Let's Walk Together

 She couldn't believe her eyes. Never thought, any day in life it would be possible for her to see him in person. Her huge eyes refused to blink for a moment and kept looking at him for a long. It all seemed like a dream to her.

With a smiling face, Sameer's gaze was fixed on her widening eyes, wondering how long it would take Shally to recognize him. 

At first glance, he did not look like a stranger at all. Since she was a little hesitant about this meeting, his broad smile had erased all her doubts. 

Holding a bag in one hand, and the other still tingled in the air, where he expected her to grab it. 

After a while he beamed down at her, however, she only gazed back adoringly. His magnetic and pleasing personality had a great impact on Shally. Both couldn't resist the resonating intensity of their connection. 

Although the four-hour journey by car had left him a little tired, he looked fresh and radiant.

Shyly, she held Sameer's outstretched hand, tingled in the air with little hesitancy.  

Sameer's gaze was fixed on her face, such a lovely and innocent face, a purely pristine beauty. 

Feeling the warmth of Sameer's hands, Shally felt as if she was going to melt completely. 

It's been one year since they met online on a social media platform. Both developed an instant liking towards each other yet were unsure of going into a relationship. 

At first, they chatted casually, but over time, their feelings for each other became too strong. 

After some great chatting sessions, Sameer worked up the courage to ask Shally for her number.

Gradually, their messages turned into phone calls and then video calls. 

From day one, things were going great between them. While chatting, every day together, they try to bring out the best in each other. Both shared a passionate relationship and incredible conversation. 

Three months passed but neither of them dared to show the other person what they felt about each other.

Both of them were afraid of falling in love, perhaps due to the constraints circumstances, and limitations in their personal lives. 

Sameer working in an IT establishment in Delhi, was a good-looking and tall guy. A few years ago he lost his beloved wife in a fatal accident. Both of them had a love marriage and life was going very well between them.

Sheetal, a beautiful girl, true to her name, was a very calm, caring wife and a devoted daughter-in-law.

After Sheetal's death, it was not easy for Sameer to recover from such a shock, however seeing his sick and grieving mother, he quickly pulled back himself and tried to live a normal life.

  

After a few years, while talking to Shally online, unknowingly his heart got attracted to Shally. 

On the other side, after a few months of chatting, Shally was still focusing on customary things and didn't melt down about her tender feelings for him. 

Deep inside she loved the excitement in his husky voice when he twinkled with new ideas, and most of the time she couldn't stop herself from getting lost in his mesmerizing voice. 

Just a few days before, sleep was far away from her. For the last many days, she was trying not to think of him, but feelings betrayed her, and all her efforts failed. She started missing his presence, even if they never met in real.

Gradually she surrendered herself completely to the circumstances. Perhaps it was God's wish, otherwise, why would she bump into Sameer at this stage of life? She was about 38, single for the last few years. 

One fine morning, Sameer mustered courage and called her to fix a meeting, a real meeting. After meticulous planning, one November weekend, they met at Shally's place. 

.............. 

 

Today wasn’t her average day, like any other. She woke up with a beautiful smile. Obviously, for the first meeting, she was over-anxious, and filled with excitement than she'd ever been.  

Despite limitations that were preventing her from actually meeting with him, her happiness was radiating off from her body and face.  

After dressing while staring back, she was unable to believe that it was she, who was reflected in the mirror, as a beautiful and graceful lady. 

Just then the doorbell rang. And now he was merely a step away from her. She was just numbed and breathless, not a word came out from her mouth. 

“Hey, what are you thinking? 

It's me, Sameer."

It took a moment for her, to settle down. Sameer standing next to her was almost towering her, he was still holding her hand. 

Instantly Sameer's touch awakened her desires, and she felt a little aroused. 

Years after, her nostrils filled with masculine aroma she had long forgotten. She quickly freed her hand and gestured to come inside. 

Sipping a cup of tea together on the balcony, both were looking towards a small garden in front of her house. A lush green garden. For the last few months, most of the time she used to sit here in his absence, thinking only of him.

They didn't talk too much to each other, but the feeling of love was growing inside them. 

Because of her past relationships, there was no such thing as planning to fall in love with someone in particular, but at this point, she could not avoid being emotionally attached to him. 

His courteous behavior has overwhelmed her. While talking she saw an innocent child still alive in him, perhaps this was his childhood that made him the ideal human today. 

While having tea, Sameer could not take his eyes off her face. Wearing a red kurta and white churidar with a matching white dupatta, she looked stunning, and her beautiful eyes captured his heart. The open hair falling on her shoulders was enhancing her beauty. 

He couldn't resist himself anymore, Leaving the cup on the side table, he walked towards her, slowly moved his hands,

"May, I"

 and held her in his arms. 

Shyly she too hugged him.

Closed eyes ...

