Page 141 - You Only Live Once [BooksLD]

Every Sunday, I take a walk to the orphanage from Ricky’s after my
morning run. I don’t really buy flowers on the way. I mostly do that for
Sheen on the weekdays. Friends become demanding when they turn into

wives! I handpick the flowers from the park at the orphanage itself.
Today is special indeed. It is Elisabeth’s 41st birthday. As I reach the
park and take my seat near the gravestone, I am reminded that we had spent
her 14th birthday in the park itself. Time flies.

While I can never forgive myself for not coming back when she needed
me, I make this effort to tell myself that my intentions were never wrong.
Love made me do things I never knew I was capable of. Beautiful mostly.
Ugly too.

Alara visits here often but we’ve never crossed paths. We choose to be
here on our own. After all, we all have our own things to talk about in peace
hoping that Elisha, wherever she is, understands a bit of how much we love
her.

‘Your wish is my command,’ I say as I offer the handpicked flowers.
‘Although I would have been happier if we recorded this album together,
your daughter, she is just as crazy as you were. Aarav handles her well. I’ll
get them married. I won’t let Aarav make the same mistake as I did. I’m

liking my married life. Sheen understands most of what I don’t say. She
isn’t mean like you. I am leaving early today, I have to be at the launch in
the evening. I have to catch the flight to Mumbai. Bye. See you next week.’
As I stand at Elisha’s grave, I say goodbye to her. This bond - magical,
fulfilling, and deep - will last in my memories forever. I have a piece of her

wherever I go and she will have a piece of me until the end of time.
Goodbyes are hard. Aren’t they?

If you still haven’t expressed your love to someone, don’t wait for too
long! Walk up to them today. You don’t wish to end up like me. Do you?
As Sheen and I reach the launch venue, we find Alara already present.
While they’re dressed up formally, I am in my Goan shirt and shorts. Media

has mostly gathered by now so has a huge crowd, Alara’s fans mostly. Since
we announced the launch of our album on YouTube along with the real story
of Elisha, media has been chasing us like crazy. Alara is quite a sensation in
the music industry now.

Alara and I make way towards the stage. Shantanu, our producer from
Mumbai, also makes his way to it. A volunteer walks up to us and adjusts