Babla and Tumpa were sitting in the lounge after the security check-in. Both were silent. They were waiting for boarding to start. Tumpa was going to Hyderabad and Babla to Delhi, from where he had to catch the flight to Australia.
Babla asked Tumpa, “So, when are you going to marry Yogesh?”
"Never," Tumpa turned her head in the other direction, "He went to New Zealand last month."
She heaved a sigh and said further, "Papa wanted us to come back home. I left my job, disposed of my things, and came to settle down in Jamshedpur. But when I saw him happily living with Maa, I didn't find the courage to say that I have come back. I did not want to disturb their life."
“What will you do now?”
Tumpa said after a while, “I will again have to find a job. …. Things don’t always happen the way as you wish.”
There was a long moment of silence stretched between them. Then Babla said, "The same was with me, although I didn't resign from my job and came here to look for a business opportunity in some online business or some consultation service. ........... But let's not disturb Papa. It is the first time he has started enjoying his life, …after our mother's death."
Boarding for Hyderabad flight had started. Tumpa got up with her hand baggage. Babla also got up to see her off. Both of them hugged each other. Tumpa left with a sad smile towards the boarding gate. Babla watched her go and mingle with the people lined up before the entrance. Soon she was lost in the crowd.
- The End -
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o oo I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
