A Promise To Love

It was 5 pm.

Sky was still lit with light but sun had lost its intensity. Crystal clear blue water of the sea was sparkling in reflection of the light. It was gently touching white sand of the beach. Palm trees were dancing on the pleasant wind, as were the sailing boats, ferrying tourist on and off the island.

Somewhere in the blue water was a man wearing his swimwear, swimming passionately, taking plunges into the water. Swimming has been his hobby which he nurtured. It also served him well. He had a physic like a Spartan solider, muscles were as if curves on a sculpture. Ayush surfaced to gasp breath. Sun was directly in his eyes so he swung his hands in water to turn other way around, towards the beach.

Swam bit too far this time, he thought to himself while wiping water from his smiling face with his right hand. Ayush 26, 5 feet 7, working as senior physiologist in one of the best labs in India. Here, sea was not that deep. If lungs could hold some air, one could easily see the beauty of underwater. He took a deep breath and plunged back in, as deep as his leg could push him. Ayush always loved the underwater scenery here at Maldives. The light and water was clear enough to get to glimpse of this world.

He could see the ‘Anemone’ fish which almost looked like a bush with white tentacle dancing on the rhythm of water. But something on his right caught his attention. It was ‘angle fish’ with its light blue colored body, slightly greenish fin and a yellow mark in between, his opened mouth looked like big O. Each fish has some different pattern, different texture and brightness of color and with sea providing the great clear blue background each one looked magnificent. They were floating above jungle of tiny bushes which also had many different color, shapes swirling with water.

Aysuh kept surfacing for air after a while. Each time he could see he is nearer to beach.

Someone who hated waiting was waiting for Ayush on beach.

3 YEARS AGO ….

Ayush was waiting in lobby of a restaurant. He was celebrating. He was celebrating his first lucky break in past 3 months struggle for getting a job. But he didn’t look in jolly mood, in fact he was more tensed in this moment then he was at interview that afternoon.

“Keep it simple, nice and easy, shouldn’t be hard, I rehearsed it .. nothing to worry about” he could be easily heard by any one as he was talking to himself rather loudly.

He took a quick look at his watch and thought, “ok .. I have some time left, lets practice it one more time, in front of mirror.. it’ll give me some confidence”. He went in room “FOR GENTLEMEN”.

After assuring no other gentleman was in there, he took out a piece of paper from his cotton jeans, looked his reflection straight in eyes and started muttering words.

Ayush came out back to lobby, looking flushed, anything but relaxed, staring at the each door swing.

“Why does she always have to be late?” he thought as he took his mobile out of pocket and dialed her no.

Call waiting.

After much deliberation, she came to conclusion that the silk green colored, having high waist line and knee length dress does suits the occasion. Besides that it’s the only dress her heart really wants to wear tonight. It took her 25 mins to come this conclusion. After this it took her another half an hour to do her hair and make up. Almost 15 mins were lost on phone with her sister for her confirmation for the dress.

In all this process of getting ready, she forgot to do something extremely basic and important.

Aysuh finally saw her getting out of a cab through glass wall of lobby, and his heart skipped a bit.

Her blue eyes, her clam and compose posture commanded anyone’s attention even in the crowd. Her swirling keen high sleeveless silky green dress on her milky white completion, she was as good as an angle.

He forgot to get up; she came in and started to scan the lobby, what he thought was for him.

He immediately went to her, took her hand in his and started walking towards their table genteelly pulling her with him.

He sat almost instantaneously. As soon as she sat, he said “I .. uhh ..I wanted us to talk about something …. I ah ..”

For some reason a smile was rising on her face. He saw that, took a long breath so that he could finish his sentence in one go and said,

“Listen its extremely important for me to say that ……”

“Aayu .. wait …” she murmured.

He let go of his held up air and was looking at her in a bit of shock.

“Before you say anything I have to ….uh … just give me two min.” she took her purse and left FOR LADIES.

