It was one day I was helping Dad settling new books that arrived into the library.
“Do you have a girl friend” he asked suddenly.
I was holding a book placing into the shelves. What would I say I knew not.
“She broke up with me” I said with no hesitation.
“What was her name” Dad intended to know.
“Anannya” I said.
“That’s beautiful name” he said.
“Was she beautiful” Dad added.
“Yes Dad, Of course she was” I said putting more number books into the shelf.
“Do you still love her”.
Dad never stopped questioning me about her.
“Yes I do” I pulled a ladder to reach the top rack of the shelf.
“You’re a man you got to catch her back..... never let her go” said Dad.
I slid down the ladder. He handed me more books to settle up there.
“Well, she got a boyfriend” as I climbed up the ladder.
“Are you ok” he said softly.
“I’m fine Dad”.
I slid down back to floor. Dad put his hand on my shoulder began to walked through the aisle of racks.
“You know your Mom was my love at first sight...and I never feared to say her. And look we are married for twenty two years”.
“But Dad she’s someone else’s now” I said with my eyes slightly depth in emotion.
“It’s alright let her go..some one better is waiting for you..be strong Son” he patted at my back and walked out of that room.
I stood watching till I could see him walked out of my sight. I never could think Dad would ask such thing to me. All through my vacation I had spent my whole time with him in the library. More like a friend he had become to me. Finally the time had come when I had to return back to my institution. I did enjoyed the vacation. Both Mom and Dad came to drop me to the airport. I was wrong this time Mom didn’t shed her tears instead she kissed me on my forehead. She was happy seeing me growing into big Man. Dad stood silence, he didn’t utter a single word.
“Hey Dad” I embraced him. He patted at my back.
“Be Strong and brave” he added.
Lastly I bid them good bye. I walked in to the boarding section of the airport zone. They waved me for the last time and stood watching me until I was out of their sight. Gradually I began to carry new memories in my head. With a thought in my mind I began to hunt for my new angel of my life. When the flight took off, I remembered what Dad had told. He was the best Man ever I knew, a Man of personality, something beyond I can’t say with the real principle of life he possessed. Although, I knew I will have someone all through my life to miss and that was Anannya.
“That’s all I have got” I said looking at Isha.
I could see the whole page of my diary was complete. Isha passed a brief smile gazing at me. She stood out of the chair and walked towards me.
“Congratulation, you’ve done it” she said.
I held her hand and knelt before her. I knew she was surprise with my act.
“I’m profoundly grateful to you. Your every contribution to this diary I shall remember all of my life. You’re an important part of it”.
She pulled me up and kissed me on my lips. The twilight shrunk down below the horizon. I was holding my diary while we continued to kiss each other with love.
Thirty
.............
It was the next day, indeed the last day we would be spending together in Goa. We were out into the city. That day we avoided to visit the beach instead Isha was interested to explore other places. Of course we would be spending the evening along the beach. That morning she had showed me her thesis. She had done lot with it. I had no words but how to give what she deserved for all that she has done to me. I was quiet impressed by her project on Indian culture study. We had visited Priya Malhotra, the historian again before we could be on our own. Isha had offered her thankful gratitude for the kind of help she had provided to her.
Since it was the last day we had in our hand we were quiet hurry in things that came up on our way. She wanted to try everything that was available in Goa. From somewhere she heard it to be the most fun place in India. Not only that it could be the most romantic and exotic place in India. It was the half past twelve of the day. We were out into the street walking along it. We had few materials and plastic in our hands. She had bought lots of items which she would carry back to Houston. She wanted to gift to her mother from her motherland.
“Hey, I want to meet that Father in the church” she said.
“What Father you’re talking about”.
“Don’t you remember I got a marble statue of Jesus” she said looking at me.
We walked through a tunnel road leading to the other side of the town. I had no idea about that city. Neither I knew the name of that place except for the beach where we had been staying and the hotel. I was still a wanderer of nowhere. She was very desperate to go to church. We had to hire a cab.
“I did really forget about that statue you showed me last time in Mumbai...is it with you?” I squinted.
“No..I have offered to the church. It’s a rare piece of such kind”.
We headed towards the church. The cab was on its way while we were only the passengers.
“I want to know one thing” said Isha settling her hair which were being disturbed by breeze that blew in through the window.
“Yeah!! proceed to ask”.
“Were you really kidnapped?...Don’t joke”.
“Am I ?..... Well, to be honest I was kidnapped for a day”.
“That’s funny kind, never heard of being kidnapped for one day” she looked at me with sarcastic smile on her face.
“I managed to set myself free within one day”.
“Wow! You’re a hero” her eyebrow raised and gave a brief smile looking out of the window.
