It was a dark & cold evening. The dim light hanging from the gazebo emphasized nothing but darkness. I could see her eyes, looking nowhere. I noticed she had a beauty spot below her lower lip on the left. The water in the swimming pool was dark, still and unwillingly reflecting the lights on the garden around. The guest rooms around the garden stood like mourning confidants, with a vow to stand by her. The painted glass of the dining hall windows was shining like tears. It was a dark & silent evening.

I tried to converse, but did not know what to speak. Her father built this resort spending his sweat & blood for 3 years. His creation, his passion is now inherited by his daughter. His accidental death turned her fate. She retuned to be on her mother’s side, leaving her overseas study incomplete.

This resort is up for sale. The family can’t manage this establishment on remote location away from their base in the nearest metro. He who pays the largest value for the resort & the land will buy the right to demolish the property & build something that will sell for more money. How to value a man’s hard work, his joy and his creation?

Next morning, I left silently. I did not have the heart to say good-bye to her. I wished that the resort stayed as it was, like her father dreamt.

……………..

Later, I searched with her name in google to find out that she inherited one thing from her father well - Car rally. She is not that timorous, I thought to be.