"Hello," Payal screached from the other end. I wanted to dial Nishanth, instead felt the need to talk to her.
"Mr. Busy bee! Its my pleasure to have been remembered by you, or shall I say, I am fortunate to have received your call," she chuckeled at the end.
After a sigh, "how have you been?" I asked her. I didn't remember when was the last time I had spoken to her.
"I am good, just a little stress from the family end. You know how it is for a girl when she reaches this age," she trailed.
Her words pricked the right places inside me. Aarti too went through the same and the stress had taken a bad toll on us. I swished the thought away and hummed at her line as she continued.
"From few months now, it has been rocky, if that is the word to describe," I hummed at it.
"Leave this, its greenary in another month," her voice spoke the glow on her face. Well, I did not get that much.
"So how have you been? Heard very little about you from Nishi as well," she questioned.
"I am good, now at home," I could here her yell a what as I uttered home.
"Yes, yes. I am home, and this time forever," I told her.
"That is the news of the day!" She exclaimed.
"Nishanth did not tell me this was coming," she paused.
"Well, because he doesn't know himself" I could again hear her yell a what at me. I hummed at it.
"Okay, I don't know what your plans are for the night, may be I don't even want to know, I just want us to meet," she demanded.
"Tonight?" She said a yes and I went on a pause for a while, having second thoughts about the meet.
"No second thoughts Mr Sharma, it is fixed. We shall go out for a dinner, Nishi would love it. I am all excited now!" She hung the call. I threw the phone on the bed and put my head back.
Second thoughts when it is related to meeting Nishanth? Definitely marked a change. I found it easier to stay back at home in a closed cage than move out and my other fellows. I missed them, but when it came to meet, silence is what I would want to choose. This was a part of the cycle. I knew I would fall aloof and I would distance myself from all. I had nothing much to do in this.
*Mithu*
The chaos in the head was disturbed by her sweet sharp voice. It sneered through the darkness within to wake me up from the obscure. I stayed there dumb. The need to respond to her voice yearned with in, all I could manage to do was to stare at the ceiling trying to trace the source of the voice. I missed her smile, the glitter her eyelids hid every second. It was only her voice that I was left with to hover around.
Staying in the dark was not my choice, but I couldn't defy myself if this was what that gave me solace. People said, with time we could accpet everything; in my case, with time, I could see losing myself. I had to pick something from the past that could revive me back. I wanted to start a passive life; all new.
Shower your life and devote it to one, in the long run, all you shall be left is a huge void which can never be filled, no matter what.
It was evening when Payal confirmed the timings and the venue. I wished I could go all excited to meet them, things had changed. I preferred the nomadic life now than being the vigilant Mayank I was years ago. I left home at seven to reach the restaurant. She had also informed me that Nishant knew nothing about my arrival. One side of the was waiting to meet him while the other held me back. At places, I felt the second half dominated over the first.
I reached the place around eight and waited out for Payal. She left a message asking me to enter and the table number with it. As I opened the door, the scene seized and let the past roll in front of me. This was the same place where Tanmay had once given a treat. It was renovated and the name had changed to a more fancy one. The hustle was mixed with our laughs, I could still remember his face, the fury when Nishanth and I had made his pocket empty.
A waiter came up to me to do his services, he pulled my attention back to the place I stood. I asked him for table four and he directed me to take the stairs. People, places, situations all go through changes but the moments captured get engraved with in.
I walked the stairs and felt weak with evey flight. A sense of insecurity filled with in. Somethings can never be revoked to it basic form once changed. I feared a change in him, I did not know how would he react. With thousand thoughts running with in, I moved ahead. At a distant I could see Payal sitting facing me and in front of her, Nishanth sat, with his back facing me.
From far, I could see that Nishanth was getting bugged with all the yapping Payal was doing. I could see her eyes grow big and face glow as she saw me near. In a fraction of a second she controlled her expressions to avoid Nishanth notice it.
I went close to the table and stood behind them reading Payal's eyes. She wanted Nishanth to be surprised and I was really not sure about it.
I stood there looking at them, but caught with zillions of thoughts. All I wanted was to pour out the well with in me to him. The distance was so much that I was unaware of his reactions.
Payal got up, indicating the washroom and I believed she wanted me to take my entry at that moment according to her plan. She got up leaving Nishi sip his drink and stare outside the window. She moved out of the chair and winking at me, she tucked me on my side. I lost my balance and landed on the pillar beside making the flower stand slip. I tried to balance that as well as myself and that led to a slight mess. This caught Nishanth's attention.
He turned back placing the glass back on the table. I retreated myself from the position I was in and stood looking at him, not knowing what to do. A smile could have been shared atleast. He dead stared at me and I tried doing nothing . Payal stood next to me smirking.
