The Woman My Grandmother Loved.

Chapter Sixteen

"You know- one loves the sunset, when one is so sad.."

"Were you so sad then?" I asked, "on the day of forty four sunsets?"

But the Little Prince made no reply.

Antoine De Saint-Exupéry.

It wasn't often that you saw a twenty-three-year-old girl in a wheelchair, with a book in her hand as a slightly older woman stood next to her, conversing with a gentleman.

It wasn't very often that she smiled at you when you spoke to her; her eyes glinting dangerously as if she were only inches away from uncovering your secret. It almost never happened that you were a twenty-three-year-old woman as well who couldn't help but ask this bewitching stranger if she'd want a date with you.

But it had happened and she had fallen in love with you and worshipped every bit of you in the same way you worshipped her.

It wasn't very often that you were a twenty-three-year-old girl in a wheelchair, with a book in her hand as your sister-in-law stood next to you conversing with her husband.

It wasn't very often that the prettiest young woman you had ever seen stopping to make conversation with you, drawing you out and trying to keep the conversation flowing as though she didn't want it to ever end. It wasn't very often that you fell in love with her; in love the way you had never dreamt for it to be possible.

But it had happened and she had loved you in a way you couldn't have dared to think possible.

Sunlight poured forth, as Anita walked towards Becky's cottage and smiled as she saw her standing right at the middle of the road; a little away from her home. Right where they had met for the very first time.

"I didn't know you would be coming over so early," Becky said, as she reached her and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"I didn't know you would be standing outside," Anita replied, kissing her in turn, her lips lingering a bit longer than they needed to.

"This was where we met for the first time. It only felt fitting to come here one last time." Becky said, her hand reaching down to hold Anita's. There was no active thought behind the movement, it felt natural at this point.

"Ah, my romantic idealist!" Anita smirked, but she was secretly glad that Becky had the sentimentality to remember it.

"I've been telling you! It's all your influence." Becky exclaims making Anita giggle.

"How is your correspondence with the professor going?" Anita asks Becky, referring to the expedition that she would soon be leaving for.

"It's going well. Everything seems to have fallen into place and now the only thing we need to do is show up." Becky answers, looking at the honeysuckle bushes. The bushes behind which Jha had stood and seen them.

"Have you told Mrs. White about your resignation?" Anita asks her, wanting to know that Becky had taken good care of her business before she left.

"Yes, I have. She was a bit forlorn. I think she didn't expect me to leave so soon." Becky laughs. "Truth be told, neither did I. But I'll be vacating the cottage in a week now."

"Do you in any small way regret having to leave?" Anita asks her, wanting to erase the last bit of doubt and guilt she felt. The course of Becky's life had forever changed because of her.

"Not really. It's only difficult to say goodbye to the school because it was such a comfortable place. But rarely are the good things in life comfortable." Becky acknowledges.