Gone By (44 page)

“Yes”.

“You have got a letter from Pune” he said and handed me the letter.

I gave a glimpse on it. I knew Anannya would write me back. I began to shuffle towards my room holding the letter in my right. That’s the first letter I have received from her. I couldn’t wait to read it. I sat on my study table and tore the envelope opening and unfolded the page.

Dear Beatone,

Your first letter did really touched my heart. I’m so lucky to be with you. I never knew you would be a man of such heart. I really felt overwhelmed I have loved you whole lot of my life. I would never forget the letters you have posted me, and every letter you would write to me I’ll treasure as the memories of our life. It’s the same thing here with me. Your missing do hurts me too. But, then every time I think I have got the best Man beside me, that makes me feel the zeal out of me. Well, here the things are the same since the time you have gone. I spent my time with Gagan who had been so helpful to me. I understand your problem being away from me. But, My love would never derail from my path that I hold for you. Gagan had been only my friend so far who knows me better after you. I wished you be here by the next Sunday. I can’t wait no more to see you. I’ll be waiting for you.

                                                                                                                                             Love,

                                                                                                                                          Anannya

I sat in silence after I had completed reading. Folded back the letter back to envelope and kept it at safe place. I pulled the drawer of my table and placed it there. I was enthralled by her letter. She wanted me to come to meet her. I had also thought about it by next Sunday of this week. The season of flowers had arrived now. Spring seemed much prettier than ever before. I had been waiting for it since winter began. This time I wanted to carry flowers for her. Thought it could be the best Spring gift to her. Moreover she had very interest about flowers which I lacked. I finally decided for the next Sunday. Until then I had to attend my daily duties of attending lectures. Between these days until the Sunday arrived I pondered around thinking about the coming Sunday. I knew inside I couldn’t wait anymore to see her. I had just completed the week so hard picturing the moment I would love to have this coming Sunday. Until I could complete the week I had read her letter for more than hundred times approximately.

“So you were so anxious to see her huh!!!” said Isha as she wrote that part of the narration. “Definitely I was anxious after a week of no interaction between us”.

“So did you come up for the Sunday”.

“Yeah I did and met her on that day”.

“Well, continue with the narration, I’m really loving to write it” said Isha, smiling briefly and peeking at my face.

I continued with the narration. For short seconds I glanced at the time. The Sun began to inclined in its path bending towards the horizon. My lips influenced by words murmuring out the every syllable that needed. While Isha beside me scripting every single words out of my narration.

21
st
Feb Sunday, 2010, I reached that early morning into the mid heart of the Pune City. She had been waiting for me. I arrived at her place as soon as I was out of the transport. Didn’t take a notice to wait for anything beyond her thought in my mind. I quickly shuffled to see her. I knew the day would be mine. I reached the spot where she asked me to come. From distance I could she and her friend Gagan had been waiting for my presence. I marched towards them. The ambient had a wonderful surrounding. The street cafes all around. The smell of raw coffee clustered into the air and I could feel them being sniffed through my nose. My inch wide lips passed a brief smile at them. They in response waved their hands to me.

“Hey” I shook hand with Gagan.

I shifted my next step towards Anannya and embraced her. We followed our steps together and roomed ourselves at a small coffee centre by the street. She sat before my eyes while Gagan beside her.

“How have you been?” that was the first question I could ask her.

“I’m fine” she responded quickly.

“It’s great to see you”.

“Yeah! I got few letters of yours” She said.

“I know.. you have always been the real reason of my life”.

We were served with the cappuccino.

“Wow! That’s wonderful...You write letters to each other” said Gagan passing the coffee cup towards me.

“Yeah! We did wrote to each other” answered Anannya.

I took a sip of the cup until I could involve myself in conversation.

“So how your days have been” I turned up my voice to Gagan.

“Well, it’s been the start of New Year. Hope to look something new”.

“That’s Great”.

Anannya had been staring at me in ridiculous way for the past few minutes. I indulged myself to know.

“What’s wrong”.

“Nothing “ she gestured through her head.

I could realize she had something in her mind which she had been suppressing to express out. I couldn’t demand more to know it. Instead I let it stay silent.

“What’s wrong with you” Gagan asked her.

“I’ll let you know” she replied.

We were over with the coffee and the little conversation we had.

“I think I should leave now. You can have your day” said Gagan.

He shook his hand with me and flashed a smile on his face and embraced her and left off. I had her standing beside me.

“Where do you want to go” she asked.

It’s been almost a week since we met now. Neither we did made contact to each other for the past few days. So here was I on that day after humble words of request from her letter which she had written.

“Anywhere you take”.

She knew I had little knowledge about the city. She would be the one who guided me all through the place around the city.

“What have you done that day” Isha interrupted.

“Nothing..Just spent the day viewing some beautiful places”.

The day doomed below the horizon. We were supposed to return back. She folded the diary and closed and handed to me. She stood up from her posture.

“Won’t you go back” she said softly.

“Yeah”.

“Give me your hand” she demanded.