Pin-drop silence ...

And a hug... 

A warm hug melted away all her nerves and she immediately felt comfortable with him.

So pure and sacred relationship. They didn't want to let go of each other.  

Suddenly she opened her eyes and came out of that. 

She told him about the hardships she had to face as a woman and the tough decisions she had to make in her life when she freed herself from the sagging relationship. 

The impact of divorce left her jarring. It was Unexpected and Painful.

With time, she tried to convince her mind and gradually attempted to pull herself together, yet she couldn't succeed much. 

Sameer kept listening to her attentively and wished to share Shally's entire life's sorrows and sufferings in that one moment. He was feeling the intensity of her pain in his veins perhaps he too had lost his spouse, albeit for different reasons.

While holding her both hands, he looked straight into her eyes and said: 

"I can understand what phase you have gone through. Please, get a grip on yourself and move on, I'm with you."

The way he offered words full of solace and comfort and assured her she was not alone, touched Shally. 

Unexpectedly, she felt safe with him and again yearned to be snuggled up in his arms, however, she held herself back.

....... 

Even after talking for hours, Sameer could see that there was something else that she wanted to cover up or was afraid to bring to light.

She paused and thought about where she should start her story, the endless wait of 8 years, medical procedures, full of hope, excitement, and finally disappointment. The pain of experiencing insensitive remarks and questions from family, friends, and even from random people about kids. 

Like any other arranged marriage, initially, life with Aakash was exciting and adventurous, full of thrill. 

After a few years of marriage when she couldn't conceive, she felt something missing in her life. She too had dreams about babies and was fascinated by pregnancy. 

But unaware of Shally's feelings, the frustrations of Akash and his family increased day by day.

With time differences started arising between the two regarding the child, which ultimately resulted in divorce. 

She felt deep and indescribable pain at the loss of her lifelong relationship. It was really a tough phase of life. That time she didn't know how to permanently remove someone from her life whom she loved deeply from the core of her heart.

Suddenly she came out of the memories. She was reluctant to reveal the real reason for the divorce despite Sameer's prodding. She did not want to turn off their mood by letting out about her problem in the very first meeting.

Hence she took shelter in the silence and preferred to remain mute on the topic. 

............. 

After living beautiful and memorable moments together, neither of them wanted to separate. 

While talking, both of them did not realize when the time had come to say goodbye.

Parting hug: 

awkward silence:

and quivering lips: 

In between existed thousands of unspoken words. Two pairs of eyes met with a silent promise to meet again. 

Before leaving both of them waved goodbye to each other. 

Sameer nodded and was going to sit on the driving seat, suddenly he turned and swung backward.

Without wasting a moment he came close to her and planted a sweet peck on her forehead.

She couldn't help but be impressed by his lovely gesture, how he made her day by doing such a simple thing. 

After Sameer left, Shally kept thinking about him for hours. His hug and kiss kept popping back into her mind. The whole night her heart ached for him at the thought of being separated. 

.................. 

Life once again started going on in the same monotonous routine, the same running around in the office all day long, the same people, and the same boss's whims. 

But their conversation on the phone in the evening used to make their lives lively and vibrant. 

Another month passed, and it seemed like both became inseparable.

Unexpectedly one weekend in January Sameer decided to make a surprise appearance. After a long gap, longing and passion could be seen in the eyes of both.

The whole day both shared a meaningful time together. 

At the end of the day, both ended up taking a long walk around the lakeside together, until came to a huge Buddha statue.

It was a beautiful, romantic evening of winters and the setting sun was filling the sky with brilliant colors.

Suddenly Sameer stopped in the middle. Holding her hands gently, he looked straight into her eyes and spoke out: 

"Will you marry me?

 It would be a privilege for me to spend the rest of my life with you."

She already knew at any time he would get a decision from her about his plan.

She wanted to express her feelings openly.

"The happiness you gave me in such a short period was unlike anything I had ever experienced, and it came when I needed it most. You are my safe place where I find solace and peace."

Although it was a dream proposal she had been waiting for months,  with wet eyes, she preferred to wear the cloak of silence by not acknowledging her soft feelings toward him. 

Seeing her silence, Sameer remained silent for a moment and then spoke in a serious tone, "Oh you want to think, it's ok."

Sameer turned back and stood helpless and silent in front of the lake for some time with his head bowed.

After he left she got lost in thoughts for a long time. Did he get upset with me and leave, will he never talk to me again?

Is it so, that when life knocked at the door she did not answer and ignored the opportunity. Did  he really mean what he said? His words still echoed in her ears. 

The whole night she kept on tossing and turning and finally decided, first thing in the morning she would tell him everything about herself over the phone. 

Although it was a big decision after taking it wholeheartedly, she slept peacefully till morning.

