Tara could not wait. She wanted to open the folded paper that Ramya gave her while coming down in the elevator. During hours of shift change, the elevator brimmed with anxious colleagues and employees from other organizations in that sprawling IT park. Even though there was no space for a person, the elevator stopped at subsequent floors and every one waited desperately for the doors to close and get moving. She needed some privacy to read it. Tara decided to read it while travelling in the cab. As usual the cab was also crowded, so she did not want anyone to peek into the paper and read without her permission. Human curiosity always wanted to know the hidden secret from the nearby person.

To test her patience, she could not read it even after reaching home. Surprisingly, her neighbours were there to invite for the pooja at the local temple.  After exchanging few dumb questions, she rushed to the bath room to wash her face. She snatched the paper from her hand-bag and took it along with her.

With trembling hands she opened the paper. Initially it did not catch her interest. Her bubbles of anxiety faded away quickly. 

“Hmm.  I thought it must be something more interesting."  She could not understand why Ramya wanted her to do that ritual.

Rose's Triple Flame of Cleansing and Luck

What you'll need:

* 1 White Candle

* 1 Black Candle

* 1 Green Candle

STEP 1: Clear your mind (as much as you can) of all thoughts...

STEP 2: Light the black candle, it represents negative energy.

STEP 3: Say: "Mother Earth, Fire, and Wind, Water, And Spirit, I ask thee to cleanse my body of all negative energies.”

STEP 4: Light the white candle.  It represents positive energy.  Focus your entire mind and soul on just this flame... for 60 seconds.

Try not to think of anything else, just think about the flame... how it dances...how it moves.  Think nothing else, but of this flame.

STEP 5: Say: "Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, And Spirit, I ask thee to bring into my body all positive energy".

STEP 6: Light the green candle, it represents healing.

STEP 7: Say: "Mother Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, And Spirit, I ask thee to heal my body from all negative forces.

Blessed be."

STEP 8: Sit back and focus on the 3 flames for 10 minutes.

-------------------

“Did you read it?”  Ramya asked Tara with a twinkle in her eyes.

“Do you want me to believe?” Tara replied back.

“Nothing wrong if you try”

“I could not answer my mom.”

“Tell her that it is good for your family.”

“Ok.”

While going back home in the evening, she enquired for colour candles. Wherever she enquired, there were candles in all colors except black. She even tried birthday candles and cup candles. No candle in black color. She bought a pack of white candles and a pack of coloured candles with red, green, and orange colour candles. 

Tara reached home depressed.  At heart she felt lost. 

Will I be able to win his hands?

Tears welled up in her eyes and blurred her sight. The mere thought of allowing him to get married to some other lucky girl depressed her. 

“He is mine. And he belongs to me.  No one can snatch him away from me.”   A sense of arrogance swept her senses and she vowed to win his hands at any cost.

When Tara placed the candles in her shelf, her mother looked at her with a surprise.

“Why have you brought so many candles at a time?  There is no power cut nowadays.”

“Hmm”  

“Are you going to St. Anthony’s church tomorrow?” 

“Leave me alone. Why are you pestering me with so many questions?”

“No one likes me here if I ask questions.” 

After drinking her evening tea, Tara went to light the lamp at the Tulsi plant. When she lit the lamp in the enveloping darkness, the rich green plant looked enchantingly beautiful. Tara gazed at the flame from the diya. The flame stood still in spite of the evening breeze and the perfume from the unfurling jasmine buds from the creeper enveloped her senses with love.

Three more days to go. The note asked her to do it on a Friday night. 

“Will I be able to get those black candles before Friday?”  Tara sighed. 

“Keep your fingers crossed. You will get it before Friday.”  Ramya wished her luck before she went to sleep.

Tara met Ramya at Food Court during lunch. 

“Hi. Your face glows with love.” Ramya teased her.

“Don’t make me talk dirty.”  Tara warned.

“Dirty.” Ramya chuckled loudly. 

“We will have a deal. What will you give me if you get those candles by tomorrow?”  Ramya questioned her.

“Your favourite ice-cream pack!” Tara promised.

“Wow. I like this deal.  Have it in mind, it is done.”  Ramya smiled.

Wednesday came and went away. Tara could not sleep well. Coloured candles occupied her dreams and she fervently lit candles of all colours on her candle holders. There were no electric lamps and wherever she turned she could see only candle lights.

“Will I have a successful candle light dinner with him?"  Tara did not want to have a “No”.

“Perfumed candles can be bought online.”  The words reached Tara while she walked down the road obsessed with the thoughts of candles.  

“Sh... I am a stupid! How did I forget I could get anything online nowadays?”  Tara’s heart bloomed at the thought. But it will take at least two days for the product to be delivered. If she could not do it on this Friday, she would have to wait for another six days to go.

“I can not wait any longer.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. “Why am I so unlucky?”  Tara could not escape from the feelings of self-pity. She wished a miracle to happen and bring her the candles.

Tara reached home at 7 pm on Thursday. Suddenly there was too much traffic congestion, and they had to wait in the cab for long hours. Feeling hungry and thirsty Tara sneered at her younger sister who handed her a courier parcel. Not in a mood to open it, she left the parcel on the sofa and went to have her bath.

“Akka, can I open the parcel?”

“I never ordered anything online.”  Tara answered.

"It is addressed to you only.  Can I open it Akka?”  Tanya asked again.

“Ok.” Tanya cut the wrapper with the scissors and threw it down. Tara looked at the bill pasted on the wrapper. “A box of black candles”

“What a surprise!”  Tara hugged her little sister and kissed her.  

“I will win.”  The night breeze wished her good luck. And she will get the biggest surprise on Monday to know that those candles were sent by Ravi. Ravi overheard their conversation at Food Court. He found the candles online and sent them to Tara. It will be a big surprise for Tara to know that Ravi also loved her.