Epilogue:
I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say 'I love you'.
-Shakespeare.
Arjun took to the restaurant as planned, but two hours late, at least.
They ate in silence. None tried to break the silence.
They were the last to leave the restaurant that day too.
He stopped the car and unlocked the door.
She stood at the doorway and stared in.
The house seemed new to her. She felt like a stranger there. Within hours how could a thing change completely?
He approached her and took her hand. As he led her in she followed him without objection.
They changed in turn and returned to the sofa.
Moments passed, but the silence.
He sighed and stood up, "Let's get some sleep," he suggested at last.
She stood up numbly.
He went in to make the bad.
When she followed him in, in small strides he was lying on the bed already. She sat on the bed hesitantly.
He extended a hand toward her.
Without hesitation she reached out and took it.
Her heart flew toward him before she did.
He pulled her to him.
She closed her eyes and felt safe at once.
They were lying there in silence.
He was tracing a scar on her wrist.
The moon was floating in the breeze toward a thick cloud to take a nap.
Eventually when he broke the silence he said, "I thought you'd talk. I wanted you to tell me."
She responded in a lone voice.
"I wanted to go away. I thought I didn't deserve you."
He smiled, "Don't you remember I've promised you that I wouldn't leave you?"
"And I've promised you I'd trust you," she smiled.
A moment later, he said, "I waited for you to decide."
"I wanted you to decide."
"And the moment I saw that you might have been kidnapped, I had decided I couldn't lose you for anything. Didn't you feel anything like this?" -his voice was hoarse now.
"I thought to leave you only after I got back my memory. And it too was for I could not tolerate cheating you anymore."
He raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He was processing it for a long moment.
Then he asked clearly, "Do you still think it is pity?" he paused and went on,
"It's L-O-V-E."
He whispered in her ears.
She opened her eyes. She wanted to see his eyes.
But the room was dark. He had put off the light.
She didn't know when.
She searched his eyes in the dark.
She didn't want to rustle the silence with her voice.
When she lifted her face he leaned to her and touched her chin.
He kissed her softly on the forehead. Her eyebrows knitted together.
He kissed her eye brows and her eyes closed.
He kissed her eyes too. He felt tears on her cheeks then.
"Sakshi," he insisted.
"Mm,"
"You are crying," he complained.
She smiled, "No, I'm smiling under it. Just that you are not seeing it. That is all."
"Now I do," he kissed her lips gently; her smile broadened.
'To the mere touch of your palm I'm ready to promise you anything in this world.'
'Then I'd ask for everything in this world, for you to be in constant touch with me...'
"I won't make you cry anymore," He promised.
"Then I can't tell you that I'm smiling under it anymore."
She replied as if the promise was not needed.
"You know, if you didn't accept me I was going to beg you till you changed your mind."
She laughed, "Uncle told me if I rejected you he'd throw you out of the house."
"Now I remember he said once that the house was in your name."
"It seems I've to reconsider my decision." She emphasized.
"It means I have no choice but you to keep the house." He returned.
And they laughed together.
#
The next afternoon we settled in the hall.
The girls were at the dining area.
Sakshi turned to Ayesha and said, "Everyone supported your boss well."
She looked at her as if she was complaining.
Ayesha smiled and responded at once.
"After he's become your boss too, why are you still mentioning him as our boss?"
She looked at her meaningfully. Sakshi laughed and blushed.
"And I heard you too were supporting him from the hospital scene," Ayesha went on and made Sakshi bit her lower lip to control herself.
Sakshi laughed it away and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't think you people were his friends too."
"And if you think I'm going to say something to make you blush more, I'm sorry, I won't."
Ayesha announced and Sakshi raised her hands as in surrender and the girls started laughing uncontrollably.
After a moment Sakshi said, "You know, to tell you the truth, I thought to run away to escape from him. You should have seen him yesterday. If only you people had given me, at least a clue in advance about this side of his, I'd have run away even when we were in the hospital."
"I've witnessed him before," Ayesha said as if she was retracing something. "And that was why we didn't hint you then. But I don't see you ran away from him even after witnessing him for your satisfaction, instead..." she squinted at her and stopped short.
Sakshi turned her face away fast but she was smiling shyly.
"Go away, you are making me do this again and again, though I'm telling you I'm not ready to."
Ayesha whimpered playfully.
Then she took her hand in hers and said, "I'm happy for you both, Sakshi, and I thank you for saving him."
"Right and it's my turn now and Im happy and thank God for saving him for me."
She smiled.
"No, really-I"
"Oh, Ayesha I didn't think you were this much emotional."
"Sometimes, right? Sorry I could not be honest to you-"
"Just forget it. I can keep pretending that I didn't find any fault in your honesty toward me. You know, uncle told me he was going to ask for your forgiveness."
"And he did on our way here,"
"So made friendship again?" she smirked.
"I should have listened to you," Ayesha said suddenly, "I should have made you blush more as you asked for," she winked at her. "And I'm ready now. Let's talk about Arjun sir," she suggested and Sakshi moved toward the kitchen as though she just had forgotten something there.
She heard Ayesha's laughter following her behind.
#
Chottu and I were devouring the cheese cake Sakshi had bought on Ayesha's suggestion.
The girls came there and Sakshi said to Arjun, "I forgot to tell you, the birds started flying out when I opened the cage yesterday, but they returned back to the cage again."
"It seems they found their home at last," Arjun said significantly seeing at her, and then he turned to Ayesha.
"Ayesha when are you departing?", as she was sitting opposite him on a sofa.
"As I told you," she looked at her watch, "In two hours."
