II
Ian's agitation got better of him as the rain played havoc in his plan. It had been one hour now and the clock said, four thirty. Bad weather and no service station around….as he sat inside the car, thinking what to do next.
After waiting for sometime, the storm got lighter and the rain had reduced to a light drizzle.
He was halfway through, when his car broke down, due to some problem in the mechanics of the engine.
Looks like, you too have caught a cold.
He had called his regular car service centre, but it’s of no avail. They would take time to reach him. He called Jenna and spoke to her about the delay, which didn't sound good as he had made his mother more worried.
In his excitement to meet his mother after four months, he skipped his lunch and merely had something. Now he was hungry. Too bad, he never thought of a take-away.
He saw a truck approaching, in the rearview mirror. He got out of his car and asked for a ride, to the nearest service station. He got a drop to the nearby gas station and on enquiry realized that, the service station has been closed down recently.
Hard luck.
He has no idea what to do now, he seriously needed a cup of coffee. He headed out and walked few crosssections in search of a café. After a call to his car service station, he informed about his location and went in search of some nutrition.
Now standing in front of Slug and Lettuces, he took in the view before him. He remembered this place. Had vivid memories of someone. But he knew that was ages ago and now was the present in front of him.
Things had changed over the years.
Standing there in front of him was a 19th century palatial high rise building. Though the building has been demodulated, but still the beauty of the old building had been preserved in many ways.
All in all, it looks majestic. The main building was to be an Irish pub with was attached with a snug bar, selling rich Irish whisky and beer. The pub was made entirely of wood and brick, with windows covering the major part of the wall. There are buckets, tins and oil lamps hanging from hook on the high roof. There was a large fireplace to one side. There was an entertainment area allotted to dance and music with a flat HD TV for the game lovers to watch during the season.
He remembered, coming here. How he used to liked the old place. Those fond memories still found him in his dreams.
Now the change was welcoming, as the cafe had been extended from the main building and the new owner had done a fantastic work by preserving the old beauty of the building.
The café and the restaurant were separated via a half red-bricked wall, which were the extension from the main old building builds in recently. The western wing of the place was full glass fitted from roof to floor.
As he entered, he saw very few people. Looked like regulars as they were enjoying themselves over a glass of beer.
He immediately made a beeline entry towards the café.
Once he took a seat, by the corner booth of the window side, he waited to place his order. He looked around and realized that the waiting staff were few. Might be an off day or it might be rain.
Then, his eyes drew at the sound of musical laughter. He knew that sound. It was familiar. His eyes turned towards the sound, by its own accord.
Samantha was talking to Sean standing by the counter taping her foot. He always had a witty sense of humor. She was having hard time gasping for air in between her breathless laughs.
He craned to look at the face, it looked very familiar, a face he had had never forgotten. From his view he could see just her side profile, but he remember that face.
Samantha....
That height, that pale proclaims skin with long toned legs, that beautiful face with beguiling smile; he knew, it was her. Her waist long golden locks, swinging in her high pony tail had grown long from the last time he saw her.
It's definitely Samantha......
She laughed again, at a joke cracked by the guys, who was standing over the counter and whispering something into her ears. Her lips made the perfect smile, with sparkling white teeth. Her smile spreads to her entire face like a radiant, as if enjoying every bit of the conversation.
He dropped his menu, leaned back on the booth, watched her laugh and smile.
Samantha had this feeling that someone was watching her. She wanted to look around but there was an uneasy feeling surrounding that. That whoever was watching her had to do something with her. Not quiet able to put a hold on that feeling, she looked around. But didn't find anyone.
It must be a hunch...
She ignored that feeling and tried to concentrate on Sean's question. He was waiting for an answer. But did she know what was the question.
Before she could ask him anything she had this strong feeling to run from this place. Something was telling her to run. A shiver quivered her. Her hairs at the nape of her neck stood, at the cold breeze that suddenly blew from one of the window that was just been made open by one of the customer. She shivered as if someone had just ran a cube of ice through her back.
Ian wanted some fresh air. Opening the window would help. But he was so wrong.
Samantha turned to the source of cold air. As she turned to close the window she recognised the person sitting by the window. She knew him. It was him, Ian.
It had been few seconds or minutes Ian didn't know, until she turned her light green eyes on him and she turned pale as if air was sucked out of her lungs.
