Parvati waited for him, as always. The result would always be the same, but she still hoped for a different ending. Sleep never dared to flow in her direction these days...not days...months. It had now been months. Parvati walked aimlessly in their room for hours, her mobile that he had gifted her in her hand, waiting for his call. Every few minutes she would peer at it, just to make sure it wasn't ringing. Her mind had played tricks like that on her before, and she fell for it every time. It was almost dawn, and as her eyes filled with tears yet again, she accepted the fact that he would not call. It had been two weeks since she last heard his voice, and with every passing day, her restlessness and worry grew.
Rudra had been stationed at the border for almost five months now. There was some ongoing discrepancy and he was called away on short notice. What started out as a two week mission prolonged greatly into a deep sting operation, which he had no choice but to take part in. She stared at the photo of him that was placed on her nightstand, remembering the day he had told her about the mission. Paro closed her eyes as a single tear traced her cheek.
It was only suppose to be for two weeks. Nothing more. She remembered how she wasn't worried. After all, her husband was none other than the brave BSD Major Rudra Pratap Ranawat. He had been gone on missions that long before, and he always came back safely and without any major injuries. However, leaving was never easy. Parvati and Rudra would not let go of each other's hands until Rudra was in his jeep and it was started. The smile they forcefully plastered on their faces in an attempt to hide the sadness they were feeling. They couldn't break, they just couldn't. They were each other's strength, and if one of them crumbled, then everything fell apart. This smile, this hand touch...it was the last moment of intimacy they had, and it was suppose to ease the pain of being apart. It's only for two weeks. She kept saying that everyday. She was marking down the days, hours, and minutes left.
She missed him. Everything in her life reminded her of Rudra. He was her life after all. She would walk into the kitchen and remember how he had tied the dori to her blouse long ago. She could sit on the roof and stare at the moon, reminiscing in the times they had done that together. Their bedroom was the worst, as everything in it had some sentiment behind it. It became so bad that she began wearing his kurtas to sleep, just so she could feel like he was near her. His scent, which was imprinted in his clothes, intoxicated every fiber of her being. It was the only thing that gave her enough solace to allow her to sleep.
Parvati received a call every few days, and when she did, her world would light up with the colors of passion. They would talk for hours, about little things, boring things, funny things, anything at all. It didn't matter to them, as long as they could hear each other's voices, nothing else mattered. She continuously told him how excited she was that he would be home soon, causing him to let out a small laugh, the laugh that only she had the privilege of hearing. Then Paro received Rudra's call...the call. The call in which he stated that he would have to stay longer than planned. He didn't know for how long, but he knew he wouldn't be back at the time she expected him to be.
She could hear the guilt in his voice as he spoke those words. They were like daggers that he sent from miles away just to pierce her. She didn't want him to stay there. She wanted him back home. She wanted to be in his embrace. She wanted to wake up seeing his handsome face every morning again. She wanted to see his smile that was only reserved for her. She wanted to him to tease her and taunt her like he used to, rubbing his prickly beard against her cheeks. She wanted to feel him, every inch of him that belonged only to her, that only she had a right to call hers. But most importantly, she just wanted him to come back.
But Paro could never be so selfish as to ask him to forget everything else and come home to her. Putting her longings aside, she told him she understood it was his duty to stay, and promised that she would be here when he returned. She also asked him to be safe. Even though Paro didn't need to say it, she said it anyways, out of habit. After that day, he rarely called. She knew the mission was keeping him busy, and that she couldn't call him, but there were times when she was so tempted that she even dialed the first three numbers before slamming the phone down on the bed. Then one night, Rudra called, and Parvati broke down. She began crying and telling him that she is going to be selfish right now and come back home for her sake. She may be a BSD officer's wife, but she wasn't as strong as him. She couldn't take the separation anymore. It had already been three months. She begged him to come back, stating she wanted her Major saab...no...her Rudra back. Rudra, who was choking up on the other end of the phone, told her that there was nothing he could do, apologized, and hung up.
What literally ate her from the inside out was when Rudra's calls stopped coming. Almost a month had gone by since she had last heard his voice. Her mind immediately thought of the worst scenario possible. He couldn't be...Parvati kept shaking her head to try to get the thought out, but it always seemed to make a reappearance. Rudra couldn't be dead...her heart was still beating. Now, as dawn broke, Parvati lay on his side of the bed, praying that sleep would come and give her her sanity back.
They say when a person lacks too much sleep they begin hallucinating. Parvati felt that that was happening to her. It wasn't just hallucinations, she was becoming delirious. It was the only answer. She felt something on her face. It felt gentle, feather-like, and warm. It was something so strange, yet so familiar. She had to have been dreaming, that was the only explanation, but at the same time it felt so real. She felt it disappearing, and before she knew it, Paro grasped for it and held it against her cheek. The warmth suddenly wrapped around her hand, and that was when she heard it.
"Paro."
Her heart pounded in her chest. That voice. This warmth. Parvati's eyes fluttered open, only to widen at the sight before her. It was Rudra.
She shot up from the bed in shock, "Major saab?!"
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her, drinking in her appearance. His hand rested on the pillow, where he was caressing her face, where her head laid just moments ago. Her eyes were filled unshed tears. Could it really be him? Was her mind playing games with her again? Paro extended her hand to touch him, but stopped halfway. What if he vanished the minute she touched him? What if this was just a dream? She didn't think her heart could take it if this wasn't real. Rudra saw the hesitation, and put her doubts to rest.
Slowly, he took her extended hand in his and placed it against his cheek. He leaned into it and kissed it tenderly and said once more, "Paro."
And that did it. The volcano of tears finally erupted and Paro leaped into his arms. Her arms tightened around him and she cried. It was him! He was back! He was really back! Rudra pulled her flush against him as he nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck, taking in the feeling of being in his wife's arms again. All the while, he soothed and comforted his wife as she spoke.
"Major saab!" she said. "You're back! You're really here! Rudra, you're really back!"
Rudra felt her pull away from him. He was confused until he suddenly felt her place small butterfly kisses all over his face, making sure not to miss an inch of it. Stunned by her boldness, he didn't question it, but instead he closed his eyes and continued to hold her as she carried on with her ministrations. Rudra felt her hands touch his face, her soft fingers tracing his beard, caressing it like a rare diamond she had just discovered. Then he felt it...the soft petals she called her lips met his. It was a soft kiss, but it was enough for him to understand how much his wife had missed him. When she stopped, Rudra opened his eyes and cupped Paro's face, memorizing every part of it, feeling it just as he had wanted to when he was away. He stared at the woman who had the ability to make or break his entire existence.
He wiped her tears and smiled, "No more crying."
She pouted, "How can I not cry? You were gone for so long. I missed you. I hadn't heard your voice. Why didn't you call? I even thought something bad happened to you. I wouldn't be able to live if anything happened to you."
"Sssh, Paro. Shant. Nothing can happen to me while I am away from you. My life starts and ends with you. I told you before...Paro nahin toh Rudra nahin."
Rudra felt his heart's burden disappear as Parvati smiled. He pulled her back into his arms, completing his long-unfulfilled desire to be back with the woman he loved. Paro let out a sigh of content as she held onto her husband, her life, her everything. Once again, their lives were filled with happiness.
After five long months, Rudra Pratap Ranawat was finally home.
**********
Well, there you have it! In the words of Om from 'Om Shanti Om': 'Happys Endings'. It wasn't much, I know, but I posted it anyways. Tell me what you think by leaving your comments and feedback below.
Thanks for reading!
Book Talk
Anupamaa
