“Elise…eeee….
Elise.. … honey where are you?”, Lewis called, opening the reading room door.
The
reflection of curly brown hair appeared still on the mirror in spite of wind
blowing from the sea through the porch of the reading room. She stayed there
unmoving, in her favourite room facing the Atlantic.
Elise
Sen worked at an international bank as a senior executive in Doha. Born to an Anglo
Indian mom and Bengali dad in Kolkata, she was a fitness
freak since college days. After the breakup with her college buddy, she worked
as an investment banker in London for a couple of years, but during the
recession of 2008-09, she moved to Doha on a new assignment.
Lewis
and Elise met in Doha for the first time when Lewis missed his flight to
London. Lewis was in 21B and as Elise
walked in, listening to thousand years by Christina Perri, she saw that her
seat was 21C. Lewis had few grey hairs but that didn’t stop Elise from looking
at him. He had beautiful blue eyes under his glasses, a symmetric face, muscles
under the blue linen shirt and above all softness in the eyes and gentleness in
his smile.
Elise
was in her usual black flowery dress that she wore for travel. They exchange
greetings but most of the time, Lewis was fast asleep in the seven and a half
hour flight. Elise completed two recent Oscar nominated movies in the inflight
entertainment. At Heathrow Airport her team had
arranged airport pick up so she could rest for the evening in the hotel.
Next morning when she entered for
training she saw Lewis and a sigh escaped her. He was here again!
Her
boss introduced him to her telling her that with decades of expertise, Lewis
Cliff was a global expert on MBTI and other psychometric analysis and he was
one of the trainers for the group for the next two days.
After
two days of power packed sessions, as part of the team building activity they
all went on a cruise, on the Thames. As
it rained during third day evening, the group went to a local happening place
for a cup of coffee. Kaffeine café was bustling with people where Lewis and
Elise were on the same table; as they passed the food over the table, their
hands touched. There was a strong tingling sensation that both of them felt and
instantly their eyes met and they knew that it was now forever! As everyone started to depart, they hugged each other
by wrapping one's arms around the other's neck and touching faces cheek to cheek. She saved
her number in his mobile. They couldn’t leave and held hands for a few seconds,
while everyone else walked on ahead of them.
That night she felt like a teen and
couldn’t stop smiling as she removed her makeup. It was the best feeling she
ever had even though it lasted a fraction of a second-the warm cheesy hug .The
left cheek was special now as it had touched him. Same time that night he couldn’t stop the butterflies in
his stomach but when he went back to his room he realised that she was twenty years younger.
Once
a philophobic, he got to the tip of knowing that there was someone
who drove him to the deepest waters of Atlantic; despite that he was amazingly in
love with this woman. He decided to text her.
Hi
there!
Elise
replied .... Lewis.
Lewis:
Honey
Elise:
Let’s catch up tomorrow morning
Lewis:
Honey
For
the next two months, they spoke everyday on Skype and texted each and on every
possible moment.
Finally
Lewis told her that he will come to take her. Elise packed up all her things
and got ready to move from her home facing the Persian Gulf to her new home facing
Atlantic. The journey was momentous this time, the second time beside him- this
was overwhelmingly perfect and her heart kept racing.
She
moved to their Villa near the sea after four hours of journey from London central.
As days passed by, she realised that she had never seen a “real” man’s home
where the dishes were done, clothes were folded, and tasteful art from India
was hung on the walls. She remembered her childhood in Kolkata, timeless
treasures spent with her mom and now all of that came back to her.
Five years later, they were still insanely in
love with each other. They both believed in marriage but never stepped forward
on that idea.
Lewis was in San Diego on an assignment and Elise
texted him. Honey come soon missing you.
A couple of months back when she was not
keeping well, she went to see a doctor when Lewis was away on an assignment in
Australia. She was told that she has a tumour in her brain. She never disclosed this
to him and decided to keep it to herself. Enjoying each and every moment with
him happily was all she wished for.
Elise knew that he was coming home by evening
and prepared his favourite Carrot Halwa, Indian dessert that she first made in
their kitchen together. He calls his love, "my sweet Indian dessert".
After reaching Heathrow he called her and she
told him that she was waiting for him.
As he drove back home, she texted him the lyrics ….
When I first saw you
I close my eyes and the flashback starts
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air!
