Index
1. In a Nano-Second
He sees her...finds her too late. He’s already engaged by then. To her sister.
It is now over a month since he got engaged. It was arranged. First, his and her parents met. They liked each other. Then they met - he and Ruma. One time only. It was an awkward meeting. She was outspoken. He was shy. She loved cricket. He liked golf. She was a model. He, a chartered accountant. He thought she was beautiful. She was of the opinion he was handsome. She said she hated waking up in the morning, he agreed it was a punishment. She told him she still watched Tom and Jerry. He confessed to waking up early to catch episodes of Courage, The Cowardly Dog. They clicked. A few weeks later they got engaged.
Now, as he stands with a bouquet of pink tulips - she loves tulips - in his hands waiting to surprise her, he’s nervous. He has not done this before. He’s twenty-six and has never dated. He would have not come today but for his brother’s insistence. Flowers, movies, dates unnerve him. He’s more comfortable spending time with his siblings at home or toiling away at his work.
He presses the bell once again, his heart ricocheting in its cage.
When the door is pulled open. It isn’t Ruma. It is someone else.
Short stature, straight hair, brown-eyed girl in a long-sleeved midnight blue salwar-kameez. There are tiny white flowers threaded around her neck and the ends of her sleeve.
She looks at him with round eyes filled half with uncertainty and half curiosity.
‘Di is not at home,’ she replies, her voice soft and soothing like a river flowing
‘Oh,’ he utters. ‘I am…’
‘Gaurav,’ she says before he can introduce himself. Then smilingly, she introduces herself, ‘Simantika, Ruma’s younger sister.’
‘Ah’ He remembers now of the mention of a younger sister.
‘Di had to go out for some urgent work. Ma Papa is out shopping,’ she explains further.
‘Oh. Okay,’ the flowers feel heavy in his hands.
‘Please, come in,’ she opens the door wide.
‘Uhm no. It’s okay. I’ll leave. The flowers…’ He waves the bouquet awkwardly between them.
‘I will give it to Di,’ she offers.
‘Yeah right. That will be a good idea.’
He leaves. Half his heart and the flowers handing both to her.
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