"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." -Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

✿Day 1

You know when it feels like the world is weighing down on you, like the Universe has gifted you all the troubles in it. The pain in quadruples when such thoughts appear in the mind. Mira stared at the mirror. The universe, the stars, the brightness, the darkness everything was colliding and collapsing inside her eyes.

Humans are far more powerful than they realize.

Mira had embodied fear in her veins, it was soaring through her bloodstream, clinging to the inner lining of her lungs. Each breath was labored.

She had turned into a storm. A devastating storm. That eats itself in the process of destruction. She stripped down to nothing. To stranger's eyes, her body was a masterpiece. Every stroke, every flab of fat, the flush color in her cheeks, her thin wrists, the slight crook her nose, the marks under jaw, the scars adorning her back.

One who has seen death, would say, that Mira was full of life. The blood rushing through veins was proof of that. Her chest that rose and fell was evidence that she was alive. Her organs that were functioning in perfect harmony, every cell in her body was laboring to keep her alive, to keep her breaths running, to keep her senses sharp.

But Mira didn't feel alive. She wasn't thankful that she was alive. She didn't care.

All she saw was how one pair of eyes was far more beautiful than her own. How her smile could never be as gorgeous as another

A gardener would never call a rose more beautiful than sunflower. But for that one would need the sight of a gardener and Mira didn't have that.

✿✿✿

A man, with broad shoulders and a mellow smile, watered the okra plants set in the pots. Delicate, white flowers had sprouted at the tips of the green stems.

There are glasses covering his deep brown eyes. From years of studying after dawn, his vision had gone blurry. His fingers were thin, nibble, deft as of a well-trained artist. A smudged ink mark adorned his index finger.

Behind the man and the rooftop garden, the New York skyline glimmered in the broad morning sunlight. The city was rising even though, it had never fallen asleep. The taxis were rousing the streets, preparing for them for the endless strings of traffic about to arrive. Pedestrian walked along the sidewalk, all alert, with cups of coffee and briefcases tucked under their arms.

The man, unlike everyone who seemed to be in a rush to be somewhere, anywhere, flowed with tranquility. He poured water over the okra plant's leaves. The droplets of water sparkled in the sunlight.

"Yudishter," An old woman seated in the wheelchair sighed. "You treat those flowers as though they were roses."

"Amma," Yudishter slowly shook his head, smiling to himself. "A flower is a flower."

His mother scowled at him. "For God's sake, it's an okra plant."

He set the watering can on the floor and walked to her. "You're way too bitter, Amma. Sweet up a bit. It won't cost you a penny."

"Your pa left me alone for a cruise with his best buds and you're telling me to cheer up. What is a woman to do with insensitive men like you two? He could have taken me along but no, it was an all men's trip and a woman couldn't possibly go along. Of-course, we, women ruin the fun."

Yudishter chuckled. His mother put on quite a show, alright. His father probably wanted to avoid some drama for a few days. "How about you and me go on a cruise? Along the Indian Ocean, we could visit Goa, Maldives, Sri Lanka. How does that sound?"

Her scowl grew deeper. "Stupid, I'm not your girlfriend. What will my future daughter-in-law say?"

"I don't think she'll mind." He added cheekily.

"Speaking of future daughter-in-law, am I getting one anytime soon? You know your pa and I could hook you up with a nice girl. A-lot of my friends have daughters. I've seen them all drooling when you walk in. It'll be easy as cream pie for getting a girl for you. Unless... "

She rose a thin, perfectly shaped eyebrow. "You're into men." She gripped his arm. Her light grey eyes wide. "You should tell me Yuv. If you're into men or something. It's okay with me and I'm sure I can convince your pa. I might just need some time but we'll be happy with what you're happy with."

Yuv burst into fits of laughter. "Amma, you're too much. You should run for the mayor's election. With a talent like yours, I'm sure we'll win."

She slapped his arm. "I'm just worried. Okay? I really want to see you married and settled. You're gonna turn thirty-two soon. Mariam had her boys married when they were twenty-seven. I don't when nature's call might come, you know, son, I want to see you married before that."

He tightly hugged his mother, nestling his head on her floral blouse. "Nothing is going to happen to you. I won't let anything happen."

She gently stroked his hair. "We can't control that dear. Neither you and I, when God wants me back, I'll have to go."

Two years ago, Rani Chandra had a heart-attack that had left her paralyzed from the waist down. The doctors had said that there was zero chance for her recovery but Yuv hadn't given up hope. Maybe that's what made him the ideal protagonist. From all the personalities brewing around, his persistence and courage is what made him stand out.

✿✿✿

Yuv sat on the wooden edge of the desk, the mold of a human face on his desk. He studied it carefully. An attractive human face was considered to be symmetric, the distance between the eyes, chin, portion of the nose with respective to the mouth followed the golden ratio.

