Packs of cotton candy oscillated in the air as a boy walked with short, quick steps. It felt like the clouds left the confines of the sky and graced the land. Tugging at Rohit’s shirt, Tanvi ran. A storm of air left his lungs as he tried to maintain the pace. She giggled, her ebullience spreading warmth all over.
“Slow down,” he garbled.
She shook her head and threw her hair behind. Innocence dribbled down her eyes. His heart thrummed to the tunes of her antics. The fairground was more crowded than usual. The stench of sweat lingered around him. A group of women spoke incoherently. But their voices were loud. A sense of annoyance swept over him.
He wasn’t in favor of visiting the fair on a weekend. But Tanvi’s persistence won over his logic. Suddenly, a voice pierced through the unpleasantness. It was subtle and carried with it the fragrance of calmness. A wave of familiarity enveloped him like a blanket. His disgruntled expression softened.
Was she around? His heartbeat fastened. A part of him longed to get a glimpse of her. Years had passed since he last saw her. Sweat beads floated on his forehead like paper boats hovering in a puddle. Closing his eyes, he tried to listen intently. His mind filtered the mayhem. Her voice was now distinctly heard. Like an unbridled horse, his emotions ran freely.
He held Tanvi’s hand tightly until she winced.
“Let’s go,” he said.
He walked where the voice led him.
It was Siya. Once upon a time, she was ‘his’ Siya. What was she doing in Mumbai? The last time he heard of her was around two decades back. What was she up to? Did she fulfill her dreams? The dreams for which she had forsaken him. Thoughts raced in his mind. Anxiety gripped him. He felt the sky suddenly turn a tad greyer. He felt giddy. He wasn’t ready to meet her. But his heart acted on its accord.
The voice became clearer with every passing second.
Under the moonlight, she stood, her teeth glittering like pearls. A streak of ice cream adorned the corner of her lips like a tiny jewel. He smiled. She was always messy. Images of him wiping the splotch of pink off her lips with the back of his hand played before him. Tears dwelled in his eyes. And like a dissipating dew drop, a wry smile replaced the misty beads.
Memories played in the crevices of his mind like the sand slipping from between his fingers. He held onto them, hoping that they would stay with him forever.
It was a summer morning. The sun pounded on them with vengeance. Sunlight fell on her face, illuminating the finer details. She smiled. It felt like a hundred bangles jingled and the stars twinkled. His heart fluttered. Words were stuck in his throat. She walked past him like a whiff of breeze on a scorching afternoon. His soul bathed in the sea of serenity. Days passed. What started as a mere attraction quickly transformed into an undying love.
The first letter she had written to him, remained etched in his mind like a stubborn stain.
“Dear Rohit, my feet have been dancing to the tunes of love since we first met. My heart is entwined around yours like a creeper wound around a tree. I wish to spend the rest of my life with you. Without you all I can feel is a vacuum.” The letter read.
Tears streamed down his cheeks. What had changed? She was talking to someone, her eyes glinting and her lips flapping like the strings of a guitar. Wanting closure, he rushed toward her. His pulse drummed. A few seconds later, he suddenly stopped. The words from another letter, her last one, echoed in his ears.
“We are two different people with different choices. Our love is an obstacle I wish to overcome, so that I focus on my dreams. Take care, Rohit. Don’t ever contact me.” Those words stabbed his soul.
The wound remained unhealed. The pain surpassed all those moments of love and passion. If not for his wife, who patiently soothed his wounded heart, he would have turned into a wayward berserk. Siya didn’t dare to face him. Like a coward, she hid behind her inked words.
Didn’t he deserve better? A decent goodbye.
He stopped walking and turned away. Her smile still reverberated in a corner of his heart like the sound produced by a conch. Letting her remain a distant memory, he walked away.
“Are you okay?” asked Tanvi.
“Yes,” he twirled his princess in the air.
He felt everything return to normalcy.
Siya was just a passing cloud. But his wife and daughter were the stars that brightened his life. With that thought, he left the fair, contentment brewing in his heart.
One Response
Superb as always!!