The Other Side Read online

  To my universe, who believed in me.

  Foreword

  Illness, especially one as cruel as tuberculosis, can be an overwhelming, seemingly insurmountable hurdle. In the right hands however, it can also serve as a metaphor for creativity. The list of great artists and writers who produced some of their best work despite being racked by tuberculosis reads like a roster of the literary greats. From Kafka to the Bronte’s. From Chekhov to Keats. From Orwell to Dylan Thomas – just a few of the literary giants whose creativity blossomed despite battles with tuberculosis.

  Shreya fought and vanquished an even more deadly form of TB: drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). This type of TB did not exist in the days of Keats and Kafka, and is a more recent scourge. It requires protracted treatment with multiple drugs in a prolonged course that lasts for two years. It includes six months of painful injections and other drugs that have dreadful toxicity including deafness, blindness and kidney failure.

  So to overcome this disease and do so with an elegant smile and unfailing bonhomie requires special skills. Shreya possesses these in abundance. Voltaire said: ‘The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease,’ and my many consults with Shreya, over her two-year battle with this disease, involved not just prescribing drugs, but discussing literature and good books, thus amusing her and trying to keep her spirits up whilst her own body aided nature to enact a cure. Despite being so unwell, she also spent her days, as it now turns out, writing a book of her own. It’s a fast-paced book, a page-turner, that will entertain and enthral in equal measure. That she wrote it despite struggling to battle a deadly disease herself, makes it even more poignant. I hope it’s the first of many books and all her others are written with her in perfect health.

  – Zarir F. Udwadia, MD, FRCP, FCCP

  Also a TeD speaker

  Acknowledgements

  So in the past few years, I have realized there is calmness when you live your life in gratitude. It is really important to find the time and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.

  I am grateful to my family, my soul friends and my husband for their support and faith. Dr Zarir Udwadia for encouraging me every time and prescribing me brilliant books to read. Disheet Shah for enlightening me with the things happening around the world and Khiara Bajaj for your unconditional love.

  Thank you Write Place, specially Rinky Gopalani for selecting my story. And my editors Manish Purohit and Jyotirmoy Chaudhuri for bringing out the best in my writing.

  And I thank God for making it all possible.

  Contents

  Foreword

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Chapter 1

  15 JULY 2015, LOS ANGELES

  The alarm clock buzzed a little earlier than other days. Sam Geller woke up at one go instead of those extra two to three snoozes. He swung off from the bed and walked towards the window where little golden sunrays were making its way through the satin baby pink and silver-coloured curtains. He wondered how certain things take shape. Just a few hours back the room was filled with heavy vibes, anger, dissatisfaction; now, everything had changed. Sam drew the curtains a little for a glimpse of the golden summer sun. The early morning freshness of the plants on his balcony gave him a feeling of pleasant satisfaction towards the upcoming day. His golden skin was radiant; his wavy hair and brown eyes glistened in the sun. A tallish man, with a height more than average, he looked no less than the proverbial Greek god. His physical appearance would have been a surefire magnet to any ladies around.

  He turned back towards the bed with a distinct satisfaction. He looked at his wife in admiration as she soundly slept. They had a heated argument the previous night over baseless topics. She was upset with him, but he had become habituated to the way things were. They had eventually sorted things between themselves before sleeping. Such matters never get sorted permanently, though. So, they had come up with the idea of going on a date the next day, make up, calm their nerves and dump their bruised egos.

  The world outside Sam Geller’s apartment was rocking with the sensational news that had been running overnight. All the television channels and other media resources had had only one thing to talk about. It was like an epidemic, affecting many; others were having nightmares that they could become the next victim.

  Sam was unaware of what was going on outside. On regular days he would switch on the television for some news while having breakfast. Being one of the prominent industrialists in Los Angeles, he would check each and every bit of news, especially those that were business-related. But today he was busy in the kitchen preparing a special breakfast for his wife. He started with whipping the batter for pancakes and omelettes simultaneously. His kitchen staff took charge as soon as he was done with the batter. Still, he insisted, there were other things he wanted to do by himself; after all, it had to be special. He took some oranges and checked out its fresh, tangy aroma. With a juicy smile, he set about squeezing them out in the juicer. In the meantime, his wife who had been looking for him through the apartment, reached the kitchen.

  It was not normal to find Sam Geller in the kitchen, cooking all by himself. And if you saw him doing that, then it had to be for someone special, and that person was the lucky one!

  Sam’s culinary skills were excellent even as he hardly got time to cook.

  ‘What are you up to, sweetheart?’ Rachel asked in an amazed tone.

