"Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine"
- Casablanca

Ishita remained in the reclining position he had put her into, her mouth open in shock. With her hoodie down, her long hair cascaded around her face, framing that perfect oval which was coloured pink by the cold.

Raman had stilled the moment he saw her face, realised who she was. One hand was still on her hair, his face so close to hers that he could feel her quickened breathing.

"I..I mean aap" she said, slightly louder this time. "Yahan? (Here?) What...what are you doing in New Zealand?"

Raman jerked his hand away and stood up abruptly, disturbed at the effect she was having on him. It was always this way, right from their first meeting. Whether she was screaming at him; or telling him how mean and nasty and unethical he was; or lecturing him on how to be a better father- her presence always left him uneasy, as though there was some past connection he needed to explore, some bond he couldn't find a name for. Hate, it was hate. He had told himself that countless times.

He looked down at her now, her breath agitated as she stared up at him.

"I could ask you the same question" he retorted. " what are you doing here? Are you stalking me?"

"Stalking you?" she shrieked as she sat up, feeling at a disadvantage with him towering over her.

The sudden movement made her dizzy, and she clutched at her head, thoughts of a screaming match with her nemesis disappearing.

Raman looked at her in contrition and quickly knelt beside her.

"Ishita, I'm sorry, take it easy. You were in an accident, you were knocked out and you may have concussion. Look, I'm here with Mihir to meet a client, I'm sure you have a perfectly good reason too. We can talk about that later. Just rest for now."

"Mihir?" Ishita asked weakly. "But Mihika said Mihir had gone to Singapore. And Ruhi said you had gone to America. And where is Mihir?"

"Oh Lord, the interrogation starts again" Raman mumbled inaudibly, then raising his voice " Ruhi thinks overseas means America, because all she wants to do is to go to Disneyland. And we did go to Singapore, but then the company Chairman wanted us to meet him here, so we came here. And Mihir is in Christchurch. And now if that answers your questions, I want you to rest while I make us some hot tea."

And so saying, he stalked off to the kitchen, leaving a bemused Ishita behind.

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Raman filled up the hot water jug, frowning as he opened the cupboards looking for tea and sugar. These years of enforced bachelorhood had at least taught him how to look after the basics for himself, but he hoped that they weren't going to be snowed in here, because he was damned if he would cook and clean for any injured female, especially that female.

The sound of his mobile phone interrupted his preparations, and he quickly pulled it out of his pocket. MIHIR - the display read.

"Bhai" Mihirs excited voice came down the line as Raman pressed the screen to accept the call. "Are you okay? Are you in the house? Aap theek toh hai na Bhai? ( You're all right, aren't you Bhai?) "

"Yes Mihir, I'm fine, but there's a massive snow storm here. Where are you?"

"Bhai, I'm in Christchurch. All flights to the West Coast have been cancelled, and the Lake Matheson Local Area Council just called Mr Mehta's properties manager. They were checking to see whether anyone was at the chalet. Bhai, the area is totally snowed in. The road to Lake Matheson is closed, it's un passable now. I should have let you come to Christchurch with me Bhai. I'm so sorry."

"Mihir, when will the road open?" Raman bit back the obscenities he wanted to hurl at Mihir, conscious that if he had gone to Christchurch, there would have been no one here to find Ishita after her accident, that she would be alone in this bitter cold, outside. He shivered suddenly, wondering why the thought of that quarrelsome madrassan injured and alone made his heart beat in panic.

"Bhai, Mr Mehta says it may be four to six days, it's not really certain at the moment. Here, talk to Mr Mehta"

Raman listened as Mr Mehta profusely apologised to him. The self made billionaire was a humble man, and he reiterated his concern for Raman's enforced isolation over and over as he assured Raman that the property was set up for such emergencies; the back up generator had enough fuel for a week; there was enough food for a month; he would send a helicopter if the roads didn't open in the next few days, once the weather settled enough; they would be in touch over the phone...

"Mr Mehta" Raman finally interrupted. "Even you can't control mother nature Sir. I will be fine. I just need you to do me one favour. Send Mihir back to India once your team has ironed out the contract issues with him. The sooner he gets started on the outline of the campaign, the better. He can consult with me by phone until I get out of here and get home."

Five minutes later, having finally convinced the reluctant Mihir to head back to India, and not to let his family know he was in New Zealand, and not Singapore, he hung up. He glanced into the living room and saw that Ishita was standing before the picture windows, gazing pensively into the twilight. As he watched, she tentatively touched her head and he saw her face contort in pain,

Raman sighed and flipped through his telephone address book, selecting directory assistance. A few minutes later, he was talking to a nurse on a medical hotline, making mental notes on what he was being told.

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Ishita winced as she touched the sore spot just above her ear, then walked back slowly to the sofas ranged around the stone fireplace which dominated the room. There was no fire lit in the massive hearth - the central heating was certainly warm enough. She pulled off her fleece parka, and pulled up the sleeves of her red wool skivvy to her elbows.

