"Amazing! Now, I realize why everyone loves Delhi. Oh Nisha Ji, did you look at the India gate? It's beautiful from far!", exclaimed Raftaar as his jeep stuck in the traffic. The yellow headlights of the participating vehicles, the glowing beetroot-colored lights of the police vans, and serial lights of the opposite choultry dominated the moon. Nisha was busy staring at her plain, flat and white nails as she massaged her middle finger with the thumb. She was sitting with her hands folded across and leaned back in her seat. He turned at her who remained silent and was lost in her own world of thoughts.
"Are you alright, new friend?", enquired he, shaking her a bit. She turned her head hither and thither as her beautiful eardrops danced along. "What terrible traffic!", commented she, faking a smile at him. He shook his head, declaring, "Fine, so you didn't even listen to what I was telling now." As she raised her eyebrows at him, he gestured for her to open the draw in front of her. She spotted a white visiting card with Raftaar's name, degree, and website link.
"Wow! Do you have a degree in counseling and Psychology too?", asked Nisha as he drove a small step forward. He nodded as she continued, "But, you introduced yourself as a marketing manager...."He interrupted her, clarifying, "I counsel my patients online on the weekends."Nisha smiled and nodded, acclaiming his multi-tasking attitude." So, you should tell me what's bothering you. Come on, spill it", he assured.
As their jeep made its way out of the traffic and went smoothly, she diverted, "Thank god we overcame the dreadful traffic!"He shrugged at her, at which she turned away to look outside the window by her side. She sighed, remembering and continuing at him, "Raftaar! I need to tell you my pickup location. How dumb! How could I forget? Sun..."
"Sunflower Residency, Tulip block 5th floor the second house", completed he. She threw her mouth open and questioned, "What! How do you know my address? No doubt you are a stalker!"As they chuckled, he convinced her, "Oh Ji! I saw you in the morning. I am your new neighbor in 501. They sold their house to me a week ago. I met your mom this morning. I also saw you leaving to office in the car. Dr.Sandhya right?"She grinned in surprise, exclaiming, "Cool friend! So, you happened to cross my way today or you were following me the entire day?"
He chuckled, making a right turn and joking, "Then, who will sell Lily shampoos?", at which both of them burst a great round of laughter. "It was a great start with you, Mr.Raftaar", concluded Nisha. He nodded and reciprocated. He drove into a street at which Nisha exclaimed, "Friend, wrong route!" He pressed the brake at once and sighed.
"Nisha Ji, I am from Ludhiana", said he, making a U-turn to reverse. He continued driving on the main road, resuming the conversation, "I was born and brought up there. My five younger sisters got married and are all settled abroad now. I felt lonely living alone in our haveli. So, I decided to sell it and leave my home city for I had always wanted to live in our country's capital."
"Good decision!", complimented Nisha. He thanked her and investigated her mood, "Nisha Ji, do you love the guy who offered to drop you tonight?"She turned at once to face him. She bulged her eyes and her heart beat faster to beat the fastest runner in the Olympics. He chuckled, elaborating, "Fine, I understood. Don't get nervous, friend. I could see your eyes dying for him as you waved. As you know, the face is the index of the mind. But, why didn't you agree to go with him? Why do I feel that you deliberately avoided him?"
Nisha shook her head as tears accumulated in her eyes, "I love Alok saar. All these twenty-eight years I couldn't feel the same way for anyone else. We happened to meet recently. He fell in love and married my then best friend who too knows about my love. After all that happened, it would be wrong to hang out with him at the night. I am scared it would interrupt their personal life."She wiped her tears and completed, "Let my feelings live within my longing heart as they always have. I know it's wrong to be in love with a committed guy. But, I have been loving him for the past twenty-eight years and I will love him forever although I ain't lucky enough to be loved by him, a gem."
As she swallowed her tears, Raftaar sighed and concealed his tears. Faking a smile, he commented, "Waah Nisha Ji! Your love for your dear Alok is so touching, unconditional, eternal, sweet, and true. Opportunity seldom knocks twice yet life has made you guys meet again. I believe that there is something in store for you. All the best!"Nisha nodded rapidly, smiled, and thanked him. She sighed and denied, "I too was elated the last night but he has his lady..."
"He used to hug you back then?", intervened Raftaar. She shook her head at which he chuckled and revealed, "No, I feel he too loves you, Nisha Ji". While her eyeballs rolled hither and thither, he nodded and cited, "I observed his blank eyes when you fell on him. The way he caught you by your waist as if he were your man portrayed he wanted to hug you with his manly love. According to human psychology, although a layman already knows it, I meant to say technically, a hug is a great sign of love....", he cited. She blushed secretly at the scene of him hugging her beside the lift to console her after the dog had frightened her.
"But, he shouldn't fall for me. His wife...what will happen to her? It's bad..", refused she. He gestured at the guard and drove directly inside the apartment's basement. The sunflowers of the lawn at the entrance of the apartment had closed up themselves. "So, if that's bothering you, stay away from him. I have seen many patients. I concluded his thoughts based on my ten-year experience in the field." She nodded, as they stepped out and shook hands. "Let's see as it goes. You keep updating me and I will help you get your love. You shouldn't miss him this time if he comes to you", guaranteed him. He hugged her by her shoulders and nodded. Nisha shared, "This was a friendly hug but Alok's touch was different. Why would a guy catch a girl's waist unless he feels something for her or he is a bad guy? But, he isn't a bad guy!" He nodded agreeing with her.
