A Love story...

Was walking down Brigades on the way back from Blossom's with P, and there was this old sweet couple walking in front of us. Old - 70ish and sweet - they were holding hands. Yes it was an 'awwww' moment. And I think P said something on the lines of 'this is what I want, to walk down Brigades when I am old with my hubby, free, happy and in love'. Completely agree with you P. And this story has been lingering in my mind ever since. Not really a story. Some bit of it is real... :)

Arundhati waited for him with a glass of milk when he was back from his long walk. He smiled his thanks and walked towards the study, newspaper in hand and switching on the laptop whiled he gulped the milk. He had not forgotten the date . It was the 20th of April. He knew he would have mail today, announcing the venue of the meeting. And sure enough, the promised info was waiting in his inbox. He read the mail quickly. It contained nothing else, just the name of the restaurant where the meeting was arranged and nothing else. He closed his laptop, lost in thoughts. There was still time before he needed to leave home again. He had already packed everything that he would need.

He wandered into the kitchen chatting with Arundhati, cutting onions, adding dhaniya patta into the sabji until Arundhati chased him out of the kitchen, telling him it was time to get 'hygienic'. He laughed and said , he was not going to challenge her monopoly after all these years.

He left home after breakfast. He had not been to Cicero's in years. It looked different now. But the crowd was still a good mix of youngsters and the old. The deep red sofas looked familiar and it definitely felt familiar. He smiled. He ordered coffee and looked around while he waited.

He didn't want to think about the meeting. He read the snippets about coffee on the wall in front - 'It is legal for a wife to divorce a husband if he did not provide her with a daily cup of coffee' . He had to smile at that one. He has always been a 'tea' man. So he could afford to sympathize with the coffee husbands.

And then he watched the lady in white walk towards his table. Age had not diminished the power of her smile . It was still impish. She sank into the sofa opposite to him and continued smiling. He said ' So how have you been'. ' Beautiful, as ever' . And she laughed. That was always the answer. He had to smile . That answer set the tone for the evening. They talked about old times. Happy, sad ones. They talked and just talked. It was almost nine and it was almost time to leave when he asked ' Have you found happiness?' . The reply was 'Yes, and peace'. He had to ask. He looked at her one more time and then it was time to leave. She got up and they walked out of the cafe together. She touched his arm and asked ' So until the next decade?' . He smiled and waved as he walked away.

He walked back home and Arundhathi was waiting for dinner this time. As he ate , he watched his wife of 30 years. Arundhati looked up at him, with a raised brow. He smiled and said ' you look beautiful tonite!'.

P.S. I didn't to end it on a sappy note., But hey I had given a fair warning. It is supposed to be a love story ..:)