Let’s Part Now, Forever

Day Six, 06:00 AM

She looked stealthily at the almost deserted bus stop.

Yes, he was not there, the imposter...... man; why doesn't he understand I don't want to meet him!

She stuck to her usual spot and smiled at some regular commuters. Baani got this bank job during the final year of her post-graduation. She was very happy to get this decent job, but the problem was, the distance between her hometown and work place. She has to travel 80 km every day to get to her work place and the same distance to come back.

The bus came at its usual time, she got into it behind the regular commuters.

He's isn't on the bus too, what a relief.

She took a window seat in the almost empty bus. This is one of the finest day when he wasn't around, now she can sit quietly and nap a little. She placed her head on the seat cushion and tried to rest a little in the jolting bus.

"Ticket madam." said the bus conductor who was standing beside her seat.

"Mali Town," said she, and gave him the money.

Thank God, he isn't paying the bus fare today.

She again placed her head on the seat cushion and lost in her reveries.

Mali Town, 06:45 PM

It was a hectic day at the bank, she couldn't get rid of her duties by 05:15. She could get 05:30's bus from Rao Nagar to Mali Town. Winter days are short and it was dark when she reached at the Mali Town bus stand, there was no bus to her hometown Will City.

She looked at the thin crowd at the bus stand and it was a relief again that he wasn't there. When the bus came at 07:15 the bus stand was engulfed by the thick fog. The bus was almost empty, there were all male passengers, some seem drunk. She looked for an empty seat, she found one in the rear.

She took the seat and looked around, the male passengers penetrating glances were disturbing her. If Sidharth, Sid was with her no one would have dared to look at her so absurdly.

To the hell, why should I depend on anybody, I have to work all my life and don't know how long will this commuting go on. I'm okay, let the fools stare at me as long as they wish. The relief is, that fool Sid isn't around to stare back at them and make her embarrassed.

He is also a commuter like her, don't know where does he work, whatever he told about his job was dull. He came across just three months ago, he started talking to her, his conversation became bored with time passed. You are boring Sid, why don't you understand? I don't need a boy...... a boyfriend, I'm okay. I'm fine alone.

The journey back to Will City was boring, she napped a little. One thing was remarkable, none dared to sit beside her. She reached at Will City at 09:30 PM. She knew her mother would be worried, but she is always worried. She thought about Sid, thank God another day passed without him.

Day Seven, 02:35 PM

It was not one of those hectic days, less crowded in the bank. She had taken her lunch and now gossiping with her colleagues. It was very cold outside, but rather warm inside the bank premises. Bank manager Mr. Swami was busy in his glass cabin, suddenly a sharp sound of his cabin phone ring echoed. Mr. Swami took the phone, talked to someone and placed the phone on his cabin table and rushed out.

"I bet your phone Baani, your dude is calling,' said Mili, the bank cashier.

"Why, my cell phone is on, and he is just a fellow traveler not anything else?" said Baani.

"Rajeev come here, we need to send some reports to zonal office." said Mr. Swami, looking at another office employees..

"Don't worry Baani, not your phone." said Mr. Swami with a smirk.

The lunch was over, Mili cast a meaningful glance at Baani and went back to her work.

Baani came to her work desk, tried to show herself busy on the computer, but there was a storm inside her, just a call from that idiot Sid has ruined her reputation.

She always curses the day when she gave her mobile phone number along with her bank's landline number to Sid. And on that fateful day she was very busy, she wanted no distraction so she switched off her mobile phone just for a few hours and then that call came.

She remembers, Mr Swami came out of his cabin and said her gruffly, "Sid is calling."

She doesn't remember why did he call her and how harshly she rebuked him on that day. All she remembers were the meaningful glances of her colleagues and Mili asking her, "Kaun hai ye Sid. (Who is this Sid)

"Koi nahi re, kabhi kabhi bus me mil jaata hai. (No one important just a fellow traveler)

"And you gave him the Bank's phone number." said Mili with a smirk.

She was speechless that day. Now this fool of a bank manager is making fun of her, Mili is having fun too.

To the hell you Milli, to the hell you, Mr Swami and to the nastiest hell you Sid. Thank God he isn’t around now a days.

Day Eight, 06:30 AM

It was an unusual rain in late November. It had been raining hard for the last six hours. The whole road was inundated, Baani's mother accompanied her to the bus stop. It was dark and there was no commuter today. Sid was also not there, otherwise there would be an embarrassing situation for her. As soon as they reached at the bus stop a bus to Mauli Town arrived. Baani bade bye to her mother and took a damp seat after rubbing her handbag to it. There were a few passengers, she looked around, Sid was also not there.

Where has he gone without telling me? I'll call him today, no why should I call him? If he doesn't care about me, why should I?

One month ago during Diwali season she had a bitter quarrel with him and warned him not to meet her again. They travelled silently that day and she got off the bus without looking at him. But the next day it was the same rainy day and she didn't find him on the bus stop. She entered the bus and looked around, there he was sitting alone on a window seat clad in a denim jacket. She went straight to him and asked with a smile, "Gussa hai? (Are you angry?)

