Gone By (53 page)

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 we 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.

“I’m grateful you’ve been all through the time” Isha muttered.

“It’s fine..it was really nice meeting you”.

“I may say thousand times in my heart not to leave this place but I have no option but to go” said Isha looking into my eyes.

“I’m glad you have become a little part of my life” I added.

“You ought to sent a copy of your book”.

“Sure”.

“It’s a lovely piece of diary and a book of your life’s experience” she added.

We spent the remaining hours together shuffling to several corners of the airport. Her eyes told she wasn’t ready to go, in every interval of time she looked at me with something in her heart which she never could break out of her mouth.

“Why don’t you come to Houston” she said.

“I would look forward to that in future” walking alongside her.

“I’ll be very happy if you be there” she added.

“How can I thank you for all the help you have given me. You have skipped your duty for offering your helping hand” she said softly gazing at me.

“I need nothing if you stand by my side the next time” I said softly.

She looked at me, gesturing her eyes very sharp.

“I wish I could stand before you for whole of my life” she said after pausing for seconds.

The time elapsed, and her face would shortly fade away which I never wanted. Yet, I could handle my inner zest for it was something unlike what I had gone through in losing someone whom I thought would belong to me. Someone from distance could understand me better rather than one who was very close to my heart. Yet, I wouldn’t feel that much about it anymore because  it was all about Isha for the present moment of my life. She had been all through the time who could precisely know me more than anyone could else know.

I felt overwhelmed spending with her even if it was short moment of my life. But, inside I knew it would last forever between us. The story between us was wholly different unlike I had with my love, Anannya.

I just hoped that Anannya would forgive me somehow for what I couldn’t be for her. We loitered around the whole place until we saw the clock ticked 2:30am. The flight attendance began to announce for a thorough check up before they get into the flight. It was time for her to go now. I knew it would be very tough for both of us. Part of our hearts never wanted this to happen. She stood silence before me. I was numb with vacancy in my heart. Her eyes faded that gleam. Faintly I could see her tears appearing into it.

“I’ll miss you” she whispered.

I stepped close to her. My palms were on her cheeks.

“I’ll miss you too”.

“Don’t you forget me” she added softly.

I nodded my head. I held her very close to me and kissed once for the last time. Her tears rolled down on her face. I gently wiped it out, consoling her. She embraced me once for the last time.