🍂Autumn🍂
Autumn of Scotland was a blend of warm winds and cool breeze. It was one of Rishabh's favorite seasons, after monsoon. He loved the dull colors and the orange skies, the breaking of leaves so they could take birth again, it was all so symbolic to him. He was waiting for himself to take birth again after all this ended. Although he did not believe in all of this but sometimes, it was nice to think like that.
Sneha had particularly loved the passed spring season, making infinite flower crowns for him, for herself and for her dolls at any given moment but Rishabh, he loved autumn. The balance it had between hot summers and cold winters was what he preferred rather than the too bright and colorful days of spring, which did not match his sullen mood at all.
He sat on his patio, a forgotten file open on the small glass table. His tea had gone cold an hour ago and his mind was somewhere else.
Anurag Basu
weds
Prerna Sharma
11.09.2019
The card read. He had received it six months ago and the need to tear it, shred it, burn it was too big. But he held it to himself.
Never throw someone's wedding card before the wedding happens. It's inauspicious.
He had remembered his mother's words and locked the damn card in the corner of the library, trying to forget about it. He could feel the presence of that wretched thing every day he was in there. The half centimeter thin paper was like a rock on his chest and now that the stupid day was almost here, he was ready to destroy it.
24 hours more Rishabh. And she will be someone else's forever.
You can burn this piece of heartbreak tomorrow.
And maybe you can start getting over her too.
He could clearly hear the tick-tock from the living room's grandfather clock. As much as he treasured the ninety-year old antique piece, it was getting in his head.
Tick
One second gone.
Tock.
Two seconds gone.
Tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock -tick-tock -tick-tock -tick-tock
He grit his teeth and closed his eyes, only to find himself staring at her in his closed eyes, looking ethereal in a blood red bridal dress, hands half filled with dark chocolate colored henna with a little A hidden somewhere, stunning crystals adorning her body, her ever lovely smile plastered on her beautiful damn face as she closed the doors of the bedroom, with Mr Basu standing behind her with his a*ssole of a smile.
Lucky basturd.
His head hurt, so did his chest and he feared he would cry. This was getting out of hand and he needed a drink. He needed to drink until the 24 hours had passed and this torture could be finally over.
He stood up and took a deep breath. The air was warm as always, the smell of broken leaves and soft soil filling his lungs. He exhaled and frowned.
Honey.
Nyctanthes.
Her.
So now he was going insane too. He chuckled to himself and moved ahead to go inside when he heard the crunch of leaves behind him. His heart beat loudly and suddenly, he did not want to turn.
Did not want to see a dream with open eyes.
Did not want to take this risk with his heart.
But he did. Not because he was a risk taker. But because he was hopelessly in love.
She stood there, like a silent angel, dressed in a soft pastel red anarkali suit, hands devoid of any henna, body devoid of any jewelry but her face, God her face looked like the epitome of relief and happiness and joy and heartbreak and sadness, all mixed together.
One look at her eyes and his heart started beating again. Jumped back from his stomach to its place in his chest. He stood like a statue as she walked to him slowly, closing the gap between them with each step in each second.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
He wanted to move. He wanted to take a step and go to her but his head had stopped working. It was her coming to him and he gulped, fearing this was a cruel dream and her God was playing with him.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
One caress from her soft finger and he was brought back to life, electricity seeping into his veins, life coming back into him. It was all so unbelievable yet so real.
He looked, stared, into her eyes and found her breathing hard, as if she was feeling the electricity too, as if she found life too.
"I...I...
"Hmm." He whispered and she seemed to calm down at the mere sound of his voice.
"I could not...I am sorry...
He held her little finger between his hand and she leaned onto him, seeking refuge.
"I came back...I could not go...through it...I am...I don't know-
"Prerna." He said and he heard her hum. "I hope you don't change your mind later because I am not letting you go now."
"I will kill you if you do." She said her first coherent sentence in the last seventeen hours.
She had not thought twice before packing her bags and rushing to the airport twenty-four hours earlier. The thought of a life without him had punched her in the face when Anurag was rambling about a University in USA where he was planning to send his kids to. He was so far into their future and Prerna realized she was not on the same page. Hell, they were characters from two different books for God's sake. He was staring at their future and she was looking back at their past. And she had closed her eyes, only to find Rishabh's eyes staring back at her as always and she thanked the gods for everything, for answering her at the right time.
So last night, when everyone had slept, she quietly packed her bags and unlocked the door.
"Priyu." She remembered her mother's words when she found her daughter outside the home at two in the morning, a packed bag in her hand and the marvelous sight her eyes were. "Take care."
She had reached the airport and called Mr Mehra to ask about Rishabh's whereabouts, her tone cracking and crying. Mr Mehra had immediately booked her tickets to Ayr and she found herself fidgeting in the flight the whole time.
What is happening?
What is she doing?
What will the Basus do?
What will Mr Bajaj say?
How will he react?
Will he be happy?
Will he be with someone-
The thought had scared her and she could not bear it, so she tried to sleep, only to see beautiful dreams of their future, their family, their kids, his face, his smile, his dimples, his eyes, him.
"I am sorry that I let you go before." He said and she shook her head.
"It's okay. I am sorry I hurt you." She tightened her grip around him.
"It's fine now." He wrapped his arms around her, both feeling at home for the first time in almost two years.
"Thank you for...taking me back." She mumbled and sighed.
"Thank you for coming back." He said and she looked at him, a sheepish expression on her face.
"Well, I had to come back home at the end of the day, didn't I?" She shrugged and he removed a wisp of hair from her head with a nod.
"I suppose." He said, his dimple shining and her heart soaring. She hugged him again, tighter this time. He smiled to himself and looked over. The garden was all shades of oranges and browns and reds and yellows. The wind was colder, her arms warmer.
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
He could hear it.
Thum.
Thum.
Thum.
Thum.
Their heartbeats in sync.
The weather perfect.
Their hearts, healed.
He couldn't wait to show her the snow.
--
Epilogue- Spring Page 19
Edited by SanyaEterna - 6 years ago