OS: Memories in the Rain

The falling rain drops formed a panoply of circles in the pool, and interrupted the night silence with the soothing music of nature. Against the window was a hand stretched out to feel the dew that had appeared as a result of the cold misty effect of the rain. Staring at the heavy rainfall for a long period of time, Arnav was wearing a melancholic look on his face, an inner feeling that was projected from the bottom of his heart. But that gloominess always faded away when his own sunshine, the sunshine of his life, was near him ' his Khushi.

"Arnavji, I have brought us the ideal companions for this rainy weather. Pakodas, jalebis, ginger tea, ' hmm yummy na!"

"For us or for you?" asked Arnav teasingly, knowing how Khushi was the greatest foodie ever.

"Hey Devi Maiyya, give some common sense to laad governor! Arnavji, do you think that I will be able to eat all this alone? But haan, the jalebis are mine only!"

Arnav smiled at his wife's craziness and sat down next to Khushi for the 'desi' feast. How he loved these moments, simple yet heart-warming; moments that made him forget dark realities of his life; moments that he always looked forward to cherish with the woman that had redefined his existence.

"Arnavji, what happened? Why are you so silent?"

Arnav just shook his head to show that there was nothing, but deep down, Khushi knew that he was lost in thoughts. Then, motivated by the weather, Khushi proposed the idea of sharing their best memories connected with the rain, which Arnav at first seemed sceptical about but soon melted in front of Khushi's sick puppy face.

"Ok, I'll start first" voiced Khushi, positioning herself in the most comfortable way to narrate her childhood memories.

"Whenever it used to rain in Lucknow, it was a ritual to pull Jiji outside and totally immerse ourselves in the ticklish sensation of the dancing rain drops, with the cold and watery effect'we just loved all these! But then, we also had to face the habit of getting shouted at by Amma for being careless about our health! And as if to be punished, we kept on sneezing for hours. Our remedy was hot food!" Khushi expressed with a huge smile, thinking of how these memories were still very much vivid.

"Do you still remember the last time you got drenched in the rain, Khushi?" asked Arnav with a sly smile, slowly approaching Khushi.

"Hmm'can I forget it?" replied Khushi shyly but then angrily uttered "It was all your fault! Letting a poor girl outside in the car park at night and that too in the rain! Do you even know that I could have been knocked by a car'?"

"Ssshhh! Khushi, I am so sorry for that! Will you please forgive your laad governor? But then I did come and save you, right? And I hugged you like this!" Arnav said while hugging Khushi in the same way he did on that day.

"Arnavji, it's your turn now! Share your memories in the rain!"

"Khushi, I don't think it's a good idea"

"Please Arnavji" told Khushi holding his hands tight.

"Ok fine! When I was small, I always used to get scared of the rain! I always thought that rain was the outcome of some devil's act! Please stop laughing Khushi! I know it's absurd but it was just like that!"

"Arnav Singh Raizada and scared of rain? That's breaking news!"

"It's not funny'u wanted to know about my memories in the rain, na?"

"Ok, I'll stop! Please continue!"

"So what I was saying was that I was so scared of rain that I used to hide under the bed, and there was always only one person who always knew where to find me'" Arnav said and suddenly paused with a lump down his throat before letting out a painful "Maa"

Arnav closed his eyes and visualised the whole scene that had been forever imprinted in his mind and his heart'memories of his Maa kneeling to take him out from his hiding place, cuddling him and making his head rest in her lap. Her honey voice still resonated, with her reassuring words about how he should not get scared of the rain, which was Nature's blessing and instead he should see the brighter side of enjoying it.

Let the rain kiss you.

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.

Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

Khushi wiped the lone tear that fell down Arnav's cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. She knew that no words could provide him with the pacifying presence of his mother but she was always ready to be by his side as his strength.

"Arnavji, let's go" Khushi said.

"But where Khushi?"

"Just trust me and come along!"

Khushi pulled Arnav's hand and brought him outside under the rain to reminisce his memories. She positioned herself right behind him, held both his hands and widened them as a means of feeling and welcoming the rain drops. Khushi instructed Arnav to close his eyes and remember each and every word his mother told him and let himself free. With his mother's voice echoing in his mind, Arnav just extended his hand in a bowl shape and collected some rain water which he brought close to his heart. His tears had merged with the rain drops in symbiosis.

"Arnavji, Maa is always with us and she must be so proud of her son today. And am sure that her happiness right now is knowing no bounds to see that you still remember her words and you are out in the rain feeling her presence"

"Thank you Khushi for always being there for me and always finding the right words! I love you!"

With a shy smile and reddening cheeks, Khushi whispered in his ears "I love you too Arnavji", and whirled around in the rain, only to be pulled by the waist into Arnav's arms for a small dance with the music of their heart beats and the falling water.

"Achoo" echoed in unison, quickly joined by a hearty laugh. Both could be different in all respects but one of the few things that they had in common was to get a cold after getting drenched.

"It's all your fault Khushi'because of you, am getting ill" Arnav uttered.

"Sorry Arnavji'I just wanted'" Khushi explained when a sudden kiss on her forehead startled her and made her lose her voice.

"I was joking Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada!" Arnav replied before lifting Khushi in his arms and bringing her to their bedroom.

Arnav and Khushi quickly changed their drenched clothes and got into their night suits. Their sneezing marathon would not stop now, and Khushi frantically got hold of a towel and kept on drying Arnav's hair. Once the drying was done, they buried themselves into their cosy bed with a tight hug thinking about their new memory in the rain. A memory that never would be able to be erased. And they knew that more memories in the rain would be there till the end and even beyond.