Wrong Number that landed on the Right Love

Ashwin coughed as he drove on. His sour throat hurt like hell, sending waves of panic down his spine yet again. He didn't feel like driving ahead, but he knew he had to. He took a sip of hot water from the flask at the next signal to wash down the discomfort in his throat.

He tried to turn his thoughts to the large project he was handling at work. But his mind wavered off to his call to his parents the day before and their worry for him. No matter what he tried, he found himself getting back to where he started.

As he parked his car and walked into the centre, he was glad to find it not too crowded.

And then he wondered "Am I one of the very few to be hounded by this?"

"Maybe it's because I came in so early" he tried to reason it out with himself.

As he filled in the form, his anxiety within grew to unprecedented levels. After he handed over the form, he was asked to wait in the lobby.

He sat on the metal chair fastened to the ground in the far corner of the room shaking his right leg constantly.

That's when his mobile phone rang. He stared at the number. It was an unknown one. He debated whether to take it or cut it. Normally, he preferred not to take unknown calls so early in the morning. But he wanted distraction. Any thing to take his mind away from the next task on hand.

Even before he could say 'Hello" a very pleasant voice from the other side said "Hi Manisha, I just wanted to know how you are doing. Are you feeling better now?"

The concern in that stranger's voice almost made him choke. Though she seemed to be inquiring about someone named Manisha, in his agitated state of mind, it felt like she was concerned for him.

He fell quiet and after a long pause he replied "Sorry, I think you have the wrong number."

There was a shocked silence at the other end. "Oh, I am so sorry… to have bothered you … and that too so early in the morning."

He sensed she was about to hang up. Before he could even think about it, he blurted out "Please don't hang up! Can you please talk to me for a few minutes?"

This time the shock at the other end was even more palpable.

Realizing how he must have sounded, he quickly went on "I know how this must sound to to you. But I am at the clinic right now for getting myself tested for COVID-19."

The silence still continued. "I am really very anxious right now. I am generally not like this. Honestly. But today I don't seem like myself. Even to me." He tried to laugh it off trying to make light of the issue, unsuccessfully.

Still silence.

"Oh, my God! What am I doing? Sorry to put you on spot like this. Have a good day."

As he was about to hang up, the voice from the other side said "Wait. Please wait."

Then she continued in softer tone to tell him that it was okay. She understood how it would be feeling to him right then. That's when he poured his heart out.

To that stranger.

On that wrong call.

About his pent-up feelings.

About all his anxiety.

About how he hadn't slept last night.

All the while she heard him. Without interrupting even once.

When he told her he had to go for the test as the receptionist was calling him, she said her name was Prashanti and she would call him back in a few minutes.

And she did.

Not only that day, but the next day.

And the next day when the test results came positive.

And thereafter every day.

When he finally got a clean chit from the Corona Virus, he found himself on his way to something else though. That he might as well have come out of viral attack of COVID-19 successfully, but there was no escaping from the cupid's strike.

When they finally met, locking their eyes over their mask covered faces in a park, they felt the pull of something which was stronger than anything they had experienced. They had only heard each other's voices till then. Now their eyes were soaking up everything, the way their ears were used to on their calls.

Soon their days were beginning and ending with messages to each other. He learned that she worked as a lecturer in a college and she came to know that he worked for a reputed Bank. Both of them were staying on their own away from their parents. Slowly they felt in each other the warmth of a friendship. As they grew more and more comfortable in each other's company, the reality of their situation stared at them. That they were ready to take their relationship to the next level.

They decided to get married exactly one year from the day he walked into that clinic for his COVID-19 Test. While the world dreads and hates the pandemic and the Virus that caused it, these two feel eternally grateful to the same for giving them the chance to find the right kind of love through what started as a wrong call.

(The story is loosely based on a true story.)