Chapter 39
As they arrived at the astrologer’s office—a high-rise building tucked in the heart of the city—they were greeted by an interior that felt like stepping into a sanctum from another world. The design carried an unmistakable Indian touch: intricately carved wooden panels, soft golden lighting, and at the center, a grand statue of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi surrounded by glowing diyas and fresh marigold petals. The faint aroma of burning incense lingered in the air, calming and sacred. Even the reception itself exuded warmth—like the room was wrapped in a protective blessing.
A woman in a graceful saree walked up to them, her smile serene.
“Namaste, Miss Chanikma,” she greeted warmly, holding a brass plate adorned with marigold garlands. She offered one garland to each of them, bowing slightly as she placed it gently around their necks.
“Please wait five minutes,” she added softly, “and then you may enter the office at your convenience.” With a graceful gesture, she invited them to sit and then walked away in silence.
“I have to quickly call my honeybee to let her know I’m busy,” Grandma said suddenly, digging into her purse for her phone.
“Your… honeybee?” Becky blinked, amused.
“Miss Orantara,” Grandma grinned cheekily, already walking a little distance away to make the call.
Freen and Becky shared a look, eyes wide and impressed.
“Who knew Grandma was such a romantic?” Becky whispered with a grin.
Freen just smiled and gently took Becky’s hands in hers.
“I don’t know what’s going to unfold in there,” Freen said quietly. “What perspective I might walk out with… but promise me, Bec—whatever it is—let me do anything it takes to keep you safe.”
Becky’s grip tightened around Freen’s. Her voice was soft but steady.
“Us. It’s us now, babiee. We’ll do anything to protect us. You’re not going through anything alone anymore.”
Unbeknownst to them, Grandma had just ended her call and was standing close enough to hear it all. Her heart swelled, silently blessing the bond between them.
She returned with a smile, and together, she and Freen entered the astrologer’s chamber—leaving Becky behind in the waiting area, hands clasped in prayer, whispering to herself:
“Only good things. Just good things… please.”
Inside, Mr. Vastu welcomed them with a respectful bow and hands folded in a graceful namaste.
"Well, Miss Chankimha," he smiled, "it's been a long time. Last time you came with Miss Orntrara, remember? How’s her heart doing?"
Freen's eyes widened in surprise, turning to her grandmother with a questioning look. But Grandma quickly changed the subject.
"Uhm, this time, we might need your assistance for my grandchild. Can you help us?"
"Always," Mr. Vastu replied warmly, gesturing for them to sit as he prepared his pen and paper.
"But before we begin," he said, turning to Freen, "may I ask you a question, miss……?"
"Freen," she offered her name politely.
"Yes, Miss Freen. Do you believe in astrology?"
Freen gave a small laugh.
"I’ve believed some truly weird things all my life. I’ll believe whatever you say—because Grandma’s told me about your expertise. So, yes."
"Very well then. I’ll need your date of birth, time, and place."
Freen gave the details, and Mr. Vastu began drawing her natal chart. Symbols and diagrams flowed across the white paper like sacred art, eventually forming a beautiful pattern resembling a blooming lotus.
"Wow... hmm… very well… okay," Mr. Vastu muttered to himself as he worked, eyebrows furrowed in focus.
Freen and Grandma exchanged curious looks.
"So, what has been bothering you—especially in the past month? I can see you’ve been suffering tremendously," he said suddenly.
Freen was taken aback. How could he possibly know?
"Uhm…" she hesitated, unsure of where to begin. Grandma stepped in, filling him in with all the details—though she carefully left out Becky’s recent perspective. They wanted to see how accurate Mr. Vastu's reading would be.
"Hmm, I see… You’ve created all of this turmoil within yourself, haven’t you?" he said gently.
"Your Sun and Saturn have been in the same house for a long time. Both are powerful planets, but they cannot coexist peacefully. When two strong forces occupy the same space, it creates chaos in the mind. That’s why you’ve felt trapped inside your head—fighting invisible battles."
Grandma and Freen leaned in, fully absorbed.
"But aside from that," he continued, "your theory about being cursed by fate? Completely wrong. In fact, the universe loves you. Your stars, constellations, and planets—each one showers you with blessings. It’s impossible for you to be cursed. I’d wager that whatever you set your mind to, you achieve. Work-wise—do you study or work?"
Grandma’s face lit up like a lamp. Seizing the opportunity to brag about freen, she beamed.
"Absolutely! No one can break her academic records. She started her own brand at just 14! And now she runs more than 12 branches worldwide. There’s nothing she can’t master—any skill, you name it!"
Freen gave her a warning look. "Grandma, not now."