"No, no, please have a seat."

And that was the end of another quarrel between them.

The day was extremely cold and during the journey, she started shivering and dramatically he offered her jacket which she took with a pleasure. The jacket was looking odd on her tiny structure but saving her from the outside cold.

She doesn't know what made her forget all her anger towards him on that day. She even invited him to visit her family on Diwali and of course he came to visit her family with some sweets and gifts. This was another thing that she wasn't at her home deliberately on that day, she couldn’t face him in the presence of her parents. Her fear proved to be right, her father asked about him strictly and she told him everything.

He even asked if there was anything serious between them, she denied.

Her father forbade her to meet him again and took her promise. She reluctantly promised him not to see him again.

After the Diwali holidays she changed her commuting schedule not to confront him, she was successful. He called her up but she ignored his calls. Just after two days or so, she went to Kanyakumari on an excursion with her colleagues. This ten day trip created a big nought between them, he called her up for a few consecutive days, but she didn't reply, he stopped calling.

After coming back from her trip she maintained the same commuting schedule, luckily they never crossed paths. One cold evening at Mali Town she saw him waiting for the bus. She reluctantly went to him and said hi. He had a faint smile on his face, a face full of growing facial hair.

"Where have you been," asked he.

She told him all and said, "I want to talk to you."

That evening they travelled together and Baani told him about her father's decision.

"What is your decision?" asked Sid.

"We'll never meet again, no phone calls, nothing" said Baani.

She remembers him looking into her eyes and she avoiding it.

"I commute every day."

"We are strangers, we won't talk to each other."

"So it all ends here?" asked Sid.

"Yes the decision is made, we'll not meet again." answered Baani.

Sid looked at her and the longer lasting silence followed, they didn't talk further.

At Will City Sid got off the bus and Baani saw him disappearing into the dark.

Day Nine, Mali Town, 03:20 PM

It was a rather better November day and it was half day work at the bank. Baani reached at Mauli Town at 03:15 and looked around for Sid, she didn't expect to see him there but cast a hopeless glance. Baani called up Sid several time, yesterday and even today also. His phone was either out of coverage area or switched off.

Suddenly she made up her mind and decided to go to Sid's Mali Town apartment. She knew he commutes every day between Will City and Mali Town but for some emergency he keeps a rental apartment at Mali Town.

Once when Baani had severe pain in her stomach and she was not able to travel further to go to her work, Sid advised her to stay at his apartment and have a rest. She refused his offer but soon pain grew. Sid took her to a doctor who gave her some medicine and advised some rest. There was no way to go back to Will City, she reluctantly went to Sid's apartment with a lot of fears in her mind. The apartment turns out to be a nice place, the owners were living on the first floor. His landlady was a very gentle woman, she took care of her as Sid had some important work at his office and he left her with his landlady.

By the time Sid came back Baani was feeling better. Sid's landlady and she both have become good friends. Back to Will City journey Baani pondered over her bad health today and her brief stay at a stranger's place that day. If she had said it all to her mother, she would have definitely killed her.

That caring Sid has disappeared now, he used to tell her how worried he used to be whenever she travelled alone at night without him. What has happened to his worries now? When she reached at Sid's apartment it was locked, but she decided to meet his landlady. Over the tea his landlady told her that Sid hadn't been to his apartment for a long time. She came back after a little chit chat, this meeting was useless apart from the nice company of his landlady.

When she took bus back to Will City, there were tears in her eyes, she tried to control them but they went on wetting her chicks.

Where has he gone? Is he alright?

Day Ten, Will City, 10:00 AM

Calling on Sid's home phone wasn't a good idea. Baani was sure his family members either his siblings or his mother were not going to give her any satisfactory answer. She did this mistake during their initial meetings, his mother picks the phone and bombarded a lot of questions instead of giving her a reply.

It was a Sunday and most likely Sid himself could pick the phone.

She carefully dialled his home number and went on counting the number of rings until someone pick the phone.

"Who is there?" a heavy feminine voice inquired from the other end.

"Good morning, may I talk to Sid?"

"Who are you?"

"Baani."

She heard heavy breathing from the other end and the phone was disconnected from the other side.

"Have your breakfast Baani." Her mother's stern voice echoed and she pretended not to listen to. Her mother appeared in her room with her normal breakfast. A cup of dark coffee and two toast.

"What happened?" asked her mother.

"Nothing mom, just office tensions."

"I've told you several times to leave office tensions at the office." her mother said.

"Trying mom, just leave me alone."

"Okay, do whatever you like." said her mother and left the room.

Baani tried Sid's mobile number once again, but the phone was out of coverage area. She dialed his number several times like a mad girl and went on dialing it until she tired.

Her breakfast laid there untouched.

