A thick lump rose in Anandi's throat as her car sped towards the Udaipur Collector Office. She blankly stared out of the window as the trees and buildings blurred out of her sight. It had begun to drizzle outside. She swallowed, trying desperately to keep the tears at bay. Rains always brought an unknown melancholy to her life. Specially today, when she was going to see him after three long years. Its not that she had terribly missed him in all these years or something, but strangely had caught herself thinking about him quite often. Life had changed a lot since she last saw him. He was probably a married man now and had moved on in lifeâŚwell unlike her!
Her heart missed a beat as she noticed the windshield wipers slow down. "Mam we have reached" the driver announced leaving her perplexed. She felt as if her legs had turned to wood. "What's wrong with you Anandi? Three years have passed. And he was no one but just a business associate. He was the collector and you were Sarpanch. That's all you two shared" she quarreled with her thoughts slamming the door behind her.
A multitude of thoughts passed her mind as she begun to stroll towards the entrance of his office lost in her own world. This was not going to be easy; she thought blankly when suddenly the floor beneath her feet slipped with a thud landing her into a pair of a muscular arms.
She froze as her eyes met him. The lightening above glowed his face into what seemed to be a beatific sight. He still looked the sameâŚjust like the knight she had often dreamt of. The world around her came to a standstill. It had started to rain all over again. The thunderous shower drenched them drowning out all other sounds as the two of them remained in the same position for god knows how long. Her thin lips curled into a nervous twitch as she felt his passionate gaze lingering on her face. After for what seemed an eternity, Anandi felt a strange liveliness dwelling upon her senses. As if something had come to life after so long. A cloudburst at their head suddenly brought them to reality. She gasped trying to break her chain of thoughts as he released her out of his hold.
"AnandiâŚ" her name sounded so different in his husky voice, she thought.
"I never knew you were coming here" he fumbled trying to gather his emotions. He could almost feel his cardiac muscle ready to burst any moment. He was not expecting this. Anandi looked stunning as ever. Though different from what he had seen her last but surely very beautiful. Dressed in a royal blue cotton saree, she looked like a hardcore social worker. The pallu had come down, showing her lustrous hair that almost touched her waist. The bangles were now replaced by a wrist watch and her face looked all the more innocent without the heavy jewelry. She looked more breathtaking than ever and he could not stop himself from staring at her.
"You still look the same collector sahab" she started the conversation trying to break the ice.
"I wish I could say the same for you" His comment made her blush for a fleeting second and then embarrassed in the next. "Yeah actually I dress up like this when I am working. I work for the Astha Sansthan for women empowerment" she told leaving him in a state of confusion.
"Astha sansthan? ?So you are the Miss Singh who had an appointment with me for the working womens' hostel??But since when did Astha sansthan's office came up in jetsar??"
Anandi's heart sank at the question. She knew this was coming. That's why she feared to confront him after three long years. She knew there will be questions she didn't want to answer.
"Why are you so tensed Anandi? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah everything is fine"
"Is heâŚ" shiv's heart sank "I mean is Jagdeesh fine?"
Anandi froze hearing Shiv's question. She didn't know what to say. Tears welled up in her eyes as the memories of the past flooded her mind. Trying to look away she stifled a sob.
"We are not living together Collector SahabâŚwe never got married!!"
Her words left Shiv in a whirlpool of emotions. He stood glued to his spot as she walked away confessing the truth of her life.
...
Feedback will be anticipated đ
Shiv Shakti
