Sid's back and legs were hurting due to the cramped economy seats. He looks out of the airplane's window and saw shining lights in the dark. The in flight announcement falls on to his ears.
Good Evening Ladies & Gentlemen. Our plane is about to land at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. The current time is 2:15am, the weather is cloudy and the temperature is 15°C...
Flashback
The plane touched base at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. He unfastened the seat belt and walked towards the exit from the Business class area. He reached the arrivals exit gate, while his assistant collected his check-in luggage.
He is met with a man wearing a grey blazer jacket.
"Hello Mr. Gujral, welcome to Bengaluru. I am Nikhil Awasthi, I am going to be assisting you for the next 2 days while you stay here. How was your flight?", Nikhil speaks as he shook hands with him giving a big grin.
"Hello Nikhil. Flight was very comfortable and good. I studied the presentation you emailed me earlier in the flight itself. By the way, I've heard a lot about you.", He replies.
"I hope it's all positive and good", Nikhil smiled.
"Yes, it is. Looking forward to work with you. What's our schedule for today?", he asks.
Nikhil gives out the schedule as they get into the car and drive to the Taj Vivanta hotel where a luxurious room was booked for him for the next two days.
Nikhil: Mr. Gujral, I'll see you around at 7pm for dinner meeting with clients. But please don't hesitate to contact me at anytime. I am just a call away.
Sid: Sure and you can call me Sidharth. Mr. Gujral looks better on dad rather than me. (Laughs)
Nikhil smilingly nods and leaves. Sidharth rests for sometime before going to the pool. He takes of his gown and dives into the pool. His assistant gets him the breezer. He sips it still soaking in the pool water leaning against the pool wall.
He looks at a beautiful girl running haywire with full speed being chased by a little Pomeranian dog. She falls into swimming pool at the deep end. A lady in her late 50s screams in panic to save the girl as she doesn't know to swim.
Sidharth immediately swims across to the deep end and pulls her out. He puts her on her stomach and helps her take out all the swallowed water. She coughs and gains conscious. She goes to change her clothes while Sidharth wraps his gown and occupies the chair.
The old lady thanks him for saving his daughter's life. She introduces herself as Nirmala Chauhan and her daughter Sanya Chauhan. Sanya returns after changing and sits with him.
Sanya: Thank you. I get scared of dogs. My mind just stops working. I feel so embarrassed for acting like a kid.
Sidharth: (laughs) You are not alone. Being a 32 year old and having this big body, I get afraid of Cockroaches myself.
Sanya: (laughs) You are joking right? To make me feel less embarrassed.
Sidharth: I wish I was, as I am feeling embarrassed now.
Sanya: Don't be! We both are travelling on the same ship. Are you from Bengaluru?
Sidharth: No. If I was then I wouldn't have stayed in a hotel. I am from Delhi.
Sanya: Huh? Even I am from Delhi, Gandhi Nagar.
Sidharth: I am from Shanti Niketan.
Sanya: Oh, Shanti Niketan? No wonder you are staying in this big hotel.
Sidharth: Huh? You are also here itself.
Sanya: Yes, but I came here for a job in this hotel. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the job as I don't have the required experience in hospitality industry. I am going back day after tomorrow. (Sad face)
Sidharth: Oh! If you don't mind then you can forward me your resume, I will ask the HR head to check for a suitable position.
Sanya: (surprised and smiled) Really? I would be very grateful to you. (Held his both hands).
Sidharth asks his personal assistant to give her his visiting card and excuses himself as he had to get ready for his dinner meeting with client.
Flashback ends
The plane descends and lands at the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru. He had visited Bengaluru many times earlier for business trip but today he wasn't here for business. The moment he steps out of the plane, he deeply inhales and fills his lungs with air.
Aah!! Finally, I'm breathing the same air she is breathing. The excitement level is just uncontrollable. I'll meet her today.
He looks at the screen flashing the time 2:38am. He calculates the time he would take to reach MTR. He decides to leave from airport at 7am until then he would grab some sleep and would freshen up in airport itself before leaving. He feared the money he had may not suffice for 13 days so he wanted to use it wisely to be with her.
At 7am he boards the airport bus to the Majestic Bus stand. From there he would catch another bus to reach the MTR he taught. Due to office timing, the roads were full of vehicle and he found himself getting late. He asks a copassenger and gets down before the bus stand to catch an auto.
It starts raining. He takes shelter of a bus stop shed and he curses his fate. There were very few autos visible on the road.
Sidharth: Auto.. (he calls out loudly and waves)
An auto stops and he runs towards the auto by placing a backpack over his head to save his head from getting wet. But before he reaches, a girl with a blue umbrella occupies the seat.
