Last-ing Impressions 3

BACK TO PAVILLION

“Welcome back hon...”
“Thanks sweetie... It feels great to be back...” I replied, as I hugged Akki.
“You had to wait for long na?” I asked him.
“Gosh... How much do you women pack for a week’s long stay?” he asked, as he heaved my heavy suitcase into the boot of his car.
“Kya baat hai, aaj chhoti gaadi nikaali?” I teased as I pointed out to his white Laura.
“Heheheh...Very funny” he said, sarcastically.
I giggled. “So where are we headed now?” I asked.
“Wait and watch...” he said.
He finally spoke when we pulled into a mall. “You up for a beer?” he asked.
“Do you even have to ask?” I started, as I got off the car.
“Shall we?” he said, offering his elbow. “Yes, we shall...” I said, taking up the offer.
After we had settled down into a cozy little table at one corner of the restaurent, he opened his mouth to speak.
“Errrr... I don’t know how to tell you this... You might not even believe me... I can’t believe it myself... I wonder if am overreacting!!! What’s wrong with me??? ”
“Hey hey hey... Slow down... What’s the matter Akki?” I asked. “Since when did you have ‘difficulties’ in talking to me... It’s me, your Ash... Akki, Chill maar aur bol... What’s up?”
“Ash...” he said, and paused to clear his throat.
“Akkiiiiiiiiiiii... Tell me already, will you?” I said, losing patience.
“I have a feeling that Sheeba is two-timing me...”
“WHAT?” I asked, my eyes wide with shock.
“Yes... I can’t believe it... How could this be?” he said, wiping his tears.
“We need to find out the truth...” I said. “Let’s go...” as we hurriedly paid the bill and left.
LIES, LIES AND MORE LIES...

Akki pulled the car into the building where Sheeba lived.
“You sure she’s going to be home right now?” I asked him, with uncertainity.
“When I called her, she told me she was at work. But then, I think I heard Snoopy bark in the background” Akki said, referring to Sheeba’s cocker-spaniel. “I think she’s at home... She’s avoiding me... And I know it...”
When we approached her door, we could hear music playing.
“I knew it... She is at home...” Akki said.
“Shhhhhhhhh...” I quietened him.
I rang the bell.
Suddenly, the music stopped. We waited for 2 minutes; but no one would answer the door. I rang the bell once more.
“I’m taking a bath. Who is it?” Sheeba screamed from the inside.
I didn’t reply. Simultaneously, I tried her on the cell phone.
“Hello... Hey girl... When are you coming back? We’re missing you a lot...” Sheeba said enthusiastically, as soon as she picked up.
“I’m good... You tell me, where are you?” I asked, covering up my anger.
“I’m at home...”she replied, thinking that I was still in Delhi.
“Good... Coz I’m outside your door... Open up...” I demanded.
I could swear I almost heard her say ‘Shit’ while she was hanging up.
“Hey...” she said cheerily; as she opened the door. She was fully clothed.
“So, I didn’t know you took a bath with your clothes on..” I said sarcastically; while I stayed put at the door.
“Oh that... I thought it was some pesky salesman...” she replied.
“And is that why you turned off the music as well?” I asked, tauntingly.
“Errr... That... Ash...” she stammered.
“What explanation do you have, Ms.Sheeba Chakravorty?” Akki said, as he stepped into her doorway. He was half in tears. She looked zapped.
“I... Akki... I...” She was at a loss for words.
I had, in the meanwhile, started skirting her apartment.
“There’s no one here...” I yelled out to Akki from the bathroom.
“See, I told you there’s no one here...” Sheeba said, trying to control her nervousness.
But something urged me to continue hunting... I finally opened her wardrobe... And there he was.
“Ayaan...” I gasped in disbelief.

ITS ALL IN THE FAMILY

“Sweetie... I heard about Ayaan and Sheeba... Ayaan just called me up... I... I... I don’t know what to say... I hate him for this... How’s Akki doing?” AK asked me over the phone.
“We need to talk” I said, my voice hardly escaping my lips. “Come over...”
Akki answered the door when the bell rang.
“I’m in here...” I yelled from the bedroom. AK hurried into the bedroom.
“Oh darling... I’m so sorry about all this... I should never have gotten that wretch introduced to all of you... I never thought my brother could be this cheap...” I clamped his mouth shut with my hand.
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH... Atleast now tell me the truth...” I screamed, as I pushed AK off the bed.
“ASH... Don’t... He’s not worth it...” Zac said, as he walked into my bedroom.
“You... I will kill you, you bastard...” AK said, as he got up and headed towards Zac.
“Don’t you dare...” said Akki, as he stepped in the way.
“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE... GET OUT OF MY LIFE...” I yelled.
AK hung his head low; and walked out of the door.
I burst into tears; and Akki held me close... While Zac shut the door behind AK.
“And another chapter ends...” said Zac.

LAST-ING IMPRESSIONS

On the night that AK proposed to me, Zac was in the club. He had taken Akki to the corner to speak to him in private. Zac didn’t include me in the conversation coz he wasn’t sure about how I would react.
“Akki, you know how everyone keeps saying that I quit playing at the club. That’s not the truth... I didn’t quit... I was fired...” Zac confessed.
“But, why? Why did they fire you? You did your job well... The crowds loved you...” Akki said.
“I was fired coz one of the female bartenders filed a complaint of ‘sexual harassment’ against me... Since the owner also knows me well, he let me off with just the firing... He said his hands were tied...” he said.
“What???” Akki gasped in disbelief.
“Yeah... I am not the one to take it lying down... So I cornered her one day as she left from the club... I demanded to know who had paid her to falsely accuse me...” he said; “and I threatened her that if she didn’t comply with me, I would actually sexual abuse her, since I was anyways paying time for a crime not done...”
“So who was it?” Akki asked, curious to know the answer.
“I don’t know if you will believe me... I actually sneaked into the club to tell you this... I am not even allowed to set foot here anymore...” Zac said “It’s your girlfriend, Sheeba.”
“How dare you speak about her that way!!!” Akki growled, as he held Zac by his collar.
“Calm down Akki... Things are way darker than what you know...” Zac said, “Why would I want to lie about Sheeba... What motive could I have Akki?”
Akki calmed down. He realized Zac was right. The only people Zac had ever cared about in this club were Ashwini and him. He would never do anything to hurt them.
But then again, neither would Sheeba.
“What do you have to tell me?” Akki demanded to know.
“A couple of days before I got fired, I was at Zio’s, Bandra... A friend of mine is the resident DJ there... While I was standing at the DJ console, I noticed Sheeba on the dance floor... She was dancing with a guy I didn’t recognize... I thought perhaps you and Ash must also be around... So I tried calling Ash... She didn’t answer the call... Then I tried calling you... You answered and told me that you were at home... You remember that call I made to you, right?”
“Yeah!!” Akki replied.
“That’s when I realized that maybe Sheeba was alone with that guy... So I followed them once they left the club; and they drove right to Sheeba’s building.... And when Sheeba got off his bike, she gave him a long passionate kiss... That put things into perspective...” said Zac.
“After that, I got in touch with one of Sheeba’s colleagues, a Priya Chotani... You know of her, don’t you?” Zac asked...
Akki nodded his head in agreement. Zac continued.
“Priya told me about Sheeba’s boyfriend. She wasn’t sure about his name; she said Sheeba didn’t give out too many details... But to ascertain things I showed her a picture of you, Ash and me... I thought she would point out to you and say ‘This is Sheeba’s boyfriend...’ But to my surprise, she only recognized Ash and said that she had dropped in at the office a couple of times...”
“This is too much...” Akki said; as he turned about to leave.
“No, wait Akki... If not for your sake, atleast for Ash’s.” Zac said.
“What? What’s wrong with Ash?” Akki demanded to know.
“Nothing’s wrong with her... But everything may be wrong with her newly found boyfriend...”
“AK, you mean?” Akki exclaimed. “But, how can it be? I’m the one who introduced AK to Ash... And I randomly met him in the club’s bathroom” Akki confessed.
“Did he initiate conversation with you the 1st time you met?” Zac asked.
“Yes... He told me that my hair style suited me... That’s how it all began...” Akki said, now realizing his folly.
“Sheeba had instructed him to get talking to you... She knew you; and was certain that you would introduce him to Ash... This was her way of ensuring that AK could get an entry point into the little group that the 3 of you had... She wanted him close to her...”
“You mean AK is the man she is two-timing me with?” Akki asked in utter disbelief.
“Yeah!!” Zac replied.
“Then why me?” Akki asked, almost in tears now.
“Isn’t it obvious? She’s a bloody gold digger...” Zac replied.
“And what about Ash?? What’s her mistake? Why does she have to suffer in all this?” Akki asked; beginning to slightly believe Zac’s version of incidents.
“AK was just using her for her contacts... He knew she would help him set up his business in Mumbai... Given the fact that she knew so many people, he was using her as a ladder... I guess they have plans of using you guys and your money and contacts, until they can disappear into a life of their own...”
“I need to warn Ash...” Akki said.
“You do that... I need to leave before anyone sees me here...” Zac said; and he disappeared amongst the crowd.
As Akki pushed against the crowds and got back to where he had left Ash and AK, a really excited Ash flashed her new ‘engagement’ ring in his face. He couldn’t break the news to her at that time. He couldn’t afford to see that precious smile disappear off the face of the one woman who had always been there for him.
Akki wasn’t sure about whether Zac was right or wrong. His heart still wanted to give both, Sheeba and AK, a chance. But when he heard about AK asking me to invest in a flat, he smelled something fishy. That was the reason why he confirmed whether the flat would be in my name or not.
Me leaving for Delhi had been like ‘vacation time’ for Sheeba and AK. It was a classic case of ‘When the cat is out, the mice are at play.’ AK literally moved into Sheeba’s house for that one week.
How did we catch Ayaan at Sheeba’s place that day then?
Ayaan turned out to be the nice guy. He had gotten in on AK’s plan; but unlike his brother, Ayaan had a heart. He had gone to Sheeba’s place that day to have a word with her; and to try and dissuade her from moving on with their plans of cheating Akki and Ash. He knew talking to AK would be of no use. And that was when we had caught them. He had hidden in the cupboard, coz he didn’t want us to know of the connection between Sheeba and AK. When we caught him hiding in the cupboard, he had said ‘I couldn’t bear to see Ash’s heart broken...She’s a nice girl... Bhai shouldn’t cheat her like this...”

