She was tired and was
lying on her bed. She was continuously tossing and turning going through
her usual uneasy sleep. She wasn’t definitely asleep actually.
Since
the time he had left her, this is what sleep had become to her. She was
constantly hanging somewhere in between is some painful state of
trance. But she never complained. It was just 6 months since the time he
left her. She had this dream awaiting of becoming his lady soon. A
certain girl she was who was a little shy with others and the only
person she would feel comfortable with wasn’t there unfortunately.
He
had left her and nothing stopped him from leaving then. Not even her
pair of innocent, affectionate, scared – about to water, eyes. He had to
leave since he had received a call for help from his first love of his
life after all.
He was this handsome man with a very well
built strong body. His image of this rough man in a uniform was glued to
her eyes and mind ever since. The last few moments she had spent with
him was one evening – when he’d come to meet her for one last time at
the place they always met; looked at her in the most beautiful manner,
came forth and kissed her forehead, looked into her eyes assuring he’ll
be back holding her face. This played repeatedly in her mind. She’d left
for home and gone to sleep then; assuring herself it’ll all turn out to
be a silly dream the next day.
*
Somehow
every night the same film played in her mind and every single time it
was so real. She could actually feel his rough palms as they caressed
her cheeks, his rock solid warm arms, and his body smell when he had
hugged her one last time. That firm kiss he had given her, still kept
that part of her forehead warm. She felt then how he had torn himself
away from her and headed out, leaving her behind with only left over,
and lingering warmth. And that warmth returned every night. Every night
they came together and became a single picture of him holding her face;
that he then tore away taking a little paper from her side of the
picture with him.
*
That night he came
again with all his warmth swirling around him. When he tore away this
time, she woke up all scared, sweating and shivering. She could feel
pounding of a beat in every limb of her body. She wanted him to hold
her. Big tears rolled down her cheeks. She clenched his arm with one
hand and placed her other hand on his chest and expressed her most
desperate wish, “Come Back. Please.” All of a sudden the door opened
slowly and he entered. He came near her bed and smiled down at her. Her
heart could not comprehend if it was a mere dream or for real. Had
months really passed by since he had left? Had she really not slept for
all these countless nights? Or was it just a nightmare? Was he really
back? She immediately turned on the light and could see he was still
there. A tear rolled down her cheek out of relief and she ran and hugged
him tight.
“It has ended”, he said, “And I’m back. Now on I’m never leaving you. It’s over.”
She
folded herself inside him. This made her now feel the difference of his
actually physical presence that she felt now and that she had felt
during all those lonely nights. Everything was so real. His body was
even warmer, his smell was stronger, his arms were harder and his palms
were rougher. Gradually she stopped shivering and shaking and she fell
asleep in his arms for the first time in months.
*
Immediately
there was a harsh knock on the door and she woke up. It was still night
and she got up to the door. He had held her. He asked, “How do you feel
now?” She nodded and smiled, “Happy, I am not going to let you leave
again ever.” “It has ended my love and I’m back never to leave u again.”
he said. She smiled brightly and widely. He laid back and she went to
open the door. Her sister stood there filled with high adrenalin, all
sweat and tears. She held her wrist and pulled her to the verandah of
their home.
A lot of men in uniform she saw. She was left
perplexed. She moved a little forward and saw his parents there too. His
mother’s face was hidden deep inside his father’s chest. She shook
uncontrollably and he tried to contain her in his two wrinkled human
hands. Her sister came from behind and hugged her wetting her shoulder.
She pulled herself away with a drift and looked at her with questioning
eyes. His mother fell on the ground on her knees all of a sudden. She
looked down to see him sleeping in his uniform, covered with a white
sheet. He looked serene. She kept staring at the picture that was hard
to believe. “Di, speak up, say something!” here sister shook her hard
shrieking out her harsh words. That woke her up. She could see things
clearly now but she couldn’t respond. She didn’t want to be so awake.
What kind of sick joke Almighty had made her life to be? She felt dizzy,
tired and started shivering again. A terrible mix of too many emotions
she was feeling and all of a sudden his voice rang in her head. That
infused calmness inside her and she looked at her sister.
“He is back now and promised never to leave me again! Everything has ended. Its over.”
*
She
walked back to her room. She lied down on her bed and closed her eyes.
She was scared that things might change. As she did this he wrapped his
hands around her. She felt complete as a woman. It was all perfect and
she then decided never to open her eyes again. And as she breathed in
his smell, his warmth and his touch; he engulfed her completely.