Yuv didn't believe in this definition of beauty. When he was completing his internship in Calcutta, his senior doctor would tell him absurd tales of crazed patients. Yuv was still very fond of him. Dr. Tripthati was a beautiful soul. During week, he would work with the rich and occasional middle-class. But at the weekend was when the real challenge begun. Dr. Tripthati ran an organization called happiness for all. They would offer free correction surgeries for the underprivileged who had been shunned from the society because of the way they looked.

Yuv still remembered one of the patients. A young girl of six years with a cleft lip. She was a bubble of joy. When she was handed the mirror to look at her new face, Yuv could still hear her voice. "Bhaiya, Do I look like a princess now?" He had smiled and told her. "You always looked like one." She grinned widely. "Now Rama won't call me a goat." And then she kissed his cheek.

Yuv sighed, a content sigh. He couldn't wait to go back home. There was no bliss like that.

The door of his cabin creaked open. In walked a curly haired, almond hued girl. She awkwardly shuffled inside, closing the door with the heel of her foot.

She must be the 8:30 am patient. Yuv thought smiling.

She was really beautiful. Not the magazine kind. Not the perfect kind. The imperfect kind, the untamed beauty that grew like wild grass. She scanned the room, before resting her eyes on him. Yuv felt his heart skip a beat or maybe two.

She had enigmatic eyes. They could capture a person attention in a second.

"You must be Dr. Yuv." She readjusted the strap of her purse.

"Er...Yes." Yuv stood up and fixed his coat. "I am." He advanced towards her. "And you are?"

"Mira." She held out her hand to shake. Yuv wiped the sweat on his scrubs before joining their hands together. She had small hands that easily fit into his. Her fingers felt cold against his feverish warm hands.

"Please take a seat." He motioned her towards his desk. As she settled in, Yuv sat back on the desk. Mira shifted uncomfortably at his proximity.

"So what I can I do for you?"

"I was looking for few changes." Mira traced the lapel of her purse. "Like maybe Jaw reconstruction."

It took Yuv all his strength not to cringe. Why? Why? Why? He wanted to ask her. You're fine. Beautiful in fact.

Even though it was against the rules, Yuv still asked her. "You have a nice square jaw."

Mira bit on her lower lip. "Thank you but like I said I'm here for change. I would like to opt for a Jaw reconstruction."

Yuv clenched his hands into a fist. This was really troubling him. This was why he was a plastic surgeon, not a cosmetic surgeon. She probably has scheduled an appointment with one.

He rose from the desk. "But you don't need one. Can't you see, you look great."

Mira stared at him. "It's my face. I can do whatever I want. Who the hell are you to stop me?"

"Okay." Yuv placed a hand on his chest. Calm down, bud. Jace is going to kill you if he finds out what you're doing. "Sorry. I just got carried away. I'm new to this."

Mira pressed her lips together tightly. There were hollow circles under her eyes. It seemed like she had spent the night crying. Breakable, fragile she was, yet strong at the same time. She held herself with confidence, which was shattering every second.

Yuv pressed his hand on the desk. "The nurse will take you through procedure and all the formalities. The earliest we can schedule the surgery is thirteen days from now."

Actually there was date before that but Yuv wasn't going to tell her that.

"Sounds fine."

"Are you planning any form of surgery before that date?" When she looked suspiciously at him, he added the next part. "For medical reasons, of-course."

She shook her head. "No."

"Any special reasons for the surgery?" Yuv wasn't supposed ask her that but he asked nevertheless. You are going to drive the Medic Clinic bankrupt at this rate.

He didn't think she was going to tell him.

"Curious surgeon, are you now?" She smirked. "Let's just say 'it is such an uncomfortable feeling to know one is a fool'-words of the famous wizard of oz."

"Why do you feel like a fool?"

"If I were you, I would just mind my own business."

"Ah, I'm not good that."

Mira smiled sweetly. "My insurance only covers your clinic otherwise I would have been out of here a long time ago."

"It's not mine. It's my fellow doctor, Jace's clinic." The bored expression on her face made him shut up. "Okay then. See you tomorrow."

"For?"

"Consultation. We need to take x-rays and map a plan for the procedure."

Mira sighed. "Of-course. This wasn't going to be easy."

Now, it was Yuv's turn to smile. "We haven't even started yet."

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Note:

unedited chapter. I know that I haven't really specified the details of Yuv's profession. We'll get into that later. (there could be few errors in the facts. If you'd like, you can correct me.)

Ahh, we are finally getting into the main action of the book. I know Yuv really didn't shine through this chapter, nor did Mira. But they will in later chapters.

Lots of love. :)