“Hello Sameer, let us discuss the next version of the sleeplessness tracker app later. I’m currently out of the office. I will be back in an hour or so”, conveyed Nisha.
“Sure, Nisha”, her caller’s sharp voice, a bit of which was also heard outside, pierced through her ears. She chuckled and hung up.
As she inked the pen connected to a string emerging from the window and dropped it on the ruled register, she nodded at the security guard at the entrance. She blushed, bringing her hands closer to slide the black holder of her tiny Tupperware lunch box, up and down.
She looked up, chuckling at the wide blue rectangular board on top of the white building. “Rishi Singh University”, announced it, in bold-weighted white font. The golden logo of a pegasus in a half-flying pose stood to broadcast their brand name: ‘Fly high at RSU’. The golden-colored pegasus idol chimed like real gold with the incidence of the bright afternoon beam.
“Excuse me, Alok saar!!!”, Nisha exclaimed, opening the white door next to the research lab. Dr.Alok took his eyes away from the laptop’s screen. He stood up. She blushed to witness his light brown eyes hidden behind his glasses.
“Come in, Nisha medam!”, he greeted, gesturing for her to take her seat on the little couch set around a teapoy in his cabin. He walked away from his table as she nodded and stepped in, leaving the cabin’s door to close on its own.
She opened the lunch bag as soon as she sat on the long main sofa. “Sexy! What a surprise, medam! What brings you here?”, he enquired. She shrank her eyes while loosening the bigger top box. “Saar, you are wrong”, she squealed, in a cute and loud manner.
He chuckled, shrugging and wondering, “What happened, medam?” She was busy smiling and wiping her hands with the tissue papers. She passed a set of three to the other side of the plywood furniture towards him. As he wiped his hands, she insisted he wipes in and out.
“Germs!Corona!Hardware dust!”, she highlighted.
“Oh, my dear wife! You already started playing your role as a typical wife. What’s the matter, sweetie?”, asked he, blushing and nodding along.
“Saar, nothing brought me here”, she clarified, massaging her left hair to the waist. She put on some of her hair to the right. She leaned back, correcting him, “You should have asked me who brought me here, instead. It is you, Alok saar.”
May it be a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a couple of years, or even throughout one's life, relishing the most beautiful feeling on Earth-the love, it still matters.
While most couples are almost near the silver jubilee of their wedding anniversary, Alok and Nisha are just about to begin their love life!
Love at any age is love. Why not a middle-aged love story?!
“Aye!”, he exclaimed. "Hmmmmm!", he let out a long sigh. She blushed and shook her head. “I can’t stay away from you...not even for a moment more”, he declared. He rose from his single couch and hurried to sit right beside her on the main couch.
“Aah! Alok Saar! At least a small space?”, she asked, blushing at his lap touching hers. He shook his head. He leaned forward towards her. He let his fingers slowly through her hair. His eyes blushed at hers.
“No space between Alok saar and his Nisha medam, not even to place a safety pin in between us! Let's sit closer”, said he, nearing her very much only to push her gently!
“Ouch! Watch out!”, she exclaimed, falling back on the couch. Dr.Alok fell upon her. She caught his left shoulder firmly while he pressed her left waist, for the sake of balance. Their eyes interlocked with each other for the next couple of seconds. She rubbed her nose against his and pushed him back. “Bullah!”, he exclaimed, at which she grabbed a spoon of rice. She pushed it into her mouth.
“Sexy! I thought it was for me”, shared he. She shrugged, pointing at the big box. “It isn’t good to hog loads like that, saar. Have limited food. Have an eye on your diet”, she ordered.
“Sure, wife medam!”, he acknowledged. As she rolled a small bite of chapati dipped in the yummy green gram curry, he leaned forward. He opened his mouth wide. She blushed and fed him the first bite of his lunch.
“It's for both of us. Come on, saar! Being a lovely couple, shouldn’t we share our lunch?”, she highlighted.
“Yes yes. We must, medam”, he agreed, chewing his lunch. They took the next spoon of rice and pointed it to the other.
“Sexy!”, commented they, in chorus, as they blushed, feeding each other. A drop of tear rolled down Dr.Alok’s cheeks. He turned away, wiped it, and swallowed the bite of rice.
“Saar! What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”, enquired Nisha, turning his chin towards her. His meek and hesitant eyes rolled hither and thither. He faked a smile.
“I am sorry if the side dish was spicier. I don’t know how much spice you prefer…”, she admitted.
“Nah, bruh”, he declined, chuckling along. “It has been years since I dined with someone close to my heart. None have ever loved me, cared to spend quality moments with me after my family”, he explained. He held her hands as tears rolled down her cheeks too.
“None have ever missed me more than you. This includes my family too”, he confessed. They hugged each other. They closed their eyes and sobbed bitterly to soak their backs.
“I’m always here for you, Alok saar, irrespective of who wants you, doesn’t want you, irrespective of your own family, friends, career, you too or what not”, Nisha guaranteed, massaging his back. She released him and wiped her tears. All of a sudden, he pulled her closer.
