And so, Kalpana began that slow amble up to the idol. It was not her fault that she bled for so many days. It was not Tai-ajji’s fault that she was conditioned to believe that periods meant shunning away the woman to a dark corner. It was not aai’s fault that she felt trapped between the old generation and the new. Above all, it was not a mere coincidence that the idol was waiting on the edge of the water. He was, after all, extending his stay just for her. It was His doing that the tide had gone out and He stood stranded – He had one last devotee to bless and her promise to fulfil.

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