"Were you not supposed to be in the wash room?" Nishanth enquired. She laughed and left. His voice was stern. I saw her go and stood there.
"You, come and sit," he instructed and got back to his drink. I followed his command and sat in front of him. He signalled the waiter and ordered a black coffee. He had not forgotten what I drank. There was only silence that prevailed. Payal returned and so did the waiter with the order. She sat next to him and stared at us like the audience at the tennis match.
"Guys, alive?" She questioned as the silence got onto her nerves. I looked at her and pursed my lips. Nishanth gave a glare in my direction and I knew he was not happy. I raised my brows in question and sat with my coffee.
"Fine, if this pleases you both, then so be it. I am hungry, I ll go ahead for the order," she called the waiter and ordered for food. She tried asking both of us, neither of us bothered to even react. The scene seemed quite funny. Her every single expression looking at us was worth recording. From one end, i was getting comfortable whilst his stares were making me have second thoughts.
The food arrived. I had not heard him speak at all, Payal and I kept talking, more of she asking and me nodding my head in replies. Every now and then, I could see her nudge at him to open up while the answer was cold. Somehow the dinner got over with great difficulties and Nishanth paid the bill and we came out of the restaurant. It was almost half past nine and Payal had to head back home.
"You, leave your bike here, let's drive her home and get back," his ordering voice started to strike the wring nerve now. I nodded and moved with him. The fact that he was addressing me as 'you' was not sinking in. I had a name!
I sat behind while he drove her home. The streets of my hometown had changed alarmingly. Broader roads, more traffic, more of honking and even more people. I was somewhere used this crowd, all thanks to Mumbai. Sitting in his car, made me think about the fortuner I had at Mumbai. I had to sell it when I left.
"Wish I could say it was fun," she hmphed looking at Nishi.
"Well, see you again this week Mithu," as she said the last word, her eyes popped out and Nishi turned to her in fury. She had realised that I would not be comfortable hearing that as it was always used by Aarti.
"Never mind that one, " I smiled as I got out of the car to give her a hug. She brushed my hair and disappeared in the dark.
I turned back, he threw the front door open. I settled in closing the back one. The car started and the silence prevailed.
Gaining strength, I tried
"Nish-" he cut me between raising his hand, signalling not to talk. I fell mum at it and stared front. He drove and we reached a street that seemed very much deserted.
A broken bench which was lit by the street light, vehicles parked at far distance, the road seemed to have merely any population. In a city like this, such streets to be have left untouched was a great surprise I felt.
He got down the car and moved out towards the bench. I got down watching him move. Sliding my hands into the pocket I walked towards him.
"Why did it take so long for you to return?" He questioned. As I had expected, his voice set lumps within. Trying to breath, I heard him patiently .
"You moved away, away from all of us leaving behind a huge void which couldn't be filled by any. Hardly were we in touch as well. I battled every day here, not knowing how to express, how badly I wanted you here. I wanted you back to me as my younger brother whom I hated for his mischiefs but equally loved him for being himself," his words had moved the lump in the throat flow out as tears.
"Today you stand in front of me, ask yourself whether you are the same Mayank who left us a couple of years ago. I know the answer. I don't need to listen things from you. Your eyes are enough to tell me what you are," his words made me fist my fingers tight. I sat on the broken bench looking down trying to battle my tears off.
He placed his hand on my head, I had missed my brother. I stood up and held him tight and poured out all the grief. He was not a friend at all, he was a brother I had chosen for life. He let me cry. The days I had spent here with my triad, the days I had laughed till I had tears, all flashed by. I was vulnerable and he could handle me right. After a while, I sat back on the bench and he sat beside me.
"You have grown a nice round of tummy brother," he poked at my side and chuckled. That made me chuckle as well.
"Look who is talking!" Was my quick reply punching at his.
"I am happy for you Nishi, Payal told me, with all the obstacles, you have strived what you wanted. I heard the dates are near," I looked at him and smiled. I had missed this smile of mine. I felt light within. I was genuinely happy for them.
He smiled but chose not to comment anything on that. I knew why. I remained silent as well.
"Mom told me that you kept a check on her, "
"I had to, that was my duty," he smiled.
"I don't want to go home. I will stay with you tonight," he nodded happily and we moved to the car.
He was my extended family, a brother life had gifted me with. I could never be sad if he were around me. My heart felt at peace as we moved close to the car.
"Nishi, I have never heard of Tanmay since ages. How is he? Could I meet him? Or is he still angry?" I asked.
"He is fine. Know only so much of him. Let things go down the grave," he said and started the car.
I did not understand much of what he said. I only wanted my triad back. I let out a sigh and settled with in.
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