Hey guys, for a while I've had this idea playing in my head which I sort have laid out here… Its two parts and here is the first. I'll try and clear any confusion in the next. The story was though up with three different couples in mind… one of which was of course AM. Looking forward to your comments!
Pardesi… Unfinished Business
Part I
Every parting is a form of death, as every reunion is a type of heaven.
~Tryon Edwards
Jannat… The thought struck him almost instantaneously as his eyes caught the plethora of blue amidst fluffs of pure white… Kehte hain jannat yahin kahin hai… iss neeley ambar ki galiyon mein… kahin in badalon ke sunnehrey ghere mein… (They say that the heavens are somewhere here… in the streets of this blue mass… somewhere amidst the wonder of these clouds…)… Jannat… Shaking his head ever so slightly in a reminiscent tone, a gentle smile formed on his lips as he pushed lightly into the leather… momentary closing his eyes… A distinct picture subconsciously formed itself on the blank slate of his mind… An abundance of greenery… specked with bright yellow… a vast blue sky… roofing the mass field… the rich smell of the khet… His muscles relaxed luxuriously as the scent enriched his senses… A rare calm overwhelming his stringent composure… Somewhere within the clear skies… a flock of birds enjoyed their freedom… while a deep blue abruptly joined in their pleasure… The music of the birds fused in with a distinct laughter… as the blue danced with the dreamy breeze… falling aimlessly upon a face… Jerking out of the reverie, he felt his muscles tighten once more… After uncounted moments, a distant voice penetrated through his blankness… "Sir, could you please fasten your seatbelt, we are preparing for landing." He watched stoically as the navy-clad figure disappeared into the far end of the compartment… whilst he internally still inched towards reality…
***
His heart hounded vigorously against the chambers of his ribcage… With each step, a new surge of energy and anxiety waved over him… The distinct beeping… whispers of conversation… the bustle of city-life… excited features… odorous airs… all entwined with a festive touch… It was all so familiar… yet distant… Placing his luggage onto the cart, he entered the waiting area… A sense of comfort inching close to him… but marred by some invincible barrier… as he breathed deeply of the abundant air… before searching the awaiting crowd. A stream of flashes and questions launched his way as he stepped towards the exit with a beaming Mr. Srivastav taking his baggage… "Welcome Mr. Mehra." He smiled genuinely at the stout man who had long proven his loyalty… and weaved through the chaos of cameras and lights, mouthing a "no comments"…
***
"Sir aapke liye humne flat tayar rakha hai… Aap wahan rahenge, aur kal aap tohra araam…" (Sir we have prepared a flat for you… And you will stay there, and tomorrow you can rest…). "Kal…" (Tomorrow), he interrupted his confused companion in the plush new machine. Slowly, his eyes broke away from the passing images of bustling life… faintly catching the black block letters on the aging blue sign… Delhi… "Kal… Mr. Srivastav… kal se hi main kaam shuru karna chahta hoon…" (Tomorrow… Mr.Srivastav… I want to start work tomorrow itself…). In response, he was accepted without protest… and the rest of the journey reeked of the presence of his old friend… silence…
***
Back… and forth… back… and forth… He stared pensively at the rectangular frame resting across the way… Quietly, he rocked on the loyal chair… his arms forming a triangle as his hands clasped supportively beneath the sturdy stubble… A set of papers lay untouched on the glass table to his side… an equally unaffected cup of coffee… its relaxing scent having faded now to his senses… Rolling his head back… he closed his eyes again… the familiar aroma of the fields beckoning… the lazy blue dancing in the air tempting… Slowly, the blue begins to slide… giving way to the sea of innocence imbedded in a pair of hazel eyes… The humble thud of a lightweight object meeting the tiled flooring filtered through his thoughts… and slowly, he eased back into reality… After what seemed like eternity, he raised… The soft strides of his feet ruffled slightly… as he approached the frame bathed in mysterious shades under the dim light… Now but a mere step away, his feet ceased… and his hands looked out the bay window… The night was young… and so too the festive atmosphere… Delhi