TIME HEALS ALL WOUNDS

[2 YEARS LATER]

We sat at the window sill; and enjoyed the lovely breeze in our hair.
“Atleast something good came out of this entire scenario, eh?” said Akki; as we toasted to my brand new flat.
“He’s right, the view from the 22nd floor is magnificient...” Ayaan chimed in.
“Congratulations, girl. We’re proud of you.” Zac said, as he gave me a big bear hug.
“I would have never gotten through it without all of you.” I said, my eyes welling up with tears.
“Oh cmon now...” Zac said. “I don’t know about us. But you definitely couldn’t have done it without this man here...” he said, while he pointed out towards Akki.
Ayaan nodded his head in agreement. “I don’t get it... Why couldn’t you guys have thought of this earlier itself? It would have saved all of us a lot of trouble... Wouldn’t it??” Ayaan asked.
“I guess, there’s a time for everything” I replied. “After pulling AK’s ring off my finger, I was sure that I would never let any other man put a ring on that finger... I thought I would never get married...” I said.
“But when he asked, you couldn’t say no, could you?” Ayaan teased me.
“Like I have always said, I can never say ‘no’ to Akki” I said; as I winked at my husband of 2 months. Akki put his arm around my shoulders, and held onto me. I looked at my hand. The sunlight bounced off my wedding ring.
“Like they say, all’s well that ends well..” said Ayaan.
“Cheers to that” we all chimed in.

Last-ing impressions - 2

HOME SWEET HOME

Akki and I landed at the plot...
“This is it... This is where we’re going to be living...” I said.
Akki looked around. “Looks fantastic, girl!!! So how are you guys paying for this?” he asked.
“Since he doesn’t have strong IT papers to show, I have taken the loan in my name... He is keeping the money aside for his business as well... So this is the least I could do...” I replied.
“So the flat is going to be in your name, right?” he asked.
“Yes... Absolutely... Tax savings as well, remember?” I said.
“Yes... Right... It would be beneficial to put it in a female’s name...” he mulled. “Great... Can we have a look at the sample flat?”
“Let’s go...” I replied, as I took him by the hand and led him into the building.
I stood near the window of the sample flat on the 14th floor...
“If the 14th floor has such a brilliant view, imagine the 22nd floor!!!” I exclaimed.
“I know... Killer, eh?” he said, with the excitement ringing in his voice. “I’m so happy for you Ash...” he said, as he came and hugged me.
“I’m really happy for myself too... But none of it could have worked out without you... You’re the one who introduced me to AK, didn’t you?” I said, my eyes welling up with tears.
“Ash, there’s something I was meaning to tell you...” he started.
“Madam ji, ghar band kar doon?” the security guard interuppted, as he stood at the door, the keys dangling in his hand.
“Haan haan...” I said. “Let’s talk in the car...” I told Akki.
“We’re anyways late... We got to meet Sheeba in 15...” he said, as we drove off into the sunset.

RING-ING ISSUES

[4 months later...]

“Oi madam, are you ready or should I come upstairs to help you?” asked AK over the phone.
“Nahiiiiii... If you come up to help me, then there’s no way we’re going to get to the club today...” I answered. “Give me 5 minutes...” I said and hung up.
I looked at myself in the mirror... “You are looking sexy... Waaah... Kya baat hai...” I complimented myself.
“Woah baby... Someone’s looking gorgeous...” Akki teased, as I stepped into the car.
“He’s right... You’re looking amazingly hot...” AK said.
I could feel myself blushing...
“Hey Sheebs darling...”I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder. She was sitting in the passenger seat, next to Akki.
“Hi woman...” she replied; as she turned back and smiled.
AK got off the car; and ran to the other side, to open the door for me. He would always be opening doors, and pulling chairs back for me. I could hardly believe that luck was with me. How else can you find a gorgeous looking man with chivalry in today’s world?
“Hey Ali...” Akki hi-fived the bouncer as we walked into the club.
“Hello Sir... Ma’am!!!” Ali said, as he opened the door for us.
“Kitne baar kaha hai... Mujhe Ashu nahi toh AK bula... Kya sir-sir karta hai?” AK joked, as he playfully fisted Ali in his stomach.
“Theek hai, AK...” Ali laughed, as he struck a salute.
I loved this about AK... He had a natural way of things with people.
“I have a surprise for you...” AK whispered in my ears.
Just then, someone came and placed their hands over my eyes...
“Hmmmm... Who can this be?” I wondered. The feel of these hands were familiar, but not too familiar.
“Ayaan” I screamed in joy; as I turned around. “I’m so happy that you finally decided to join us...” I said, as I hugged him.
“I don’t mind coming every Saturday...” Ayaan confessed. “But bhai doesn’t want me tagging along with you guys...”
“Oh cmon...” I said, as I shot an angry look at AK.
“He says ‘Find yourself a girlfriend first, and then you can come out with us’...”
“He’s right...” Akki joked.
“How was I to know that the most beautiful women I was going to be introduced to would already be hooked up?” said Ayaan; as he gestured towards Sheeba and me.
“Oh cmon... Flattery doesn’t work with us...” Sheeba replied.
We laughed.
“Ash...” I heard a voice call out to me.
“Zac... Oh my God... How have you been?” I said, as I hugged him.
“I’ve been good... I heard you’re dating someone now, eh? Sweet...” he said.
“Yeah... Oh.. You haven’t met him... You quit playing in the club a week after I met him... So how would you meet him?” I said.
“Yeah!” Zac replied. “Hasn’t Akki come?”
“Could I ever think of entering the club without Akki?” I replied, with a smile. “There he is...” I said; and the three of us moved in Akki’s direction.
“Hey brother... Long time no see...” Akki said; as he and Zac shook hands.
“Yeah...I know...” Zac replied. “If you could pardon me for the bad timing, I would like to speak to you for awhile... Alone...” he said.
“Sure... Tell me...” Akki said, as he placed his arm around Zac’s shoulder; and they walked to a quieter corner.
I shifted my focus to Ayaan and Sheeba... They had gone to the bar to get us a round of drinks...
“Thank you for the surprise” I told AK. “I didn’t expect Ayaan to be here... But I’m so glad he’s here...” I said. “I always wanted to spend more time with the boy...”
“But my surprise is yet to come...” AK said, as he smiled a naughty smile... The twinkle in his eye was even more evident right now.
“But...” I looked at him confused.
He shoved his hand inside his pocket; and brought out a jewellery box... “May I?” he asked.
“OH MY GOD” I gasped; as I took a look at the ring he held in his hand. The lights in the club were dancing off the ring’s surface.
“I want to spend the rest of my lifetime with you” he said, as he went onto one knee.
I looked around... Sheebs and Ayaan were standing besides us and were smiling...
“So everyone else had been in the know, except me?” I asked.
“Ah huh!!” Sheeba said, as she nodded her head in agreement.
“Okay, my knee is really beginning to hurt now... Do I get a reply or not?” AK replied.
“Yes... Yes... Yes...” I said, as I bent over to kiss him.
Everyone around us started clapping.
“What happened? What did I miss?” Akki asked, as he tried to push the crowds aside to get to us.
“AK just proposed to Ash; and she said yes... Isn’t that wonderful?” Sheeba said, all teary eyed.
“Where’s Zac? He wanted to meet my boyfriend” I said.
“Correction correction... He’s now your fiancee...” interrupted Sheeba.
“Zac left...” Akki said.
“Can you believe it?? I’m engaged.” I said, as I leapt into Akki’s arms.
“You’re right... It’s all so hard to believe...” he said, as he hugged me back; and wiped a tear from his eye.





DISTANCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

“Hello baccha... How is my baby doing today?” I asked as I answered the call.
“I’m fine re... Tu bata... How are things with you?” Akki replied.
“Badi yaad aa rahi hai Ash ki...” I replied.
“Yeah man... I’m actually missing you... Did you have to go to Delhi?” he asked.
“When work beckons, you can’t say no... Can you? Arey, but you toh are one rich spoilt brat... Why would you care about work??” I teased.
“Oh, Ashwini... Come on...” he said, frustrated. He rarely called me by my full name.
“Okay okay... Chill maar... So tell me, how is Sheeba darling doing?”
“She’s also really caught up with work these days... Year end na!!!” he exclaimed.
“Oh! So is that why you remembered poor old me, coz your girlfriend isn’t free?” I teased.
“Cmon Ash... You know it’s not like that...” he said, the tone of his voice taking on a seriousness that was new. “I was genuinely missing you... I feel like it’s been ages since we met... Just you and me... Without AK and Sheeba around...”
I could feel a lump forming in my throat... It was true... I couldn’t remember the last time he and I had met alone...
“I miss the good old days, when we used to loaf around in the canteen... Just you and me... We never needed anyone else, did we?” he said.
“Hmmmmm....” I agreed.
“Come back soon... I really need to meet you... ALONE...”
“Deal...” I said... “My client needs to fly back to the US before schedule... So I’ll be back on this Friday istead of next Monday, as was earlier the plan... Let’s meet then...” I replied.
“Can you do me a favour?” Akki asked.
“Can I ever say no to you?” I replied.
“Don’t mention your date of arrival to Sheeba or AK...” he said; “Can you do that for me?”
“But...”
“Have you told AK about the change in your schedule?” Akki asked.
“Not yet... I just got to know”
“Cool... Then let’s do this... I’ll pick you up from the airport; we’ll spend some time together... And then, I’ll drive you over to AK’s and you can surprise him... What say?”
I mulled over the idea. It seemed like a ‘win-win’ situation. Everyone would be happy at the end of the day.
“Done... I’ll call you Thursday and confirm my flight details...” I said.
“Okay... Great... Can’t wait to see you...” Akki said.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Last-ing impressions - 2

HOME SWEET HOME

Akki and I landed at the plot...
“This is it... This is where we’re going to be living...” I said.
Akki looked around. “Looks fantastic, girl!!! So how are you guys paying for this?” he asked.
“Since he doesn’t have strong IT papers to show, I have taken the loan in my name... He is keeping the money aside for his business as well... So this is the least I could do...” I replied.
“So the flat is going to be in your name, right?” he asked.
“Yes... Absolutely... Tax savings as well, remember?” I said.
“Yes... Right... It would be beneficial to put it in a female’s name...” he mulled. “Great... Can we have a look at the sample flat?”
“Let’s go...” I replied, as I took him by the hand and led him into the building.
I stood near the window of the sample flat on the 14th floor...
“If the 14th floor has such a brilliant view, imagine the 22nd floor!!!” I exclaimed.
“I know... Killer, eh?” he said, with the excitement ringing in his voice. “I’m so happy for you Ash...” he said, as he came and hugged me.
“I’m really happy for myself too... But none of it could have worked out without you... You’re the one who introduced me to AK, didn’t you?” I said, my eyes welling up with tears.
“Ash, there’s something I was meaning to tell you...” he started.
“Madam ji, ghar band kar doon?” the security guard interuppted, as he stood at the door, the keys dangling in his hand.
“Haan haan...” I said. “Let’s talk in the car...” I told Akki.
“We’re anyways late... We got to meet Sheeba in 15...” he said, as we drove off into the sunset.

RING-ING ISSUES

[4 months later...]

“Oi madam, are you ready or should I come upstairs to help you?” asked AK over the phone.
“Nahiiiiii... If you come up to help me, then there’s no way we’re going to get to the club today...” I answered. “Give me 5 minutes...” I said and hung up.
I looked at myself in the mirror... “You are looking sexy... Waaah... Kya baat hai...” I complimented myself.
“Woah baby... Someone’s looking gorgeous...” Akki teased, as I stepped into the car.
“He’s right... You’re looking amazingly hot...” AK said.
I could feel myself blushing...
“Hey Sheebs darling...”I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder. She was sitting in the passenger seat, next to Akki.
“Hi woman...” she replied; as she turned back and smiled.
AK got off the car; and ran to the other side, to open the door for me. He would always be opening doors, and pulling chairs back for me. I could hardly believe that luck was with me. How else can you find a gorgeous looking man with chivalry in today’s world?
“Hey Ali...” Akki hi-fived the bouncer as we walked into the club.
“Hello Sir... Ma’am!!!” Ali said, as he opened the door for us.
“Kitne baar kaha hai... Mujhe Ashu nahi toh AK bula... Kya sir-sir karta hai?” AK joked, as he playfully fisted Ali in his stomach.
“Theek hai, AK...” Ali laughed, as he struck a salute.
I loved this about AK... He had a natural way of things with people.
“I have a surprise for you...” AK whispered in my ears.
Just then, someone came and placed their hands over my eyes...
“Hmmmm... Who can this be?” I wondered. The feel of these hands were familiar, but not too familiar.
“Ayaan” I screamed in joy; as I turned around. “I’m so happy that you finally decided to join us...” I said, as I hugged him.
“I don’t mind coming every Saturday...” Ayaan confessed. “But bhai doesn’t want me tagging along with you guys...”
“Oh cmon...” I said, as I shot an angry look at AK.
“He says ‘Find yourself a girlfriend first, and then you can come out with us’...”
“He’s right...” Akki joked.
“How was I to know that the most beautiful women I was going to be introduced to would already be hooked up?” said Ayaan; as he gestured towards Sheeba and me.
“Oh cmon... Flattery doesn’t work with us...” Sheeba replied.
We laughed.
“Ash...” I heard a voice call out to me.
“Zac... Oh my God... How have you been?” I said, as I hugged him.
“I’ve been good... I heard you’re dating someone now, eh? Sweet...” he said.
“Yeah... Oh.. You haven’t met him... You quit playing in the club a week after I met him... So how would you meet him?” I said.
“Yeah!” Zac replied. “Hasn’t Akki come?”
“Could I ever think of entering the club without Akki?” I replied, with a smile. “There he is...” I said; and the three of us moved in Akki’s direction.
“Hey brother... Long time no see...” Akki said; as he and Zac shook hands.
“Yeah...I know...” Zac replied. “If you could pardon me for the bad timing, I would like to speak to you for awhile... Alone...” he said.
“Sure... Tell me...” Akki said, as he placed his arm around Zac’s shoulder; and they walked to a quieter corner.
I shifted my focus to Ayaan and Sheeba... They had gone to the bar to get us a round of drinks...
“Thank you for the surprise” I told AK. “I didn’t expect Ayaan to be here... But I’m so glad he’s here...” I said. “I always wanted to spend more time with the boy...”
“But my surprise is yet to come...” AK said, as he smiled a naughty smile... The twinkle in his eye was even more evident right now.
“But...” I looked at him confused.
He shoved his hand inside his pocket; and brought out a jewellery box... “May I?” he asked.
“OH MY GOD” I gasped; as I took a look at the ring he held in his hand. The lights in the club were dancing off the ring’s surface.
“I want to spend the rest of my lifetime with you” he said, as he went onto one knee.
I looked around... Sheebs and Ayaan were standing besides us and were smiling...
“So everyone else had been in the know, except me?” I asked.
“Ah huh!!” Sheeba said, as she nodded her head in agreement.
“Okay, my knee is really beginning to hurt now... Do I get a reply or not?” AK replied.
“Yes... Yes... Yes...” I said, as I bent over to kiss him.
Everyone around us started clapping.
“What happened? What did I miss?” Akki asked, as he tried to push the crowds aside to get to us.
“AK just proposed to Ash; and she said yes... Isn’t that wonderful?” Sheeba said, all teary eyed.
“Where’s Zac? He wanted to meet my boyfriend” I said.
“Correction correction... He’s now your fiancee...” interrupted Sheeba.
“Zac left...” Akki said.
“Can you believe it?? I’m engaged.” I said, as I leapt into Akki’s arms.
“You’re right... It’s all so hard to believe...” he said, as he hugged me back; and wiped a tear from his eye.





DISTANCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

“Hello baccha... How is my baby doing today?” I asked as I answered the call.
“I’m fine re... Tu bata... How are things with you?” Akki replied.
“Badi yaad aa rahi hai Ash ki...” I replied.
“Yeah man... I’m actually missing you... Did you have to go to Delhi?” he asked.
“When work beckons, you can’t say no... Can you? Arey, but you toh are one rich spoilt brat... Why would you care about work??” I teased.
“Oh, Ashwini... Come on...” he said, frustrated. He rarely called me by my full name.
“Okay okay... Chill maar... So tell me, how is Sheeba darling doing?”
“She’s also really caught up with work these days... Year end na!!!” he exclaimed.
“Oh! So is that why you remembered poor old me, coz your girlfriend isn’t free?” I teased.
“Cmon Ash... You know it’s not like that...” he said, the tone of his voice taking on a seriousness that was new. “I was genuinely missing you... I feel like it’s been ages since we met... Just you and me... Without AK and Sheeba around...”
I could feel a lump forming in my throat... It was true... I couldn’t remember the last time he and I had met alone...
“I miss the good old days, when we used to loaf around in the canteen... Just you and me... We never needed anyone else, did we?” he said.
“Hmmmmm....” I agreed.
“Come back soon... I really need to meet you... ALONE...”
“Deal...” I said... “My client needs to fly back to the US before schedule... So I’ll be back on this Friday istead of next Monday, as was earlier the plan... Let’s meet then...” I replied.
“Can you do me a favour?” Akki asked.
“Can I ever say no to you?” I replied.
“Don’t mention your date of arrival to Sheeba or AK...” he said; “Can you do that for me?”
“But...”
“Have you told AK about the change in your schedule?” Akki asked.
“Not yet... I just got to know”
“Cool... Then let’s do this... I’ll pick you up from the airport; we’ll spend some time together... And then, I’ll drive you over to AK’s and you can surprise him... What say?”
I mulled over the idea. It seemed like a ‘win-win’ situation. Everyone would be happy at the end of the day.
“Done... I’ll call you Thursday and confirm my flight details...” I said.
“Okay... Great... Can’t wait to see you...” Akki said.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

LAST-ING IMPRESSIONS - 1

ONWARDS WE MARCH

“Are you ready?? Or do I have the time to download one more song?” Sheeba screamed from the hall room.