Meanwhile, Dr.Alok, in his night dress-a black shirt on grey bermuda, emptied the rum bottle by filling his last ounce glass. He drank it in one go. He strolled unbalanced towards the couch opposite the big black LCD television fixed to the wall. He lay on it with his legs stretched and wide apart on the floor. He removed his specs and placed them on the teapoy. He shook his head, murmuring to himself, "No Nisha medam, this isn't fair. How can you be the stranger's friend..the random guy when I, your love is here beside you." He moved his right index finger freely and vigorously, emphasizing, "No, you can't fall for him. You shouldn't have married that Saxena as well. Good that he died in the plane crash."
Pity him! Hardly did he know that Nisha had lied to him. He laughed, adding, "See, people who come in between us are all punished. Payal and I got separated!Hahaha!The best chapter of my life...Nisha, don't go with the new guy. We ought to be destined together."He bet his chest, confessing as he shouted to himself within the four corners," I love you, Nisha medam. I realized it soon after my wicked wife tormented me and dumped me, sixteen years ago. You were my right woman. I must have loved you or at least given you a chance back then.."
He raised his voice to the peak suddenly, uttering, "I hate you Payal! She manipulated me and took away my family, my happiness, and my peace from my life...I can't lose my true love now once again! No Nisha no!" and collapsed on the cushion at the other corner of the couch." My wrong decision paid me enough...it has ruined me enough...I can't be a loner anymore...medam Nisha...Nisha medam....", grumbled he, as his eyes slowly shut and he began snoring.
The professor was in his early thirties and lacked spectacles back then. He looked handsome-tall and lean with light brown eyes as always. He parked his bike by the footpath on the main Lalbagh road in Bangalore and got down. He lifted his little two-year-old son who sat in front of him while riding. The clueless kid pointed at the roadside ice-cream vehicle which went past them. "Pappa!Me!", squealed he. Alok shook his head at which Ayush screamed more.
The sinful father sighed and stopped the trolley. He paid ten bucks and bought his son a cup of ice cream. He left him on the footpath and pressed his shoulders hard. His eyes turned redder as he instructed, "Ayush, I have an important work now. I will leave you here and go. I will pick you up after some time. Stay here!Goodbye!"The innocent kid nodded readily as his father got back on the bike.
"Pappa! Bye!", yelled Ayush as he stood beside the yellow board with 'Cubbon Park' written in black letters and in the Kannada language. The reckless man ignored his own son as he focused and drove his bike as if nothing happened around. "Pappa!Pappa!Pappa!", yelled the cute kid, in his sweet voice and waved at which his father didn't even look back at him. The chubby kid licked his dessert as it littered his nose too. He looked around smiling with his big brown eyes.
"Ayush!", cried Dr.Alok, as he opened his eyes and woke up from the couch. He stood and ran towards the balcony opposite. He opened it and looked around only to see the dark lonely street lit by the street lights and the crescent moon. He sobbed as he walked back inside. He slammed his forehead, weeping bitterly to himself, "I am sorry, Ayushmanbhava my dear son...sorry..." He broke down to the floor and leaned back on the wall, as he regretted, "It was all because of your wicked mother. How much she manipulated me!..." He wiped his nose and swallowed his tears, blessing his lost son, "Wherever you are, be safe and happy. I wish life gives me a second chance to meet you too and live as your father."
The next morning, Sandhya chanted mantras loudly and rang a small bell in their pooja room. Nisha dropped her comb on the dressing table and ran with her loosely left hair to pick up the intercom.
"Ma'am, fire in Tulip-502?", enquired the security. Nisha shrugged, replying, "No, all okay." She rested her hand on her right hand on the waist, questioning, "Why did you ask?"He complained that their flat's sensors reported a fire in their house. She hung up and observed her mother happily praying to god with agarbathis tucked inside small containers and placed outside the pooja area. They were directly exposed to the sensors in the ceiling.
"Mom!", shouted Nisha, heading towards her. "Have a laddoo, Nishoo", said her mom, forcing one into her mouth. She hogged it and screwed her, " I hate the almighty. Gods have always been unfair to us. When they don't care about our happiness, why do you? I wonder when you will understand my point."Alok shrugged at his granny as he stole a laddoo from the holy plate.
"Fine! Nobody cares about my opinions in my own family. Forget I exist!", shouted she. She returned to her room and banged the door.
"Naani, why is mamma angry? I always wanted to ask why you force her to pray to god...Tell me the truth now for I am a grown-up...", he enquired curiously.
Sandhya placed the plate back on the shelves and joined her hands at the photos. "Because she didn't get the man whom she loved loads", answered she, walking away at the cooker's whistle from the kitchen. "Why?", wondered Alok, shocked and concealing his tears at a little idol of Lord Ganesh.
