Gone By (42 page)

“Of course..you will be the first person I would be showing it” she said with a sip from her coffee cup.

“I never felt something so good like this before” said Isha softly.

“Indeed it’s wonderful place”.

“And you too” she added and smiled.

I was absolutely fine with the day. Inside I knew this one week I would have a good time of my life. But, the very moment I would be back to my own institution, I would be someone else different, away from rest of the world. That same silent and quiet nature of mine would cover me back. Wouldn’t know where would my fate take me.

“I suggest you write your diary story here” said Isha flushing a bright smile on her face.

“Here itself”.

“I mean it’s a good time, you can do it. You’re happy inside I can see that” she said solemnly.

I quietly nodded my head before her. We were over with our coffee cup. With the final payment we shuffled for a sight scene of the beach. We began to walk along the shore. The small waves rushed towards us and touched our feet and would crawled back into the deep sea. The soothing weather indeed spread its bright light over the sky. And we were like the two lovely child of heavenly God. The buzzing noise of music and chattering of people gradually faded away from us. We could see ourselves into a place where there was nothing more than a silence. We never knew how far we have walked yet our steps couldn’t stop us. We were out of the beach area. In fact we were far away from the rest. The shoreline stretched in kilometres and we have covered more than a half. After walking for about a distance we finally decided to halt. There were nothing ahead. But the long stretched coastline with an infinite length. All around an open space, no sign of any of our kind. Birds flew high up in the sky. We gently settled to sit on the sandy edge of the shore. The small waves flooded out and touched our feet as we kept ourselves spreading into the shinning sun. Beyond believe to trust where I was that day. Yet it made me feel like I knew her since ages. She was seated just by my side. So close that I could feel her every breath that she inhaled.

“So tell me the rest part of your story” Isha said.

“Do you want to hear the rest part of my story”.

“Well, I believe it would be good enough to listen from you. Why don’t you narrate it to me while I write it on your diary” she added.

I thought of it for a while. She was so desperate to hear it out of my mouth, that I couldn’t stop to verse all out of my words. Even the waves added it’s adorable scenic beauty which finally let my words burst out of my mouth. I glanced shortly at Isha. She was patiently waiting, until I would start the narration. She held my diary into her hand. We were very much comfortable with the loosely pack sand dunes on which we were rested upon. Isha gripped her pen tightly between her fingers, just waiting for my words to note down. In between she passed brief smile like she never smiled before. And I couldn’t wait so much to see her smile like that way before. I began with the narration which she began to penned down with the flow of my words.

Twenty Four

............................

The winter had slipped away. I had spent it at home. So, the long wait of spring was over. I had to return back to my institution. With no further delay, by the next week I had fled back to Pune. I was received by Anannya at the airport. Both she and Gagan came up. It was a day where I could feel the slightest touch of cold. Night 12:30pm was the landed time of my flight. As I walked out towards the front porch of the airport zone they were in a state of waiting mode. As I saw them I waved at them. They caught my sight, in response Anannya waved her hand back at me. I shuffled towards them. Shook a hand with Gagan like the best buddies usually does. I could see the smile that flushed on Anannya’s face after a weeks. She came up closer to me and embraced me for long minutes. I could feel the warmth of her heart which settled my heart beat. I gave her a kiss on her forehead.

“So, where we are heading to?” Gagan mumbled out.

“At my place” said Anannya.

“Alright”.

I stood quiet between their conversation. We headed to move on out of that area. All we had to hire a taxi to reach to her place. We began to walk together towards the taxi stand. I carried nothing more than a long size bag with some pairs of clothes in it. She was walking by my side where on the other side she had Gagan. We were shuffling where we could set a reasonable price for the taxi.

“So, how did you enjoy the vacation” Anannya asked.

“Well, firstly I had a good job”.

“What job”.

“I mean the whole time I had to settle my Dad’s cubical library and the unsettling disputes of people due to careless distribution of books” I said. She giggled on my words.

“So you turned into a librarian”.

“Yeah! you can say so....but all to an end it was a wonderful winter” I added my voice.

“Hey driver” shouted Gagan from the other side of her.

The car came up and stopped before us. I opened the door for her while the other was seized by Gagan. He sat inside the car, while I allowed Anannya first to get in followed by me the last. We were now droving to her place. I had to stop the night until the day gets matured. It also added my long week separation to rejoin my heart with her. I could feel the touch of her words which she spoke out every moment we were together. It’s just the beginning of a new year. I had a wish to take our beautiful relation to a greater height. With the every faith and believe I geared my heart for a better year. I curled my hand at her back. She gently rested herself upon it. While the speeding car gave us a thrilling experience of being together. Of course the next to her was her friend Gagan seated.