traffic moved along to a slow rhythmic beat… as he continued to stare… yet not see… Turning his attention now back to the wooden frame… Lifting it slightly… his eyes met with the empty glass… The frame held nothing… yet read his entire story… Bracing himself from the ever-present grief, he lowered the object in hand… staring at it's upright back… before turning towards the full length window again… Sliding slowly to the cool ground, he cajoled the burning within… A rage of the past now threatened to overflow the present… engulfing it in flames of waiting… pain… The shield he had thrust against himself, now slowly relented… Silently, he could see the eyes… as they screamed questions into him… Refocusing his hazy vision, he perceived the world outside the glass blur… as the clouds expressed their sympathy…
The tender voice flowing from the nearby radio slowly occupied his thoughts… intermingling with the monsoon of reminiscences blooming afore his distant eyes…
Aaoge jab tum ohh saajna… Aaoge jab tum ohh saajna…
His eyes pooled lovingly at the dreamy sequence playing silently…
Angna phool khilenge…
The dreamy blue fluttered lively in the absent-minded breeze… riding high in the skies… as they rained with soft pedals… Whilst a pair of swift feet adorned in light jewels treaded longingly on the earthly path… following the stubborn blue… The chime of bangles musically bonding echoed in the air… as the owner wrestled with the airs…
Barsega saawan… Barsega saawan jhoom jhoom ke…
As the blue veil relented it's teasing demeanour… falling blissfully upon the grateful owner… the skies burst with miniscule droplets… singing life to the greenery around… While the figure took refuge underneath a sturdy tree… The soaked blue now slowly lowering… revealing the innocence of another dream… caught amidst a pair of hazel eyes…
Aaoge jab tum ohh saajna…
Slowly… his eyelids closed… sealing the memories for eternity… again… whilst a tired… solitary tear escaped it's confinement… unnoticed…
***
"Congratulations Mr. Mehra, aaj raat aapki aur humari iss kamyaabi ki khushi mein ek choti si party rakhi hai, aap zaroor aayega." (Congratulations Mr. Mehra, tonight we've held a small party to celebrate the success of our endeavour, please do come). He nodded half-heartedly… Greeting the flashes with overtly happy smiles… though only his heart knew…
***
Na hai ye paana… na khona…
Tera na hona jaane… kyon hona hi hai…
A pair of distant eyes watched as waves of clear liquid crashed mercilessly against each other… sending tiny droplets to fade in the air… while others relapsed into the miniature ocean formed between the glass… Holding the goblet pensively between his fingers, the owner brought it slowly to his lips… his eyes barely catching the blur of crimson pass stealthy by… Lifting his gaze, he was reacquainted with his celebrative surroundings… as the lights dimmed… while shadows cascaded across the marble… The melody now fused in another… as each pair lost itself in one another…
Ek din teri raahon mein… bahon mein, panhon mein…
…aaoonga… khojaoonga…
Ek din tera ho jaoonga…
Ye dil toh na… keh saka ye baatein…
Ye dil toh na…
Amidst the shadows… he sat… a part of them… their darkness… a reflection of his own inner self… A loner amidst a crowd… Suddenly feeling suffocated, his lungs yearned for fresh air… while his mind… searched for peace… An abrupt need to feel the air sucked into him… Quietly setting aside the glass… he silently turned towards the exit… whilst loosening the satin snake confining his neck… As his sturdy figure disappeared into the darkness of the night... the cerise snake slithered unnoticed... muffled by jingling feet...
***
He needed to catch the memories... unite them with the reality... the way it had always meant to be... He had to reacquaint with the reason… Tiny beads of perspiration formed upon his skin... as the pins and needles poked his body... Pulling off the dark blazer... he released his figure of the imprisonment... while pulling out his shirt, rolling up the loosened sleeves... The ever-present yearn now consumed his thoughts... completely... Feeling the earth beneath his wandering feet... a rush of inexplicable joy surged through him... The icy breeze teased his balmy skin... welcoming him... His arms hung loosely to his side... the hands hidden behind the pockets of his dark trousers...
Slowly... but surely... a distinct smile formed lazily upon his lips... It felt good... to feel again...
