Till we meet again...

PART ~1

(Image credits: Imgfave)

Sam moved towards the window, it was late already... The whole office fell silent, as everyone finished their work for the day, and left the place, spilling as light beams to different directions...

He peeled the curtains aside to view outside... Gasped and drew out his iPhone.

His eyes unblinking... He saw something, his heart beating faster... He scrolled the texts desperately of 'Alumni Batch 2012' group on WhatsApp... His eyes caught the name, yes he saw it, he tried to convince himself. He sighed... drew a deeper breath... "Jenny".

"Jenny..." His heart raced... 

There were few conversations in group about Jenny.

"Jenny & Sam..." Ex flames... Cutest pair!

Sam stood in silence... He pushed back his iPhone on his office desk and rested himself on the chair.

He closed his eyes, and sat silently in the quiet office building. Outside the window, the dim crescent silver Moon that hung in the inky skies, hid behind the dark clouds...

Sam glanced at his watch, its 9p.m; he picked his files and laptop and packed up his work.

A flash of forked lightning and a clap of thunder close upon each other...

It began to pour heavily; he crouched inside his Volkswagen and drove for home. Sheets of cold rain pounded on the roof of Sam's Volkswagen... He suddenly rolled his car to a stop.

'Jenny's favorite cafe' he still remember the place... He stopped for a hot cup of coffee... 

The room smelled irresistibly of Vanilla, Cocoa and pastries... Sam settled himself on a chair, near the entrance door.

A young couple sat opposite him, sharing a molten chocolate cake... The girl leaned her face closer to the boy, whispering something in his ears and smiling, later resting her head on his shoulders, her soft curls falling over her heart shape face...

Sam turned to gaze outside the window, it was still pouring out... 

He sipped the mocha and stared outside absently, his heart sinking as he watched the raindrops dripping from the cherry red cafe roof... 

He glanced at an image on his iPhone, an image that brought back distant memories... a solitary teardrop leaked from the corner of his eye... It was a shard of memory that pierced his heart... He clung to the image, tried to call her name, but his lips wouldn't work. The memory reel was rolling forward, out of his grasp... 

His eyes filled with tears, he lowered his head, closed his eyes and gasped.... 

*Flashback*

(Image credits:Instagram)

Sam sat alone sipping the coke greedily in the college canteen. "Hey..." few minutes later Jenny joined him, she was holding a pink pamphlet in her hand, "Did you read this?" - She pointed her turquoise blue painted nails at the pamphlet, gesturing to Sam... 

"Hmm.." - he simply nodded and sipped his coke. Jenny leaned closer, her mouth so close that Sam could smell her strawberry lip gloss. "And... We are joining..."- she chirped. "NO..." Sam didn't seem convinced with the idea...

"Sammy..." Jenny stood up, and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, kissed his cheeks...

Sam first shoke his head as a 'No', then playfully slapped her hand, her bracelets rattled...

"Only for you..." - he spoke, finally agreeing.

"Valentines Day Party... college event like never before... " Sam read the pink leaflet to himself, as Jenny left with her friends for shopping.

Fairy lights were strewn around the Entrance... A banner hung above the door, in sparky, glittering red letters, "Valentines Day Party" ... Heart shaped balloons were visible everywhere in the campus... Heat lamps were set up along the walls making it feel cozy... 

The room inside smelled a mix of various perfumes and make-up... 

The DJ cranked some awesome music, as young pairs holding hands, danced under the Disco lights spiraling above their heads.

Jenny flipped her hairs over her shoulder, they were perfectly blow dried, her skin looked glowing, she wore a fitted red cocktail dress and high, strappy  heels to match the look... 

A rush of warm air greeted her as she swept inside the campus. Her cell phone suddenly bleated... *Text from an unknown number* Jenny stared the screen unblinking, for a long moment... Her heart lurched; suddenly her skin began to fade from pink to pale... She gasped and let out a small groan.

The image attached with the text message, seemed branded on the back of her eyelids. She tightened her fists and walked inside...

Sam danced hugging a girl under the oscillating spotlights; he wore a gorgeous black suit... The alcohol had definitely gone to Sam's head. He hugged her thin waist and danced as Alicia Keys blasted over the stereo... Unaware of 12 missed calls from Jenny.

Jenny watched helplessly, the disco lights reflected off her shimmery eye shadow. 

She was so angry that her teeth began to chatter.

Sahil and his friends laughed, clicking their glasses and high fived each other, standing at an acute distance...

Jenny pulled the two apart, "Jenny... " Sam stammered... Before he could even blink, Jenny slapped him hard, her hand making a loud sound against his cheeks.

The slow song now playing in background seemed agonizing.. Sam froze. He watched silently as Jenny whirled away and left, pushing the gasping and glaring party crowd...

Sam's iPhone buzzed, breaking the silence.

He looked around, his eyes wet... The cafe was empty and silent...

It was 10.11 p.m, he stirred the engine to life and drove home.

(Image credits: Imgfave)

Story continues in Part ~2 .... 