We reached the spot where the church located. We shuffled into the church. The Father was standing out in the front yard of the church.
“Hey Father” Isha hurried her stepped and embraced him. I walked slowly behind.
“Hey..So how was your days” asked the Father.
“It was great. I would be leaving by tomorrow”.
“Back to Houston..Lord bless you young lady” he gave brief smile from his face.
I introduced myself.
“Would you come in” Father gave his concerned.
“No Father thanks, we would be leaving for the sight scene” replied Isha.
“I’m happy you came here” he added.
“I just wanted to meet you for the last time. Every Sunday I had spent in the church I’m grateful to you”.
“Lord will always bless you” he placed his hand on her head.
We left the place after that little conversation.
“You did used to come here” I inquired Isha.
“Yeah..I did except for last Sunday which I had spent with you”.
We headed to move towards the other side of the road. Caught up a taxi and we were back to the city. The church was few kilometres away from the main area of the town. By the time we were back it was 2:00pm.
We intended to go back to the beach. That was best place we both could spent together. We were along the shore walking far across away from the mob of people. It reminded me about the first day I had spent with her. I never could think how fast this one week duration had passed like the flow of water along the river. We walked like there was no limitation of way. She grasped me tight by my hand. She walked very close to my body.
“I’ll miss you very much” she said. She grew slightly pale.
“Your Mom will be proud of you. She will wait for your return. I’ll definitely miss you more than anything else”.
“Do you want to try surfing”.
“Why not” I added.
We collected surfing board from the beach management. Moved on to the other side of the beach area where waves were more ferocious. She crawled in
to the water laying herself on the surfing board. She floated certain distance deep into the ocean.
“Hey..come in” Isha shouted.
“Well, I’m nervous and scared too” I replied aloud.
“Lay your body on that and swing your arm you going to float” she directed me.
I followed the way she had directed. Somehow I could reach up to her. The waves were approaching towards the shore. Of course I could see it in real and in huge tide. It’s height almost that of a building.
“ Look, the waves are approaching. You must flow along with them until you hold a grip of your feet on the board, alright” Isha hinted me.
“It’s scary..I have never tried”.
“Don’t be scared I’ll be there with you” she replied watching at those rushing waves.
The waves approached closer hitting our body harshly. I managed to propel my hand as she directed. I could see Isha on top of her board surfing along with those angry waves. I managed to float along with them somehow I could climb up on top of the board standing stiff with my feet.
Gradually I could control my balance on it. I could see myself floating along with those waves. As they reached the shore the ocean waves gradually died out. Isha had been waiting there. I came walking holding the surfing board in my hand .
“That was amazing” I said aloud as I walked to her.
“You got it” she replied back.
“Yeah..credit goes to you”.
So, for the rest of the day we surfed. I had learnt lot about it from her. She had learned to speak few words of Hindi fluently. After surfing for hours we came back to the main area. The twilight crawled in, even the view of setting sun was incredible. We were up inside an open bar along the beach corner.
“Would you take a beer” I asked her.
“Sure”.
We were served with the beer can.
“So what do you think about Dear Anannya” Isha sipping her beer.
“It’s wonderful, incredible and amazing work”.
“You will be honoured. She will definitely miss you”.
“I hope she does” swallowing a sip of beer.
She smiled and took another sip of beer.
“ I have something to tell you”.
“What” I intended to know.
“I really like you”.
I uttered nothing but gazed at her deeply. Shifted myself close to her. I felt her warm breath racing faster. I kissed on her lips which lasted for minutes. That night we have spent more hours in beach unlike the other days we used to. We were into the born fire area and kept ourselves warm watching people dancing in circle around the fire. The moment of joy and cheerfulness prevailed all around the beach with all sorts of people’s party. We were comfortably seated enjoying the warmth of fire. The half moon hovered around the blank sky. Accidently, I looked up into the sky gazing at the moon. A face I could see at that bright moon, someone whom I had been missing in my life. A love I could see that wasn’t a part of mine anymore. It reminded all about Anannya. It haunted my heart and mind with thoughts about her. Besides, Isha under my arm laid asleep.
It was Monday, the next day. Isha had packed her belongings. We were to move into the Volvo station. She had the flight the other day. That morning she spoke nothing to me. I didn’t research to know the reason. We walked out of the hotel Blueline, that’s where we have been staying. We have endorsed with all the transaction that were needed with the hotel authority. I took one last glance of the beach before we moved out of the porch area. I walked by her side. She was still quiet to say anything. Her face grew pale. I couldn’t wait anymore but to know what was wrong with her.
“Are you ok” I asked her.
She looked at me and said nothing. She hugged me directly. Her eyes turned red and bled out in tears.