Mr. Vastu chuckled kindly. "You’re just like every proud parent, Miss Freen. It's alright."
"Now," he said, shifting gears, "let’s dive into your fate theories. Give me four important people you’ve lost, along with their birth details—date, time, and place."
Grandma shared the details for her son, daughter-in-law, and husband. Freen added Becky—and whispered, "I almost lost her."
Mr. Vastu began charting for all four. Then he looked up, voice steady.
"I’m going to ask some questions now that might bring back pain. But I need honest answers."
Both nodded.
"Please share the timeline of when each of them passed away… or in your partner’s case, when the accident occurred."
They did.
Mr. Vastu scanned the charts, muttering softly.
"Hmm… oh… wow. No offense, of course."
Then he straightened in his chair, gaze serious.
"Now, brace yourselves for the truth."
Freen and Grandma held each other's hands.
"Let’s start with your father’s chart. You were born in 2004. His chart shows a fatal accident meant to occur that very year. After that—nothing more to read. Which means…"
Freen looked at Grandma, who gripped her hand tighter.
"He was meant to pass away the year you were born. But it was delayed by four years."
He continued, "Now your mother—did she suffer a serious illness when you were around nine?"
Grandma recalled the memory. "Yes… she was critically ill. Hospitalized for a long time."
"Exactly. That was her time. But again—it was delayed. And she passed when Freen was 13?"
"Y-e-s," Freen said slowly.
"The same goes for your grandfather."
He paused, looking at them with quiet intensity.
"You see, as an astrologer, we are trained to study a person's life in great depth—with their full consent, of course. We can trace their past, what they’re going through now, and even what lies ahead... sometimes down to the exact moment and nature of their passing. This ancient practice, however, has slowly faded over time, largely because the newer generations don’t believe in it anymore."
He smiled faintly and continued,
"Which is fair, I suppose. These days, people talk more about instant karma—about how every action brings an immediate reaction. And while that holds some truth, what many forget is that karma can delay or detour a journey, but it can’t erase it. Destiny will always find its way, and the destination… will always arrive, exactly when it's meant to."
"Mr. Vastu… can you please say it plainly? I’m not following," Grandma asked.
He looked directly at her.
"I mean, Miss Chankimha—your grandchild possesses a mystic power. If she stays close to someone whose karmic & scheduled death is near, she can delay it merely by being present at the moment. She kept her father alive for four years, her mother longer, her grandfather too."
Freen’s breath caught. And she could only think of Becky… Becky was right. She wasn’t the reason for their deaths—she was a loophole. A cure maybe.
"What about my partner?" Freen asked, voice trembling.
"She was going through the ‘Eye of Saturn.’ It brings heavy energy and karmic trials. The accident was inevitable. But now—she’s safe. Her chart shows only success from here on. Nothing because of you"
Freen exhaled deeply, a weight finally lifting from her chest.
"But you, Miss Freen…" Mr. Vastu leaned forward with awe, "your chart is going to be my favorite of all time. The universe loves you in ways that you will ever know. Let alone look at the way It gifted you this mystic ability—to save others through your presence and you don’t have to worry about this distance thing. While you may delay the departure of a person—but when the time truly comes,It comes, what is bound to happen will happen. So relax don’t burden yourself with all the responsibility"
He added gently, "You should’ve come to me sooner. I would’ve told you how blessed you truly are."
Grandma stood up dramatically. Mr. Vastu and Freen watched as she clasped her hands, emotion swelling in her chest.
"Can I hug you, please? Please?" she asked with joy and relief overflowing.
"Oh yes, yes—why not?" Mr. Vastu smiled, standing up.
Freen rolled her eyes fondly at her grandma's enthusiasm, hiding a soft smirk behind it.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Freen felt a gentle peace settle deep within her soul. Her mind was calm, her heart—weightless. And in that stillness, only one thought echoed clearly:
Becky was right.
She wasn’t cursed. Perhaps, she had been blessed all along.
A quiet smile softened her face as the truth bloomed inside her—she could finally be with Becky, freely and fully, loving her in every way, building a life together with no fear holding her back. Her eyes shimmered with warmth, and something inside her shifted—a numb heart slowly waking, beginning to beat with purpose again.
She silently thanked the universe for crossing their paths. Becky wasn’t just her love; she was her savior. A guardian. A miracle wrapped in soft laughter and unwavering belief. Maybe… she was the angel the universe had sent just for her.
And with that thought, Freen’s eyes welled with quiet tears—grateful ones. Hopeful ones.
As Freen and Grandma were just about to leave the room, Grandma suddenly stopped in her tracks. She tugged Freen’s arm gently, turning her around to face her.
