-
Part Twenty Three: Andromeda is free at last!
Sharad called in her the next morning and wanted to take her out to dinner. She didn't feel like going but her mom insisted she should go. She searched through her closet and couldn't decide what to wear. At one corner, she found the dress she wore at her prom.
Her mom knocked on the door and asked her to hurry up! She put that dress on. Amazingly it still fit. Actually it was a little loose. "Amar!" She whispered – "You were right. I did lose weight". She sighed, sat silent for a while! I won't see him again and live a life of lies!
Sharad came soon. Once they settled down in his car, he asked,
"How hungry are you?"
She shook her head implying she wasn't hungry at all. They sat quiet for while as Sharad drove and Divya unmindfully looked outside. Sharad broke the silence.
"It will take some time to get there! Let's play a game. You have to say first thing that comes to your mind after each word I say. Kind of like a rapid fire round in the talk shows. You can't take time to think. Ok?"
The silence was tough to grapple with. So she nodded "Ok".
Sharad: "Great. Here it comes. Car?"
Divya: "Audi A4 2006".
Sharad: "Hey that's 3 words." He chuckled. "The next one: UNDP?"
Divya: "Work"
Sharad: "Life?"
Divya: "Meaningless."
Sharad: "Night?"
Divya: "Stars"
Sharad: "Sharad?"
Divya: "Friend"
He smiled. Looked at her direction and asked,
Sharad: "Love?"
Divya: "Lost."
Sharad: "Marriage?"
Divya: "Andromeda."
Sharad: "Amar?"
Divya: Sharad, I don't want to play anymore. This is becoming a bore!
He pressed his breaks hard. The car stopped with a yank! Divya looked at Sharad and looked outside. She was utterly surprised as they are at the drop off spots at the departure zone at the Dullas Airport. She looked at Sharad with bewilderment.
He smiled at her. "Your love is not lost Divya, and a friend like Sharad would never tie Andomeda in a marriage that would maker her life meaningless. In our version of Andromeda and Pegasus story, there is a little twist. I am Pegasus who is letting you free Divya."
He took her hand, kissed her finger that had the engagement ring on, took it off, and whispered, "I have lost my love once and I know how it feels, I can't do that to both of my best friends."
Divya still flabbergasted could only say "Sharad, I don't understand.."
"Divya you don't marry one because you can live with him, you marry because you cannot live without him! To love is not to possess! I am setting you free from my side. I will always be there for you if you ever decide to come back. But I love you and Amar more than myself! I sincerely hope with all my heart that you two find all the happiness in the world."
"Sharad is this some kind of a joke?" Divya was seriously irritated as she thought he was testing her. Sharad sensed her annoyance and went on to add more, realizing he didn't explain things clearly to her.
"Divya, when you are in love, you have an unexplained urge to be around that person, a simple smile from him makes you ecstatic, even in a crowded room, your eyes meet, your lips smile at the exact time, as if God Himself has synchronized your moves. You know in your heart, the other's heart only beats your name, your arms long to hold him in an embrace never to let go ever. You are in love with Amar, Divya and he with you. And a single second with him would mean much more than a life-time with me. And knowing this, I can't come in between you two."
He paused for a second as tears scrolled down Divya's cheeks and then continued,
"I didn't let him print his boarding pass at home saying the printer was broken. So he is at the United Air counter now. Go and get your man Divya. Run! If he leaves, he will never come back..hurry…"
Divya leaned towards him, hugged Sharad, smiled at him, opened the door and ran inside through the sliding doors. She saw Amar standing in front of the kiosk punching numbers to print his boarding pass.
She hurried near him. He was about to press "Print your boarding pass", she hit "Cancel" beating him. Hugely startled he looked at her. She beamed and just jumped on him embracing his shoulder with both her hands, and as an instantaneous response he held her at her waist.
"I love you Amar. You can't leave me like this, not again, not ever. I won't let you." She whispered!
Amar looked at her beaming gorgeous face with disbelief and realized she is his, only his—the sparkle in hers eyes testified. He didn't say anything or ask anything as he got busy kissing her all over, her face, nose, hair, forehead, shoulder and hugged her so tight as if there is no tomorrow.
People who were in line behind Amar got impatient, "Hey you two get a room and get out of the line"
They broke apart all embarrassed.
-------
Arjun