Day Eleven, Rao Nagar, 02:20 PM

Baani looked at her lunch box which was lying in front of her untouched. She had no appetite to eat anything. Mili has argued with her and had gone to her own desk. She placed the lunch box in her bag and drank some water from her water bottle. There was still some time to resume work, she just got up and went to the large window through which they could see the front road traffic. She just peeped through the window out of curiosity and there he was standing in front of the bank on the other side of the road.

Am I seeing things? But he is there, Sid is standing there. He has finally come back, I must go and meet him. I'll not talk to him, he doesn't deserve it. How dare can he leave me alone in this world?

She looked at him once again and rushed towards the main door of the bank. In a few seconds she was out of bank premises, The road was full of normal traffic, but there was not Sid on the other side of the road.

Where has he gone? Was he there or am I imagining things? Have I gone mad? No, he was there, he was looking at me. Why is he playing this hide and seek game with me.

"Please come back, I just want to see you once, after that I'll not stop you. Please come back." murmured Baani and sobbed.

Day Twelve, Will City, 02:20 AM

Fifth avenue was empty all of a sudden, shops closed, no crowd on the street. There were dark clouds all over. Daylight has turned into dark.

Sid was on the other end of the street, clad in denim. Baani saw him with mirth, finally I found you. Now I'll not let you go, I'll hide you from my Papa, my family and the whole world.

Baani strode to meet Sid. She moved a few yards when it started raining, they rain has created a curtain between both of them. Bani was fully drenched when she reached near Sid. She stretched her hand to hold Sid's but Sid started sliding backward. Within a few seconds he was gone.

Where are you going Sid? Please don't go. Please come back, don't go, come back to me.

Sid had gone and Baani was weeping bitterly.

"Baani why are you weeping, who has gone, wake up, don't weep."

Baani woke up and saw her younger sister Deepu was shaking her.

"What happened, why were you weeping?" asked Deepu.

"Nothing, just a nightmare." replied Baani and wiped her tears off.

Day Thirteen, Mali Town, 07:30 PM

The moment Baani reached at Mali town, it was engulfed by a thick fog. Nothing was visible. There was no bus at the stand. A few passengers were gathered at a tea shop and sipping hot tea.

She looked around and started waiting for the bus. Suddenly Sid came from nowhere, he had a brief glance over Baani and turned his head.

Another dream, thought Baani. She pinched herself, ouch, no, it's not a dream. She gathered all her courage and went straight to Sid and touched his arm, he turned towards her with a lot of questions in his eyes.

"Where had you been, you thug?" asked Baani.

"Thug? Why do you want to know? Said Sid.

"One day you walk into my life, show me all the dreams, make me feel; someone needs me. Then you trade all my dreams, all my happiness with a lot of frustration and tears and disappear." Sobbed Baani and said loudly without caring of the crowd around.

"Remember, you didn't want to meet me."

"So what, you'll disappear without telling me."

"You did the same to me a few days ago."

"Fool I went to an official tour and my father didn't want me to meet you. I was afraid of seeing you."

"So I gave you back the dose of your medicine."

What do you mean?"

"Tu bichdan- bichdan karti hai, jaddo bichdegi pata chal jauga." (You always talk about parting, you'll know the truth when you part.) said Sid and burst into laughter.

Baani smiled and said, "So you were teasing me."

"No, I was checking your patient."

"My patient? Mr. Thug, right now we are in a public place and I cannot smack you, just meet me alone and you are going to get it." said Baani with a broad smile and held Sid by his right arm.

A chilly gust of wind distracted them, there was still no sign of their bus, but they were enjoying their moment.

"Promise, you'll never leave me alone." said Baani.

"I promise."

Fifteen Years Later

Baani looked at the closed door of her cabin. She fixed the little makeup which she wore today. She looked at her wrinkled hands and dark circles around her eyes. She had a final look at her and came out of the bank premises.

Her driver came running and asked her if she wanted to go anywhere.

“No Debu, I’m just going to the market and I don’t need car out there.”

Damn, I cannot drive my car.

After three minutes of a brisk walk, she hired a cab and ordered the driver to take her to the central park. She told him to hurry, she didn’t want Sid to wait for her.

Soon they were at the main gate of central park, Sid was not there.

So today he’ll make me wait for him.

Baani decided to wait at the parking as was decided by both of them, within five minutes a well used car came into the parking and Sid came out of it.

“Hi, did I make you wait?” asked Sid.

“Not much.” Said Baani and looked at his pot belly and gray hair.”

“You’ve gained weight.”

“Yes, middle age spread.” said blushing Sid.

They started walking towards the park.

“So how are your wife and daughter?” asked Baani.

“They are fine. Why are you still unmarried?” asked Sid.

“Things didn’t work.”

“I’m the main reason.”

“No our parting was unfortunate, but you are not the reason at all.”

“Why did you call me after such a long period?” asked Sid.

“During the last few months I was thinking a lot about you and the time we spent together. I just wanted to see you once.”

“What next?”

“Nothing, you are married and have responsibilities towards your family. I have learned to live alone, let’s part now forever.”

“Means?”

“Forget if I ever called you.”