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Smokes curled up from everywhere and the red fire raged its way through the house. The exits and entrances were blocked. There was a humming in his ears but he could barely hear anything. The air was too heavy for him to breathe properly. His eyes watered from the stench of burned wood and his head had begun to spin. He stumbled up the stairs and half-ran towards the bedroom door, flames flinging their arms around him. As soon as he gave the door a hard push, a mass of burning stuff came down from above. He caught her sight beyond the flames, trapped behind an invincible rage of fire. But he didn't miss the rising hope in her fear-filled eyes.
He felt his lips move as they mouthed her name but soon another mass came tumbling down from the frame of the door and then there was a blackout.
Rishabh opened his eyes to the cream coloured ceiling and found himself panting. Was he ever going to get over the repetitive nightmares? He didn't want to. He needed them. They were like a drug to him. Each time he saw them, they replenished his thirst, calmed his nerves but could never fulfill any dream.
He inhaled deeply to steady himself and then found the reason why he awoke before the alarm went off.
"Daddy! Daddy! I can't sleep!" Arjun was sitting beside him on the bed, shaking his shoulder.
Rishabh smiled and sat up, "You don't need to sleep anymore." He glanced at the digital clock, "It's about to strike seven." He pulled his son on his lap and kissed on his forehead, "Happy Birthday, Sweetheart."
Arjun smiled broadly, "What do I have for my birthday?"
Rishabh pursed his lips and pretended as if he had no idea, "Mmm..."
"I want to go to your favourite place."
Rishabh looked at him, surprised, "MY favourite place?"
Arjun nodded, "I share you all my favourite things. But you never share me yours." He ran away suddenly. And then came back a moment later with a paper in his little, four year old hands, "See..." He handed it over to his father, "This is me, and this is you."
There was a house and two figures stood (almost, given the instability of inexperienced fingers) hand in hand in front of it. The taller one had an upturned shape of lips. There was sun and clouds in the sky. And another figure sat on top of one cloud.
Rishabh chuckled, "Why do I look so sad?"
"You always look like that." Arjun moved his finger to the figure on top of the cloud, "And that is Mommy."
Rishabh stared at the drawing for a while and then sighed, "So you want to know about my favourite stuff, huh sweetie?"
Arjun smiled, nodded and then ran away with his drawing again.
Rishabh stared at the door even after he had disappeared.
He sat at the table inside Caf Brown. His mind was too preoccupied to notice that a pretty lady was approaching him, "Excuse me?"
"Huh?"
"Can I have a talk with you?"
"Do I know you?" He demanded.
The woman pursed her lips, "Well, yes. I was the one whose car had its bumper broken by yours. Just ten minutes ago from now."
Rishabh blinked, "Oh. About that." He shrugged, "I promise to pay you whatever amount it takes to repair your car's ass."
She chuckled, "You didn't even ask me to sit."
"That's stupid actually." He took a sip from his cup, "If you really wanted to sit, you would have done that without me asking."
The woman placed her hands on the table and leaned forward towards him, "Well, Mister. If you don't do what you promised me just now, I promise to file a hit and run case against you. And you don't know what I can do."
Rishabh smirked and winked, "I wouldn't mind a demo from a chic like you."
She groaned, "To hell with you, Mister. I don't want any business with men like you." She turned to leave.
"You can just call me Rishabh." He called back, "That Mister thingy sounds weird."
She glanced back at him. "Does that mean you want to know my name too?"
He shrugged, "Wouldn't mind to. But first let me know your address and phone number and the amount and whatever on earth is required. I will mail you your repairing amount."
She smiled warily and walked over to him again, "Good to know you're interested Rishabh. But unfortunately I'm not a sick who keeps running after, begging for repairmen of things she can't handle. All I wanted was an apology."
"So why did you ask for the amount in the first place?"
"Hit your brain. I didn't ask. You were the one who brought up the subject."
Rishabh eyed her a moment, "Sorry about your car."
"You must be." She nodded and then smiled before turning to leave, "And by the way, you can call me Madhu. And we can meet tomorrow again, here, for the further details."
Rishabh held Arjun's hand in his as they walked inside Caf Brown. He felt the flood of memories wash over him. The old nostalgia that hurt and pampered at the same time. The old feeling that took his breath away, making him weak. But he didn't want to get rid of anything. He wanted to have them, treasured forever, lived and relived again. She didn't go away. She was there with them. Always.
When they settled down, Rishabh told, "This is your Daddy's most favourite place."
"Why? Do you get good chocolates here?" Arjun asked curiously.
Rishabh laughed, "The BEST. And also because I met your Mommy for the first time here."
"How was Mommy then?"
"Well...both us were very...off the track. Anyway, what do you wanna have?"
"Ice cream!"
Rishabh frowned, "Just ice cream?"
"Yes. And then we will go to the playground."
"You don't want to do anything special in your birthday?"
"I already had. I wanted to know your favourite stuff."
Rishabh smiled, "Okay."
The sun hovered above the horizon as the sky turned bright orange and yellow.
Madhu laid her head on his shoulder as they sat together in the garden, "Happy Anniversary. It's a year to our relationship."
Rishabh chuckled weakly, tired from the day's tour, "Oh. Same to you, honey." He kissed on her cheek.
"My parents really like you." She said dreamily.
He shifted uncertainly, "Well...I don't have any to like YOU."
"I didn't mean that." She interlocked her fingers with his, "Let's get married."
Rishabh sat up straight, "Say that again?"
Madhu groaned, "Of course not! You have to mind your business!"
"No-"
"All you men are so alike!" She rose to leave.
"Wait-"
"Why do I keep falling for the wrong ones?"
"Madhu!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, "I was just a bit surprised. I thought you were too...busy to think about a marriage."
"What do you mean busy?"
He smiled patiently and held her in his arms, "I thought you weren't interested in a marriage."
"Does that mean you don't trust me?"
"I thought you needed more time."
"Why do you THINK so much?"
He laughed, "Let's get married."
Roma waved when she saw her old customer and friend, "Hey there! Wassup?"
Rishabh smiled, "Hey Roma!"
"You come here so often." She said hesitantly. "How's all?"
"Good. Arjun turned four today." He said with a smile.
"Oh. Oh my God!" She beamed, "I so wanted to see that little one!"
"You can meet him now. He is here with me." He turned to look and saw that the chair was empty.
His mind went blank for one second. This couldn't happen!
He hurried to the table when his eyes caught the glimpse, outside the window, of a familiar, little figure running down the middle of the busy street.
Rishabh ran outside, following the direction. His head was buzzing when he grabbed Arjun and picked him up in his arms. He turned to move when the bright flash of a couple of lights blinded him and there was a deafening sound of a vehicle. And then there was darkness suddenly.
Rishabh slowly opened his eyes. Arjun was still in his arms. He looked around and was surprised to see the street empty. The running cars were gone and so were the hurrying people. There was silence and vacancy with only them standing alone in the middle of the street.
"Daddy, who is that lady?" Arjun asked out of the blue.
Rishabh turned to look in the direction his son was staring at and he froze, "That's...that's your Mommy."
Uncertainly, he walked over to the smiling figure, which stood waiting patiently a few feet away. They stared at each other for a while when they were face to face.
Finally, with his free hand, he took hers and the three of them walked into this world of their own, aloof from the rest, to live and love till the end of eternity.
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