“Download two songs, for all I care... I’m in the mood to get dressed up today...” I replied...

“Hmmm... Someone seems to have made up her mind to rob a lot of hearts today, eh?” Sheeba teased.

“Yeah, yeah!!! Easy for you to say... You already have a boyfriend... I’m the single one...” I yelled back.

“Know which song I just downloaded?? ‘I got a feelin... That tonite’s gonna be a good nite...’ Black Eyed Peas... I really got a feeling that tonight might be the night when something good will happen for you...”said Sheeba.

“Maybe, maybe not!!!” I said, as I applied the finishing touches to my make up... “I’m good to go...” I said as I slipped my freshly pedicured feet into my new pair of heels... “Get your arse off that chair, girl... Come on...”

Akshat was waiting in the car...

“Godbless... I was almost beginning to believe that we could go out clubbing next Saturday...” he joked.

“Shuddup hon... Push on the accelerator now...” I said... Once I was ready, I would always be the most excited about reaching the club.

“But wasn’t all the wait worth it? Don’t we both look smashing?” Sheeba asked, as she flaunted her new dress.

“Yes you do, baby... You girls make my job tougher every time... I think we will have to recruit a bouncer only to take care of both of you if you girls keep looking this good everytime...” he laughed... We giggled along at the thought...

After an hour, and numerous traffic jams later, we were at the club.

“Hey Ali... Wassup!!” said Akshat, as he hi-fived the bouncer at the entrance... “Aaj crowd hain ki nahi?”

“Of course sir... There’s very good crowd today... Aap khud hi dekh lo...” Ali replied.

Sheeba and I waved at Ali as we entered... He smiled and opened the door for us...

On entering the club, we were greeted by a sight that always made me smile... The darkness that engulfed everyone there; the music that drove you to the dance floor; the alcohol that made all inhibitions vanish; and the DJ console, where my darling friend Zac would be found...

“Hey Zac.... Long time, eh!!! Sorry bout not calling you last weekend... I was caught up with a work party... We were at Pheonix Mills...” I justified.

“Yeah yeah... You seem to have an encyclopedia of excuses stashed somewhere at home” he joked... “Hey Sheebs... Where’s Akki?” he asked; when he saw Sheeba standing behind me...

“He’s around somewhere... Must be ogling at some other girls, as usual...” said Sheeba...

“Oh cmon Sheebs... You know he’s the best... I haven’t seen him out of line ever... I’m giving you the guy perspective here... He is a gem...” said Zac.

“He’s right...” I said. “If you don’t want him, then pass him on to me...” I teased.

“Chal chal... Go find one on your own... Akki is mine...” she said, with a grumpy face.

“Possessiveeeeeee...” I teased.

“Awrite... I want to hit the dance floor now... See ya around, Zac... After hours” I winked; as I pulled Sheeba by her elbow.

“See ya” Sheeba yelled out to Zac over all the noise... Zac smiled back as we disappeared into the crowd on the dance floor.

Sheeba had been right about one thing on that particular day... There was something special about that night... My life would never be the same again... It could not go back to being the same, no matter how hard I tried... Coz that was the night I met him....

“Girls, there is someone I’d like you to meet...” said Akki...

Both Sheebs n I turned to see who it was that Akki wanted us to meet... I could only see the silhouette of the of the person standing with Akshat... He wasn’t very tall, neither was he well built...

OF FRIENDS AND MORE...

Akshat:

I had known Akshat since the day he was born... His sister Anandini and I went to the same school; and given the fact that our families were already so close to each others, she and I had always been rather fond of each other...

Akshat was Anandini’s younger brother... Years later, there came another brother Akash... But Akash and I never got that close, owing to the huge age difference between us... Akshat was 4 years younger than me...

As luck would have it, Anandini and I had to say goodbye to each other early on... She went to Delhi for her colleging... Akshat would come and spend time with me whenever he would miss his sister... That’s how he and I got down to having this close-knit relationship that we shared...

When it was time for Akshat to choose a college, he chose mine... He was extremely fond of me and all my friends.... Given the fact that he was a good looking kid, he got a lot of attention from all my female friends... They would go all ‘Oh! He’s so cute’ over him... And needless to say, he would enjoy all the cheek-pulling sessions... And post the sessions, he would tell me who was the best looking amongst all of the women who had thronged him on that particular day...

In other words, Akshat was like the kid brother I never had... But our relationship had a twist to it... We were both fully aware of the fact that we weren’t blood relatives... And due to exactly that, we were ‘friends’ and not ‘siblings’ ever...

Sheeba:

I liked Sheeba for the person that she is from day one of meeting her...

I was the editor of the college magazine that year... Sheeba was one of the applicants for the Editorial team... She was applying for the post of ‘Head of Design’... She may have been my junior, but I knew she meant business from the moment she set foot in the Student Council office...

She was an image of confidence, beauty and grace... Whooooo... Deadly combination... Had I been a guy, I would have been swept off my feet by a woman like that... So it wasn’t surprising when my Akshat, who was pretty much like a male version of me, fell for her the instant he saw her...

“If you get me her number, I’ll be your slave from this moment on...” is what he said when he saw her walking with me one day...

I couldn’t say no to him... He was my Akki after all...

Turned out she found him cute as well... So there, it was done... My job had become easier...

Akshat and Sheeba had been dating for 4 years now; two years through college, and two years after...

They were just 22... But at 26, I definitely felt like a pain in their asses when they took me out... I didn’t have a boyfriend, so it was just the 3 of us wherever we went... I always felt like a sore thumb, an oldie sticking out her ugly head...

I just wished I had someone to call my own... Someone to love... Someone to hold... Someone who could care for me... I wanted to be the center of someone’s world; and have a center for my own...

FIRST IMPRESSIONS...

“Girls, there is someone I’d like you to meet...” said Akki...

Both Sheebs n I turned to see who it was that Akki wanted us to meet... I could only see the silhouette of the of the person standing with Akshat... He wasn’t very tall, neither was he well built...

Akki was always busy introducing me to his eligible friends...

‘How many times have I told this fool that I’m not into younger guys’ I thought to myself...

“This is my ‘girlfriend’ Sheeba” said Akki, as he protectively placed his arm around Sheeba’s shoulder... “And this here is the light of my life, ‘Ashwini’ or ‘Ash’ as we fondly call her” he said, introducing me to his mystery kiddo friend...

“Hello” he said, and put his hand out for a handshake... “I’m Ashutosh Kapadia...”

In order to shake his hand, I had to step a little forward... When I did, the sight that was in store for me left me zapped...

He may have looked little, but he was definitely not younger... He had one of those faces that shone with the wisdom that one can garner only from experience and graceful aging... Not to say that he was old or anything, but he was definitely older than me...

‘Must be around 28 or 29’ I thought to myself, as I did some mental calculations to confirm if I was still 26 or not... I was sure I wouldn’t have wanted to turn 27 ever... In fact, I didn’t want to go beyond 25... Alas!! Nature wouldn’t agree to any of my stupid plans of ‘stalling time’ or going into ‘rewind mode’...

His eyes were hazel in colour... When he smiled, he had one of the deepest set of dimples I had ever seen... He had a twinkle in his eye when he smiled, which gave away his ‘boyish’ nature at the first glimpse itself...

“Have fun” Akki whispered in my ear, as he took Sheeba’s hand and led her away... They disappeared into the crowd... And for once, I didn’t mind them leaving me alone... Coz I wasn’t really alone, was I?

“Would you like to dance?” he asked, politely... “Sure!!” I said; and he led me to the dance floor...

Swoooosh he went sliding from one side of me to the other... And I was left gaping...

‘This man could actually dance... He had dimples... He wass cute looking... Okay, let me rephrase that, really really really cute looking... Tonight had to be my lucky night’ I thought to myself, as I watched him moving around the dance floor... He sure had some groovy moves up his sleeve...

But I wasn’t the types to sit and watch... So I zapped out of my trance, and started moving my feet...

We both finally stopped; we were panting... I looked at him... He had this awesomely adorable smile plastered all over his face...

“Drink?” he asked... “Great idea...” I replied...

“Beer?” he asked me... “Yeah... Wat bout you?” I asked... “I’ll stick to beer as well” he replied...

“Hey Ron.... 2 Fosters please... Chilled, eh...” I said, as I winked at the bartender.

“Anything for you darling...” replied the bartender, as he smiled and opened up two pints for us; before going back to the mad rush at the bar...

“Hmmmm... You seem to know everyone here, don’t you?” he said...

“Maybe... Maybe not...” I said...

“Huh? Wat do you mean by that?” he asked...

