laughing as she takes the flowers from Anita.

"Oh, let me relish it. It's not very often that a woman can say she's buying flowers for her girlfriend." Anita says, closing the door and following Becky inside.

"You shouldn't go around saying things like that." Becky chides her playfully, placing the flowers in the vase and then walking over to Anita.

"What should I say then?" Anita raises an eyebrow, a smirk spreading over her face.

Becky pauses in front of her. Her green eyes looking at Anita's intently as she says, "That you've missed me."

There's no smile on her face this time and Anita knows that Becky isn't joking. "I've missed you." She says, her eyes falling to Becky's lips and moving forward to close the space in between them.

Becky kisses back with urgency, her hands moving to grip Anita's hair, grab hold of every bit of her and refuse to let go.

"What's wrong?" Anita asks as she pulls away. Becky refuses to look at her and she sighs as she points to the envelope on the table.