  Rachel Geller had her own brand of clothing in the United States, her slim figure and a suave personality had its own wonders. She too was looking at staying positive; she too wanted their relationship to work. Her level of maturity was different from that of Sam.

  ‘Nothing much Rach, just trying out my hands on some basic breakfast for us,’ Sam replied with a smile.

  ‘That’s great Sam, let me switch on the television and catch up with some news,’ Rachel said as she made for the remote.

  The news that had put the world outside in turmoil was flashing in bold letters, ASHTON MARTINSON WEBSITE SCAM ... the website famous for its online dating service and the source of many an extramarital affair! The slogans itself said, ‘Life is short. Have an affair.’

  Ashton Martinson was a Canada-based website, with
over 46 million users across the globe. Among the 46 million users were famous, wealthy and influential people. The scam was more of a threat for them as its revelations would take away their good name, respect, in fact everything from them. The hackers had sent the blackmailing email to many such tycoons. The news channel was flashing how the email looked like.

  From: xxxxxxxxxxx

  Date: Tuesday, Jul 14, 2015 at 1:12:32 pm EDT

  To: actual email address of the Ashton Martinson user

  Subject: ASHTON MARTINSON

  Hello,

  Your data is leaked in the recent hacking of the website, and thus, I have ALL your information. With all your personal data, I have also found your Facebook profile, and I can get close to your friends and family and all the people who know you and whom you know.

  If you want to prevent me from sharing all your kinky secrets with all of your family and friends, then you need to send precisely 2.05 bitcoins to the following address:

  1PFP3zTNhFzoHbebWZM3cFeNLSD7AnbHtzB

  And if your smartness tells you to change privacy settings of Facebook and all your other accounts so that no one checks your friend list, then please go ahead. I have a copy of your friends/family list; if you fail to pay, don’t expect an email reminder.

  You can buy bitcoins using online exchange policies. If the bitcoins are not paid within three days of this email, then my system will automatically send messages to all your contacts list.

  Consider how expensive a divorce and divorce lawyers are.

  Sincerely,

  You don’t need to know the name

  This was the kind of email being sent to around ten million people. Some of the hackers also asked directly for money or other stuff, other than bitcoins. The news also exposed certain famous personalities of Los Angeles who were linked with the website.

  ‘Oh Sam, see what news is cooked, our famous social butterflies are being exposed of their extramarital affairs,’ Rachel said in a disgusting voice. A disturbing sound of falling crockery reached her ears as soon as she had told the news to Sam.

  ‘What happened? Did you break and spill anything?’ Rachel asked.

  Sam was shaken and worried at hearing the news. In that moment a shivering chill had run through him and the piece of crockery slipped from his hand.

  ‘Nothing, it was just a cup,’ Sam replied in a bothersome and lost voice.

  His face had gone pale minutes after hearing the news. All his excitement and spirit for the morning was extinguished at one stroke.

  Rachel was quick to sense his discomfort at that news. Just a night back, she had decided that she would stay positive regarding their relationship and marriage, which she had felt had turned futile as of late. And here was the same lost Sam Geller, who could get lost and so deeply involved with his self so as to ignore his surroundings. This was, after all, one of the significant drawbacks their relationship suffered.

  ‘Are we on with our plan, Sam?’ Rachel asked. Rachel was sanguine about his wandering mind at the moment but was unsure if it was the news that had sent his mind off on a tangent.

  ‘Yes, very much Rach,’ Sam replied a few seconds later. He tried to shut out the waves of anxiety at the news and looked forward to the better side of the day.

  They finished breakfast and Sam went for a bath. Showers always work as stress busters for many people, and so was it for Sam. He kept aside all the worries about the news and came out freshly wrapped in his towel. He set his wet hair with his fingers and a little gel. He sprayed some deodorant, proceeded to wear a smart white shirt and paired it with a blue denim. As he was buttoning his shirt, his phone buzzed. He checked. It was an email.

  No, it was nothing related to the scam. He sighed in relief and attacked the day.

  Chapter 2

  14 JULY 2015, MUMBAI

  Kavya stared at Kabir as he went about clearing the last minute tasks towards her journey to Cambridge. He was excited for her to travel to the United States. It would give her a much-needed break from her routine and the tough days that she was going through.

  But Kavya did not seem to be happy with the idea of having to stay with her friend in Cambridge. She would have preferred to stay all alone and discover herself again at a new place. She wanted to be able to collect and calm herself so as to get back to life with renewed vigour and purpose. She tried talking to Kabir about it, about carving out the right kind of alone time at a new place. But like a typical husband, he denied. He found it stupid of her to stay alone at some unknown place. But, the alone time was all she needed.

