Chapter 4: In a Meeting (I Will Not Put You in Trouble)

 

While I was just conversing with Rani regarding what to do, a message popped up, nearly half an hour later of the previous message.

Hi, it’s me, yet not responded, where are we meeting?

I again showed the message to Rani. She read and before she could utter a word, a message popped up again.

?? Whats up? Where are you? Its blue tick by the way. I am sure you are seeing the message, yet not responding. ???

I kept the mobile on the dining table thinking I would pay no heed to it. But my reluctance to reply did not stop the explosion of message. It kept on popping up at a regular interval. Later, its frequency increased.

I am sorry. Reply soon.

I can fix it.

Everything will be fine.

See, we need to communicate. I don’t want any more communication gap between us.

Still waiting for your reply!

Let’s catch up soon!

I can explain everything!

I must be given a chance!

I am afraid I will lose you again!

Each message appeared at a regular interval, probably after a gap of ten to fifteen minutes. We kept on reading the messages as it kept on appearing on the screen. But both of us were quiet. In fact, the silence has silenced us. I was indisputably reluctant to reply to any of his messages. But it kept on popping up from time to time as if he would set everything right now only.

His last message, “I am afraid I will lose you again” compelled me to ponder whether I should reply. I had yet not made up my mind. But I read it again and again. I thought, when  had he won me ever? How the question of losing me can arise?

A one liner man, as he was called in his friends’ circle, one who never liked to write more than a sentence or two and if he needed to repeat anything he would take the help of 10 within brackets, has written so many one line messages to me.   

Rani said, “Do you want to call him?”

“I don’t know. I am not sure.” I replied.

“It seems he has something to share and express”, she said.

“You can message him.” Rani sounded firm.

She believed it is courteous to reply. After all he was no stranger. Communication gap can irreversibly damage any relation.  The greatest problems of the nations can be solved with peaceful negotiations. There’s no harm in dropping a simple message. I was just preparing to reply that a message appeared.

Planned to give me cardiac arrest?

I read it. But absolutely confused, I wanted to yell at my dilemmatic condition. I felt miserable. I was terribly torn at his statement.

I immediately picked up my mobile to call him. The call was unanswered;

But soon message came,

In a meeting. Will call you once free.

 

 

Chapter 3: I will Set Everything Right

Chapter 3: I Will Set Everything Right (of I Will Not Put You in Trouble). Read chapter 1 and 2 before you read it to enjoy:

Rani took the mobile in her hand. She read it and kept it on the table nearby. She had lot of questions in her mind. But she preferred not to ask any and left the room quietly closing the door. The message read:

“Hi. It’s me. Hope you remember. It has been long we talked. Actually I was in UK for the last four years. You know official visit. This time it was long, too long. But I am back now. Back to India. Hey  I want to meet you, my dearest (10). My..........Lets catch up soon (10). Any place in Delhi will do. But soon yaar. I have many things to share with you. Hi sweetie, reply soon............... I will set everything right (10).”

The message ended with lot of emojis of happiness, wailing, weeping and smiling, and then a row of 10 roses.

I was pulsed. I repeatedly read the message. He did not appear to be the man I had conversed with over phone for five minutes, four years ago. During telephonic conversation, he sounded guilty, very low, and apologetic. He gave the impression of compulsion as if he had been victim to some sort of emotional drama. I tried to interpret his message.  Sounded free bird? I had no idea what all had happened in his life after we lost touch roughly a decade and half ago.

He might be 2.0 version, but his style and writing 10 within brackets is still the same. A lazy fellow who never wanted to speak many sentences. If needed to repeat anything he simply wrote 10 within brackets which meant ten times. His unique style but an irritation for others who wanted him to speak, to put his view points but I got irresistibly drawn to his unique way. Perhaps I could read his silence, could fill those gaps, perhaps not. My thoughts drew me to closer to him when interrupted again. This time it was a chirping doorbell. I left the coffee cup on the table with a sigh. I opened the door. The man from nearby food stall was looking for my next door neighbour Shyamli who wasn’t at home, so he handed over the parcel to me.

Shyamali is very foodie but never likes to cook. It’s easy for her to order freshly cooked food from nearby food stall. Chintamani, the delivery boy knows where to leave the parcel if she is not at home.

I entered in my kitchen asking Rani what to do? I am in dilemma, bitterly confused. Hamlet would not have been caught up in his thoughts as much I am now. I am torn between the war of my mind and heart. What to choose? Choices, after all are forced compromises in the absence of coincidences. Even great men loose objectivity in their fight for pursuit of excellence. This is just me.

To be contd........................................

 

Chapter 2: Its WhatsApp (I will not put you in trouble)

The given story is chapter 2 of  'I will not Put you in trouble: a short love story'

The story will be published in episodic manner.  

Again, again why is it that you always take days, months and this time a year to write something for your readers? "What kept you so busy", said Rani sarcastically. She knew me so well that she sounded sarcastic to me, though she had asked such a simple question. I knew this time it was more than a year when again I started working on the same old mini laptop. It's not that I had completely stopped working on technological gadgets. In this modern world one cannot think of doing so but I have a way with this old mini laptop of mine. For all official purpose I generally work on PC or on Dell.

It had nearly been ten years that Rani and I had been together, just the two of us. She had left her drunkard husband in her early twenties. It had been difficult for her to make both ends meet all alone. Neither the in-laws were supportive nor her own parents. She had to leave both the houses to live alone. The so called high status did not allow her to do menial jobs. I still remember, Sunday 15^th July 2013, when I found her in Super Mart trying to remove one less usable item every time the man on counter informed her about the total money. Ultimately she purchased only sugar and salt to make her living by drinking sugar-salty water. I had watched her closely while she was busy manipulating. One could easily make out the endless pain on her beautiful face. Truly the moon did have a scar.  I offered her a cup of coffee in a nearby restaurant to which she readily agreed. While we sipped our coffee, she narrated her whole incident in one go.  We both needed a companion and found the one in each other. Our companionship has been a solace for each other.

She had known me inside out. It was long back when I had received a phone call from him which allowed her to investigate me. Oh! She could read all emotions on my face.

I was in my study when she was there to call me for lunch and found me holding ‘the love of mine’. She was still waiting for the answer which I was unwilling to give her. But she knows me more than I do know myself. She won’t leave until ....

Speak the truth; don’t cook up anything new, she said sternly reading my emotions.  I stammered with a choked voice, this time, four years later, it's the Whatsapp message and then I extended my mobile to  show her. It read I want to meet you, dearest..................., my ....... .We were speechless.  

TO BE CONTINUED........................