The wanderer roamed tirelessly in the aged streets... still excited in festivities... A smile addressed each curious pair of eyes that looked towards the ajnabee... At some point, he stopped… watching a group of children. Three… there were three… a boy, his face expressing an age of about nine… a girl, her innocence reflecting seven years… and another boy, who seemed to hover in between the two. They appeared to be playing a game of which he could not catch, but could see that a partnership was required. The eight-year old looked excitedly towards the girl, taking her hand in his… while the latter looked towards the nine-year-old… Her eyes radiating with disappointment… longing… perhaps, it could have been different… her eyes spoke… while the nine-year old looked back, a helpless smile upon his face… A silent acceptance… He continued to stare… even as the space filled with the children now turned empty… Near in the distance, the whistle of a train brought him out of his reminiscence…
***
There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
~Nelson Mandela
I will remember you… will you remember me?
Don't let you life… pass you by…
A long buried bundle of emotions now revitalized within him… as he caught the passing fields in the camera of his eyes… Would it be the same, he silently wondered. A fruitless question… He knew… as he had lived the fact… time and tide… wait for none… But still… somewhere… the dying light of hope still shimmered…
(Flashback)
After uncounted moments… he finally let out a chuckle… the laughter refused to subside as his eyes traced the creases of anger upon her soft features. Any passing wanderer would perhaps find the scene just as amusing… His plan had certainly worked… she had stepped exactly in the right spot, at precisely the right time! "Tum… main tumhe nahin chodoongi! Mere saare kapre…" (You… I will not leave you! My clothes…), she whined looking over her mud-covered self. After another minute of disappointment, she looked up, throwing him an icy glare… Before he could think into the slowly forming smile on her lips, he felt a tug on his arm… Confusion and shock read over his face as he looked at her laughing. Lifting a mud-covered hand, he scanned the rest of himself… now garnished in the same colour as her. He gave her a hard stare… spewing with revenge. The look obviously had not gone unnoticed by her, as she had by now started running… Silver jewels adorning her ankles hindered her attempt at getting out of his grasp… and soon he caught hold of her arm… Struggling to untangle her wrist from him, she wondered apprehensively as his eyes wickedly looked around… settling on the thick white tube atop the nearby well… Her thoughts struck blank as she gulped the immense liquid washing over her… cleansing her… As the cool water rushed over her body, she felt an odd sense of relief… A tug at her arm brought her out of the volcano of the clear liquid… and she peered into the eyes penetrating into her. It took a moment for the shivers to dim down… her muscles tensing with each passing second… not so much because of the cold… but his eyes… "Maine tumhare upar ye keechad uchalah tah… Toh main hi usse saaf karoonga…" (I got this mud over you… So I would be the one to clean it…). She watched in strange awe as his dark form disappeared into the distance…
(End Flashback)
Sitting still, he barely noticed the stream of chaos in the compartment as people filed out… Stopping at their destinations… as he wondered of his own…
Weep not for… the memories…
"Eh bahisaab, yahin rehne ka irada hai kya? Chalo, tumhara stop agaya" (Eh man, you plan on staying here? Come, you're stop has arrived)… Mera stop (My stop)… he juggled over the thought for a second… smiling lightly… alas… With the small smile still edging on his fine lips, he raised…
He dared not look too deeply… yet his gaze refused the restraint… The lush green ached with sweet memories coming alive… as his feet led him nearer to the secret place the child in him had once discovered… a discovery shared with another… Even in the pale hours of early morning, he could clearly make out the vast area… Given the need, he knew he could find the way with blind eyes… so deeply etched in his mind was the path… The rush of water from the motor nearby tingled his ears… welcoming another faint smile into his lips…
Weeding through the unmarked path, he finally pushed aside the thick branch hovering over his head… uncovering… unleashing a torment of agonizingly sweet recollections… Before him, was a small clearing… the flow of water gurgling in a narrow part of the small river entertained his ears… A large boulder sat against an aged tree… the heights of whom were far from sight… looking up, he sought the still sleepy skies… slowly awakening… in the pale, transitory phase… A natural barrier of green held off the rest of the area… Intrigued once again, he stepped towards the bark… relishing the feel of the rock against his fingers… before stepping on top of it… Slowly, but surely… he leaned his head back against the bark… momentarily closing his eyes… before opening them to the spectacular sight… the opening of a range of colours sweeping the vast ambar… So many seconds… minutes… hours… of memories had become lost in this place… Summers much looked forward too… A distinct such, now beckoned him…