“I do seem to know everyone... But quite obviously, I don’t seem to know the important ones...” I replied, as I took a sip from my beer and simultaneously waved out to someone in the crowd that I knew.

“Important ones, eh? Like...?”

“You” I replied... “Akki got to you before I could...”

He laughed... And my, did I fall in love with that laugh or not... It sounded like the music that was produced by the fingers of angels on harps, up in heaven...

I smiled at the thought...

“Want to dance some more?” he asked me with a naughty smile, as he placed his empty beer bottle back on the bar top...

“Do you even have to ask?” I exclaimed, as I emptied my own bottle...

Before we knew it, it was 2:00 a.m. It was time for the club to shut down... Ashutosh took my hand, as we left the club... He had to literally drag me out of the place as I air-kissed everyone I knew... ‘Goodnight’ I kept saying to whoever I was bumping into...

“So did you kids have fun?” Akki asked us when he met us near his car.

“Kids??? Really??? You think you’ve grown up in one night, huh bacchhu???” I said, as I proceeded to pull Akki by his ears.

“Sorry sorry sorry...” he squealed... “I was kidding, meri maa...”

“As for your question, we did have fun...” I said.

“We?” Sheeba asked me, with one raised eyebrow.

“So Ash, since when did you and me become ‘we’?” Ashutosh added.

“Ummm... I don’t...” I was searching for the right thing to say... With every passing second, I was turning a darker shade of red. “I didn’t mean it that way. You know wat I meant... Don’t you?” I asked, looking at Akki, hoping for some support to come from that direction.

“Answer them...” Akki said. “Since when, eh?”

“You useless bastard...” I said, as I set off to beat up Akki. “You can never bail me out of awkward situations, can you now?” I yelled at him, as I proceeded to pull my heels off. I couldn’t be running around in heels.

Ashutosh and Sheeba smiled at each other, as they watched Akki and me run around the car like kindergarten kids...

THE MAN OF THE MOMENT

Ashutosh, or AK as I began calling him later, is now my boyfriend of 6 months...

I’d been right about his age... AK turned 29 around 2 months back... We celebrated his birthday in style... Akki, Sheebs and I threw a surprise party for him at Red Lounge...

The night when AK and I met for the first time, was the day he had landed in Mumbai after 6 years. He had spent the previous years of his life in Dubai, where he worked with Toyota. He was a hardcore marketing person.

He had some savings from the last 6 years, which he wanted to invest in a small time business in Mumbai...

“Why Mumbai?” I asked him once...

“Coz this is where I was born... So this is where I belong...” was his reply.

He didn’t discuss too many details about the business venture... But from what I understood, he wanted to take up the franchisee of some leading resto bar... I never pried into his professional life beyond that... So that was the limited knowledge I had...

He stayed with his mom and dad... He had a younger brother, Ayaan... I’d never met Ayaan, but I’d seen pictures of him and AK together... The similarity was stark...

Ayaan was working with a leading call centre in Mumbai. He was Sheeba and Akki’s age.

As far as I was concerned, romantically, things were going very well between AK and me... We were pretty much in the ‘let’s see where this goes’ phase... But it was moving fast towards the ‘Let’s go steady’ stage... I could feel it... But I didn’t want to get my hopes up; for the fear of feeling foolish later... All said and done, I was a noob at this dating game... I hadn’t really been in a real, mature, adult relationship ever... This was my first... And I didn’t want to rush anything, for it would risk the ‘perfection’ that was being built, slowly and steadily.

WHY I HATE SURPRISES

“But where are we going?” I demanded to know, as AK took a sharp left turn... I was in an area that I didn’t find familiar...

“Hold on to your horses, woman!!!” he said... “I’m sure you’re going to love it...” I could see him smile in the rearview mirror of his bike.

We stopped in front of an under-construction building... “What are we doing here?” I asked him, genuinely confused.

“In another 14 months, I’m going to live here...” he replied finally, looking up at the building that stood tall in front of us... “22^nd floor, 2 ½ BHK, prime location...”

I didn’t know how to react...

“Let’s go have a look at the place...” he said, as he took me by the hand, and led me off into the building...

“Are you sure you can afford it?” I asked him, as I got onto the bike after having checked out the place...

“Maybe I can’t...” he said; “But maybe we can...” he smiled at me... “Afterall, we’re going to live in together, aren’t we?” he asked.

“Huh?” I looked at him suspiciously...

“Did you like the place or not?” he asked, firmly.

“I loved it... It’s brilliant, no doubt...” I said.

“Cool, so then that’s settled...” he said, as we vroomed away...

MEETING THE BEST MAN

Sheeba, Akki and I met up early for a round of drinks... AK was late, as usual...

“Where is he?” Akki asked

“God knows... He should be here soon, though...” I said, as I turned my attention to the plate of spicy chicken wings that had just been placed on our table.

“There he is...” Sheeba exclaimed.

I turned around to see him... Sure enough, he looked as gorgeous as ever... But he wasn’t alone.... Ayaan was with him...

“Guys this is Ayaan... My lil bro...” he introduced, as he playfully ruffled Ayaan’s hair...

“This is Akshat a.k.a Akki... Sheeba a.k.a Sheebs... Sheebs and Akki have been dating for 4 ½ years now... Can you beat that?” he said; with the surprise evident in his voice.

“And this here...” he said, locking his arms around me from the back of my chair; “is my darling... The one person you have been waiting to meet for so long...”

“Hi... I’m...”

“You’re Ash, of course... I have heard so much about you” Ayaan started...

“Really now? I wonder whether it’s good stuff or bad stuff” I said, with a mischeivious smile directed at AK.

“By the way, I heard you call him ‘AK’...” said Ayaan.

“Yeah...” I replied.

“By that virtue, am I ‘AK’ too?? My initials are the same too, aren’t they?” he asked, with a smile.

‘Their smiles are exactly the same’ I thought to myself as I took a piece of paneer off Akki’s plate. He hated paneer.

“Nah boy... Don’t try your luck there... I don’t think I’m ready to deal with two-timing as yet...” I joked.

Everyone at the table laughed...

