"That's all I have ever wanted" she smiled.

"No. That's not all you have ever wanted" I said "Tell me the truth"

Another wave receded dampening the sand. I watched her gazing at the sea with its blackish water. I could see her pursing her lips her face almost hidden behind a curtain of long hair that hung loose down her shoulders.

"No" she said turning to face me. The warm golden light of the late afternoon sun soaked the surroundings. I sighed.

"It's okay Saachi" I replied in resignation" I can't force you. But how long can you hide the truth?"

"Ludicrous is human desires. We often mistakenly equate greed with ambitions and by the time we realize our misconception it is often too late" she said after some time "By that time we have lost everything of real value and are fearful even to try and regain them"

I could sense a deeply impactful past hidden behind those plaintive statements. I took a deep breath as I proceeded to answer her.

"It is also quite possible that they have lost the stamina or have become too lazy to fight back, to accept their reality and mistakes and start afresh. You know starting anew requires lot of effort and hard work. Don't equate laziness with satisfaction."

"Fear detains you from all your endeavours in life. Strong fear- It curtails happiness"

"Didn't you always tell me 'It all depends on how you perceive things. You can always choose to be happy.'"

"I did and I see now how wrong I was. Adrith, you cannot force happiness on yourself."

There was never a time when I was not really prepared with a ready reply or witty remark. But here an old friend whom I am meeting after years caught me unguarded.

"Is this the first time in your skyrocketing career as a lawyer that someone has left you speechless?" she said as she drowned in ripples of laughter. Her old beautiful laugh. I smiled.

"Saachi you are...." I could say no more as her sweet laughter infected me too.

"Don't worry I will always come to the defence of a brilliant lawyer like you."

My face must have exuded a funny incredulity for she pealed into laughter again.

"You must be aware that I came here to complete my quarantine period as prescribed by my doctor but if you keep infecting me with your laughter then it renders the entire process futile."

"Of course, Adrith, of course. Ask your doctor if there is a cure for my infectious laughter. Anyway I have to go to the market. Would you like to come?"

"No I am not feeling very good today" I lied.

"Oh sure. I will try to be quick then. Go inside before darkness falls. Mosquitoes swarm the place so keep your windows closed until around 6:30 or so. And do take in the chair as well if you can or at least bring them up to the beach boundary. "

"You may go and do your shopping with ease. Rest assured that both I and your house will remain intact when you return."

I watched her figure becoming smaller as she ran up to the house and went down the road with big shopping bags. I waited rather impatiently for her to disappear completely from my angle of vision.

"Hello, Ahyan. I require you to run a background check on Ms Saachi Kashyap" I said on my phone.

"Sir isn't it the lady who runs the homestay you are currently staying in?" said the voice from the other end.

"Yes the very same. Send me every piece of information you can find about her. No restrictions."

"Okay sir. But why are- No never mind. I will start executing your task."

I smiled as I put down my phone. My PA knew when not to question me back. But Saachi had certainly intrigued me. She was a mystery which I needed to solve.

The number of beach comers had begun to dwindle. A little girl with a large pink hat ran along the waves. The hawkers languidly packed their articles trying to make some last minute sales bargaining with their customers. There was a lull yet there was activity.

Intensive search for a quite place to stay inhad landed me here. But Saachi was setting my mind to turmoil. There was no waythat the same vibrant and ambitious girl I had known in school could today besatisfied with a monotonous country life and not want anything else. And for some unexplained reason, I felt myself much drawn to unravel the layers of time and experiences that now hid her.