Tap on the shoulder

I am enjoying a sunny day in the park. Just when I am reading my favourite book someone taps me on my shoulder, I turn around and I am stunned to see him after 5 long years.

(This person is Mr. Siddharth, by the way, more for later.)

I immediately try my best to hide what I exactly feel and I fear my sudden change of expression would prove my efforts futile. I am actually blank from inside and yet I portray a smile on my lips. To be true, I am utterly confused regarding how to react. Finally, I  muster up the courage to break the ice by uttering, "Oh, hi Sid!" and a long pause followed. To my surprise, this person answers it with an ultra warm smile in his brow, and a sparkling twinkle in his eye, he seems exuberant to bump into me, all of a sudden. I now notice his firm gaze, he still can't take his eyes off me, and he hardly make any attempt to hide it either. Oh my good God! I can't even blush, lest I might reveal some hidden feelings, something which I have locked inside my heart since long.

The next thing he asks, "So, what brings you here?". This question almost gives a break to my hyperactive rush of feelings, I casually answer, "I am here with my two year old niece, partly babysitting and partly trying to complete my favourite novel. He clears his throat and enquires, "Not that, I mean, what brings you to Delhi? Since when have you been staying here?"

"Oh, I just moved to Gurgaon last month for my my new job. I visited my cousins in model town, they had some urgent meeting, so I am asked to take care of the kiddo and that brings me to this park."

"Excuse me? It is gurugram, by the way!"

"Lol. Whatever! By the way, I didn't know you are in Delhi too. Since when?"

"Since last year. I moved to Noida. How come you never got the update? Oh shit! I..."

I cut him, " Since you deleted me from your FB, I guess!"

"Hey look, I am sorry! That was just spur of the moment, I guess!"

Really? I say in my mind. I want to ask so much. How can you just disappear? You didn't even reply to my texts or bothered to return my call. I am about to speak all of this, but I control myself.

Instead I reply a short, "Hmmm."

"Just hmmm? I know, I acted weird you must have thought, I went missing and I am stupid enough not to contact you ever, but I really was fucked up, big time! I thought, it would be better not to catch up for a while."

Like Really? Whatta crap! I say in my head. "Oh", I say out loud.

"Hey! What happen? Still sulking? I said I am sorry!"

"Nope. Not at all. Are you silly? It's been so long, anyway!" I say without meaning any of it.

(Cell phone beeps)

"Oh wait, I'll be back in a jiffy. I got to attend this one."

He zooms out of my sight without waiting for my response.

My mind is suddenly flooding with old memories, there is a whirlwind of emotions tapping me from inside, everything, just every single thing, all at once. It was this person who almost deserted me. My only best friend at work just left without letting me know if he is okay. I want to scream and shout and say, you are the worst friend ever but I also want to hug you back to our olden days. I need more explanations. You were my only gem, what happened to you? May be, you thought I didn't care enough. Well, I always did! You knew I cared more than anyone else and you still chose to keep silent. Why? What led to all of this? What happened after that call? That last call? I want the answers now, right away! My mind's clutter stops as he return.

"Hey! I am sorry to have kept you waiting." He apologizes.

Thanks, I needed that break to sync to the present situation. I thought.
"No problem." I assure.

"Actually, my wife called, I had told her I'll be back in a moment, but it's already one hour since I left home. Anyway, where were we?"

I am frozen. I am numb. I fell silent after hearing him.

"Hey! Where are you lost?" He asks, waving his palm infront of my lost eyes.

Widening my eyeballs, I say,
"OMG! You're already married? You didn't even tell... You could have... Never mind. How is she? Who is she? And when on earth did you marry? Not done buddy!"

"OK OK..cool down. I'll answer one at a time. When I left my old office, two years back, without informing, I got married and it all happened so suddenly, I couldn't tell you. I needed time to sink in. My problems at work, my relationship with dad, my sudden resignation. It was too much for me to handle. I was almost depressed, seriously! I wanted to call you back, trust me. But I just couldn't. I lost control of my life. I didn't know where my life was heading. I was just... And out of nowhere, this marriage thing happened and I completely got fucked up, really bad! I am genuinely sorry, I am telling you all of this now, and I didn't tell you any of this when I should've."

