A Pleasant Surprise

Her memory had begun to shape an outline, as she held the lackluster autograph book in her hands. It was lost in the mess of the shelf like her days of yore.

Priya was on a cleaning spree, having found time.

Some old periodicals were piled and needed to be discarded. It was late afternoon. Her mom had reminded her twice for lunch.

"Priya! This is the last reminder."

"Think of me at least."

"I am starving."

"Coming amma. Give me five minutes please."

Notwithstanding the nagging, she kept ransacking.

Lo! what she found -her autograph book with nuggets of good vibes. A pleasant surprise that was.

She was in the last year of engineering. It was the last day. A bunch of classmates met in a coffee shop after writing the last paper. She was late.

"Where were you Priya? We have been waiting to begin the party."-Bishu- inquired.

Behind the trail of amused glances and whispered utterances, the echo of his screeching voice traveled the entire length and breadth of the coffee shop.

She made her way silently across.

 "I went to visit my aunt. She is very sick."She replied quietly, holding back anger.

The munching and sipping session was followed by autographs. She valued handwritten messages a lot. To her, typed messages lacked soul.

When she read Bishu's message back home, she was on cloud nine.

"You are genuine" -made her swirl. Yet she didn't open up. 

Blush and smile varnished her demeanor now, as she read it over and over again.

She had lost contact after joining the job but distinctly remembered parting words of Bishu as his eyes started moistening.

"I am just a phone call away."

 Priya had just kept quiet.

"Bishu! Priya here."

"Omg! You took so long dear. Is it 'Yes' from you?"

"Yes."

The year of a pandemic must have spawned many quaint love stories like Priya's.

"Homebound"-the coinage not only addressed our safekeeping but also made us feel subtle touches of nostalgic moments.