~Forever in my Heart~

I sometimes still fight the reality, it seems so hard, but have to accept the truth.

"We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to."
- C.S Lewis

"Ah..."- I sigh briefly... 

I would visit her often at my dad's younger brother's house, she would be sitting on a cushioned couch, watching a TV show, but I know it certainly well... Every day of the week, thoughts about me would cross her mind. I would greet her cheerfully, calling her my 'old girl' ( oh, she was chatty, happy, my cuddly teddy bear, I had so often wondered what was she like, when she was like me, my age?) 

I would greet her with a tight warm hug and kiss her cheeks, it was like wrapping yourself to coat of happiness, all my worries and insecurities would just disappear suddenly, like evaporate in thin air.... when I was with her. 

I miss her, so much... Her voice when she would call my name, she would wrap her love, to every vowel, it had never sounded such sweeter to me. 

I loved her the most, but I regret myself, to have denied all chances of spending much time with her. 

Dadi I wish you were with me.

I realize now, I lost my bestest friend... My Buddy for life! 

Time, they say, it heals... Seasons change ( just like you observe in the nature cycle) .. It was... Though it still hurts, was a season of pain, season when the trees shed their yellow, brown & sometimes orange leaves.

 A season of bereavement, loss, pain, memories... 

When the bare trees stand alone, silently, in silence waiting... Their stretched branches seems to be pleading to heavens, seeking grace, imploring with aching arms, their branches, that stretch forever to the Creator. 

How often, and how quickly we complain to God, that invisible powerful source, (that no one has ever really seen, no one...) About our lives, our cares, the burdens we are forced to carry... 

Our backs are hunched, we keep cold shoulders, disappointed with ourselves, with people, with circumstances, even disappointed with God, though now as we complain, we rather doubt, we doubt if he does really exist? Or even sees us fall and fail and crumble?

 

Even I questioned, I was doubtful too... Why would such a thing ever happen to her, my granny? Why would a kind, loving and religious soul like her, ever had to experience suffering, why would the life swallowing cancer cells attack her?

I still have many questions to ask from God? I have unresolved issues with him. 

Gosh... I'm not being hard... But I'm expressing just what I really felt.

Plain, unadulterated truth...

**Flashback** 

#Memories ... 

It was evening hour (exactly a month after Granny's 90th birthday),  I was reading a novel on my tab... When mum received call from dad, (Oh my Gosh.... This is early.... Not even prepared for this...) Mum told get dressed we have to go to Dadi's place now.... Even then I thought it mustn't be that serious, not that, of course ... (We'll pray... she will feel much better then... ) 

As usual I was unable to haste; I went with my brother later after my mum reached to Dadi's place before me. (Okay... Sigh!)

She (granny) was lying on bed and she recognized me, her voice so feeble and faint, you had to bend nearer to her, but she recognized me... (Oh God... That was the last day, just the few precious breaths, precious moment in time, I wish God held the earth, like it would literally stop, just let me see her and talk to her enough... Plz... Before she...) 

No one in this world can ever replace my Granny... #Irreplaceable #Unconditional love...

And I know she'll love me forever.. . Even in heaven she would miss me... Since I was her favorite (grandchild)....

And one day... We will meet... And will talk... talk... talk....talk.... (Not everyone knows that I can talk a lot) 

Life goes on.... 

Bare branches grow leaves again...

After the storm ceases, then appears a rainbow...

Some wounds, some pain... Take time to heal... Sometimes it's better if they remain unnoticed by the world's eye...  Cause they are stories... Memorable... Memories....

Scars that sparkle... Scars that narrate an untold story... 

I Glimpse through the pages of past... A moment that passed away so fleetingly, I tried hard... Fought with might to grasp, grasp that thread... Just the gossamer single thread even, to catch the moment I will for eternity long, held it close as a treasure... I wouldn't bury it...I will knit it with a golden lace... Cherish it as a precious pearl...  

And I glimpse, tried too hard to keep my eyes awake, just once Lord... Just once... I would plead... Let me please, let me keep...

Let me see her once even if it's a fleeting moment in time... Her silver hairs, her wrinkled skin, the contours of her face that narrate her life story... 

I would just sing her a lullaby, gently caress her, soothe her pain and see her pale, aged eyes, slowly drop... Sinking, sinking low in the myriad of dreams... 

Fall asleep my old girl, you have wrestled with such forbearance and bravery... 

Oh thy much perseverance and kindness, may we embrace them and preserve them gloriously... 

And spread it as branches; spill it as a sweet perfume... 

Sleep thee ever so beautifully... 

For thy scars has earned thee.. The Gates of Eternal Paradise...

Forget us not... Oh we plea...

Wait till we meet thee in heavens... A company in gleaming, pearly clouds.. This time to keep for eternity...

People may die... But memories, memories live forever!

****

In loving remembrance of my Grandmother, whom I loved dearly, will always do... 

The tides of Time cannot erase away the precious memories that shall be etched forever in my heart....