"Oh." I can only come up with this lame reply. I start thinking again. I don't have the courage to tell you that, I finally wanted to say "Yes!" when I was madly calling you.  It was probably my fault. I couldn't commit to you in the first place. I was pretty messed up already, about career, about relationship, about life and about everything! Damn!

Breaking the shackles of silence, I cheerfully say, "Mister, when am I meeting your beloved madam? By the way, you still didn't tell me her name!"

I don't want to meet her, my monologue resumes. Oh God, I am shattered. If only, you would have asked me again. Just one more time, Sid.

"Oh, her name is Divya. Okay then, Sunday. Cyber city at 7 in the evening. Fine?"

(Phone beeps)

I am about to drown in my own sea of emotions I hide within, as I say, "Yeah, now you answer the call."

"Great! Yo! I will call her back when I leave. Hey, by the way, I am so glad I finally had a chance to have a word with you. It was killing me, you know. I missed being with you." He meant every word he uttered. I could tell from his eyes.

"Yeah, I know. I so wanted to talk to you too. You know, it was your fault. You just vanished, Sid."

"I admit ma'am. And I am ready to do anything so that you forgive me. Sunday's dinner is on me, by the way!"

(His phone beeps)

Nothing. Now, you can do nothing. You left me clueless then. I blabber in my mind.

"Hey answer her call, damn it. Don't keep her waiting like this."

"Yeah! I will be killed if I don't rush off this park. Talking of park, do you remember Belle Vue park, back in Kolkata?"

"Ofcourse I do, Sid. Our escape from our respective miseries."

"Yup! I loved our escape. The only time I was happy. Truly happy. Bitching about our common boss."

"Don't take his name, Sid. Just don't. I still hate him so much."

"Not more than I do, sweetie."

"You don't know, what happened when I resigned, Sid."

"You have no fucking idea, what I went through, Ma'am."

"Enough Sid. I think we should not spoil our day by talking about him."

(Phone beeps again)

"You better leave now or she will be mad at you."

"You're right. Bye!"

"Hey Sid,wait. Your number? Is it still the same?"

"Oh yes! It's the same. I know yours is the same Ma'am."

"How do you know that, Sid?"

"WhatsApp. Your DPs and statuses keep changing."

"Really? You kept checking? But, how come your name never shows in the 'seen' list of my statuses?"

"That's because, I purposely never open those."

I am starring at him blankly. Why not? I want to ask. "Okay!" I answer with a puzzled look.

(Phone buzzes endlessly)

"You are too late Sid, you should be off without a minute of delay. And why aren't you answering it?"

"I'll tell her that I was driving back home, so didn't attend the call. Safety first, you see."

"Big time, liar."

"Always. Except with you. I've never lied to you."

"Ya." I say.
Oh God! What am I suppose to say after that. I am shit scared to dig any deeper. My overactive mind wishes that you lied, this time, for the first time, sid. You could have just said that you came to delhi for some family thing or for official work or for some bachelor's trip or anything, just anything, but this!

"So, See you on Sunday, then." He almost concluded our sudden meet.

"Well, now that I have your number confirmed, I'll let you know. I hope you reply this time!"

"Hey, you already know that I am sorry about that. Ofcourse, I'll reply. But no excuses will be entertained. You have to be there. Please? Divya will be happy too."

I was about to just blurt a yes, but the last sentence stopped me. I clearly wasn't much interested in meeting her.
"Okay, we'll talk."

"I want a yes. Right now. Atleast this time?"

I fell silent for a moment, again. My stare is back.
"Ohk. I will meet you, ah meet you guys!"

"Oh, thank you ma'am, I am obliged."

"Stop calling me Ma'am, Sid."

"Haha. Remember you were my senior."

(Cell phone beeps again and again)

"Shut up. Okay! Now go!"

"Yes, I am off now. Seriously or you'll hear a case of homicide in tomorrow's newspapers"

"Haha. I like your wifey already."

"Bye Ma'am. Take care."

"Yeah. You too take care of yourself."

"See you ma'am."

"You should be running buddy"

"Haha, yeah. See ya."

"Uff Bye, Sid"

"Bye."