Hooked to

10^th July,2015

Wind flows swiftly into a room filled with the stench of cigarettes and alcohol. Raghu, with a beard,  looks depressed and angry with himself and his family. He opens his wallet to order food and this reminds him of her passport size photo with tiny innocent eyes, ready for school, which is no longer with him. He tore it a few years back as his parents insisted him to do. He was told by many that she was a passing cloud, but remnants of her are still fresh in his heart.

Back in Colombo ... same time

There is a place in Lathika where Raghu's fingerprints still rest; where his whispers still echo. There is a place where a part of him will forever be a part of her.

11^th July,2015

 Early morning cool breeze flows  over the  three coloured ocean and the  sun tries to peep out from behind the nimbus. Lathika,  in her favourite long gown, measures  each step , small and delightful, and looks at her mobile, hoping dad would  call her any moment.

  From behind the green painted outlet, comes Anand  with drowsy eyes,  probably because of last night's   two pints of black label . As he looks around to find a bench  to relax and breathe in some fresh  air , he sees a damsel with curly hair and folded legs; the wind trying to touch her by pulling her gown up. The fact is that, she is swaying her head from one side to the other, talking non stop . It is getting harder to see her clearly, but  in the whole lot of people, she is one of those that looks strangely familiar to him. 

Oh, God! This has never  happened to me . She is beautiful, gorgeous damn it. My heart never sang like this. What is happening? How do I start ?

Anand goes for two rounds of walk on the small beach side. She is still  chatting on the phone.  His heart pumps; he has no other go but to sit beside her on the bench. She smacks her lips in a loud  kiss and hangs up. He hesitantly sits on the right side of the bench. She turns to him and gives him a broad smile, as if she has known him for long... long time. He is confused, but returns her smile.

Before he starts, she asks him if he is from India. "Yes", he replies. "And you?" "I'm Lathika.I've been in Colombo for the past three weeks, to train  the local construction team of leading ABC about safety , service and first aid.  It has been very strenuous,  getting up early and going to the construction site and in noon offsite training. What about you ? What do you do?"

 He tells her he is a Nephrologist, working in one of the leading corporate hospitals in the heart of Colombo." Wow Doctor". Her eyes gleam like a ray into his.  Anand is still confused by her familiarity.

Understanding that it is her last few days in Colombo, he asks her if they can walk on the beach for a while and watch the waves. His eyes are on her toes with  blue nail paint and his green sandals. Blue and green reflect the colour of the ocean on to their left as the walk.

Out of no where they starting talking ...... "My busy schedules in the hospital has  helped my girl to be snatched away by a fancy MBA guy in Hyderabad", he says." If it is meant to happen it happens. My guy left me because he found his old love after five years and I was a passing cloud", she tells him.

Anand drifts off thinking about Lathika and her ex-fiancé and he finds himself wondering if the two of them slept together . Suddenly her mobile rings and she picks it up.  "Daddy, give me sometime. I am busy. I will call you back". She turns to him and they engage in a conversation; time just passes away.

We're people who met for the first time.

Oh please!  snaps back lathika  . I'm a grown up and not love struck teenagers fixating on lovely eyes and great muscles!

"My parents are far off in a village in Kutch  and they really don’t care what I am upto as they are busy with their own business . I  studied at Manipal and I had got this offer to move to Colombo and I have been here for the past three years", she hears him say.

"Do you want to have tea?", asks Anand in a characteristic burst of confidence, as he doesn’t want her to leave soon." Of course. I would love to. It's slightly unbelievable  that you just asked me to have Ceylon tea with you. You did , right?"

"Yes", Anand nods happily. They walk towards the green coloured tea joints." I love tea. My father makes the best tea ever", she says.  As they both sip at their tumblers, Anand thinks of how naturally and effortlessly he has slipped into a conversation with a girl  who was a stranger one hour ago. The bill arrives  and Anand pays.

The Galle Fort beach pavement seems  almost deserted except for a few couples walking in their sport shoes and a group of 20-30 people practicing football. Lathika doesn’t talk for a while as  they walk along.  As the wind  kisses them thoroughly, they walk, often reaching dead ends  at which they smile and turn back." So you were away for a long time from home?" asks lathika after a while. Anand nods. She doesn’t ask him why but he tells her “Because I like being alone and feel better in this place “. Lathika doesn’t allow him to complete his sentence and tells him that is good, sometimes having your own space change will give you a good fresh breath of life.

Again the silence takes over and Lathika thinks about how it would have been sweeter, had she met him the day she came to Colombo.  His confidence to come and sit beside her, the first look , the first conversation , the locking of their eyes , and smile; it was getting realistically unrealistic within hours. She is reminded of her previous experience with Raghu, who left her just because of his parents and so called old love. Anand is more  human  and someone she could a see future with.  Lathika tells him it's 10 Am, time to go back to the hotel and grab breakfast. “When do you leave?" asks Anand. "Today evening my flight is at 6.45pm." "Oh!"   Lathika loves this oh. She turns right and  looks into his eyes pointing  out at her hotel Taj." Okay, that’s good. I live 5 blocks away and will meet you  by 3 at the lobby." " Yes, I will be there."  She puts on a fake smile but inside she feels like dying as her colleagues keep texting her to come soon.

