Arshia Kapadia

The next night after Ami's passing away was the longest night of my life.

Grief was everywhere I looked.

Even the pillows were crying.

I remember my nani, my maternal grandmother, she told me once, you know, Arshi, God is so merciful.

Right before he sends the angel of death to take someone's life, he first sends the archangel Gabriel.

You know why he does that?

Because he doesn't want to scare the servant with the face of death.

He just wants to give folks a gentle heads up.

Okay.

Maybe.

I love my grandmother, but this story doesn't make any sense.

How can God be the most merciful one when He was showing so much cruelty to me, a mere 13-year-old?

I didn't know what to do.

But maybe, maybe, just maybe, let's consider this, maybe that was the grand plan, that Ami would go first, and then this beautiful angel, Gabriel, would show up and take me to her, to the other side.

That would just work out perfectly, because I didn't want to live without her.

Not for a single minute.

I sat down, waiting for Gabriel.

No sign of him.

And then I remembered my plan B. Oh yeah, I had a plan B. I'm an only child, remember?

We always have a plan B.