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Our Story For The Telling

“Kitna hua bhaiya?” I asked the cab driver, as I alighted at Colaba Causeway... I looked up at the sign board that read ‘Mondegar’s’...
I heard the cacophony of vendors trying to sell their goods; customers who didn’t want to budge from the prices they were haggling for; the cabs honking; the young boys pestering the ‘firangs’ as they were called, or in other words, the tourists to buy the ‘dholaks’ or drums from them... All those bright bags, hanging off the overloaded stalls... The sea of crowds moving along the tiny by-lanes...
I finally felt like I was at home... This used to be home for me when I was in college... I remember clearly all the details of all those afternoons spent aimlessly wandering around these streets...
It seems like only yesterday, the girls and I would have cheesecakes at Theobroma’s or gorge on sandwiches at Churchill’s... I would never be able to wipe off the taste of the Indian-Chinese food that we so fondly used to hog at Aga Brothers... Those were the days of 1 by 2... Everything was divided amongst each other... We couldn’t afford luxuries like eating out everyday...
I walked towards Leopolds... I sat down on a corner table and ordered a beer for myself...
This is where we were to meet...I looked at my watch... It was 7:30 pm...
It had been roughly around a year since I had met him... And to imagine, this is where it had all started from... I remember every detail about the 1st time we met, as though it happened yesterday...
It was the 2nd of August, 2008... I was at Leopolds with a couple of my girlfriends from college... We were there, doing what we did best... We were bitching about our ex-boyfriends over a pitcher of cold beer...
“My ex, he used to pick his nose in public... Ewwww... I wonder what made me fall for him...” said Priya...
“Obviously your high demand for personal hygiene” I said, with a straight face...
The others laughed...
“Yeah yeah!! Like you dated really hot men all the time, eh!!! They were all renditions of the picture-perfect boyfriend... Weren’t they?” she asked...
“Forget about me... It’s an established fact that I am a magnet for freaks...” I said as I winked at Natasha and Kruti... They giggled...
“Oh yeah... Remember that Angelo freak... ‘Call me Angy!!!’ he would say... What a loser!!!” said Natasha...
“And how can we forget, Saurabh Hatekar... The one who gave you a single red rose every time you fought... Did he give you a bouquet when you broke up??” Kruti mocked...
“You’re forgetting the best of them all... Jazz... Jasmeet Singh Sapra... The druggie... He was stoned all the time... He turned up stoned for my birthday party; and fell head first into the cake... I haven’t let him enter my house since...” I said, as I hi-fived Kruti and Priya...
“Oh my gosh... Gosh... Girls... Quiet quiet...” said a visibly excited Natasha... I couldn’t see what it was that had caught her attention... She was sitting opposite me... So whatever it was that had caught her fancy, was sitting behind me...
“What’s it??” I asked, not wanting to miss out any of the action...
“CGA at 12 o clock...” Nats whispered...
“But it’s already 4:30, you silly...” said Priya, as she checked the time on her watch...
I hit her playfully on the head... “Dodo... CGA means ‘Cute Guy Alert’ and 12 o clock is indication of the direction in which the guy is sitting...”
I couldn’t turn around directly to gawk at the guy... So I pretended to fiddle with my bag that was hanging around the back of my chair... I still couldn’t see him clearly... There was a waiter standing in between... To buy myself some more time, I dropped my phone and bent over to pick it up...
“Move you darned waiter...” I thought out aloud...
The guy sitting at the table in between cute guy’s table and ours was staring at my cleavage as I bent down... He gave me one of those hopeless grins that only single horny men are capable of giving...
“Abey ch***ye... Chal, apna kaam kar...” I said...
I looked up... The waiter had moved... And then I saw him...
He was dressed in a bright orange collared tee, which he’d teamed up with khaki coloured shorts... I was to find out later, that he would always be dressed casually... I in fact discovered later on, that didn’t own even a single set of formal clothes...
“Hey Sam... So what can I get for you today?” I over heard one of the waiters asking him...
“Nuttin much, brother... I’m keepin it light today...” he replied...
“Sam...” I echoed, under my breath...
“Haan, tera naam hi Sam hain!!!” Kruti joked...
“Nahi yaar... I’m not taking my own name... His name is Sam as well... What a coincidence na??” I said, delighted at the newfound information...
“You liked him kya?” Nats asked me...
“Duh uh!!! Obviously I liked him... What’s not to like?” I asked...
“But Sam, I haven’t seen you check out firangs ever... Toh isme kuch khaas hain kya??” Kruti teased...
“Haan re... The most special thing is that we share our nicknames... I need to know what Sam is short for...”
“100 bucks says its short for Samuel... What else can it be?” said Priya...
“Maybe... Maybe not... What’s the harm in finding out?” I said, as I got up and straightened my top...
“Should I?” I looked at Kruti and Nats for reassurance...
“Go for it, magnet for freaks...But do you think he seems freaky enough?” asked Kruti...
“Shuddup...!!!” I said; and turned around to look at him... But he wasn’t there... The 3 other firangs who were sitting with him were very much at the table... But his chair was empty...
“Where did he go?” I yelled...
The whole restaurent went quiet... Everyone was staring at me...
“Dammit...” I said, as I smiled awkwardly and sank right back into my seat...
“What’s it with me and these foot-in-mouth moments??” I asked Kruti, as I play-banged my forehead against her shoulder...
“Excuse me, can I have a light please?” I heard a voice from behind me...
Kruti shrugged her shoulders... I looked up at the figure who had interrupted my moment of mourning...
I couldn’t believe my eyes... Bless you Lord... It was him... Where had he disappeared in between then??? ‘Who cares where he had gone!!! He’s back now... Light his goddamn bloody cigarette...’ I thought to myself...
“Here you go” I said, as Kruti slipped her lighter to me from under the table... I lit his cigarette for him...
“Thank you ladies... Have a good day...” he said, and added a curtsy before he turned to leave...
‘Awww... How cute!!!’ I thought to myself...
“He looks even better when he’s up close, na!!!” said a visibly excited Priya... “Ab kya??”
“Ab kya kya??” I asked...
“I mean, what about your chhoti si love story??” she winked at me...
“Arey... What love-shav n all??? I just find him attractive... That’s it... God knows for how long he’s going to be in the country also... Looks typically American to me...” I said...
Kruti nodded her head in agreement...
I spent the rest of my time looking over my shoulder to check him out... But to him, I was invisible... I was a little disappointed...
“Chal Sam, let’s go...” Nats said...
“Alright” I said and almost heaved myself off my seat... I didn’t want to leave... Would I ever get to see him again??
“Hey Sam...” I heard someone call out... “How come you’re here? Hey Kruti... Nats... Arey Priya... You too...”
We turned around to find Gwen sitting at the corner table with her boyfriend Sean...
But my attention was on Sam... The name ‘Sam’ had caught his attention... He was still wondering which one of us girls was Sam... I smiled at him... He smiled back...
“We just came to have a beer... We’re leaving now... See ya in college tomorrow...” I said, as I waved out to Gwen and Sean...
I turned around to look at him once more... Kruti and Nats took one elbow each and half dragged me out of there...
“Wasn’t he super cute?” I sighed... We were in a cab, headed back to VT station...
“Yes he was... Now chal, get on with it...” said Priya...
Kruti and Nats burst out laughing...
“You know what, Priya... You’re 10 times worse when you find a guy cute...” said Natasha...
“No, I’m not...” Priya said, sounding all agitated...
“Oh yes, you are...” argued Kruti...
The argument continued until VT station, giving me time to think about my mystery Sam..


The next day, I managed to half convince Kruti to come along with me to Leo’s in the afternoon... “He seemed like a regular... All the staff seemed to know him...”
“Alright... Let’s go...” she said with a tone that indicated she had given up on me...
“I love you, Kruts...” I said, as I hugged her tightly...
“Colaba Causeway?” she asked a cabbie outside college... ‘ I hope he’s there’ I thought to myself, Kruti lighted a cigarette and passed it on to me; and the cab vroomed away towards our destination...
“He isn’t here!!!” I said, as I tugged at Kruti’s sleeve, like a 5 year old would have...
“Do you want to order something and wait for awhile or do you want to leave?” she asked me...
“I don’t know yaar...” I said, all dejected...
“So which one of you is Sam?”
Both Kruti and I jumped back in fear... We turned slowly to face whoever it was who had just spoken...
“Hey... Did I scare ya??? Didn’t mean to...” he said apologetically...
He looked even hotter in black... A black message tee with a faded pair of blue jeans...
‘Out of my mind... Back in 5 minutes’ I read the message from his tee out loud...
“That’s me alrite...” he joked, “What would you girls like to have?”
“I’m going light, thanks!!” said Kruti; as she pulled her chair back, and took a seat...
“What about you?” he asked... Pausing, as if to ask my name...
“Sam...” I said...
“Yes...” he said...
“No, I meant, my name is Sam...” I giggled nervously... Since when had I started giggling??
“So it’s you I share my name with, eh!!” he said, as he stretched his arm out for a handshake...
And that was the first time I touched him... It felt so surreal... His hands were so soft...
“So what do you do?” he asked... In doing so, he had singled me out from Kruti...
“I... I am studying at Wilson’s...” I looked up at Kruti... She urged me to go on; and pretended to fiddle with her cell phone...
“Oh that’s great... What are you majorin in?” he asked...
“English Literature” I replied...
“Interestin... Very interestin...” he said... “Mebbe, you could help me out a little...”
Our beers arrived...
“Cheers...” I offered...
“To a new bond, which may we hope, will last till the end of ages...” he toasted...
‘Woah... End of ages and all... This was intense stuff!!!’ I thought to myself... I smiled and looked at Kruti... She looked equally confused...
“You see... I am originally from a small little sleepy town in North America... However, I hardly stayed there ever... I did my schooling from Norway... And then I stayed in Karachi for 2 whole years...”
“Karachi, eh?” I said, with one raised eyebrow...
“Yeah... It’s a beautiful place... You must visit it sometime, if you haven’t already...” he suggested...
“Hmmmm” I said, as I nodded my head...
“I have been in India, in Mumbai to be precise, for 6 months now... I make money here by taking private tutions for those who wanna learn English” he said...
“Oh, that’s nice!!” I said...



Days passed by quicker than I could imagine... Sam and I started meeting everyday in the afternoon, post my lectures... Turned out, he was putting up somewhere close to VT station itself... So it was pretty convenient to meet up...
We used to spend our afternoons wandering around the streets of Colaba and Churchgate area... Or if we felt adventurous, we would take to Marine Drive; and sit there for hours, staring at the sea, and talking...
He turned out to be alright... Maybe, just maybe, I was moving on from losers to not-so-loserly guys...
We would regularly visit Leopold’s as well... He introduced me to some of his friends who were also travellers like him... Nomadic souls, they all got along like a house on fire...
“This is Rob, Thomas and Nathan... Guys this is Samantha a.k.a Sam...”
“Hey Sam” they echoed in chorus...
“So, Sam n Sam, eh... Nice pairing...” said Nathan, as Sam pulled out a chair for me...
“Yeah... I know” Sam said, as he threw his arm around my shoulder... I could feel myself blushing... I was just glad I wasn’t as fair as them... Or else it would have shown...
“She’s Samantha and I’m Samuel... That’s the only diff...” he said...
The rest of the evening passed by with them sharing a myriad of stories about their escapades to various countries and cities across the world...
“I had a ball today... Nathan and Rob are fun... Tom is a little shy, but I guess he will get over it...” I mentioned to Sam, as we walked out of Leopold...
We had plans of going back to his room and chilling for the afternoon... Just then we heard someone speaking behind us...
“Madam... Ganja, hashish, manali...Jo bolo sab milega... Chahiye kya?? Reasonable daam mein deta hoon...” he spoke under his breath...
I turned around to face the owner of the voice... “Arey... Punter... Tu... Kidhar tha itne din? Main Rosy ko poochha tere baare mein... Bola ki tu bahar-gaon gaya tha...”
“Arey madam, aap ho kya... Baal ka style sab badal diya na... Is ke liye, apun peeche se pehchana nahi... Haan, apun idhar nahi tha thode din ke liye...” replied Punter...
Punter was the guy I used to buy my regular supply of ganja and hashish from... Not even the most regular of customers had the privilege of knowing his real name... But I knew it... And it almost even made me feel proud...
“Toh bol na... Naya hair style achcha lag raha hai ki nahi?”
“Ekdum rapchik hai...” he winked and touched the top of his thumb to the top of his index finger, which indicated that it was good...
“Toh madam, kya doon aaj?”
I looked at Sam, with uncertainity...
“Aapka friend hai kya?”
“Haan... Mera friend hai... Amrika se aaya hai...”
“Toh usko bhi poochho na, kuch chahiye ki nahi?” suggested Punter...
“Hmmmm... Mere ko ganja chahiye” spoke Sam, in heavily accented Hindi...
“You know Hindi???” I asked him, shocked...
“Yeah...”
“But why didn’t you tell me before???” I quizzed him...
“It never came up...” he winked at me...
“Aur aapko madam?”
“Hmmm... Wahi hamesha ka de...”
He handed over 2 packets in my hand... But he looked around to check for any cops before he did so... I slipped the packets into the front pocket of my jeans...
“Yeh pakad... Baaki ka rakh...” I said, shoving some money into his hand... “Rosy ko phool khareed ke de... Abey Santosh, usko ‘I love you’ kabhi bolega re?” I teased him... Rosy was a girl who sold beads, and usually sat outside Leopolds itself...
“Kitni dafa apun aapko bola hai, apun ko Punter bulane ka...” he said, lowering his voice... “Aur Rosy ke baare mein kisi ko nahi pata hai... Toh idhar aisa chila ke nahi bolne ka... Apna ijjat hai idhar ka area mein...”
“Chal chal... Bada aaya ijjat wala...” I mocked him...
“Aur sahib, kabhi bhi kuch bhi mangta hain na, toh idhar aake Punter ka naam lene ka... Sab ko maloom hai main kidhar rehta hoon... Nahi toh, madam ke paas apna number toh hai... Chalta hoon madam...” he said, and struck a salute as he walked away...
“Nice boy... Wish he didn’t have to do this for a living...” I said...
“Sabki apni apni majbooriyan hoti hai” said Sam...
“Oh god... I can’t deal with this... Urdu??? Sam, are you really American???” I said, as I pretended to pull my hair out...
“Oh c’mon... Let’s go...” he said, as he playfully pulled me towards himself... He threw his arm around my shoulder, while I held him at the waist...



