Waiting....

The platform clock struck six. It was nearly two hours since she had been sitting there, on the platform bench with her packed bags by her feet. She tightly clasped the antique pocket watch that rested on her plaid skirt. “where is he?” she thought to herself. Had he forgotten about their talk the previous day? Or did he change his mind? All plausible reasons popped in her mind. But she still had faith that he would arrive.

“Come away with me” he had said to her. Oh! just those four words sounded so assuring! so convincing. Within the second long silence that had prevailed after those words, she already thought of their life together. Their house, family everything. And now there she was. Sitting all alone on that wooden bench on the railway platform, at the break of dawn. The one-word answer she had given him in a second, now seemed like the wrong decision after so many hours.

It was too late to return home. Her father had already told her to forget her family if she was going ahead with what she had decided was right. Her father was always true to his words. Persuading him was not easy either. “what do I do now?” she thought. But deep down she still had faith. She felt that he might turn up. And all of her ‘one-second’ thoughts would come true.

It was half past six and the first train to the destination they had decided upon had arrived. From every compartment, people began getting off. After five to ten minutes the train’s air horn could be heard. It was about to leave. She got up, straightened her skirt, adjusted her cape and lifted her bags. Without looking back she boarded the train, with the undying faith in her heart that had always governed her actions.