Its just too pleasant to enjoy an approaching evening at home , especially when you get a soft melody on the radio. I adore this loneliness every Saturday when Aryan takes Avi to the Junior Swimming classes.
I get the coffee … the TV and the soft music entirely for myself. That’s what every woman would like when she is tired of the daily humdrums , the whole week through – like looking after Avi … job … Aryan … You know !!!
It’s been five years since I and Aryan tied the knots and Avi’s turned two a month ago. My whole world encircles around them.
But every girl needs some space for themselves … Don’t they ???
Munching the crispy crackers I read the news-channel. It was rather boring that day… until ...
“Briiiingggg……Brrriiiinnngggg”
The phone rang … Busy with the news I picked without noticing the number …….
“Hiee !!! Anju ???” … A male voice spoke…
“Who’s this ???” … I said
“Is it Anjali Desai ???” ... he enquired
“Yeah” … I assured …
“Its me Anju !!! … Karan … Karan Mehra !!!”
“Karan … Karan Mehra ???” … I thought to myself …
I was going to ask when …….. “Oh! MY God … Karuuuu …… How are you ???”
“I’m Good … You ???” … he sounded very amazed …
“I’m fantastic …”
His voice softened and he spoke “ Lets meet ??? … Café World … 6 … what say ???”
“Yeah … sure” … Thinking that Aryan would be back by 7:30 …
Karan was my college mate . We were like the closest friends … really close !!! … But Karan just vanished after graduations … Its been 7 years without him.
I just pulled in my jeans and top and ran for the car. I had scribbled in the notes of being late … hoping that Aryan would notice it.
I speeded up … I was too excited to meet him. Splashes of memories blushed in my mind and that made me even more impatient.
I trudged towards the café table and panted like hell. “Boy !!! … phew !!! … I’m not late”.
I dizzed for a minute and as I was about to call out for the waiter I saw something. A small note like thing under the rose vase. It read –
“Plan change … Not here … The Flower Garden … I’ll be waiting
Karan”
“Great … Now I got to run again !” … I panted to myself.
I was leaving when I turned back at the table … This Table ??? … It was the same place Karu and I used to finish our left-over assignments every Friday … It was so regular … that even today I had directed myself towards it … “Wow !!!”
I hurried my car again and there I was “The Flower Garden” … This was our hang-out zone … I ran towards the bridge where we used to feed the fishes. It’s been years since I’v been here. Wonderful indeed.
“Beep ………. Beep”
A message came … It read “ There are just too many people out here … Meet me at the Plaza Cinema Hall … Lets watch a movie …
Karan”
“What’s wrong with him ?” … I was about to blow up when I recalled about something … Karan was always like this … His plans never stood still but kept on changing … I used to enjoy running from here to there when we were college-ers . In the end we met somewhere or the other . I smiled … Thinking – Karan did not change at all.
PCH was filled in … that day. “Man ! people love movies indeed” … I was going to enter the ticket house when “ Beep … Beep “ …
It read … “No good movies today … Don’t wanna watch … Karan”
I was going towards my car when PCH gave me another flashback ... " We bunked classes to watch movies every Monday. Those were some days ……….!!!!!!!"
“Briiiiinnnggg ……. Briiiinngggg”
Aryan called …… “Honey ??? Where are you ???”
“Umm… with my friend as I notified you ….”
“When will you come home ???” … He spoke tensed …
“Lets say by 9 … don’t worry … I’ll be fine” … I assured him …
“Alright then … Bye … Love you” … He flew a kiss …
“Love you too”
I hung up and paused for a moment thinking …… “Now where ???”
“Beep … Beep”
“How about the St.Augustin’s Library ??? …… Karan”
Ok … Now that silent place … we went every Thursday …..”Why is Karan doing all this ?”
It was creeping me out … I watched the time … 7:35 … “Hmmm …” … I signed …
As usual the library was empty … No presence of him ……. I was loosing my patience when “Briiiinnggg …… Brrrriiiinngggg”
“Hey …” … Karan started
I interrupted him … “ Are you out of your mind ??? … I’m running like a maniac all through the city only to get a glance of you … And you ……. Just keep on changing the plan … “
“ Relax … I’m just glad that your eyes still seek my presence “ … He gave a soft - mysterious giggle.
“That doesn’t mean that you’ll drive me crazyyyy” … I was furious …
“Hahaha” … came a jolly laugh …
“This is final … If you change it again … I’ll drive home …” ….. I squeaked …
“Alright … How about my apartment ???
264 / 5 western avenue
Heaven’s Apartment
5th floor
Flat – D 12”
“Is it final ???” … I tried to confirm…
“Yeah … and one more thing…please drop at St.Paul’s Church … I need some Holy candles … Bye”
He hung up … before I could say anything ………..
“St.Paul’s Church … Holy Candles ???” … It felt awkward …
This church had always been my peace of mind … Karan used to bring me here every Saturday during the daily prayer… I recalled it when I got there …
I quickly picked up the candles and drove to the western avenue. My excitement went at its height.
I ran towards the lift bumping with everyone who went past me. I was just too happy.
I rushed in & hurriedly pressed 5. I could feel the lift pull me up….