11 Oct
My phone rang... It was 4:30 in the morning... “Who hates me so much?” I mumbled to myself, as I hunted for my phone under my pillow...
It was Sam... Why was he calling this early in the morning?? Was something wrong??
“Hello... Yeah Sam... Tell me...”
“What...” I said in disbelief, as I sat upright... “That can’t be right... They can’t do this... Hold on, give me like an hour or so... I’ll be there...”
I don’t think I ever dressed that soon in my life ever... I was bathed, clothed and out of my house in 17 minutes, flat... I lied to mom that I had basketball practice at college; and was supposed to report for warm ups at 5:30 am... And I was already late...
I kept thinking about the phone conversation that Sam and I had... The whole train journey from Thane to VT, the same conversation kept playing in my head...
“The cops are here... They say that I will have to leave the country... They’re deporting me... Someone must have complained about my private tutions... They accuse me of working here on a tourist visa... I don’t know what to do...”
He had sounded so helpless... I had to help him somehow... I got off at VT station and almost jogged to the inn where he had taken a room on rent for the last 8 months...
“Mohit, is he alright?” I asked the inn-owner... Sam had introduced me to Mohit earlier, and we would regularly exchange pleasantries when we bumped into each other...
“Oh, thank god you’re here Samantha...” Mohit said... “He won’t listen to anyone... Maybe he will listen to you...”
“Don’t worry... I’ll take care of him” I said...
I meant it... I would take care of him...
“Sam, I’m so glad you’re here... I don’t get what they’re saying... Please explain things to them, will you!!” he pleaded...
“Will you please sit down and relax... Let me take care of this...” I said, trying to keep my calm... I couldn’t bear to see him like this...
I turned my attention to the two cops who were standing in the room...
“Tumhi kon?” one of them asked...
“Mi maitrin... Kai jhala kaka?? Mala saanga na...” I said, as I led them out of the room...
Over an hour later I walked back into Sam’s room...
“What did they say?? Did you take care of it?? I can stay here, can’t I?” he rapidly fired questions at me...
“Calm down, Samuel...” I said, as I took him by the shoulders... “I am not going to let you go anywhere...” I said...
I got out my phone and called my friend Talat Ahmed Khan... He was a well known name in the construction business, a guy with contacts high up in the bureaucratic system... I thought he would be the right person to ask for help...
“Hello... Tally... Sam here... Kaisa hai re tu...”
I smiled nervously at Sam, as I held the phone to my ear...
“Achcha, sun na Tally... Ek favour chahiye tha re... Kuch bhi madad mil jaye toh... (I paused as Talat replied...) Thanks jaan... Actually mera ek dost hain... Firangi hai saala... Thoda visa ka problem ho gaya hai... Tourist visa pe hain... Par usko abhi vaapas jaana hi nahi hai... Toh work visa ya kuch ho sakta hai kya?? Aaj hi police aayi thi... Ek sub-inspector Ameya Khadke... Achcha, pehchaan ka hai kya... Theek hai bhai... Baat karo na... Main tere phone ka wait karti hoon... Thanks re beta... Yeah yeah... Take care... Thanks huh!!!” I hung up...
“He says he will see what he can do... He should call back in an hour or so...” I informed Sam...
“Sam, can I ask you something?” I asked...
“Yeah girl... Anything!!!”
“The cops told me about some sex scandal shit... I don’t trust them... But where did that come from?? I am asking you coz my friend Tally who is going to help us out; he personally knows the cop who told me all this... So he might get information about it, and if he does question me, I don’t want to be blank...” I said, earnestly...
“Actually... Sam...” he started... He cleared his throat and continued... “He wasn’t lying completely... There is no scandal or anything...”
“Excuse me!!” I said, looking at him with my eyes wide open... The tone of my voice, rising with every second... “What do you mean by that, Sam?”
“Samantha, you remember what I said when we met Punter, your hash sellin boy? ‘Sabki apni apni majboori hoti hain’. I had to pay the rent for the room... I had to eat... I had to live... The tutions alone couldn’t pay for it all... So I used to pimp myself out... All of my customers were rich men from the western suburbs... They paid me well...”
My mouth was wide open...
“C’mon Samantha... Don’t misunderstand me!!!” he pleaded...
“And what part of this should I UNDERSTAND?” I asked, almost shouting...
“Calm down, Sam!!!” he said...
A drastic role reversal had happened in the last 10 minutes...
I sat down on the bed, and started sobbing...
“What’s wrong, girl??? Look at me...” he said...
“But... But...” I choked on my tears as I spoke... “You were different from the other men...”
“Wait a minute Samantha...” he said, stepping away from the bed... “You liked me??”
I looked up at him angrily... “Don’t you dare say that I liked you...” I said...
He looked down at the floor... I walked up to him and placed my hand on his chest and whispered... “Don’t you dare say I liked you... Coz I still like you...” and I smiled...
“Samantha, do you mean it??” he asked me, still unsure...
“Yeah... Dodo... I’m crazy about you... Why else do you think I dragged my arse out of bed at 5 in the morning??” I asked him...
He pulled me into a tight hug... We pulled away from each other after what seemed like an eternity... Just then my phone rang... It was Talat...
“Haan bol Tally... Achcha.. Toh tu kya bolta hai... Tu jaise bolega, hum log waise hi karenge... Haan bol na... Okay... Par problem toh nahi hoga na!!! Chal, thik hai... Thank you so much baby...”
I hung up and turned to look at Sam... He was looking at me expectantly...
“I’ve got good news and bad news... Which one do you want first??” I asked...
“Gimme the bad 1st... Save the best for last...” he said.
“The bad news is you won’t be here for my birthday on the 1st of Nov...”
He looked crestfallen... “And what’s the good news?”
“You’re going to be here for every other birthday for the rest of my life...” I yelled...
“Oh my god... Really??? I’m soooo happy Samantha... You’re a life saver...”
“Say thanks to Tally” I said...
“Thanks Tally... Thank you god...” he squealed...
I was happy to see him smiling again...
He noticed me staring at him...
“You’re way out of my league, girl... How did you fall for a loser like me??” he asked...
“What do I say to that?? I guess, I am a magnet for freaks...” I said tauntingly...

 
12th Oct
I went to the airport along with Kruti to see him off... Rob, Nathan and Tom had accompanied us as well...
Tally had suggested that Samuel leave town for a couple of weeks, until things cooled down here... He said that he would make all the arrangements for a work visa for Samuel... He would apply for a work visa for Samuel, saying that he was a new employee with his construction company; and thus, he would forward all of Sam’s papers... He said Sam could be back in the country in anywhere between 3 weeks to 1 ½ months... So that was the plan... Sam was currently flying off to Kathmandu; and was to stay there until he could come back to Mumbai on a rightful visa...
“I’m going to miss you” I told him, as I held him tight... I didn’t want him to see me cry...
“Me too” he replied; “Can I tell you something?” he asked...
“Yeah... Anything...”
He spoke in his heavily accented Hindi that always made me smile... “Samantha, mujhe tumse pyaar hai...” he managed to say with difficulty...
“Really?” I stared at him in disbelief... “I don’t appreciate jokes like these” I said, quickly regaining my serious stature...
“I am serious, Miss Samantha... I love you... I don’t expect you to reply after knowing the truth about me... But I do love you... I have never ever connected with anyone else like I did with you... We clicked, and you know it too... I know the truth about me must have shattered you... But I don’t want any more hanky-panky in my life... Inspite of all this, I don’t expect you to...”
I clamped his mouth shut with my hand...
“You talk too much... My turn now...” I smiled... “I love you too!!!”
He gave me a light peck on the lips...
“Awwwwwwwww” teased Kruti...
“Oh, shuddup...” I said...
“Until we meet again” he said...
“Take care of yourself...” I said...
I felt happy and sad at the same time as I walked out of the airport...

