This is completely insane, she thought. ‘What was I
thinking? Why did I agree to this meeting?’ she muttered to herself. Sitting on
the Mumbai airport, she was constantly dreading the departure of flight 6E 339
as Avi was supposed to leave via this flight. She looked at Avi who was sitting
next to her and was lost in his Smartphone. She started thinking about the day,
one week back when she received that phone call from Avi.
Last week Monday morning she was rushing through her emails
and trying to cope up with the Monday workload, when her phone rang. She lost
all sense of time and place when she heard that voice on the other side. It was
Avi, ‘definitely Avi’ whom she dated for almost three years in college. As soon
as the college ended Avi got admission in MS in one of the university at San
Francisco. He took this decision without telling her as he knew she would never
agree to it. Leaving India, for whatsoever reason, was the last thing on her
list and Avi knew well about it. The last memory she had with Avi was that of a
dreadful fight which left both of them with utter bitterness for each other.
Almost five years after that fight and today she is hearing his voice again.
She was shaken from her reverie, when Avi raised his voice
“Are you there? Hello Sheetal….Sheetal? She wanted to shout loudly “Why are you
calling me today? To know how I am doing without you? Am I still sane or not,
alive or not?” but she composed herself and replied calmly “Hi Avi, why are you
calling me today.” After a brief pause he said that he was coming to Mumbai for
three days and he wanted to meet her. Their last meeting had been bothering him
ever since and he wanted to make up for it. “Can you make-up for the agony and
pain of past five years?” She thought. But she amazed herself when she said ‘Yes’.
Her chain of thoughts were broken with the announcement
“Flight 6E 339 has been delayed by thirty minutes. Inconvenience caused is
deeply regretted.” Strangely, she heaved a sigh of relief. Today Avi was
leaving for New Delhi and thereafter for US where he was permanently settled.
She saw no way so that they could be together again, but past two days had
stirred her life completely.
They took a road trip
together to Pune where Avi met her family. It was like old days back again.
Again and again her mind saw the futility of this elation but her heart wanted
to soak thoroughly in these beautiful moments. It was monsoon season and all
her complaints seemed to wash away in the refreshing showers which melt them on
their way back to Mumbai.
She was again brought back to airport by the call “Boarding
call for flight 6E 339. All passengers are requested to kindly proceed to gate number
G. Thank you”. Her heart skipped a beat when Avi looked at her. She was not sure;
nor she dared to ask as when they would meet again. Avi promised to keep in
touch and she faked a smile while giving a peck on his cheek. He proceeded for
boarding and she kept staring at the glowing sign “6E 339”. She was sure this
flight number is going to be impressioned in her memory for long. she was wondering
when they will meet again and how long she can keep playing this “Friends
again!!” game??
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ReplyDeleteI am glad I am not that Avi. I never ever want us both to experience such intense moment. "Har mulakat ka anjam judai kyon hai ab toh har wakt yahi baat satati hai hame."
ReplyDeleteyour writing has a freshness .
ReplyDelete