“I know you don’t do promises,” she began, her voice firm yet warm. “But today, you’ll make many. And you’ll keep every single one.”
Freen blinked, a little confused. “Grandma…?”
“First,” Grandma said, her tone now serious, “from now on, if anything troubles you—even the smallest doubt—you’ll tell me. As long as I’m alive, I won’t let anything hurt you. Promise me that.”
“Grandma…”
“Promise me.”
Freen swallowed hard and nodded, sincerity filling her eyes. “I promise, Grandma.”
“Good,” Grandma continued, the seriousness never leaving her expression. “Second, that angel out there waiting for you—if you ever hurt her, I will personally hunt you down and kick your ass. Got that?”
Freen couldn’t help but squeal playfully. “Oh, whose grandma are you again?”
Grandma chuckled, then softened. “I’ve seen many people, met many souls in my lifetime. And all this while, I thought I was the strongest—lost so much, yet always tried to see the bright side. But that princess out there…” she paused, her voice full of awe, “she’s something else. Fearless. Fierce. Bold. Confident. A warrior.”
She looked Freen straight in the eyes.
“If someone told me I was going to die because of keeping someone close, I’d run for my life. But Becky? She didn’t just stay—she gave you her everything. She didn’t fear her love, not even for a second. She loved you so deeply, so unapologetically, and never once gave up. Not even when you did.”
Freen’s throat tightened. She lowered her gaze.
“So you promise me now to never leave her ever again,” Grandma said gently.
Freen swallowed again, harder this time, and nodded with emotion brimming in her chest. “I promise, Grandma.”
Moved, Grandma reached into her vintage side purse, opened it slowly, and pulled out a small, delicate box. She opened it to reveal a diamond chain, glimmering softly under the light, its pendant shaped like an infinity loop with tiny, barely-there lettering that read: forever more.
Freen’s eyes widened. “What is it, Grandma?”
Grandma’s voice trembled, heavy with memories. Her fingertips gently grazed the pendant as tears welled in her eyes.
“Your dad bought this for your mom on their sixth anniversary… but he never got the chance to give it to her, you know. After he was gone, one day I gave it to your mom. She wore it a few times… but she was a lot like you. Or maybe you’re a lot like her—always overthinking, carrying the weight of the world.”
She paused, then continued.
“She believed she failed to protect her family, didn’t give your dad enough time, enough love. So every time she wore this, it broke her. The memories, the guilt, the love—it all came rushing back. And though she needed to stay strong for you, eventually she gave it back to me… asked me to keep it safe.”
A tear rolled down Grandma’s cheek. Freen reached up and gently wiped it away.
“I never thought,” Grandma whispered, “that she’d never come back to take it.”
She placed the chain into Freen’s hands.
“This isn’t just a symbol of your parents’ love for each other—it’s their love for you, too. So take it. And with it, seal your love with that princess out there waiting for you. She deserves all the love in the world… and even that won’t be enough.”
Freen clutched the necklace tightly, pressing it close to her heart, tears quietly escaping her eyes.
Grandma, with a soft smile, wiped them away.
“Just like that,” she said, “the way you’re holding it—I want you to hold her like that. Always.”
Freen nodded silently, emotion locked in her throat.
Then, like a switch flipped, Grandma’s entire vibe changed.
“Oh, God, I can’t believe I’ve spent a whole hour without talking to or looking at the face of my honeybee!” she exclaimed, referring to miss orantara fanning herself dramatically. “I gotta go. You two have your moment, alright? But first let me make a proper dramatic exit!”
Freen laughed, shaking her head in disbelief at the shift.
She hugged her grandma tightly, holding her in a wordless gesture of gratitude. Grandma patted her back, then turned with flair.
With a dramatic flourish, she threw open the office door with a loud thud, a serious, urgent expression painted on her face. Becky, who had been sitting right outside, shot up from her seat, startled, the color draining from her face.
Grandma completely ignored her, walking straight past with purpose, as though nothing had happened.
Becky stood there, confused and worried, scanning the doorway—for one face only.
Freen.
The golden sun was from the window, casting long, honeyed shadows across the floor. The silence was loud, still humming with the echo of Grandma’s dramatic exit. Freen stepped out slowly, as if the weight of the world had shifted on her shoulders.
Becky rushed toward her with concern painted all over her face.
Becky softly grabbed her hand "What happened? Why did Grandma storm out like that?"
Freen didn’t say a word. Instead, with trembling hands, she reached into her pocket and took out a necklace—Silver, delicate, with an infinity loop at its center. Etched inside, in the tiniest script: forever more.
Becky's brows furrowed in confusion. “What is this?”
She gently turned Becky around and fastened it around her neck, her fingers brushing Becky’s bare skin. The gesture was slow, reverent, like a vow.