That was then, that they both felt as if the time had stopped and everything else had stop existing. It was just them and the distance between them. He never thought confronting her will be that difficult. He felt a pull from inside his chest, that made his heart to beat a few hertz faster. He felt, flashes of some old memories, an unpleasant memory trying to creep in his mind. It was that memory that kept him awake at most night.
No...no....no......not now. She can't see this. I should leave. I have to leave.
He took some deep breath to calm himself. He should first get hold of himself before he does anything stupid. Leaving this place was his only option.
Samantha could never believe her eyes that Ian was standing a few feet away from her. She recognised him. How could she not. That face had kept her awake on most of the nights. Her dreams had a permanent place for him. If not horrific, not good either. It was always tinted with that past.
Ian wanted to get out of there, before Samantha recognizes him. But it was already late for that. He was not a coward, but sometimes when the time was not right then it was better to be kept for later.
That was what he did. He walked through the door, paused there for few seconds, looked at her and walked away without even a second look. All he wanted was to capture her face one last time before who know for how long.
Samantha let out deep breath of despair. He was gone. He was not there. She should have known. He had always done this and today was no exception. She was feeling her head was spinning. Things were revolving around her. His retreating back was her final confirmation that he was not coming back.
He had left.
Again.
She grabbed the nearest chair and sat there. Her breathing had been steady now. She was able to think clearly. There were many thoughts running in her mind, at that moment. It has been a really long time. Eight years to be precise.
She had not seen him since. She had cut all ties and left this place for good. Had it been not for her father she would have never returned. Now she wonder, where he had been all this while? How he had been? Did he remember me?
She wanted to ran after him. Wanted to stop him from leaving. Wanted to know why he had left. Wanted to why was he leaving now. More than that she wanted to talk to him, to see him, to see if he remembered her, like she did. But he had left. Left her again.
Now she wanted to run to her room and locked herself for thinking that he would come back. After seeing him, she was forced to think of, all that had happen, so many years ago. She had kept all that memories in one dark corner of her mind never to think of it again.
She thought about it everyday but never spoke about it any day. She spoke about it only when needed and only when the police asked her for details. Other then that, she never felt it was needed to be talked about.
She sat on the chair and looked at the door in a hope for him to come back.
You fool, still wanting him back.
She was hoping. Hoping he would be back one day. Hope was what she could do. But that too had been long lost. Lost was her trust, her faith and her faith in many things. Trusting anyone was difficult.
But in all this she had completely forgotten about Sean. Sean whom she had begun to trust. He had been with her since that faithful day. From nowhere he had arrived and took her away from this. If not for good, at least for sometime she away. She had a good life. A peaceful one. She could finally keep everything back and move on. But Ian was never forgotten.
*~*~*~
Once back in the car his emotions were all over. How could he lose control. He had learn to master these emotions long back. How could he become a putty in front of her? But who was he fooling. It was Samantha. His Samantha. His once lost love. The love he had to give away. For which e could never forgive himself.
He stepped on the gas but of no avail. It was still in no condition to take his demands.
Anger and frustration boiled him. Slamming the door with as much he could gather, he tried to think rationally. But that was not what wanted to do when all he wanted was to go back and pull Samantha for a tight embrace.
He walked around for some time without any particular direction. A part of him screamed aloud 'coward' and the other part asked him to go and talk to her. The argument within his heart was preventing him from taking any decision from his mind.
All he remembered was Samantha's face, the moment she turned and looked at him. Her smile. Her laughter. He couldn't forget the look of her face. He couldn't bring himself, to face her or even talked to her. The pain in his chest had become, too much to handle. He never though, just a mere sight of her would bring back all that memories, happened so many years ago. He thought he had tamed these emotions long back. But in reality it just went dormant to become active later.
He looked up at the sky, observing the dark clouds, overcasting the sky. The rain had stopped now, but it was chill due to the cold breeze. He had some warm clothing in his car. He had to keep himself warm, to kept him from catching cold.
It was beginning to get darker also. He had to reach before dinner. Jenna mustn't be worried.
Arrival of the mechanic was one good thing that had happened to him today.
Minutes later he was speeding towards his childhood memories.
Mother, I'm coming.
*~*~*
Picture of Ian on the Right
Did you like reading it.
Then, I love a comment or you can critic me also. I welcome them.
I would like to thank Preciouscel (Celina) for helping me with the editing and advice. Love you my girl
LOVE JENNY