And I dance in the rain , allowing the water fix my spirit.

I dance , eradicating the toxins you marked on my existence.

I dance , vitiating the pain you left on my anima.

I dance as the raindrops exterminate your memories out of me.

I dance embracing the real , old me sans you.

I dance as I dethrone you entirely from my life.

I dance welcoming back myself.

I dance in the rain as I disremember you.

" Mommy" he said seriously , "I want to marry Shrishti".

" But why Arjun ? " I asked.

"Because she has got a bee-yoo-tiful cycle !" he gushed. I smiled as I saw my four year old son who was experiencing first pangs of unrequited love - for the brand new tricycle of our neighbour's daughter.

He had pushed his last cycle down a slope to see if it could fly and the previous one was too old fashioned to ride for Rockstar Arjun.

A couple of days later , I noticed Arjun sliding out of the house with something hidden behind his back. When questioned ,he held out a slightly bulky, somewhat a pink envelope, with crooked red hearts and 'Simran' emblazoned on top.

Intrigued, I opened the letter and drew out a hand made card. It bore some more crooked hearts and the legend , "Dear Simran, I love you very very much. You are a Super Girl !". Inside it was ridden " Please will you let me ride your cycle? " Arjun had enclosed a small pearl too as a token of his love . He for sure , didn't want to leave any stone unturned.

"Don't tell Shrishti !" he pleaded. I mocked him saying , "Oh my god Arjun ! Are you a  Casanova? Are you double dating ? Okay . Fine . I won't tell Shrishti only if you wait till your father comes. I want to show this card to him too. It is lovely. "

"What ? No Mommy. I can't even wait a second. Please try to understand . I need to go now or it will be too late ."It meant that it would get too dark soon and hence, chances of a ride too dim.

He trotted off with his first love letter - a bounce in his step and hope in his heart. But alas ! The course of true love never did run smooth. The damsel had the last word. Soon came the reply with a card, crooked hearts and all. With "Arjun I love you too !"  after thanking him for calling her a Super Girl, she wrote - "Repair your cycle soon. Then we both can go cycling together."

Since his old cycle was beyond salvage, we were treated to sights of Arjun literally being taken for a ride behind the Simran's petite two seated scooter.

That was Twenty six years and three cycles ago. I smiled again as Simran asked why I am smiling all by myself. Telling her to wait as a surprise awaits her , I went to the store room . She looked at me , still puzzled, as I came back holding a small box. The looks changed from that of puzzled to amused. "What is this , Mom ?" She asked.

"Tada ! Look for yourself. " I chuckled. She laughed shyly as she held that same love letter from Twenty Six Years ago with crooked red little hearts...
That couple on the  scooter 26 years back is all married now and we all laugh as their three year old son runs out with a love letter ..

I did not like him. To introduce him to my friends was an absolute 'no -no'. Since we were brothers , I was invariably compared to him in some way or the other. But I could not fathom how people compared me with him. ''I'' who was so stylish , rich and polished was compared to a person for whom these qualities were alien. People must be out of their minds. I was surprised when he, my elder brother , Varun  expressed his desire to visit me. I thought he must need something from me.
When I reached the Railway Station , train had just arrived. The halt was very short. I saw him getting down , vigorously waving. We shook hands but I immediately snatched mine away. The railway platform was jam packed. I moved along with the wave of people.
Suddenly, I too was pushed against the side of the train. I just could not breathe.
I saw a train pass. What was happening ? I realized I had fallen down. I wanted to get up. How humiliating to fall in front of so many people. My back was resting against the platform and my legs were on the rail tracks. I wanted to move my legs but couldn't . The next thing I saw that my legs were lying at a distance away from my body.
We were in a car. I protested,'' Oh ! What was happening around me ? '' I was feeling scared. I curled my fingers around my brother's mighty palms and held him with all the strength I could muster and in his same characteristic style which I so much disliked , he roared , '' He had held my hand tightly! He is still alive. ''
Was I dead ? I must have been hallucinating .
Varun put his palms on my chest and started pushing me up and down , shouting '' I will kill you if you give in. Fight , don't give up! You are like me my brother , fighter to the core. Breathe , breathe hard ''. I followed his commands almost like I used to do when he was standing outside the boxing ring and exhort me to get up and fight once again.
I felt severe pain in my legs and cried out. I could hear some voices , some crying and some praying. I could hear so many voices telling me to do different things. I don't know why my wife Geetika was crying but she kept on asking Varun to instruct me further. I decided I will only listen to my brother's voice.
I am in my full senses now. Varun is sitting quietly , holding my hand. I was told that three months have passed since the accident occurred. I was declared 'brought in dead ' but the doctors kept trying to revive me because my brother refused to give up and wouldn't  let them go. It was almost an hour when I started breathing. Doctors thought I would become a vegetable because my brain was without oxygen for one full hour. Varun proved them wrong again. I responded to his voice. I was proud of him for being so authoritative. They also told me that Varun did not go home or move away from my side as I would not let go of his hand.
It took me another four months to learn to walk on my artificial legs.
Varun left today. Geetika and I went to bid good bye to him. He shook my hand ,'' You are a good fighter , I am proud of you. '' I smiled. My heart was too full to say anything to him. 'I love you for teaching me to keep faith'' Geetika said . He boarded the train and waved till we could see him no more.
For the first time I realised that I couldn't have given him anything. He had it all and perhaps I wouldn't have been who I am today had he not taught me to face trouble fairly and squarely , and not buckle.