22nd December 2017,

London, United Kingdom.

Madhav sneezed as he walked through the snowy sidewalks of London. The christmas lights o the shops down the street flickered. He was wearing a white shirt and a pair of denim jeans. He was wearing a winter jacket, sadly a thief took stole it when Madhav took it off at the café near the Tower Bridge. The jacket had his woolen mittens, wallet and his passport.

He was a little far from the hotel he was staying at. Luckily, he had a few pounds to go take the bus back to the hotel.

"Excuse me!" He says as he approaches a balding man. He holds up a picture of Shree on his mobile. "This is my wife; she lives somewhere around London. Have you seen her?"

The man shakes his head and walks away.

Madhav had been trying to come to the United Kingdom since October, but all the flights were booked till mid-December. He booked his ticket and he came to London on the 18th of December. He told his family that he was going to Italy for business purposes.

The first place he went to as soon as he landed in London was the University of London Hostel. He was told that Shree moved out in the first three months itself. She hadn't left the address of her new residence either. The university was closed for the holidays and that reduced his chances of finding Shree through her batchmates. He spent the next few days checking with all the other hostels and student accommodations in London. She wasn't in any of them either.

He then started to search for her in all the apartments, annexes, cafes, and churches in London. It's been 4 days since he swept the entire London city in search of Shree- he would start at the crack of dawn and would walk the streets with a photo of her in his hand asking people if they have seen her.

Madhav sighs in defeat. His teeth were starting to chatter, and his palms were shivering. The snow fell on his head, beard and shoulders; making him feel like a frozen piece of meat- a starving piece of meat. The streetlights were starting to dim and warnings regarding a terrible blizzard was circulating. He comes past a church. The church was brightened with Christmas lights and decorations. Choristers dressed in white and gold robes were walking away with their half coats and hoodies. The lawn of the church was covered with a thick blanket of white snow, with pawprints and footprints inter-crossing to make a labyrinth of paths.

Madhav walks into the emptying church and sits one the last bench, rubbing his palms.

He closes his eyes for a few minutes trying to find solace, when he heard an old lady approach him.

"Are you alright, son?" The old lady asked. She was a short wrinkled old lady with grey hair. She was wearing a pink cardigan with yellow knitted mittens.

He nods. She takes a small box of orange juice along with a pack of Happy Cookies from her tote bag and gives it to him. "You look hungry. Take this."

"Thank you." Madhav says. "Thank you very much."

The old lady sits beside him. "The weather is about to get worse, why are you out?"

"I-I-I'm looking for someone. My wife." Madhav says and takes out his phone. "This is her. She's here in the UK since March. Have you seen her?"

The old lady adjusts her spectacles as she looks at the picture of Shree.

"Oh, I know her!" She exclaims. "She delivers cookies to my kindergarten that me and my husband own in Lewisham! She baked those cookies!" She says pointing at the cookies she gave him.

"I think you're talking about someone else."

"No. I see her every fortnight. She has told me that she's from Bombay and has come here to do her degree. She's so kind but I can't remember her name- it's a short and beautiful Indian name."

"Shree?"

"Yes. Shree!" The old lady says. "Is she your wife? She's such a charming young lady."

"She is." Madhav says. "Do you know where she lives?"

"I don't know where, but she said somewhere near my kindergarten." The old lady says. "She told me that she has been living in one of the apartments at Lewisham since May."

"Lewisham? That's not far from London!" Madhav says as he gets up. "It's doesn't even take more than half an hour to get there. If I leave now and take the bus to Lewisham I can be there by- by-by 11:30 pm at least."

"Be careful, though!" She says. "There's going to be an awful blizzard anytime soon."

* * * * *

It was almost midnight when Madhav arrived at the Lewisham Bus Halt. He only had a few pounds to nearly return back to London. His feet was buried under the snow and it took a lot of effort to even walk a step. He was freezing, his lips had started to become blue and his fingers felt numb. The cold wind blew into his ears. It was dark and the only source of light was the flickering streetlights. The branches of the trees along the sidewalk hung low with the weight of snow. The brutal and merciless cold wind cut through his shirt making him freeze and shiver. He walked a few kilometers, showing Shree's picture and asking if they had seen her.

He then approaches a handsome British man.

"Hello, I want to know if you have seen her around." Madhav asks. "I'm her husband. I've been looking for her for quite some time."

"Blimey! I do know her!" He says. "She's my girlfriend's roommate!"

"Really?" Madhav asks relived. "Can you tell me where she lives?"

"Walk straight and turn to your left after four junctions." He says pointing down the street. "Lewis Apartments. Third floor, second door."

Madhav walks quickly in the snow. He was freezing and his limbs shook, but he had a bright smile. He walks towards the apartment. His phone switches off.

"Hello, I came to meet Mrs. Ramakrishna." He tells the short stout apartment security.

"There's no Mrs. Ramakrishna in this apartment." The security replies as he takes his hooded eyes off the evening newspaper.

"Are-are you sure? I heard she's in the third floor, second door." Madhav says rubbing his palms together. "Can you check if there is an Indian woman in that floor."

"There is only woman Indian woman in that floor, and she doesn't go by the name you ask from me."

"Is there anyone called Ms Prasad?" He asks. "Fair and beautiful undergraduate."

"Ah yes I know here. She's quite a sweet young lady. How do you know her?"

"I-I-I-I am a friend from India." He says. "A very close friend of hers."

The security takes the phone and dials the extension to Shree's apartment.

"Ms Prasad, one of your close friends from India has come to see you." He says.

"In this weather and towards midnight? That's rather peculiar! Don't send them up. I'll come down."

"She's coming downstairs." He says looking up at Madhav.

Madhav's heart started to beat fast. He kept his eyes glued to the elevator. The indicator showed the elevator going up to the third level, where it stopped before coming to the second floor, the first floor. Madhav limped towards the elevator.

The elevator pinged open at the basement he was standing in. He looked into the elevator and found it empty.

He sighs as he looks into the elevator.

Suddenly, he hears an echo and the shuffling of feet on the staircase.

"Yes, Olivera, I sent an empty elevator down just like you advised me to." Says a woman, her voice become clearer as she takes the last few steps in the staircase. Madhav turns towards the staircase. "I have no idea who it could be. If I don't come back up in five more minutes call- Madhav?"

Shree gasps in surprise as she comes face to face with Madhav.

To be continued....

Stay in touch! I'll see you soon with Chapter 37! 

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