25th Nov:
I got a phone call from an unknown number... It was Tom... He had called to complain about how I had forgotten Rob, Nathan and him; now that Sam was gone...
To prove them wrong, I had to go meet them... We met at our regular place... Leopold’s... We spent the entire afternoon talking...
My phone rang in between... I recognized the number... It was from Sam...
“Guys... Shush... Shush... It’s Sam...” I said as I answered the call... “Hey baby, how are you doin?”
“Let us talk to him as well, you selfish bitch...” Tom joked... I passed the phone onto him... It was weird how I had said earlier that Tom was the quiet one... He seemed to have taken quite a liking to me in the recent few weeks...
“He’s asking for you...”said Rob, as he returned the phone to me...
“Yeah hon... I spoke to Tally... He says your papers should be done by tomorrow; and I told him to send the ticket from here... We can pay him when you get here...Perhaps you can be back in a day or two... Can’t wait to see ya... Love ya too... Muahs...” I hung up...
“To all of us being together... Soon... Very soon” toasted Rob... The 4 of us raised our glasses together... “Cheers” we said in unison...
 
29th Nov
Kruti called me... She sounded pretty worried...
“Sam, are you at home?”
“Yes... I am... What’s the matter???” I asked her...
“Oh my god... I’m so glad you’re safe... I thought... I thought...” ; she burst out crying before she could finish her sentence...
“But what happened Kruts?” I asked, irritated...
“Turn on the news, Sam...” was all she could say...
I promptly turned on the television set and started surfing channels... I wasn’t sure where the news channels were... I found a news channel after what seemed like an eternity... What I heard left me shocked...
“There are fresh reports coming in right now... There is a reported noise of firing coming from the Taj Mahal Hotel... It looks like our heritage structure is now under seige... In the meanwhile, we take you back to the Leopolds Cafe... The first round of firings happened there...”
Did she say Leopolds?? OUR Leopolds???
Pictures of all of us sitting there, happy and cheery, sharing our jokes, our beer and our food flashed through my mind...
“15 are feared dead in the Leopold firing and reports say that over 30 others are left greviously injured...”
The camera panned into a shot of Leo’s... It suddenly seemed so grim and dark... It didn’t look a bit like the place where I had first met my Sam... Or the place where we had spent several lazy afternoons with Rob, Nathan and Tom... Wait a minute, where were Tom, Rob and Nathan?? Were they alright?
I picked up my phone and frantically dialled Nathan’s number...
‘The Airtel number you are trying to reach is currently not reachable.”
I tried Rob’s and Tom’s numbers as well... Same reply...
I was losing my cool by then...
“Apna toh sab kuch khatam ho gaya hai... Ab kidhar jayenge hum log?” said a familiar voice... I turned my attention to the television screen... It was Santosh a.k.a Punter... He looked like he had been hurt, but I couldn’t exactly tell... I could feel my heart racing...
Just then my phone rang again... It was Sam this time...
“Are you alright, Samantha?” he asked me... “Did you hear the news??? I just heard... It’s terrible... Did you try getting in touch with Rob and the others?? I have been frantically trying them, but I can’t seem to get through” he said...
“Same here... I need to go now...” I said; as I hung up...
I ran to the washroom and I threw up...




 
31st Nov
Finally the shootings at Taj had seemed to come under control... People had begun moving out of their houses... Many of them had made trips to the sites where the shootings had happened... Nariman House, Taj Hotel, Leopold... But by and large, the streets were empty...
Given the fact that a bomb had blasted in a taxi as well, Kruti and I decided to play it safe; and we took her car and headed towards Colaba... Taking the train from VT station was anyways out of question...Another set of firings had happened at VT station, leaving a lot of people dead...
I had no clue how we were going to get about things... On reaching there, we started asking whoever we could about the procedures to find out about the missing people... A lot of people had been untraceable ever since that night...
The cops showed us a list... But all we could see on it were Indian names...
“Kaka, doosra kahi list aahe ka... Bagha na... Amche mitr ikadche navhte, Amriketoon aale hote...” I pleaded...
“Kai ga pori... Ikde Bharati lokana mahatva nahi det, tumhala Amriki mitranchi information pahijje?” he taunted...
“Let’s get out from here Kruts” I said, as I dragged her out of there... His reply had made one thing certain, we weren’t going to get any help from them... Just when every door seemed to be closing in on us, I noticed somebody else that I knew...
“Punter... Abey Punter...” I yelled; as I crossed the road to go over to where he was sitting... He wasn’t hurt, except for a few bruises here and there...
“Arey madam aap... Dekho na, kya haal bana diya apne ghar ka...” he sobbed as he pointed out to the place where his house used to once stand... “Aap theek kehte the... Rosy ko ‘I love you’ bol dena chahiye tha... Ab kabhi nahi bol paoonga... Woh toh gayi na...” he said; and broke into tears... I couldn’t stop my tears either... I hugged him until he calmed down a little...
“Arey main toh bhool hi gaya... Aap ka woh firangi dost log the na, us mein se do bhagwan ko pyare ho gaye... Ek bach gaya... Usko hospital le ke gaye hain...”
Kruts and I rushed to the hospital... We managed to find him there...
“We lost Rob and Nathan” were the first words he said on seeing me... He started sobbing unconsolably...
“Calm down, Tom” I said, as I took his hand in mine, “There’s nothing we can do about it now...”
“I should have died too...”
“Hey, c’mon Tom...” I said, trying to console him... “It’s a matter of fate... Your time hasn’t come as yet... I do agree it’s unfair... But we’re all helpless... Aren’t we?”
“But my leg, Sam...” he gestured towards his leg...
I lifted the sheet and almost screamed in shock... They had to amputate his leg, coz part of it had gotten smashed under the impact of a huge glass table that had fallen on him...
I spent the rest of the week taking care of Tom... I would visit him whenever I could... We spoke for hours; and he had actually started looking forward to the time I spent with him...
“Samuel is a lucky man, and I hope he knows it...” was all Tom said, before he left on a plane back to Yugoslavia... It broke my heart to see him leave on a wheelchair, when he’d come on his own two feet...




 
I used to speak to Sam on the phone almost everyday... Given the recent state of affairs, there were no new visas being issued to anyone... And given the fact that Sam had a Karachi visa stamp on his passport made things even worse... Tally was trying his best; and I couldn’t push it anymore...
Months passed and no news came about Sam’s paperwork...
 
Oct 27, 2oo9
Tally called to inform me that the paperwork had been completed... Sam could now come back to Mumbai and stay for as long as he wanted to... I couldn’t thank Tally enough...
He sent the tickets for Sam... And Sam was due to land in Mumbai on the 28th evening...
Sam specifically told me against coming to the airport to pick him up... He said we should meet at the usual place...
 
28th Oct, 2009:
I was so lost in my thoughts that my cigarette ash had fallen all over the table... I had not realized that I needed to flick... I sat there, statue like, until I heard a familiar voice...
“Sam...”
I looked up at his gorgeous face... His hair had grown, and he had styled it into a pony tail now... He had a thick beard growing... But his face still looked as gorgeous as I could remember it to be...
It had been over a year since we’d last met each other... But I still remembered every line on his face...
I threw myself into his arms... We hugged each and I could feel him sobbing...
“I really missed you...” he said..
“Me too... Shall we?” I asked...
“Yes, we should, he said, as he picked up his bag...”
As we walked out, we turned back one last time, to see the place, that even today, for us, held the meaning that it couldn’t for anyone else... I’m sure everyone had their stories to share... But this was ours for the telling...
“Taxi, VT station chaloge?” I asked the cabbie...
“Arey madam, aap...” the cabbie replied...
I bent down to see who it was...
“Abey Punter tu...Tu yahan kaise?” I asked, the tone of surprise apparent in my voice...
“Baitho toh sahi, bataoonga...” he said...
“Yeh mere chachu ki gaadi thi... Chachu ne gaadi Cama Aspatal ke udhar khadi ki thi... Firing mein unko pair pe goli lagi, ab woh gaadi chala nahi sakte... Toh main chala rahi hoon... Sahib ne us din sahi kaha tha... Sab ki apni apni majboori hoti hai...”
I looked at Sam... He looked at me... We smiled...
I placed my head on his shoulder, he stretched his arms around me... I closed my eyes...
I would miss Rob and Nathan; and I prayed Tom would get on with his life and take this in the positive spirit... I was happy that Punter was no longer selling drugs... I felt bad for Rosy and the hundred others who lost their lives; but I also shuddered to think of the fact that I could have been one of them... Had Sam gotten his visa work done earlier, we may have been at Leopold’s celebrating the cause with Rob, Nathan and Tom...
Like they say, everything happens for a reason... I got a second lease of life... And so did Sam... We plan on living our life to it’s fullest... This life of ours is gift from God... And he who gives, can take away as well...

(My prayers go out to those who lost their family/friends to the 29/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai... )