"Could such a coincidence really happen?" she wondered to herself. "Itni badi Itefaaq? ( Such a huge coincidence?)" That she should find herself on a lonely road on the other side of the world, and be rescued by her neighbour, by that infuriating arrogant man who occupied way too much of her waking thoughts for her own good. "Why would Murugan do this? Why him of all people? And what would have happened if he hadn't showed up?"

She closed her eyes, trying to fathom the enormity of the coincidence, the hand that fate had dealt her.

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Ishita felt his presence and slowly opened her eyes.

Raman was kneeling by her side, a look of concern on his face. He had drawn up a stool and placed a tray with 2 cups of tea on it.

"Ishita" his voice was strangely gentle, unlike the usual brash tones with which he repeatedly told her what a fool she was. "How is your head? Is there any swelling?"

"I'm fine" Ishita retorted. Disturbed by his closeness, but not knowing why, she resorted to standoffishness. "It's nothing, you don't need to worry"

A glint of anger flashed in his eyes, as he snaked out a hand, capturing both of hers.

"Well, look around you madam, there's no one else to worry but me. The road to the Lake is closed and won't reopen for at least 4 to 5 days. Now I've spoken to a nurse, and the neurologist on duty will call me back soon. I need to feel your head, see if there's any swelling. And you need to stay quiet and still for the next 2 to 3 days. Bed rest and no strain on your brain. I told the nurse that shouldn't be too difficult since you don't have many brains, but she didn't seem to believe me. Haan, she said no reading, or computers or anything else. So you just sit back here and let me do what I need to"

Ishita stared at him, stupefied into silence both by the concern he had shown for her, and anger at his high handed approach. Anger won.

"You're forgetting Mr Bhalla, I am a doctor myself. So you don't need to make enquiries on my behalf"

"You're not a doctor, you're a dentist and a terrible one at that" he shot back through clenched teeth. "And you've been in an accident and I am responsible for you here, so can you stop being so damn pig headed and just act sensible for once."

Ishita quaked at the anger in his voice and swallowed the words that were rising in her throat.

Raman inched closer to her, her hands still captured firmly in his right hand. He brought up his left hand now to her face, gently brushing aside her hair as his slender fingers probed her forehead.

His piercing eyes were too much for Ishita to bear at such proximity. She gulped nervously and closed her eyes as he gently touched her head, his light touch almost a caress.

"Kitne saare jataaye ( So many strands)" Raman mumbled to himself as he slid his fingers beneath her hair, feeling for bumps on her head, not knowing why the feel of her skin beneath his fingers was causing palpitations in his heart. He heard her gasp as he touched a spot just above her left ear, saw her wince in pain.

"Sorry Ishita" his voice was a soft whisper. "Just let me do this please"

His touch became softer still, he inched his face closer as he peered at the tender spot he had just touched. He let her hands go now, bringing up his other hand to hold off her hair as he peered intently at her injury. His very breath seemed to still as he gently brushed her forehead, not wanting to cause her pain and wondering why it should matter to him.

Ishita felt as though she had stopped breathing. This proximity - what was he doing to her? What were these feelings that were coursing down her veins, masking even the pain of her injury?

The beep of his mobile phone shattered the silence that had engulfed them. Raman pulled away from her and walked away, a mask dropping over his face as he pulled out his mobile and spoke tersely into it.

Ishita sat quietly, watching him as he spoke
"Pull yourself together Ishita" she decided it was time for one of her famous pep talks to herself. "You must have brain damage after all, to get affected by that pranth (idiot). Just calm down Ishita. "

He walked back to her, thrusting his phone towards her. "Dr Granger on the line. She's a neurologist with the Otago University Medical Research team. She works with the hotline I called. Talk to her."

Raman walked away as Ishita spoke to the doctor
"Damn it Raman" he admonished himself. The proximity to that mad madrassan had awakened something long dormant in him. "You hate her, Raman Bhalla, don't forget that. She is everything you dislike in a woman. And you dislike all women anyway. Kya kar raha hai yaar. Kya soch raha hai ? ( What are you doing, you idiot. What are you thinking?)"

Ishita had brought down the phone from her ear and Raman walked back to her, putting his hand forward.

"My phone" his voice was brusque. "You heard what the doctor said right? You need to rest, only liquids tonight and no mental strain."

"Haan (Yes)" Ishita handed the phone back, recoiling as her fingers touched his slightly. He also sprung back, she noticed ruefully. "Raman, I mean, Mr Bhalla..."

"Call me Raman" he said shortly, sitting down on the matching sofa alongside hers. "Mr Bhalla is my father and besides I've been calling you Ishita all this time. What is it?"

"Your phone" her voice was tentative. "You have Ruhi's photo as your screensaver?"

"Yes, so?" he retorted.

"But you never spend any time with her, you don't even talk to her. She thinks you hate her, so why...?"

"There's a lot you don't know about me Ishita, but that's never stopped you from jumping to judgments anyway, has it? Anyway, I don't want to discuss my life with you. Can you please just kindly explain to me, tum yahaan kar kya rahi ho? What the hell are you doing in New Zealand?"