9 GOODBYES AND NEOON

"What bugs me though is how you two remember that I have died..according to sir Chend, not only should you not be remembering that am dead..but also forget my face and remember me only with this face." Mahi said in confusion.

"we do not know" her dad replied

"well ... whatever..am glad that you know now..I have 2 more days with you. I really wish I had more days with you" she started crying..

but then tried to control herself. She walked towards the tall mirror in her room and stared at herself. "A promise is a promise..not everyone gets second chances..but I did. Am forever grateful for that. I know it's hard for you..but I want you to try to be strong and send me away happily... I want you to acknowledge that I am on borrowed time..and that everybody dies...am just going away a little bit sooner. I want you all to live full fledged lives for me." she said with a brave face as tears rolled down her eyes.

Her uncle's could not take this anymore. Both of them got up in a rage. "enough of this nonsense now. so he helped you a decade ago..doesn't mean he gets to take your life away...he doesn't get to play God whenever he wishes. we will see how he gets to you and take you away from us." Vashi pledged

"yes! we won't let u die" vipin announced

Mahi got worried seeing her poor family suffer like this. Sashi kautya got up and held both of their hands.

" I beg of you. I know you both love her like your own daughter. And that is why am begging you. She has just two days left on a borrowed calendar. Don't give her any false hopes. If you can, give her the memories of a lifetime that she might take with her when she crosses over. Please! am not commanding you as your brother. Am pleading you as a father. A father whose pulse will be taken away from him soon." sashi pleaded his brothers while his wife drowned herself in tears. Seeing all of this, mahi walked out of the room trying to be brave. But before she left, she turned back at the door saying "I get it. Believe me! I wanted to do all those things you have said now. But nature's balance should never be disturbed. I only hope that I have caused no harm to this world by being here out of my time. Anyway, call me whenever you are ready to send me away happily, I will be in the backyard."

Then she left while the four of them stood there watching her walk away.

All of them looked at each other and decided they would be helping her however the way she wants them to. So they marched out into the back yard and she was very happy to see them understand her feelings.

Those two days were probably the highlight of her entire life. And soon it's time to bid adeu. And no one was ready. Can one really ever be okay with these kinds of situations? Mahi said all her personal goodbyes to each one of them individually. After that, she went into the basement once for all but not without turning back once before closing the door. She kept smiling because she wanted her family to remember her as a happy person. All of them stood behind the basement door and stared at it with each of them secretly hoping that mahi would just walk out of the door saying "just kidding! am back!" . But no such thing happened. Suddenly they saw huge light coming from the basement. It almost lit the entire house. After it disappeared, sasi went inside the basement as mahi had instructed him before and opened all the doors and windows. The morning sunlight hit the room and it looked as if the entire room was alive. He came back and said "This is it. She is gone!!". Her mother broke down as he said those words. But sasi demanded that no one should cry. " if you want her to cross over happily, please stop crying everyone. I need you to do this as a celebration. we should celebrate her life like she wanted. That's her last wish" he stated.

They all looked at each other and held hands. For about two minutes they prayed that their daughters spirit should rest in heaven. That night none of the kautyas slept. They all lied down on the living room floor and kept talking about mahi and how she imapcted their lives.

"Mahi! Look how much we are talking about you. You silly girl! you might be physically away! But you are forever in our hearts." Sasi talked to himself closing his eyes and imagining his daughter smiling.

Meanwhile mahi appeared straight away in Neoon. She has never seen Neoon before. But somehow she knew where to go. She went straight into the Neoon queens room and sat on the bed. She decided it is better to stay there until Chend arrives. She laid on the bed thinking about her family.

The next day Chend arrived in Neoon. He went straight to the the queens palace and went inside to see the queens mother there. She was resting in an arm chair while her servants giving her a foot massage. Seeing Chend she withdrew a little bit. " Ahh! Chend! You came at about the right time. You have to help me restore the power here. Neoona is in chaos and I need to set it right." she declared

" sure my lady!" he replied

" Chend! I didn't go to her room since she died. Can you go and help that priest sage that room? There were a lot of deaths in our family recently. I thought it might be better to get whole of the palace saged." she asked

Chend knew if the priest goes inside and see mahi it would become a mess. He obeyed her anyway and went ahead with the priest. As they reached upstairs he turned to the priest and said " Sir! you please go ahead with the remaining rooms. As for the princesses room, it might be in a mess the way they left it. I will go and set it neatly in a minute. After you complete the rest, please come there." to which the priest nodded and went on his way into the other rooms. Chend rushed to the princesses room and opened the door. Mahi quickly scooched under the bed forgetting that no one can see her. She has the ability to hide herself or rather the body has. Chend entered the room and scanned around. He slowly called out " Mahi!Mahi! are you here?" Hearing his voice mahi stood up and Chend was glad mahi didn't break her promise.

" We don't have much time. We should begin now" he declared to which mahi nodded.