I stretched out my arm. She held and pulled me up from being seated. As she did I fell against her body, laying on the soft wet sand. The darkness slightly came in through the open horizon of the silent twilight. I fell upon her. She had been enduring my weight but that wasn’t so calculative for her. Her eyes seemed very desirable like the burning fire before my eyes. I inched my face more closer to her lips. I could feel her heart beating faster. Her warm breath shivered my spine. I could finally feel my lips in contact to her. I began to kiss her. She grew slightly wilder. She turned on me. By now I could realize she was on top of me. While the roar of waves continued with the flow of twilight which had taken it’s door to step in for that moment. The shades of darkness began to cast shadow on us. Isha began to kiss on my neck, slipped out from my lips. Momentarily I was out of the world so was she. I realized and halted.

“We need to go” I claimed her.

She stopped her motion. Rested her whole body on my abdominal muscles. She nodded her head. “Let’s follow the way” She said as she stood up and pulled me upright.

We began to walk away from that place. I was having my diary in my left. While with the other I held Isha at her waist.

“You know I was kidnapped” I slipped out my tongue.

“Are you kidding” she said.

“No.. I’m Serious”.

“Really”.

“Yes! I haven’t told you”.

“When you were kidnapped” she demanded.

“When I returned from here, the first time leaving you”.

“Oh! God you didn’t mention about that. That’s very rude of yours” she patted on my head. “Alright I guess I made a mistake revealing you the truth” I added.

She smiled “Your are really ....” she patted on my back again.

“What am I” I intended to know.

“Shsssss” she hissed and leaned her head on my chest height.

We have walked long distance by now. The time ticked 8:00pm. I could see huge number of crowds being gathered. We were yet to reach but very close to. Some music were being played. Flames were spreading out into the night air, yes I could see the born fire burning vigorously. People all around with beer cans in their hands, some with strong, some with mild. Ladies with red wine were seated like a parade show. The crackling of DJ music shook the dance floor. While we walked around the place.

“Hey, would you like to get a drink Sir” a waitress asked me.

We were getting into one of the open walled restaurant.

“No thanks”.

Isha walked beside me. Most people are from foreign land. I could see some Americans, Africans, Canadians and off course the French and Portuguese. Counted number of Indians were available. No doubt every stall and restaurant had an Indians. But, the number seemed to be more of outsider as tourist. We made ourselves comfortable occupying a table. I could feel the cool breeze blowing from North of Arabian Sea.

“I would love to get a wine” Isha muttered.

“Alright”.

I ordered a beer cane for myself while she had a red wine. We began to get involve between us. “So, do you miss Anannya now” she suddenly uttered.

“Sometime I do”.

“Look your diary is about to fill” said Isha pointing at my diary.

“Thanks for today”.

“No it’s alright. You don’t need to thank me”.

“I’m grateful to you. You have taken the toil of writing my words” taking a sip of beer.

She gestured through her eyes and swallowed a little amount of wine. The music got louder, even the flames began to burn more vigorously.

“Should we go out to that born fire” I intended her to come with me.

“Sure”.

We walked out of the restaurant. I was holding the cane in my right hand while the diary on the other. She had the wine bottle held in her right hand. Moreover I could see the crescent moon being rising out of the horizon. While the party at the beach influenced the whole air around us. The blue moon began to spread it’s silver light over the area. We walked down few steps through the loosely sands to join the crowd.

“Look at the crescent moon” muttered Isha.

“It’s beautiful”.

We were into the crowds by now. People made circle around the born fire. Some seated while very few were on their feet. I could count the number of people around it. They had been enjoying the heat being expelled from the fire. We occupied one part of their seated people. Isha sat beside me. She had been drinking the wine.

“Look at the fire” I asked her to glanced at it.

“Don’t you feel the heat of it” she said.

We were seated some metres away from the born fire zone. The fire kept burning at the centre of the people’s circle.

“Well, I do”.

“I would be missing the aroma of this place” she said.

“ So you decided to go back by next week” I whispered softly.

“Yeah! I have to go. I have been here for a month”.

“Yeah I do know that”.

“You know my Mom called me last night”.

“So, what did she asked you”.

“Nothing more than my return”.

“She must have been missing you a lot” my voiced sounded rough.

I couldn’t know the reason why. Perhaps it was the effect of cool breeze which had affected my throat.

“She said she had prepared party on my return”.

“Wow! Your Mom must be a great woman” in a complimenting way.

She smiled and glanced at me for seconds.

“Did you said that” she smiled out.

“Yeah! I did... any doubt about that”.

“I love my Mom very much. She had always been the support of my life” she said softly as her voice faded away until I could hear her last words.

“ Well, would you like to get more of red wine” I asked her.

Her bottle was empty by then. I had no beer too.

“Yeah..Just the small size of it”.

“Alright..you wait here until I get it”.

I walked off to get our drinks. I realized to look at the night hour time. We have spent more than an hour in that beach. Still not wishing to go back to Hotel. I headed back to her with the bottle of wine and beer cane in my hand. She was still seated stiff, just the way I had left her. By now I could see the glimpse of bright blue light fell upon us. The crescent moon hovered above us. I gently handed her the wine and took the room beside her.

“Would you like the surfing sport??” Isha put question before me.