Beckyglanced down, confused "What is this babe?"
Freen exhaled, her voice tender but steady. "It’s a promise... to protect you. At any cost."
she paused, breath caught in her throat "You were right, BB. Your perspective was right all along."
Becky turned back to face her, eyes searching.
Freen gently said, “I’m not cursed. I’m not the reason people I love die.
I can’t stop fate... but when I’m there with them, I shield them from death for a while.”
She let her words settle, then gave Becky a moment—softly filled her in with all the details they had learned from Mr. Vastu.
Becky’s eyes welled up with tears. And then, without a second thought, she leapt forward and wrapped Freen in a tight hug, burying her face into her shoulder.
Becky’s voice came out muffled through the hug. “I knew it. I knew it.” They slowly pulled back, their eyes locking as if time itself held its breath. Becky’s cheeks flushed pink. Freen leaned in and hugged her again, unable to help herself, but this time, Becky gently pulled back, sensing something deeper in the embrace “babe, still what’s with the necklace?” Her voice dropped to a whisper—half warning, half tease. “Words babe words…”
But Freen didn’t listen. She leaned in and kissed her—soft and deep, full of everything she’d never said out loud. Their lips met like poetry, like fate had finally stopped running and chosen this moment to rest. When they finally broke apart, gasping for breath, Becky blinked and teased again, “Still no words?”
Freen chuckled, heart racing, then finally gave in. Her voice trembled, but it was steady with truth. “Okay... okay. I love you. I love you so much. I fell for you the moment I saw you—on the first day of college. You were yelling at your parents in my parking spot, completely caught up in your family chaos and your voice, oh my god your angelic voice... you had me right then.”
She reached out, gently touching the necklace now resting against Becky’s collarbone. “This is my promise. That I’ll be with you till my last breath. To protect you, love you, stand beside you. And yes—I’m saying this now: you’re my girlfriend, My BB. And I want to make you my partner for life... as soon as possible.”
Becky gasped, taking a step back, her eyes wide. “Wait, wait, hold up,” she said, raising her hands. “That escalated so fast. We just went from ‘hi, I like you’ to ‘let’s get married’ in, like... under two minutes!”
Freen blinked innocently. “What?”
Becky stared at her, half amused, half exasperated. “You skipped entire chapters! courting... dating...confessing….. the awkward first months... You just jumped to the epilogue!”
She shook her head, laughing, then cupped Freen’s face and kissed her again, soft and certain, just to shut her up. “Okay, back to no words, please.”
Freen kissed her back, but when she pulled away, her tone turned serious. “I’m serious becbec, I’ve got my business. You’re already a rising star. And honestly? I can’t live without this. Without you. Period.” she sulked a bit with a pouty face.
Becky sighed, still smiling, but her voice softened into something more teasing. “Freen... I just turned eighteen. Things don’t work like this. First, you court me—properly. Then, if we still make sense, you ask me to be your girlfriend. Then we grow—together. We chase our dreams, live, fall, fight, and come back to each other. And maybe... maybe in five to eight years—”
“WHAAAT?!” Freen screamed dramatically. “Eight years?! That’s an entire lifetime!”
Becky burst out laughing.
“But I get it. You can’t wait. Neither can I... so let’s not waste any more time.”
She narrowed her eyes, playfully stern. “But we still need to take it a little slow—and it’s a yes to everything. To the fair share of tears, pain, laughter, fate... we’ll be in it together. I’m all yours, babe. I love you so, so, sooo much.”
Freen pulled her in again, this time slow and steady, with no rush and no fear—just a heart overflowing with love. She kissed her real nice, real deep, and then rested her forehead gently against Becky’s, as if sealing the promise between them with something deeper than words.
Freen closed her eyes, her lips brushing softly against Becky’s skin as she whispered into the space between them, “Thank you.” It was barely audible—meant not for Becky, but for the universe itself. A whispered prayer of gratitude for this moment, for this very person standing in front of her. For every twist of fate that led them here. For the chaos, the heartbreak, the magic of it all.
She had never believed in miracles before, but this—this—felt like one.
And in the warmth of Becky’s embrace, in the glow of the necklace glinting softly between them, Freen silently vowed: she would never take this love for granted.
And so, that day, a promise was made—not just to each other, but to the universe that somehow, love… always finds its way back. A silent vow was made—that whatever comes, they would choose each other, again and again, in every lifetime.
Love, in all its wild glory, triumphed. It rewrote fate with trembling hands and a fearless heart. And for the love of Freen and Becky, even the universe bowed—blushing in hues of rose and gold, as if love itself had painted the sky.
In the end love wins all.