I was ready to rush out as it blinked 4. I felt as if I was a horse waiting for a race to begin. I smiled a silly smile …… thinking how childish I’v become …
Seeing the door open … I peeped out … the hall-way was empty ……
I quickly tip – toed splashing my eyes through the flat numbers ……. “D 09 … D 10 … D 11 … D …”
I stopped … the door was grilled !!! “Not again … aaarrrggggg !!!!!! Karan !!!!!!!” … I felt like a stupid jackass blown by a huge prank … It was a little embarrassing …
I stood there gazing at his door … Reading the name-plate –
“KARAN MEHRA
264 / 5 western avenue
Heaven’s Apartment
D 12”
I felt - its useless … But I urged to see him … Not to greet - but kick his ___ … I always did that when he fooled me ……. I smiled insecurely …
“Still wanted to have a single glance of that crazzyyy fellow”
I worried about Aryan … About Avi … “What are they doing ???” …
“I can’t stay any longer … I need to go home … To Aryan and Avi” …
I was about to leave when I heard footsteps …
The hope I had made me look behind one more time …
But it wasn’t him …
An elderly woman walked straight to me and studied me thoroughly with her intellectual eyes …
“Who are you … ???” She softened her voice…
“Umm … I’m Anjali … I’m here to…”
She paused me “ Well … I’have been watching you from the time you reached here … are you looking for someone ??? “
“Yes … This fellow” … I said pointing at the name-plate ……..
Now she looked even more serious … and spoke astonished …“But this is a vacant flat !!!”
A chill ran down my spine … I shivered … “Va …ah … Vacant ???”
“Yes … its been 6 years … this flat always remains empty … no one ever comes” … she explained …
She continued …
“I heard … He was bright lad … a pleasant fellow … “
She paused and said …
“ … you know how its like … young kids these days … pity”
She patted me and slowly left …
I stood there shocked and dull … Couldn’t think of what to do next …
“Who called then ??? Who was it that messaged me … Who was he ……???”
Scared out of my wits I ran as fast as I could … leaving behind the candles … I jumped in my car and was turning my keys when … My eyes flashed over something ............
An envelope lay right there beside me … "Who would keep it there???"... I gazed at myself through the rear-view ...
I carefully picked it up … shivering …
It was addressed to me ... A Letter … It read …….
14th February 2004Anju ,Ever since we met … My life has changed for the better … Yes , you have changed my life … my thoughts … my ideologies towards life. Whenever I’m with you , I feel free to understand my life at its best. You have changed me … I owe you my life dear.You know … Whenever I’m sad or dejected or if I ever need to share my feelings with some-one – It’s always you … You are the only one I can share my secrets with . You are the only one with whom I can trust my life.In the end I just want to say that …Your special ... Your different ...You will not believe this ... I dream about you every night ... I even spent sleep-less nights thinking of you ...I NEED YOU … I WANT YOU …I LOVE YOU … yeah … I do …I wrote this letter in the morning …I hope we celebrate this day as our LOVE ANNIVERSARY …YoursKaru
My hands trembled when I saw something else written few spaces below …
P.S - I thought I’ll give you this letter today … But I couldn’t … I wish I could have given it to you earlier …It pinned my heart when I saw that guy kneeling in front of you and murmuring those three magical words … It hurt me … even more when I saw you hug him and the applause shattered my ears … it broke my heart … I could do nothing but stand there smiling wet …I leave you with him now … I think he’ll keep you happy … You'r Happy – I’m Happy
I could see a drop of my tear blotting the paper … “This pain … this feeling can never be explained” …
I slightly crunched the letter when I noticed something more written at its back …
14th February 2005Anju ,It’s been almost a year since I’v seen you. I don’t know where you are … how you are … what your doing …I guess your enjoying your time with Aryan today ???Why not … Its your 1st LOVE ANNIVERSARY after all …My wishes are always with you … and my love too ...I even have a gift sweet heart … But its not for you … its for me …I will drink it to dream of you forever …My Love … this is my last letter …I LOVE YOUYours only …Karu
I drove back home ... Feeling something was piercing through my heart ... It felt like - I had lost my breath ...... All I could think about was him ... and the letter ...
Old memories nabbed me at the corner my mind ... It increased the pain even more ...
I weeped answering myself ... "That's why he left ... That's why he ..." ... My throat felt the gall and warmwood ...
As I dropped out of my car … My head felt dizzy …
I stared at my watch … 9:15 … Aryan must be worried sick …
"I'll just drop in the bed" ... thinking I slid in through the back door .....
I headed to my bedroom ... Peeped in to see ... No one was there ... "Phew !!!"
The lights were off … I was about to switch it on when …
Decorating lights brightened up my room … A romantic track was soon at its beat ... It was a bit comforting at that time ... I felt him hold me from behind …
He whispered … “HAPPY LOVE ANNIVERSARY SWEET-HEART”
He softly turned me towards him ...looked at me sensually ... He held me closer … I felt his hands grasping me smoothly ... He slowly closed his eyes and touched my lips with his …
All I did was feel it ... with a tear running down my face .
I stared at the calendar in front …
It was – 14th February 2011
LOVE NEVER ENDS ... IT SHOWERS ON YOU FROM EVERY CORNER ... YOU'LL NEVER KNOW ... WHEN YOU'LL GET IT ;)
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