Morning sunlight was shining through the window pane of her room, it seemed as if her morning was also smiling at her and whispering in her ears, "Let yourself flow with nature and be ready for the decision of the Almighty. The one who is right for you will appear at the right time, either as a friend or as a life partner."

 

Humming, she got up picked up the phone, and dialed Sameer's number. 

Without wasting even a speck of time, she told everything about herself to Sameer in one breath. After revealing the real reason for separation, suddenly she felt a sense of relief.  

Hearing her Sameer remained silent for a few moments, then said, "I have just left for the office and am stuck in traffic, catch you later."

And he immediately hung up the phone. She kept looking at the phone silently for a long time as if she did not believe that Sameer would disconnect the phone so soon.

That day she took off from the office and the whole day was on the phone at home. Again and again, her gaze fixed on the phone willing it to ring. 

Since morning she was waiting anxiously for the sound of the phone to ring in the deserted house. It was already 2 o'clock.  

Does it mean it is a bad news? What if he didn't call at all? After all, he too has a plan of having a perfect family life. 

She kept trying to stop thinking about him, but it wasn't working. She wanna told him, "My heart swings back and forth, counting endless reasons to love you. I wish you would come back and wipe away my tears of longing to see you."

With a sigh, she stood up from the chair and walked towards the window. It was not a sunny day like the morning, making her a little sad. She missed the afternoon sun, the way it usually came in through the window to warm her.

 

Suddenly her phone rang loudly behind her, she immediately turned around and almost ran towards the phone and quickly answered, "Hello."

She was startled for a moment to hear a familiar voice on the other end, different from the one she had been expecting since morning. Just then her eyes fell on the screen of the phone displaying an unknown number. 

How could she forget that voice even after years? The voice for which she was once crazy about. 

It was Akash, her ex-husband whom she loved to bits. 

Where did Akash get her number?

Pretending not to recognize the voice, she asked, "Hello, who is this"?

Suddenly she reminisced, that a few months ago she heard that Aakash had lost his wife while giving birth to their second child. 

Didn't know why that day, she felt sympathy toward him. After all, both of them had been together for 8 years. Many beautiful moments were among those, which she still cherished.

A few months before the divorce, despite Akash's rude behavior, feelings almost vanished along with him, still some beautiful memories were hunting her for what she once felt. 

But for the last year, ever since she met Sameer online, Akash's memories started fading from her mind.

And today, when a beautiful chapter of her life is about to start, why did Akash call her?

Just then her eyes fell on the phone and saw her mother was calling. She quickly disconnected the call from the unknown number.

"Hello, Mom."

At first, her mother talked casually and then came to the real point and said, "Yesterday Akash and his mother both came to our house and his mother once again wished to resume the marriage of Akash and you. "

She paused for a while, took a deep breath, and said in a low voice. 

"I'm not interested anymore. Sorry Mom, right now I'm in a hurry, i will call you soon.”

 (So now he needs a nanny for his kids. That was the reason for the call.

When my dream of motherhood was over, how terrible that painful feeling was, the failure, the shame. I became socially isolated. That was the time when I required family support the most, they abandoned me.

Despite how hard I moved and changed my career, even changed the city, it took me a while to distract myself from my grief. Now I am quite content with my life and quite aware of the otherness of not having children.

And they need me again, for their selfish purposes.)

After disconnecting Mom's call, she immediately blocked the unknown number. 

............ 

Lying on the sofa chair nearby, she was fully awake, probably not able to shut off the thoughts of Sameer, whom she longed for from the core of her heart. 

(Whether Sameer comes into my life or not, even if I have to live single again, I will never step back towards the Akash, at least now I can enjoy life on my own terms.)

 After a lot of thinking, she heaved a sigh of relief and closed her eyes while lying on the sofa. In between she didn't know when sleep consumed her.  

As she drifted off to sleep while waiting for hours, she heard the doorbell. 

A gentle knock on the door swept up her feet and when she opened it, love was standing in front of her, she just screamed with joy, “Sameer, it's you." 

All the effort Sameer had put in while traveling such a long distance was worth it, after catching a glimpse of the happiness on her face when she saw him standing at the door.

His voice trembles tremendously with the words, like a tremor, a crack in the human body.

"You have disappointed me a lot yesterday. I loved you for longer than I care to admit. Honestly, parts of me wish I hadn't fallen for you, but it makes my heart hurt a little more every time we linger."

She felt a lump in her throat and burst into tears, knowing he still loved her, no matter what flaws she had. With closed eyes, she surrendered herself to the love of her life. In his arms, she felt complete and proud of everything.

Shally blossomed at the thought of spending the rest of her life with Sameer just as nature blossomed into a beautiful and divine sight with the arrival of spring. 

Every pore of her body was oozing out with the happiness and purity of her soul. That was the moment she decided, she deserved nothing but love. 

.............**................**.............