“The year has gone it’s the new beginning what do you look forward” I asked her.

“Nothing more than you” she responded peeking sharp at me.

“So, you don’t wish nothing more than him” said Gagan sarcastically.

She laughed at first and patted at him.

“Yes I do love so, that’s none of your business” she added.

“C’mon it was just a kidding” Gagan smiled looking at me.

“Did you mind sir” he added to me.

“No, absolutely not friend”.

We were driving through an empty road of Pune. It took us an hour to reach at her place. It had a miles distance away from the airport. Within short time I was at her place. She got an access of a guest room for the night. While she had to return to her hostel. Gagan had to ride back to his rented room. Well, the guest room wasn’t that much away from her hostel area. Just fifteen minutes walking distance was the separation. The next day I had to turn back to my own place, which was the schedule I had planned.

The night was passed and the sleep was very heavy. Perhaps the reason was the tired some journey I had the day before. When the morning broke I could see the sun rays penetrating into my room. Somehow I could managed to wake up early. I stood upright out of my bed and thus the day began to bloom out. I thought of making a call to her, just waited for seconds with a rising hope on my mind. I searched on for my mobile. Until I could find it, it rang before hand and I could locate it from being misplaced. I hurried to pick it up. The very first voice was of her “Hey good morning”.

I felt like my day  had been structured beautifully. I heard after a long weeks that wish from her and something gave me more than what I couldn’t think of. It’s a wish from the one whom I never thought of losing. Something that I would love to hear every morning.

“Hey good morning to you too” I replied her in simple words.

“So, are you ready”.

“No..just woke up. What do you want me to do?” I said softly.

“I’m on my way to you”.

That morning had relaxed me. I couldn’t wait to get myself ready as quick as possible. I was on my best attire. I knew she wanted to spent some time with me before I would depart.

“Come soon” I said with strong intention on my voice.

“Yeah...I’m just close to you” and Anannya hung the phone.

A knock at my door. I quickened to open up for her. She stood before my eyes like one in a million. She looked so adorable that morning. I couldn’t surpass my thoughts that day and praised her. I failed to blink my eyes. And with decent staring I waited for her response. She stood like a stable angel statue before my door. Maybe I was out of the world like I had never been. But that day, something spell she dropped on me and I was soaked into it. We both stood stable and stiff looking at each other eyes, so sharp and soft. It felt like we were blended together. “Hey..what’s wrong” she shook off my body for seconds.

With that sudden jerk I realized momentarily.

“What happened to me” I intended to know.

“Just stay quiet and get yourself done” said Anannya smiling at me.

She got into the room. While I was still unsettled with my belongings. I was with my trouser and the shirt on.

“You were staring so hard on me like you never saw me earlier” she said with raised eyebrows. For fraction she glanced at me and passed a brief smile while I was on my dressing mirror. The guest room had every necessary things that one personal has. She was just few steps away from the dressing mirror behind me. She wanted to step out as quick as possible.

“Won’t you look at the mirror” I suggested her.

She flushed a smile and made a sarcastic face.

“Why are you making me feel embarrass” she squinted.

She just held my hand and pulled away from the mirror.

“We are getting late” she raised her voice once again.

“Well, I’ll be waiting outside when you get ready, you can come out”. She stepped out of the room.

While I was trying to settle my hair. I had no idea where she wished to go. Finally, I stepped out of the room. Out into the bright morning Sun that bloomed the whole area around. We began to walk together. Since the winter in Pune had never been so strong. I covered myself with a thin Jacket. She was under the woollen quill, somewhat like a long overcoat type jacket. I don’t know what they call it. Her head covered with woollen cap. Yes, the morning though not so rough yet there was a silence influence of bitter cold around the atmosphere. She grasped my hand tightly. I could feel her strength on my arm. We crossed few streets and came up to an open park. The day began with an amusing scene before me. I saw the wonderful white clouds hovering above us. Beneath the green grass on which our feet had been shuffling, besides the gripped of Anannya enthused me.

“So, what your Dad do usually?” she uttered.

“Well, he has got a great interest in collecting books”.

“What sort of books”.

“Any genre..not only that he’s got an ample collection of music too”.

“Sounds interesting” Anannya added pressing her lips.

