Anika spent the next couple of hours performing several rituals during the ceremony. She felt a lot of eyes on her.

The Singhams were probably assessing if she was a worthy bride. Strangely, instead of being offended, she was more understanding of their attitude.

Abhay sat next to her but they didn’t talk to each other. They followed the instructions of the head priest. Each time, their hands brushed, or he touched her lightly as a part of some ritual or the other, she felt a zing pass through her, reminding her of the moments they had spent before leaving for the temple.

“Please stand up and take the blessings of the gods,” the priest instructed, concluding the ceremony.

She wasn't a religious person but her mother was. Since her childhood, her mother made it a point to take Myra and her to the temple every month. More than the actual praying, she enjoyed the aura and the peacefulness she found there.

She missed her mom and sister. Even though she had not lived in her childhood home since she was eighteen, they had always been close and spoke regularly.

People at the temple began to clear out. She waited quietly as Abhay spoke to some people. She noticed how they took in his words and instructions without any arguments. She knew they trusted him. They trusted him not only with their lives, but also with their family's lives. Being a doctor herself, she understood how much strain that kind of responsibility would add on a person.

Abhay finished talking and began to head back. When he saw her waiting at the entrance of the temple, a surprised look passed on his face.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yes."

He held her elbow and led them to the car. She slid into the backseat, next to Abhay and stared out of the window.

“What's wrong?” he asked as though sensing her mood.

“Nothing,” she replied. “Just missing my parents and sister.”

There was silence.

“They can visit you anytime. Just let me know a few days before so there is adequate security.”

Shocked by his offer, she stared at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He gave a nod before going back to checking something on his phone.

A few minutes later, they drove into what appeared to be a hospital. There were parked ambulances in front of the building.

The car stopped by the main entrance with a flight of marble steps.

“Come.” She heard Abhay’s soft command and watched him as he got out of the car. Curious, she followed him.

They passed through the security guards, and the polished corridors as Abhay walked with purpose towards the back of the building. He stopped in front of a room and opened the lock. It was storage of some kind, filled with boxes.

“I couldn’t find anyone to set up a proper pharmacy within the hospital,” he said, looking at her with a closed-off expression. “Pick up whatever you need from here. If there is something else, make a list, and I’ll have someone bring it to you.”

She nodded. Over the next few minutes, she picked out a few items of everything she needed to help the people with their minor illnesses.

“I’m done,” she said, after filling an empty box with what she needed.

He was waiting silently, seemingly angry and upset about something. She knew that was his usual state of mind, but something about the way he stood, scanning the boxes, made her think there was more frustration involved.

“Was this a running hospital before?” she asked.

He was quiet, and then looking at her hands while she held a large box filled with medications, he answered her, “Yes. It was one of the best until a couple of decades ago.”

“What happened?” she asked softly.

“The feud started,” he replied. “None of the doctors or nurses wanted to stay where their families could be in danger.”

The way he said it, made her aware of his frustration and helplessness. It was strange, but she felt the need to comfort him.

He was the reason; her aunt was controlling her life. He could also be the possible reason for her to remain captive at this place for an unforeseeable future, but at that point, she somehow empathized with the man in front of her.

He wanted to end the violence. He wanted to see his people prosper. He spent days and most of his nights, trying to protect what was his from others who were bent upon destroying all the work he did for his people.

She took a deep breath tamping down the words that were trying to burst out of her mouth—about wanting to know more about him. “I have everything I need for now.”

Abhay nodded curtly and took the box from her hands. While they headed towards their car, Anika noticed that the hospital was still maintained well. There were no visible cobwebs or mold anywhere inside. She guessed there must have been people dedicated to cleaning and maintaining the place, in the hope it would thrive once again.

She stopped as her attention fell on a large painting of a familiar woman hanging about the exit doors.

“Is that your mother?” she asked. The image was of a simple, pretty woman with a bright, kind smile.

Abhay’s posture became rigid. “Yes, that’s my mother,” he replied, stopping in front of her with his back facing her to look at the picture.

The picture filled her with sadness. She knew that Arundhati Singham was adored and revered by each and everyone within the Singham Estate. She had heard so many tales about that woman she felt as though she knew her.

“She was beautiful—inside and out,” she said softly.

She heard him take a deep breath. She wasn’t sure if he was angry because he had warned her not to talk about his mother, or whether he was caught off balance by her statement.

“Yes. She was very beautiful,” he said quietly, his tone not giving anything away.

She was slowly beginning to understand more of this man who was her husband. She knew he was hurt and even sad remembering his mother, but he didn’t lash out at her like she had expected him to.

“Let’s go, it’s getting dark,” he said, continuing towards their car.

She sat next to him and briefly looked at him. His face was unreadable as always, and he simply stared ahead as the car moved.

The mixed feelings she had towards Abhay confused her. On one hand she knew she would somehow and eventually save her family from harm, but on the other hand she wasn't as excited as she thought she would be to go back to her old life in San Francisco.

Instead, she wanted to know more about the man who was her husband. Even though the circumstances in which they came together were less than ideal, she felt the need to explore more.

Was it just passion?