(Flashback)
"Adi!!… Ruko!! Tum mujhe kuch batana chahte teh na…" (Stop!! You wanted to tell me something right…)… Her mock anger was quickly replaced by an innocent smile as she stopped… mesmerized by the sight above… The fear of being out late had long dissipated in his presence… and now she stood in the clearing… encircled by leaves and branches extending high into the skies… The skies… her heart melted at the stupendous sight… as the skies mingled in a cornucopia of reds and oranges… fused together with the sounds of the day awakening… Soon, she felt another presence near her… but stayed immobile… still lost in the scene… Unknowingly, she had grasped his hand in excitement… Holding it close to her pounding heart, she pointed to the universal roof with her free hand… devoting his attention to her…
He stared at her in utter amazement… Hesitantly, his gaze turned… lifting from her mischievous eyes to the object of her admiration. Stunned by the moment… the odd sense of dj vu…
They both stared wondrously at nature's ways… hand in hand… knowing… yet not… Minutes passed… unknowingly…
After the pause in time… she stirred… feeling the tiny sprinkle of liquid snake town the side of her face and disappear noticeably… Her empty thoughts now filled with reality… and she slowly parted her hand from her now alert companion… Feeling the rush of colour in her face, she casually averted his eyes… fixing her carelessly draped veil…
Sensing the strangeness of the situation, he wanted to look away… part from this inexplicable condition… But his eyes shamelessly refused to part from her… as she continued to fumble nervously with the cerise of her dupatta… A state of paralysis overwhelmed him… as his thoughts froze… Suddenly, she looked up… her eyes… told him… she felt it too… Taking advantage of the uncertainty, the clouds burst into passionate flame… Feeling a tug at his arm, he was jerked out of the cloudiness…
He could hear the murmur of curses trailing from her slightly parted lips as she wiped at her nicely drenched clothes… Following her, he attempted the same… Both stood, rubbing the moistness away… all to no avail… Suddenly, they looked towards each other… each as though caught amidst a lie… when a gentle smile slowly played upon her lips… soon bursting into a laughter he shared… It felt good… It felt good to feel… to have her near… to share this moment… to live it… The reason to the laughter was unknown… but it felt good… and that seemed only the matter… Leaning against the tree… they both looked through the holes of green above them… catching the pale blue within their sight… as the loud patter now dimmed…
Not knowing why, he felt a sense of calm… a deep relaxation… Turning his head, he saw her looking at him too… the same sense reading over her beautiful features… which he now took into detail… Amazed at his own audacity, he felt his palm slowly outstretch… feeling the soft skin of her face against it… After an uncertain moment, he brought the other hand forth… filling her in the deep reservoir of his eyes… Etching each detail vividly into his mind… his heart… his soul… Slowly, his gaze fell to her crimson lips… parted in the most barely noticeable manner… Rubbing the base of his thumb seductively against the lower lip… he relished the feel of it… while his eyes caressed her unique features… Slowly her gaze opened to him… he awaited for the hesitation in her eyes… searching… but all he could fathom… was the same unexplained desire… Lifting his face closer… he brought his lips gently upon hers… in a soul-stirring kiss… knowing it to be her first… and secretly his own too… Filling the narrow space between them, he pulled her close… as they dived into a sea of until now, reserved passion… She had unknowingly unleashed within him… a force he had not known the potential of…
When they parted, he felt the wind knocked out of him… while she looked to be in a similar state… Stunned… Her eyes fell to the ground… the colour rising noticeably to her cheeks… Slowly, she looked up… to find him shamelessly admire her… an impish grin slowly playing upon his lips… lips that still tasted of the sweet delicacy of hers… Brushing back a matted strand of hair on the side of her face, he continued the pleasurable observation… "Kuch baatein batayee nahin jaatee Maithali…" (Some things are not meant to be said Maithali…)
(End Flashback)
Other half to come soon!
Cheers,
dc
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