"Oh Hello, I stopped the auto and how could you occupy the seat?", Sidharth asks annoyed.
"Please let me go, I am in a hurry. I am running late.", The blue umbrella girl speaks.
"Are you the only person who is in hurry in this world? Even I am in hurry, get down now.", He speaks angrily.
"Really? I already occupied the seat now. It's mine now.", She argues.
"Oh Mister, tell her to get down.", He tells the driver in frustration.
"Anna please, tumba late agutide. Nivu kobbu ninda matanaduva ee 'Oh Mister' anutiruv avanige help madutira athwa 'Anna' antha preeti inda kareyuva nimma Kannadati tangi ge help madutira? {In Kannada - Brother please, I am running very late. Will you help this person who is arrogantly calling you 'Oh Mister' or will you help me, your fellow Kannadiga sister who called you 'Anna (Brother)' with love.}", She pleaded to the driver sweetly.
Sidharth looked at her in confusion.
"Oh What!! Chatter-Pattar-Bread and Butter!! Hey Miss, are you trying to manipulate him by speaking in your native language. Get down else I'll complain to the cops.", Sidharth warns.
"Huh? On what basis will you call the police? What proof do you have that you stopped him? Even I called him from behind, he reached ahead as he pulled the break. I am behaving nicer with you but you are screaming on top of your voice.", She retaliates
He rolls his eyes and looks at the driver who didn't show any interest in telling her to get down. He looks at the road behind in frustration and finds an auto approaching.
"Go to hell", he said in anger and ran to stop the auto.
The blue umbrella lady frowned with gritted teeth and looked at him in anger by lifting the plastic curtain on the side. The auto he tried to stop didn't stop for him and she laughed out loud teasing him by showing him thumbs down. He roared in anger and turned to approach her.
"Anna, bega horadi, avanu matte barutidaane. {Anna, start quickly, he is coming back towards us}", She says it in one breath.
The auto driver starts the auto and speeds away. He runs back to take the shelter of the shed in frustration though he was already fully drenched in rain. After a while he manages to find an auto. He gets into the auto and starts towards MTR. On the way, he finds the same blue umbrella girl standing near the road waving her hand at their auto. The auto she had been travelling broken down.
He asks the driver to stop near her and she runs to board it. He lifts the curtain, smirks while lifting his eyebrows. She frowns, moves back 2 steps and stands with her hands crossed.
He instructs the driver to start driving and shows her thumbs down as he drove past her.
"Bye Bye Ms. Chatter-Patter-Bread N Butter", he teases her.
He pays the auto fare and gets down at the MTR. He runs inside the restaurant. It was a traditional restaurant known for it's legacy routing back to 1920. He tries going in but he is stopped by the employee asking him if he has a reservation. Sidharth was clueless as he looked around there was a huge rush of people who waited with reservation to enter the dinning area to savour the breakfast.
"My friend must have taken a reservation already.", He said as he looked everywhere trying to locate her who he had never seen or met.
What place is this? A plain old looking restaurant with a huge crowd. Where are you Sana? I spoke high in confidence that I will identify you but now I am scared of approaching any lady here. What if the lady mistakes me to be a loafer? I will end up being beaten by the crowd. I thought I would eat Dosa with Chutney but inturn they might make my Chutney.
He takes out his phone from his backpack since he had kept it inside to save it from getting wet. The time was 9:35am and there were 15 missed calls from here. He cursed his luck due to which he had been missing to meet her everytime. He immediately called her back as he feared that she might have gone back home after waiting for him like yesterday.
Sana: Sorry baby. I am still on my way, where are you? I had been trying to call you since last half an hour to tell you that I will be late.
Sid: I am sorry, I reached just few minutes back and they are asking me if I have a reservation.
Sana: I had taken a reservation for 9:00am. I don't think we can get through now. I am here finally. Where are you?
Sid runs to the entrance and his mouth fell open a gap to find the same blue umbrella girl getting down from the auto. She had pressed her phone to her ears as she paid the auto fare. He gulps imagining what would happen if his thinking is correct.
Sid: Sana, are you holding a blue umbrella.. (his heart pounded against his chest being scared of the consequences)
Sana: Yes!
She turned around and looked at him even her mouth was wide open in shock as she froze in her place.
Both their eyes met and slowly their hands touched their ears apologizing for the mistake they did. A smile left their lips and Sid ran towards her and stood under her umbrella. There was a silence between them as they felt a bit awkward and shy.
_____________________________
To be continued.. ❤️❤️