After finishing what she had forgotten to do at home, relieved Navya came out looking at her reflection in mirror.

As Navya looked in mirror for final touches, she recalled Ayush’s words and her mind wondered.

“Something important to say … what could that be … and he does look a lot serious… is he proposing by any chance… he does look good in that shirt …. Hey it’s the one I gifted him … well hang on lets not fly kites…. Last time when he started sentence with I wanted to talk to you something serious ended up me needing gym and looking fat… and I don’t think he even know that he loves me …”

He took a sip from the water glass in front of him as she was walking toward washroom.

He was sort of disappointed that he couldn’t finish what he had to say. He thought maybe she guessed and hence didn’t want to hear it. Other voice in his head said, so doesn’t meant its not important?

He made his mind to say it anyways… again the same rush he could feel in his blood.

“Yes Aayu .. while trying to leave early I forgot to use bathroom” she shrugged as she took a slip from her glass of water.

“Well …Navya we are together for almost 3 year now”

“To be exact Aayu its 4” she put down the glass.

“Yes, right and I think we know each well enough .. to.. uh ..”

“Of course … I think I know you better than you” she smiled at him. He looked rather discomforted the way she was cutting him.

“Yes, Navya … well my point is…. I ahh .. I mean your turning 25 now ..”

“Next month .. I know, should I order the starters?”

He nodded and handed over the menu card.

“Navya the thing is …”

“What .. what is it” she said it while reading the menu item to her self.

He took a long breath, relaxed himself on chair, sat right up, matching her eyes and said,

“I think I Love you and we should get married”

He didn’t see her face as it was covered behind the menu card. He thought to himself maybe she didn’t hear me. He positioned his elbows on table to get close to her and said,

“Navya I love you and we should get married”

She put down the menu card and looked him in his eyes and said “ok” started searching for Panner items for starter.

He was more puzzled than before. She didn’t get it properly I guess.

“yes , I m ordering Paneer kabab, how about you?” she put down the menu card.

“Navya I was serious.”

“if you are serious you should go to hospital.” She forcefully giggled.

He didn’t know what say.

To help him Navya said “listen I m hungry can we order and keep discussing, I hope waiter doesn’t keep us waiting .. I hate waiting”

Her tone was a bit serious on the end of that sentence. Ayush nodded.

Both of them ordered.

She didn’t say word to him. Though he had a lot of doubt, he reserved them for discussion over the food.

Navya broke the silence and said, “why are you so tense?”

“Well .. I don’t know whats your response to what I asked … what you suppose me to be”

“Humm, right, what do you thing I might say?”

“Well … you look like you’d blow me away or you might just say …..” he didn’t completed his sentenced.

She smiled, laid back on her chair, keeping her elbows on the chairs arm, closing her palms she said “Yes, I might say yes .. just might, but why should i? after all it took you 4 years”

“Well, in my defense, it wasn’t easy, 4 years ago, I didn’t think I could even be close you”

“See that’s the problem, you think too much, that’s what puts any women off”

“Well, if I had said anything I m sure I wouldn’t even had a chance, as I had barely achieved anything in life at that point of time”

“And now you think you have?”

“Navya, today itself I got the internship confirmation, now I have a good future…”

Before he finishes she said, “ and that should make me feel like marrying you .. coz you have some future ….”

“No but that should give you security … and”

“Don’t tell me anything but why I should?”

“Well, I …. Uh ”

“… Tell me why Aayu…”

“When I am with you I think nothing is impossible, I am some one like superman who could save the world and I know me and I never felt like that ever before we met, I know I have faults and I know its not done yet, but you make me want to do something each day to better myself. Your smile make me smile even in the worst failure, with you failure is means having to try one more time ….i think I only live when I am with you”

A tear came down her eye.

Food arrived and served.

“So Navya … what would you say if I say I want to marry you?”

She took a bit of her Paneer Kabab and said,

“I’d say YES even before you’d ask the question, YES only if we go to Maldives each year”