He dived his tongue into her mouth only to hug her tongue. Tears filled her eyes which she slowly shut. She caught his tongue firmer. They continued their french kiss for the next couple of moments until Nisha volunteered to be released.
She smooched his lips. He rested her cheeks in his cozy palms. "While you are always here for me, I too will always be here just by your side always and forever", he whispered. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she nodded along.
“Okay class, this ends our lex programs”, announced Ishitha, disconnecting her laptop from the lab’s projector cables. “Revise the theory of syntax analyzer phase of the compiler. We will be proceeding with the yacc programs from tomorrow’s lab.” She carried her laptop and a cable. “Thank you, guys!”, said she, smiling at her audience of pre-final year students. She waved at young Alok sitting at the raised last row of the theater-like computer lab.
“Yaar, topper!”, Mihir exclaimed, hitting Alok’s back. “Professor’s pet yaar!”, added Sooraj, shaking his spectacles and nodding along. Tanya and Ranveer turned back, from the second row, only to frown at Alok. “Guys, she is my mom’s best friend. That’s why we are closer. I call Ishitha ma’am aunty outside the college!”, announced Alok. Tanya shrank her eyes and looked away.
“Fine, chuck it, yaar”, Mihir diverted. “What’s our next hour?”
Sooraj shrugged.
“Check the student scheduler app noe”, Alok suggested. Sooraj nodded. The three guys too got up from their seats seeing the others dispersing one after the other.
“Yaar, it's that blade session!”, exclaimed Sooraj, as they walked along the corridor.
“What! The soft skills session once again this month?”, Mihir freaked out. “Let's please bunk”, the two joined their hands at Alok.
“No way. We have it only once a week or two. Come on, the sessions help us investigate our goals, career plans, and more. Why miss it?”, argued Alok. He dragged his friends before they attempted to flee away.
“Sorry Alok, but we can’t handle this. I agree we shouldn’t be ditching you. But, we can’t tolerate this one class. I don’t know what’s my goal. Neither do I have one. I just need a degree to look after my dad’s business! Bye!”, reasoned Mihir. Sooraj nodded and waved. No sooner did the two step outside the class that a tall and fair buff-cut lady in a long blue gown stood with a textbook having ‘Move the cheese’ printed in black on a yellow background.
“Oops! What are you guys up to?”, asked Elizabeth. She raised her eyebrows and smiled along.
“Ma’am, I’m sure they were planning to bunk”, pin-pointed Ranveer, raising his hand. He sat with Tanya beside him, as always, on the second bench. Elizabeth extended her right hand.
“Please take your seats, sons.”
“Sexy! Did we want this? Mission soft skills bunk failed”, whispered Alok as he sat with his friends, right behind Ranveer and Tanya. Mihir bent forward. He rested his head on both hands as Sooraj vibrated his glasses.
Elizabeth jumped on the dais behind. “Yaar, does she believe she is cool doing such reverse Engineering kinds of stuff?”, Mihir mocked in Alok’s ears. As their professor walked backward like a model crossing her legs and walking in a fashion show, Alok chuckled. “Aye! Ignore her lavish style, guys. Let's focus on her lessons instead. They have been useful to me. Try concentrating once…”
“Topper!”, Mihir and Sooraj teased Alok as they hit a hi-fi. Alok shrugged, shaking his head along. “It's just her second class. How to tolerate her throughout the semester, yaar?”, Sooraj wondered at Mihir.
“So, who is ready with their bucket list?”, squealed Elizabeth, grinning and opening her arms wide.
“Fuck! I completely forgot about this!”, Alok whispered, concealing his eyes from her.
“What! How come?”, asked Sooraj, shaking his spectacles along.
“Wait, tit for tat. You made us sit here purposely, right? See how I will trap you now!”, Mihir pulled Alok’s legs. The soft topper shook his head.
“Actually, we were tied with a lot of programming assignments recently. That's why I forgot otherwise you know how punctual and serious I am, right…”
“Anyone ready?”, yelled the curious instructor, rolling her eyeballs hither and thither. She couldn’t catch a single eye! Tanya turned back at Alok. She threw a wicked smile at him.
“Here I beat you, again. Pity you, Alok Verma. I did it!”, she challenged.
“Shit!”, exclaimed Sooraj, banging the bench with a trivial force. Ranveer turned back and inverted his thumb at the three.
“Ma’am, here. I am prepared!”, Tanya volunteered.
“Glad to learn it! Please go ahead. Read it out”, Elizabeth encouraged her. She shrank her eyes at Alok. “I want to hear yours at least in the next class.” The obedient student nodded. She announced to the entire class, “It's for all. Don’t try to escape thinking it's only for Alok.”
She gestured for Tanya to begin. “Let me see how ambitious my student is”, anchored she, leaning on the whiteboard behind. She folded her hands together.