“Hey....it’s ok you’ll be fine” rubbing my hand behind her back.
I could somehow console her. Hired a taxi and drove away to the station. We were in to the Volvo bus. She was seated beside me. She had taken the window view while I just next to her. It was morning 8:30am. We departed at around 8:45am. So, we left Goa once and for all for that part of our life with a hope to revisit again someday. We were speeding up in the highway. Isha rested her head on my shoulder. I surrounded her into my warm arm, while the breeze rushed in through the window. I leaned my back to the back support of the seat. While I shifted her head on my chest and rested upon it. I had nothing more all I could carry the memory within me. It was her time to go. She would be going far away from my life and I had never thought about it how far could be the distance of separation between us.
As I thought I opened up the diary to read. Isha fell asleep. The last night she wasn’t able to get a peaceful sleep. She was distracted that’s the only thing I knew. I flipped the first page and read the heading. That big font written in Blue ink pen still looked beautiful. I read it for more than thrice in my mind whispering out “Dear Anannya”. I began to read the writings. Isha’s flight was on Tuesday. Perhaps to my knowledge her departure time was around 3:00am. While we would be reaching by 11:00pm on that same day. That was the calculative time estimated. So, we ought to travel a long distance. Moreover the Volvo had taken it’s long route to reach Mumbai. I thought about Anannya a lot as I tuned every pages to read. I knew my present moment would also be shattered within few hours. I didn’t tell Dad about Isha like he had asked me years ago about Anannya. I wanted to make a call to my Dad. It’s been almost a month I haven’t spoken to him. Neither I asked him about his new books in the library. I made a call to my Dad let him know I would be coming this vacation. I had exams to write this summer. As usual he talked about his library. I kept secret to him about my diary. After having few words we hanged up our calls.
I opened up to read again. Isha had become another subject of concern in my life. Was it fine if she go away again like Anannya. A little unfair of drama I had been dealing with my life. Now, that she would be gone and I would be as like before. Perhaps, I may never get that real love of life which I had been yearning.
Everything fades away from one’s life, only the memory stays behind and I have been a storage of such kind of life’s memory more than being in reality. I feel sometime I don’t exist into this real world but in memory of someone’s life. Isha was someone who had come from far beyond where I could never thought of reaching. But, was it luck or the fate that brought us together I never knew the story behind. But, today that same fate in state to separate us. Time to finally let her go. Time to let her spent with her mother. Time to say goodbye. Problem with time I have learned whether it’s the love for Anannya or the strong touch of emotions with Isha, eventually time always runs out.
Isha woke up from her silent sleep. She found me reading the dairy. She wanted to accompany me. To compensate the time we kept flipping pages out of it until we completed reading together.
We had stopped at roadside inn where we refreshed ourselves and managed to restore our strength that we had lost after travelling distance. She began to click pictures. We got settled in again and moved on. She had clicked lots of photos while we were in Goa.
“Look at this” she showed me her photographs in the camera.
“It’s amazing”.
She had taken lots of clips of mine. She gave me one of her photograph.
“This is for you” she handed me.
“You look beautiful” I said looking at her picture.
I gently placed in my diary.
“I met two people in my life who are special to me”.
“Whose that” Isha muttered closing the window of her side.
“It’s you and Anannya”.
“You are very close to my heart, a rare person that I came to know” she added.
“I’m Sorry if you ever felt bad because of me” I said looking into her eyes.
“No...I’m lucky that I met you..Why would I feel that way” she uttered with her husky voice.
Our journey wasn’t the same w
e thought it to be. Indeed, it was much more long route than we thought it could be. I never thought I would spent a week with a person who knew very little about me. But, as the time passed on, it was like we knew each other since the time we were born into this world. I shall remember her in other corner of my heart. Perhaps, the other side of my life bloomed out with her touch. The attachment between us grew within a week. I knew she was in great distress about going home not because she would not see her Mom but the attachment which she got with the people around, never wanted her heart to leave. She wasn’t that happy of returning back. But, she had to because somewhere miles away from here, her Mom would be waiting with an expectation.
It was Tuesday. We were finally into the Mumbai city. Time was yet in our hand. As per the estimated schedule we were exactly into the place where we were supposed to be. We got down out of the Volvo. That rush and bang of the city crowd wasn’t less enough to handle people around. Marched ourselves to catch a cab to lead us to the airport. We were into the international section of the airport zone. Boarded her belongings. High above the sky the Moon glowed it’s silver rays all around the world. It was a full moon which shone it’s silver light all around. With her belongings submitting to the custody, we shuffled to look for a cafe stall.
At corner of air reception we were seated holding a coffee cup in our hand. Isha was next to me.
Gone By Page 40
