Riddhima huffed and puffed around the house, dressed in a baggy shirt and shorts, dusting all the nooks and corners. "Huh! Let me get down and start the cooking!" She quickly rushed to the kitchen and stirred the lasagna sitting in her wall oven and took a quick peek at the cake in the microwave. As she started with the stew, the clock struck six. "Ohmygawd, it's six already! Armaan's going to be here anytime now!"
It was January 24th, 2008, three weeks before her wedding with Armaan. Six o'clock meant Armaan coming back home from work, expecting some good food and time with his fiance, Riddhima. She had taken off a month from her hospital duties for the wedding and today was Armaan's last day as well before they went back to India together for the happiest event of their lives!
She quickly poured the stew into a serving bowl, wiped her hands on the apron and ran into the bedroom to change into a dress. Once dressed, she sprayed herself with some of Armaan's favorite mist and took a last look at herself in the mirror. I'm home, sweety! I'm home, sweety! Riddhima, baby, where are you? the clock chimed as it struck 6:30 pm. "Aayi, baba, mujhe tayyar toh hone do!" she yelled as she made a dash to the living-room.
Armaan had manually set up an alarm in his voice for every day, since the last four years to remind Riddhima that he's home. They had been in a live-in relationship for two years before they decided to tie the knot.
Riddhima heard the bell ring and rushed to open the door. "Armaan, sweety, aagaye tum! Dekho toh maine tumhare liye tumhara favorite lasagna banaya hai!" she chirped breathlessly. I'm home, sweety! I'm home, sweety! Riddhima, baby, where are you?, the clock continued singing as Riddhima frantically looked outside the door for Armaan.
Disheartened, she returned back into the house, leaving the door open behind her. "Abhi aata hi hoga!", she mumbled to herself as she moved towards the sofa, sluggishly. She settled herself primly on the couch and fixed her gaze at the clock, waiting for him to come in any moment and shower her with bear hugs and kisses!
Three hours later, Riddhima, latched the door, put all the food into the refrigerator and switched off the lights around the house. Slowly, she ascended the stairs and entered her bedroom. Swiftly, she settled herself under the covers and turned to the bed-side table to pick up a photo of hers and Armaan cuddling in the bed. Tracing, his face, she turned on the bed-side lamp and picked up the newspaper, placed near it.
Glancing at the headlines, she looked up to find the date printed on a corner in bold,
August 10, 2012
It had been four years now since, Armaan had passed away in a car accident. Riddhima couldn't bring herself to move on ever since and repeated the same routine perfunctorily every day, waiting for a day when he'd finally return! She'd wake up every morning, cuddling Armaan's pillow and wishing him a Good Morning! Rushing downstairs, she'd prepare two mugs of coffee and hollered her way to the bathroom, asking him to perform certain chores while she took a bath. Once dressed, she'd hurry back into the kitchen and pack two lunch boxes, leaving his' at the kitchen bar and hastening out of the house, shouting behind to see her at lunch in her cabin. She'd quickly wash Armaan's car and go to work and wait for him at lunch. Later in the day, she rushed back home to cook a fancy dinner for the two of them and wait against the door until she returned to the bedroom and read the newspaper. Precisely, at this time, every day, after checking the date, she'd switch off the lights and slip into the duvet covers, hugging his pillow, whispering, ever so lightly, a lone tear rolling down her cheek,
Kab, Armaan? Tum kab aaoge? Kab...
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Hola, Amigos! Remember, me? Maybe not, well I was away for way too long! This is just a little something that flashed in my head and I couldn't help penning it down. It is definitely not a finished piece of writing, random scribbling! Anyway, it'd be really kind, if you could drop me a reply, comment or criticism! Press the tab if you like the post! Cheers 😊
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