Life was slipping away, and he wanted to share a secret. "Great timing, you grand old man", Meera teased him to lighten up the heavy atmosphere of the hospital room. "Well, spill the beans; the suspense is killing me", she added.

"Prepare yourself, my dear, for an epic tale. It dates back to the Jurassic period, long before I met your grandmother when I was in the seventh grade," he said with a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

Despite the gravity of the situation, she couldn't help but giggle inwardly at her grandpa's flair for drama, even in his final days.

As she leaned in closer, Meera braced herself for whatever bombshell her grandfather was about to drop on her heart. Clasping her hands tightly, Meera's grandfather began his narration with a voice just above a whisper.

“I had a first love,” he said.

Whaaattt???? Meera gasped, staring at her grandpa in utter disbelief.

As her grandpa began recounting his first love, Meera's eyes and ears widened like Mr. Spock's from Star Trek, an English series, while her eyebrows soared upward like aeroplanes.

“My journey into the world of love began innocently during my school days. It all started with something as mundane as the daily attendance. My new class teacher, oblivious to the potential consequences of her actions, would call out our names each morning in alphabetical order”.

Meera remained as quiet as a mouse, listening intently to her grandpa's voice. She didn't want to miss a word as he spoke because any word could be his final word.

"You see, my name happened to come right after a girl named Kavitha in the attendance register. During our days, seeing a girl in the classroom was nothing short of a miracle. So, every time the teacher called out 'Kavitha Kesavan, Kavitha Kesavan,' Kavitha and I would look at each other and share a smile. It was as if my name transformed into her surname each morning, weaving a tale of silent connection between us. Our peers consistently teased us, and slowly, just like in the movies, Kavitha and I became best friends. Then, one fine day, Life, with its sense of humour, decided to play a little game with me. Kavitha stopped coming to school. She disappeared without saying goodbye to me," tears welled up in Grandpa's eyes as he recounted his unforgettable moments.

Meera urged him to drink some water to soothe his dry throat and take a pause, but her determined grandpa wished to press on. With time ticking away, he was eager to finish what he had started so he could peacefully pass away.

"I waited for many days, hoping she would return. I tried to find out what happened, but no one would share any information about her. The disappearance of my first love, which was so innocent and pure, hit me really hard. It left a deep void in my heart. Your grandmother is a good woman, Meera, and we had a good life together, but I could never erase the memories of Kavitha from my heart”.

Meera, looking at her grandpa, smiled softly, and was surprised to discover that her introverted grandpa had a romantic side, a facet of his personality he had hidden from her for such a long time.

Grandpa's hand trembled as he reached out to touch Meera’s head, offering his blessing. "My child, you don't know how happy I am to see you married to your first true love," he expressed.

His hands slowly ran back down to his bed, his wrinkled face relaxed into calmness, and his eyes and lips softened. Meera nervously felt a sense of peace in her grandfather's energy as it retreated.

“Nurse, Nurse!" she sobbed and screamed, her voice filled with urgency. Suddenly, a weak swat landed on her cheek.

"Not yet, you idiot, There's still time for it. Now, go away. I want to take a nap; these seas of medicines keep me drowsy all the time." her grandpa gently scolded her in a feeble voice.

A relieved Meera giggled through her tears, fell into a hushed silence and sat observing her grandpa as he rested, patiently awaiting his final moment.

.    .    .