We stopped a while, the open space gave us the realm of the fresh morning. There was an empty bench few yards away from us. We shuffled towards that. The bench was blanket by the morning dew. I thoroughly rub the place by my handkerchief. Finally, I could feel the wetness on my small
handkerchief. We sat together on it. She shifted closer to me. Her hand grasped my palm tightly. I could see the rising Sun blooming before my eyes. We were silently seated for minutes. I knew that morning had different essence which I began to feel. It’s the time of New Year, moreover the Spring knocking at its door. I had been waiting for Spring since the winter began. Before She could say anything I firmly
embraced her and kissed on her forehead. I
knew she was surprise by my act. She looked at me with perplexed eyes.

“You did changed” she uttered.

“In what way”.

“I mean you became much more caring”.

“Do you think so”.

“Yeah! and I liked that” she said extending her hand to embrace me once again.

“I think we should take a morning walk rather than sitting idle here”.

“Yeah! that would be better enough” said Anannya like she had been waiting to walk.

We began to shuffle our steps through the park area. Cool breeze had influenced the area. Slight cold had touched us. That’s the first morning walk I have ever done with her. Else it would be only me with no one by my side. Nearby the park area, a tea stall was opened.

“Why not we taste the morning tea” I said.

“Do you really want it. I never knew you like tea” said Anannya staring her eyes at me.

We walked towards the tea stall. The day began to get mature as the seconds turned into hours. We were there at the tea stall within minutes of walk. Stood before the sales man. She stood beside me resting her hand on my arm. Two cup of morning tea had been ordered. Within fraction of minutes we were handed with cup of Tea. I initiated to take the first sip while Anannya kept staring at me holding her cup.

“Is it tasty” she said passing a smile on her face.

“What you haven’t tasted tea before” I said with my casual tone.

“Yeah! I did but very rare”.

“You should taste today”.

“Yeah for sure as you say so” as she takes the first sip of her cup.

“So, did it tasted good”.

“Yeah it has got a wonderful aroma” she took another sip of her tea.

I firmly fixed my eyes at her and watched her sipping in.

“Why you looking at me such way...didn’t you never seen me drinking coffee”.

I burst out in laugh.

“Of Course my Dear..but never seen you drinking tea” I giggled.

I was supposed to leave by the evening that day. My intentions were to spent some little amount of time with her for the rest of the day. We started to walk off from the tea stall. She was holding me by my arm side and our steps added together timely. We were again back to the park area. This time the sun has spread its full light across the whole city. The morning began to get older as the time passed on. I took a quick chance to look at my wrist watch. 10:30am was cool enough to go out for a walk in a fresh park area. Indeed we have been there for the last one hour. I wanted to know something about Anannya’s Dad. That was the first time I wanted to know about her Father. I addressed her with soft tone and loving tenderness.

“Dear, what’s your Dad does”.

I began to show more of my chivalry and caring unlike before. Dear was the word I began to use for her. I found it standard and more affectionate towards her. I knew she liked it. She always wanted to be called by new names. But she never happened to show out.

“Well, My Dad is a Business Man” she said.

We were heading out of the park area.

“That’s good”.

“Well, Your Dad does nothing more than being a Librarian” she asked.

“Yeah! He writes but he could never continue the process”.

“That’s ok at least he’s got the interest in collecting books. That’s a noble Job I believe” Said Anannya peeking at me.

“Your Dad must have been a good knowledge about business”.

“Well, I keep away myself from his money making method”.

“I do actually think of being an Business man too”.

“Really, you should” She said drawing closer to me.

We were out in the street by now. Took the footpath and began to shuffle ahead. The conversation was still on between us. I never knew her Father was a good business Man into our own locality. Perhaps the reason maybe I have been only few years to that place.

“So you have been only few years there?”.

“Where” I intended to know.

“I mean at Tura” replied Anannya.

“Yeah! It’s just the past two years of my Higher secondary  I have been there”.

“You were very shy to talk to” she claimed looking at me, as we headed to cross the other side of the street.

“You can say that, and that’s the first time I saw a beautiful Soul before me, and that was you”.

She halted momentarily for seconds. She held my hand and stopped me from shuffling my step ahead. She stood for silence before me with no sign of any gesture or words from her. We were on the other side of the street. I stood casually like usually I was. She stepped closer to me and embraced me. Her eyes turned red. I could feel her tight grip at my back. So did I gently placed my hand upon her back. Her eyes filled up with the floating tears. She somehow managed to control the drops being fallen into the ground.