"Thank God, I thought for a minute you had changed your mind seeing that you would not leave my wife alone."
Ayesha raised her eyebrows," What?- Well, I thought to help you. If you don't like it I'm ready to leave at once."
She looked at us questioningly.
"Once finished this I'll follow you out."
"I'm waiting for my hot coffee."
Chottu leaned against the sofa comfortably.
"What about you, uncle?"
He said after a moment, "As I've cancelled my trip I thought to stay, but if you-"
"Then stay."
"And you too can stay Ayesha, if possible. You can give a hand in packing to go to Mumbai. That way you can make your words true." Arjun smiled at her. "After all it was you who took uncle here finally."
As we looked at him questioningly, "You told us about the marriage, but not this."
Chottu said and we followed his gaze and found a kid standing at the doorway hesitantly as we smirked at him, "Come on in, Hasi," Arjun invited her in.
Sakshi went to her and took her in.
Hasi sat on Arjun's lap casually as Sakshi stood near him clutching the chair's back.
Sakshi introduced everyone to her and Hasi said a hello to everyone.
I shared a part of the cheese cake with her and for that she smiled at me at once.
"Arjun you were talking about packing," uncle reminded him.
Arjun smiled and said, "We've decided to go to visit Father at once," he looked at Sakshi.
She said, "We are going to give this house for rent and give the money to the home."
"I'm going to ask for a transfer to Mumbai and going to talk to the commissioner tomorrow."
"We are going to adopt a child."
They looked at us and we grinned our appreciation.
Ayesha said suddenly, "As you've decided to come to Mumbai, I'm not ready to lose my job now. I'm going there as planned and wait there to avenge you two."
We all laughed.
Hasi asked slowly, "Uncle, are you leaving me alone?"
The room went silent. None knew what to reply to the kid.
She looked at Sakshi.
Sakshi smiled at her mirthlessly, "But the birds won't, Hasi. They'll stay with you. And it doesn't mean we'll forget you. And don't forget a brother or sister is going to come for you to play with, okay?"
She tried to cheer her up but as her face didn't clear, she added, "As long as you make your uncle proud do you think he can forget you?"
Hasi shook her head and looked at Arjun to confirm.
He nodded at her and said, "Now tell me, in which pocket I have something for you."
We were watching the scene silently.
Hasi seemed to think a long moment before looking at Sakshi for a clue.
"I don't see any pocket in his pajama."
She said slowly.
"Oh, I wanted to tell you in which one's pocket I got this something for you, Hasi."
He returned and smiled.
Hasi looked around at everyone, before approaching uncle first.
"Thank God, I've already shared my cheese cake with you Hasi," I escaped.
"I have my boarding slip with me," uncle informed.
"I have my flat's key," Chottu offered, "In the left pocket."
"None is useful to her now," Ayesha took Hasi on her lap and said, "Come with me, Hasi. I'll buy you something big that your uncle did never buy for you this long."
"I see," Arjun looked at her.
"What's it?"
"Get a list of items from him Hasi that he bought for you, then we'll decide this big something, in private."
"Hah, what a trick!", "Not fair!"
"Trust your uncle Hasi. Come to me," Arjun called her to him. Once she approached him he put a hand in her gown's pocket and took her favorite Mr. Rabbit' key chain. Her face brightened at once. She clutched it eagerly.
"Didn't I say you could never change him?"
Ayesha said to Sakshi.
"Did you?" Arjun wondered, "I thought you were helping me out there as we heard your frequent laughter."
"I was," Ayesha said shortly.
"Didn't I say you could never trust a girl who seemed helping you too much?"
Uncle smiled.
"That was why I called them out here and cut them in," Arjun winked, "To thank her."
"But I heard differently," Ayesha said as seeing at nothing in particular that, "You were scaring a girl yesterday," she slyly looked at Sakshi, "To get her trust, after all. I've told him as you said, okay, are you satisfied now?" she looked at Sakshi.
Sakshi blushed anew.
"Now I trust you," Arjun grinned. "I can see, after all, you were helping me out from the first, even though you've boasted it, about a couple of times, now."
We laughed aloud and Hasi joined us as jingling her key chain she got from her beloved uncle.
Wake up Mumbai he is coming back!
-The End-
I listen to each day pass by in this world without you.
The moon sets and the sun rises, only to bring me more sorrow.
One day, one hour is hard living
by missing the past like this.
Where should I start erasing my memories?
The thoughts of you find me each day and interrupt my life.
The way you talk, your expressions are always clear,
and it makes me create an illusion of you still being by my side.
It's love, it's love, even if I erased it, it'd still be love.
No matter how hard I try to clear my mind,
only you live in my heart.
Only you, it's only you I want to remember.
At night I take your picture and fall asleep looking at it.
Where should I start erasing my memories?
The thoughts of you find me each day and interrupt my life.
The way you talk, your expressions are always clear,
and it makes me create an illusion of you still being by my side.
It's love, it's love, even if I erased it, it'd still be love.
No matter how hard I try to clear my mind,
only you live in my heart.
Only you, it's only you I want to remember.
At night I take your picture and fall asleep looking at it.
The tears that fell in my sleep will soon dry or drip down.
Your face seems distinct. It feels like I could touch it.
I love you, I love you. I can't forget you.
I only saw you, only knew you, only love you.
I don't know where I left my mind, each day feels like a year.
I can't do anything, any work, or say anything.
Still I believe in love, I still believe in love.
Even today, I believe in love...
Written by~Shim Hyun-bo
For 'Love, The Desperate Yearning.'
When things are the most fun is the best time to leave.
-Shakespeare.
-Thanks,
~K-..
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