She was thoroughly enjoying her
stroll when a man lying prone on the roadside caught her attention. Fearing the
worst, she turned the limp figure over. Her heart leapt a mile when she saw the
man's face...” Raina was dumbfounded. It was Rajeev. He was lying beside the
wooden bench on the side walk.
She thought he had suffered a
stroke or a cardiac arrest. She bent down to check his pulse and sent up a
silent thank you that he was not dead. A wave of nauseating odour hit her
nostrils. He was inebriated!! The sight of this good looking man lying sloshed
on the roadside was perplexing and she remained standing there looking askance.
It was early morning. There were only a few joggers, strollers and little
children going to school in this small city and everyone was glancing at her.
She was in jeopardy. She wouldn’t
leave him alone here, she just could not. Waiting she looked at the prone man again.
Clean shaven and dressed in smart casuals, his tall frame looked awkward and
out of place on the roadside. She noticed a red bruise on his forehead. flagging
down an auto-rickshaw, She asked the driver to help her get Rajeev to her home
nearby.
While he was sleeping she kept
looking at him and wondered what had lead to his falling unconscious on the
roadside. It was not like him to loiter around and get drunk. A bright student in
college, his friends and teachers knew he would make a name for himself. She
also knew that he admired her silently. His eyes spoke words which he could
never articulate.
“Things took a different turn”,
she rued. He woke up and rubbed a finger against the painful bruise “How are
you feeling now?” Raina asked him. Rajeev was shocked out of his wits. She was
sitting on the bedside. He looked at the evening sky through a large glass
window “It must be a dream! What is she doing here?” he thought. Raina smiled
“You should be thinking; what are YOU doing here?” She said.
He looked around. He was in the
bedroom of a small apartment. The kitchen and living room were further visible
from where he sat. It was sparsely but tastefully furnished. He could feel a
harmonious vibe emanating. It certainly reflected the personality of the woman
by his bedside. The curtains and carpets were earthy rich brown complementing
the smooth ivory white furniture. There were just a few accessories
strategically placed. “Just like Raina; simple and elegant”, he thought to
himself.
She brought him some tea “How did
you land up on the roadside?” She asked in a direct tone now, her hand going up
to his forehead. He instinctively shirked back, stiffening at her touch. There
was an unseen chord of tension between them. It suddenly started vibrating in
his head. She kept quiet and removed her hand.
“I am sorry for the trouble”, he
said, evading her question. He was still wondering how and where on earth she
found him. He remembered he was in the bar of the hotel. He had been drinking
there alone and had stepped out for a smoke and fresh air. “It is ok, though it
wasn’t easy to haul you up here”, she said.
Suddenly the sequence of
incidents became clear to him. He was feeling uneasy, having had more than his
usual quota of drinks and had suddenly collapsed. His nerves were always
high-strung when he came back here. Every visit took its toll. “You were lying
unconscious. I had guessed that you had a bad fall.” She was trying not to further embarrass him.
But he knew he was totally drunk last night. Being back in this city always
undid his resolve.
Five years ago, Raina was his
only reason to have stayed back in this nondescript town after his father’s
transfer. He had been destroyed on knowing that she was engaged to a boy from a
high class business family. Presuming that Raina never knew about his feelings,
he had decided to leave this city.
He had stopped responding to all calls
and messages, shut himself off from everyone and receded into a closed world. His
career was his only salvation. He joined his family in Mumbai and immersed
himself in reaching the top of the corporate ladder.
“I have to get going. I must have missed my
flight back home.” He started fiddling with his smart phone to book his flight.
Raina came back from the kitchen carrying a glass of water. “Have your medicine”,
she said standing near him. “The doctor said you have a mild concussion”, he
was once again struck by her warmth and simplicity.
Having booked his ticket, he spoke
“I owe you an explanation.” Raina cut him short, “No, I don’t need one.” She
feared it. He knew she was afraid that he would blame her. But she didn’t have
a reason to fear. What happened five years ago was no one’s fault. He had never
gathered the courage to express himself to her. “Your family must be waiting
for your call.” she said. “Call them and inform that you are alright.”
“Ma died last year, there is no
one else”, he said flatly. Her heart skipped a beat. That means he is not
married. “Girlfriend?” she questioned. He shook his head in a no. She was
relieved.
She had been thinking all day. It
was her last chance. She spoke aloud, “You should have called me sometime. I convinced
my father to meet you. But you were gone! ” He didn’t know what to say further.
“I never married.” She said.
The thought struck their minds
together. The falling had brought them together again. They both knew it was a
second chance and they were determined to not to let this go by.
They embraced each other. “You
will never fall after today”. She said. “Never” he closed his eyes and smiled.
