Destination- A short story

 

The cell phone rings.
Nikhil( clearing throat): Well, is this another life?
Rumi: I dont think so..
Nikhil: It took you 2 years..
Rumi: Hey , I was just deleting redundant numbers from the phone and your contact flashed , so I thought of dropping a hello.
Nikhil: Sure why not. By the way you know it's a pleasant surprise. Like a genuine surprise.
Rumi : How are you? Moved on in life?
Nikhil: I am good and everyone moves on in life. For your question though, I am not married yet.
Rumi( a subtle sigh): That isn't what I meant. Still in Mumbai?
Nikhil: Of course, my heart starts monologues on its own and forces my lips to blabber. Old habits..
Rumi( Slightly irritated but blushing): Nikhil, you get to my nerves thats why it's so tough to talk to you.
Nikhil:I am sorry, really sorry. I am listening to your voice after two years, keep some grace for me. Oh! By the way I am in Delhi now. Left the job, a while after you went for MBA.
Rumi: Great! Switched for better?
Nikhil: Ha ha..well I did get one eventually but that wasn't about a better job. Didn't want to continue there. Anyways leave that. I should congratulate you right Ms. IIM A, you must have just completed your degree.
Rumi: Yeah, thanks.
Nikhil: So how was the MBA ride and life otherwise these two years?
Rumi: Well honestly, there was no life otherwise and the MBA life was too hectic. I was constantly learning new things, processing them, building on them and by then there would be another set of new things. Lines seemed blurred between day and night.
Nikhil: Go on,I am listening.
Rumi: I had no time for myself or didn't want to give time to myself, I don't know. You know I haven't been out and the Ahmedabad I know is confined to my campus.
Nikhil: Campus life is good yaar. I do miss that. You get to dream. And you can dream any damm thing. Did you learn gujarati?
Rumi: No..just kem chho and I knew that , one doesn't even have to come to Gujarat to learn that.
Nikhil: Yeah ,you bet. I even know maja ma
Rumi( laughing): Your sense of humor. It sailed me like a lifeboat through tough phases .
Nikhil: Then why did you leave this lifeboat..oh.. I am sorry. So placement and all..?
Rumi ( After a pause) : Got into BCG. I will be joining next month.
Nikhil: Wow , that's great. Congratulations. Wasn't that one of the companies you had shortlisted in your diary?
Rumi: You remember! Yes indeed.
Nikhil: So what's that , I am the king of the world kind of feeling?
Rumi: Haha..the dawson moment you mean. The movie still gives me goosebumps. I have probably watched it countless number of times.
Nikhil: Goosebumps... by love or by separation
Rumi: Well, both. The intensity of both and how ironically they complement each other.
Nikhil: Rumi, MBA hasn't been able to take away that philosophical Rumi from you. I thought you would be all paisa paisa girl by now.
Rumi: So..you think about me..
Nikhil: I don't know how to be diplomatic like you. Yes I do. Everyday probably. By the way, I must say you have started writing really well.
Rumi: Okay.. and how has that wisdom befallen you if I may know.
Nikhil: Pratibimb, your college magazine. I follow that. Net these days, you know makes it easy to stalk just anyone.
Rumi: Wow...a very intellectual kind of stalking I must say.
Nikhil: Rumi, have you moved on in life?
Rumi: Everyone does,like you said but no if I go by your definition.
Nikhil: Well ,I knew... was just cross checking. Else you would have preferred to delete my number than drop a "hello".
Rumi: Well, somebody is analyzing a lot these days...
Nikhil: Not just the words, the breath and the pauses too..
Rumi (blushing) : This charm..have girls been able to resist this..
Nikhil: I guess not but I had leased my heart already, you know like muncipality does for 99 years or something..
Rumi( Started letting herself loose)
Do you remember our Marine Drive walks?
NIkhil: I do..
Rumi: We would just go on talking and walking for hours..
Nikhil: Throughout the nights sometime..
Rumi: Would the sea have missed seeing us when we stopped abruptly..?
Nikhil: That's not important. Did you miss the walks.. that's what I would want to know..
Rumi: Can I ask you for something..
Nikhil: You know you can.. anything.
Rumi: Want to listen to a song.
Nikhil: Which one do you have in mind..
Rumi: Hello by Adele
Nikhil: Huh, good that I had memorised your favorite song..
( In a heavily breathing baritone)
Hello, it's me
I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet
To go over everything
They say that time's supposed to heal ya
But I ain't done much healing....

Hey , what am I hearing...are you crying..
Rumi( sobbing): I am sorry Nikhil..I am really really sorry..I don't have words
( sobbing heavily) I thought my career was much more important than anything else..i am sorry.. and I am so sorry for myself..I am...
Nikhil: Hey, calm down. Grab a glass of water.. please. You know I can't see you crying, I still can't... It wasn't just you baby, it's okay. We decided to part ways. I shouldn't have asked you to get engaged to me when you weren't ready. I was an @hole. I just let you go. I let the best thing in my life go without realising how would I live without you. I got insecure myself.
Rumi: You were naturally reasonable, I just had this thing stuffed in my head ..IIM..I was so clouded and I thought the engagement would interfere in this whole thing. I wanted to be a CEO, be in the forbes list and all that and I never realised how I had got used to the constant comfort and support from you. Don't know if I took you for granted. I couldn't fathom the void that your absence would create in my life.
Nikhil: Rumi, I don't know if I can still do this or if I still have the right...
( Nikhil pecked a kiss on his phone. Rumi knew this sound.)
Rumi: You know after leaving Mumbai, I was so full of hate for you but I punished myself for two years by staying away from you. There was so much hustle bustle in the campus and I was constantly getting bitten by this hollowness inside. I would pick up the phone everyday to call you but just ended up saving all the messages in draft.
I ..I was not living..I was like this half paralysed person.. no friends nothing..
( still sobbing)
Nikhil: let me wipe these precious droplets falling from your eyes first.
Had you been in front of me I would have looked straight into your eyes and held you tight..you know right
Rumi: I know..
Nikhil: Rumi, I have died to say this everyday..every single day after you left..
I love you..
Rumi: I love you..I love you.. much more than I thought..I was so incomplete without you..I love you..I can't tell you how terribly I missed you..
Nikhil: Please send a pic of yours, I want to see how has my sweet life has changed and since you deleted all your social media handles and left no scope for me to stalk you the easy way
( Both smiled)
I mean right away
(Message sound)
Nikhil : You haven't changed much, just some wrinkles here and there..( teasing tone)
And where were you headed..you seem to be at the airport in this pic..
Rumi: I just clicked the pic Nikhil.
Nikhil: Where are you going.
Rumi: I didn't know that two hours back...I am now coming to Delhi
Nikhil( surprised) : Are you serious..am I dreaming!!
Rumi: I had my convocation today and all that was going in my mind was just few more hours and I shall set myself free from this self imposed punishment. The earliest flight is two hours..
Nikhil: This is going to be my longest wait..
Oh no..I have to set up a small party for two of us..our special wine and tandoori party..and then you also convocated today..and
It's been ages..
Rumi: Give me ten minutes, I will get the ticket booked.
Nikhil: Did that already while talking to you..check your watsapp.
Rumi: You haven't changed a bit!
Nikhil: Just keep talking now..