  ‘Kavya, did you rechecked your packing?’ Kabir asked while scanning her documents. Kavya answered in the affirmative and closed the final zip of her suitcase.

  ‘Did you check about your medicines? I hope you have taken it all properly?’ Kabir asked. ‘Yes,’ Kavya answered with a smile this time. She glanced outside the windows of her house on the busy streets of Juhu.

  Yes, so Kavya was all set to go. Time out, away from Mumbai. She looked comfortable in a loose-fitted navy blue denim and baby pink t-shirt along with a jacket that had extra pockets, which made it easy for the long journey. A pair of moccasins and a leather sling bag made her look completely travel-friendly. After a brief farewell from her close friends and family, she and Kabir left for the airport along with a few friends who had come to see her off. She was excited about the trip and her energy levels were up and showed quite clearly in her exuberant self. Yet, she was a trifle scared; she was headed a long way from home.

  Soon the time for her departure came and she bid goodbye to all. She checked her boarding pass for the flight number and proceeded towards the counter. She was headed to Atlanta from where she had a connecting flight to Boston and from there to Cambridge via road. After wandering in the waiting lounge area for a few hours, it was time to board; for the longest journey she had ever made.

  ‘Ladies and gentleman, welcome on board VS 8020 with service from Mumbai to Atlanta. We are expected to be in the air in the next seven minutes. Please fasten your seatbelts and secure all baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartments. Thank you for choosing Virgin Atlantic. Enjoy your flight.’ The announcement gave Kavya butterflies in the stomach. She looked at the gloomy blue clouds outside. She missed the people she was leaving behind in Mumbai, but was also excited; she was looking forward to the alone time.

  She read a bit of The Biggest Game in Town by Al Alvarez, watched some random Bollywood movies at the beginning of the flight and later after every meal went off to sleep for a while. After trying with everything to kill time, after a few hours, the most awaited announcement came. It was time to land; it was Kavya’s first trip to the United States, and she missed Kabir as they had planned the journey together. But for some reasons, Kabir was not able to join her and had forced Kavya to go alone and visit her friend.

  So, Kavya was finally in the United States. She had two hours to kill before the connecting flight to Boston.

  Kavya wandered around the vast airport after freshening up and resting for half an hour. After a while, she ordered a cappuccino and sat at the café. The brewing coffee and her wandering crazy thoughts gave her company while she watched various landings of planes. She had informed Kabir about her reaching safely till Atlanta and talked about the various activities she did in the plane. She had to keep her conversation short because of the time difference as back in India, it would be time for Kabir to go off to sleep.

  Kavya was finally getting a much-deserved break from her routine, and while sitting here alone, adventurous thoughts visited her mind. She was the one who loved adventures. The staid and predicable life was not for her. She loved to take impromptu decisions, straight from the heart, and that always led to real-life adventures in her life. She would often land herself in a chaotic situation, and then wonder why this had to happen to her. Sipping her favourite cappuccino inside the airport with a view which would trigger anyone to positivity, triggered Kavya into an action, which she could
have never done in her sane mind. Kabir would have never allowed her, and here she took a decision without letting him know.

  ‘Ma’am, are you sure you want to do this?’ asked the lady at the ticket counter.

  ‘Yes, can you see if that is working out?’ Kavya asked.

  ‘Let me do a final check and confirm it to you in a minute, Ma’am,’ said the woman.

  Kavya crossed her fingers and started biting her nails while the lady searched her console. Kavya knew she had invited a hell of a lot of adventures before her. But that was the thing she felt like doing at that moment.

  ‘Yes, we can change your ticket to Vegas, Ma’am. You will have to start with the boarding procedures and some other formalities; your flight will take off in an hour,’ said the airline employee.

  The adventure had begun!

  Kavya was now on her way to Vegas! She had not informed anyone about the change in plan. When her heart ruled her mind, it brought her trouble. She had no clue what to do ahead and where to go; she had no reservations done anywhere, of course. She was all by herself now, finally!

  Chapter 3

  15 JULY 2015, LOS ANGELES

  Sam tried hiding his new hindrance as much as he could to avoid it becoming the unnecessary mood spoiler of the day. Though he was still thinking about it, the thought vanished when he saw his wife standing in front of him in a long green and blue printed dress and black stilettos that gave her a sexy look. Her newly cut sharp hair fell perfectly on her shoulder blades. She knew perfectly the way to look classy without putting in too much effort.

  ‘Are you ready?’ asked Rachel after looking at lost Sam, who was still messing with his hair. In their case, always, Sam was the one who got ready last.

  ‘Just the last spray of Tom Ford and I am all done, Rach,’ answered Sam after hurrying a little.