It was a plain conversation. No frills, no fancy food. Just few topics between new friends. No hangovers even. Next day the phone numbers were exchanged as a courtesy call, as we were parting. But why I could not get him out of my mind. What was the catch? Is it just an infatuation? Was concentrating elsewhere such a tough task?

New year, oh my god, he called me, vibes are travelling!!

“Hello” I said,

“Hi, happy new year”

“Ya, same to you”

“So how r u doing”

“Great! How are things at your side?”

“Good. Wish everyone from our side, take care bye” and the line went blank before I could say anything else.

Oh... it was just a tick in to do list. Forget him.

Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.... Today is his birthday, can I take a chance? I can also tick a “to do” list. Well he was unavailable, to add to the miseries, he didn’t bother to return the call that day. Next day his call got a very cold treatment, why was I angry at him? I could have wished him in a better way.

Great, he gave me another chance, his company was too good to resist. Finally, the confession came, and we both prepared to shock our parents, but both sides turned out so sweet, it went so smoothly, the engagement at his hometown, 300 kms away from mines. After the engagement, we took a night bus and came back.

The house missed us badly and needed me and mom a lot, plus friends, relatives, neighbours wouldn’t stop coming. After a long day, I stood outside my house with a cup of coffee, recharging myself, I felt he is coming. Oh! So much of illusion. He was on vacation, was supposed to be with his family, am I so love struck? oh no its really him, I smiled at him but got no response, rather I felt him so pale, he came to me and asked :

“Why didn’t u call us that u reached here safely?”

“Oh, ya, our phone is dead”, tried not to explain him the day and a plain fact that I forgot.

“There are so many STD booths around”

“Hmmm, ya, you are right, but what happened?” I was not able to figure out why he is sounding so weird.

And he showed me the local newspaper where the bus slide down the mountains and dead people included a person named Hemani. He was dead worried, came all the way to check if I m ok.

“Oh, I am so sorry” was all I could blurt out.

He looked at me, I could read his expressions, the anger and fear mixed; suddenly he hugged me in front of whole colony, the expression of joy and satisfaction that I am ok, overpowered everything else. and I thought “soul mates”, the romantic fantasy word, the nonexistent perfection, someone who cares for u, who holds your hand when u really need it, pamper u like a kid, who says after working the whole day in office, “u must be tired of holding the baby and working at home whole day, you go to sleep, I will take care of the baby at night”. The patience, trust, understanding, respect, love, appreciation all those big words for sure but somewhere practically applicable, making me fall in love with him over and again. The expectations were high, the effort was always appreciated, strengthening the bond.

“To love is not to look at one another, But to look together in the same direction." - Antoine de Saint

Fights make the curry complete, or else it would have been very bland. It’s not like I can’t live without u, I just don’t even want to try it. A life without you would be the worst punishment I would ever get.