Ranveer massaged his beard. His eyes skimmed her dark brown salwar, big fat black earrings, and a curvy waist. Alok gestured for his competitive friends to stay quiet as they were about to screw him for not having overridden Tanya. No sooner did they look away with their disappointed faces that his eyes happened to go over Ranveer’s bad eyes on Tanya.
“Perfect girl! Go ahead, darling!”, thought Ranveer, staring at Tanya. His eyes went to her fair gold-like face as she moved her lips at Elizabeth. “Wow! What a choice, Ranveer beta! She is very beautiful no matter what she wears. She is gorgeous in Indian wear, pretty in pants…but I haven’t seen her in a frock though. What’s the problem? I will see her soon, will keep seeing her forever.” He massaged his hair.
“Control beta control. I must get her soon. Don’t delay implementing your lust, beta. What’s the purpose of being behind her since our first day in college then? Hahaha!” He sighed, taking his eyes away from her boobs. He closed his eyes and slammed his forehead as he chuckled along.
“What the fuck did I just see?”, wondered Alok, glancing at the clueless Tanya engrossed in listing out her career-oriented bucket list. “Oh, lord! I wish I misunderstood it. I never thought her best friend was a creep like that. But, will she believe me if I told her?”, wondered Alok. Elizabeth and the entire class applauded as Tanya finished and bowed. Alok faked a smile and clapped along.
“Hmm! See you didn’t but I did it! Hahaha!”, mocked Tanya, giving another wicked smile. No sooner did she sit back than she extended her hand to hit another hi-fi with Ranveer.
“Excellent!”, acclaimed Ranveer.
Drops of sweat appeared hither and thither on Alok’s forehead. “Oooo! The poor girl’s life is in trouble. I still can’t believe what my eyes just witnessed. Am I overthinking or was Ranveer really…?”
His thoughts were interrupted by Ranveer staring at Tanya once again.
“Fuck! This guy, I strongly believe, has evil eyes on her. Warning her means she won’t believe it. My doubt will reach Ranveer’s ears instead. He may end up taking a different route in that case. Complaining to our mentor or class advisor or even sharing my observation with Mihir or Sooraj-none will work because Tanya herself won’t believe in the first place. I can’t handle it this way then….”, estimated his restless brain.
The scene of his teen self walking with Nisha flashed in his mind. It was late that evening. His mother, in a light blue salwar, carried two shopping bags full of vegetables and fruits.
“Beta, it's getting dark. It may rain anytime soon”, estimated his mother. She wore a white dupatta on the left. It flew to the rhythm of the evening breeze. “Hurry up, we need to return home soon”, she emphasized. Son Alok nodded, as he grabbed a bag from her.
A motorist just passed them.
“Ouch!”, ailed Nisha, as she was pulled along the motorcycle. “Bhaiya! My dupatta!”, screamed she. The vehicle parked after riding a few feet further. Young Alok freaked at his mom. The other pedestrians too shrugged, wondering, at the mother and the son.
“Can’t you see and drive? My dupatta got struck on your bike. You are least bothered?….”, Nisha screwed him.
“Oh, please!”, argued he, as she managed to release her dupatta. “If you wear your dupatta properly and walk, nothing will happen”, mocked the young biker, chuckling a cunning laughter and racing away.
“Hey! How dare you? Apologize to my mom”, yelled young Alok. As he attempted to run, Nisha caught his hand. She shook her head at him. She smiled, patting his shoulder.
“Thank you, Alok beta. You at least realized it. You at least bothered to raise your voice. Proud of you, beta! However, don’t exhibit your concern here in a public place. Let's leave!”
As she lifted her bag and headed, Alok argued, “Mamma, how can we let go of such creeps? They are encouraged by such ignorance. Let's hand him over to the police...”
Nisha laughed. She described, “Beta, I repeat, I am very proud of my son. Raise your voice for any girl whom you see getting harassed verbally, as now in my case, or physically, as in most scenarios. Now, leave it. He is gone anyway. Neither did we record his vehicle number, right?”
Alok nodded.
“How will we complain then?”, shrugged Nisha, walking away with a wide grin.
Alok closed his fist. “Mamma, I won’t let even a tiny form of this happen to another girl at least in my presence”, he promised.
Nisha turned back, smiled, and nodded at him. They heard a strike of thunder. Nisha closed her eyes. “Great beta! Come, let's go home now! It's more important at the moment. I don’t want our groceries to be washed by the free supply of water from the sky!”
They chuckled, rushing to cross the road.
Back in the present, “I can see a hidden sexual harassment happening to a girl yet I can’t do anything to protect her? How absurd! I will keep my eyes on you, Tanya. I’ll handle this by myself”, junior Alok promised to himself.
Will Son Alok manage to save Tanya? Will Nisha manage to reconcile her lonely man with his loving family?
Dear readers,
Thank you for following my series and reading the episode. Rate it and write your review, give it a heart and share it in your circle whenever you are free. Your voice matters a lot to me.