 Anand walks towards the car parking and keeps thinking how he would have no business doing anything and meeting someone like her, as he starts the car and looks at the rear view mirror. Lathika walks  elegantly towards the hotel.  As she walks back to the hotel, she suppresses her smile behind her bold look. Her colleagues at  breakfast, are surprised to see her smiling to herself  strange. 

Later she had a meeting at lobby with her local team, which went on till 1 pm. As lathika goes back to her room, she makes tea and it isn’t better than the one she had in morning with Anand. As she sips the tea  she observes that  the weather is windy, humid and cloudy and  goes out into the balcony. She sees the ocean in front of her and  her eyes wander on to the bench she sat on this  morning.  As she takes a shower, shouts, "Will see you at 3", like a madwoman.

 She skips lunch due to late and heavy breakfast.  Her mobile rings  and she picks the call “ Where on earth are you ?", bellows her  mother. "We have been calling you from this morning. Is everything fine?" " I am fine mamma, was busy in the meeting.  Will call you after reaching the airport."

Its  2.30 pm  She comes down to the lobby  in her cute blue dress matching her nail paint , clears her bills and feeling screwed up inside , panics about whether he will be there or not.  What am I doing? As she flips through the in-house magazine, she hears a whispers Lathika from behind.  She shudders and  turns back in return to see Anand in a blue shirt and beige trousers. Anand meets her eyes and she meets his. She is not smiling but her eyes and heart are.

She blushes and tells him that she is  ready." Let's start at 3.30pm." "  That should be fine to be at airport in 45 min through express way. Just  9kms from the hotel."

Every moment is magic . They hear the sound of rain ticking." Shall we have tea?" asks Lathika. In the lobby they sip their last tea, probably the last one before they meet again.

Anand’s driver brings his Honda vessel to the pick up point and hands over the keys. As Anand takes his seat ,  the bellboy places her luggage in the trunk.  She  is still  little confused as she shuffles inside with Anand  on her right. Lathika wants to beam at him and wants him to throw his arms around her.  Alas! Not happening

As Anand zips through the road connecting to the express way , there are no words exchanged between them . Lathika is busy checking and rechecking her wallet ,  for her print out of ticket and passport.

He smiles back at her . He doesn’t want her to just leave without saying anything - he’s searching for words to say to her , words that will make her stay , continue the conversation. Within a few minutes, they arrive at the airport. She glances at him and he still smiles without uttering a word. He helps her to get the trolley and the time arrives to depart. They are blank about what is next. Lathika thrusts her hand out and Anand shakes it. He waves goodbye. Both of them know that  there were some magical things that happened today and  this may unite, them irrespective of the long distance.

 Lathika enters the airport  and moves towards check in counter.

Airport Crew (lady in her peacock feathered sari) : May I have your passport, please?

Lathika: Here you go.

Airport Crew: Are you checking any bags?

Lathika: Just this one.

Airport Crew: Okay, please place your bag on the scale.

Lathika: Okay.

Airport Crew: Here is your boarding passes – your flight leaves from gate B1 and it’ll begin boarding at 6:20. Your seat number is 23E.

Lathika: Thanks.

Meanwhile there is  a beep on her  mobile, a text message from Anand . It's one word.

THANK YOU

She passes through immigration and gets into the security check. When she is coming down to the boarding gate from the duty free shop, she see an army security officer looking at her profoundly, as she  passes by him.  She looks at his badge that reads Anand and she  cannot stop her smile . She has only ten more minutes for the boarding to start. After boarding, she calls him and he picks the call within a single ring and tells him that the flight is taking off ." See you soon", he says. Anand replies “See you soon”, Lathika....

 As the flight cruises at 35000 feet she thinks about how  everything seemed too right. Could this be real? Could he really be this great, or is it the beautiful setting we were in? Lathika is wondering about the day.

23^rd December,2015

8.30pm

Lathika, in her blue crepe sari, is at Kempegowda International Airport.  Fresh breeze passes as she eagerly looks through the travellers coming out. She sees a guy with a blue shirt  on the other side with all his deep feelings  in his eyes. As he nears her, He wraps his arm around her as he looks into her eyes and curious smile and they kiss.

 "So,do you need something to drink before we start?" asks Lathika .
"No, I am full. I am not sure what I can tell you though. Let's go home."

His passionate voice hits hard at her  and they talk about their families and work life as they drive .

 As they pass through the tollgate , she looks at him  and holds his right hand.

Do you know something?  I am single.  Anand !

I want to be hooked to ....  will you Marry me ?