A special evening.

The fragrance of jasmine flowers wafted in through the partially opened windows. He could hear the noise and commotion from outside. People were milling on the street, going about their evening shopping. He didn’t need to look outside the window to see it, he knew the rigmarole by now. He had lived here for many years and he could tell who was outside just by hearing their voices. People were returning from work and collecting their daily groceries. The children had returned from their evening tuitions, some of them from their tennis lessons and some others from their evening game of cricket on the local maidan. Of course, he didn’t know them personally and therefore had given them nicknames. There was Loud Lady, Mr Peon, The Arrogant Grandma, the Cute Twins and various others. Often he would sit by the window on a dull dreary evening and watch them, amused by their antics but enjoying himself. It often gave him a good reason to laugh and see life in a different light.

Today was different though. He had received a piece of news earlier. It was a welcome piece and brought with it a feeling of relief and joy. It had jump-started him into a frenzy of activity. He had spent most of the day shopping for an assortment of food items. It was a special evening and it demanded a special meal; at least a special effort at making one.

Having prepared the meal, he began creating the right ambience. Candles adorned the room. He had chosen them carefully, some large, some small. Some scented, some of them in pretty looking holders. Partially blossomed roses stood in a pretty vase on the table. Two placemats were arranged opposite each other. A wine glass stood on the side of each mat and cutlery on the other. The table was laid out symmetrically and he smiled at his accomplishment. It had been a long time since he had done something like this. Today was indeed a special day and he didn’t want to fall short on effort.

He browsed through his collection of CDs and chose an appropriate one. Loading it into the player, he adjusted the volume on the speakers to a soft yet audible level. The lights were accordingly dimmed. All he had to do now was wait for her to arrive.

Today was the 24^th anniversary of the day he had first met her. Today he had finally got word of her whereabouts. To say that he was excited about meeting her was a big understatement. He hadn’t seen her for close to 15 years now. What had happened in the past didn’t matter now, he had another opportunity to make amends.

“Still feels like our first night together” sang Bryan Adams in the background. Warm memories came flooding back and he smiled once again. He still remembered her vividly. The passage of time had done nothing to dim his memory of her. She had a beautiful grace about her. A warm, bright smile glit up her face and along with her beautiful large eyes was the first thing he had noticed. Her hair fell smoothly down the sides of her face and ended up in a soft curl just above the shoulders; a perfect frame for a pretty smile. Every time she spoke, her dulcet tones held him in a trance that he struggled to shake off.

 “First time our eyes met, same feeling I get

Only feels much stronger, wanna love you longer”.

Lost in his reminiscence, minutes ticked by and turned into hours. He began wondering what had held her up. She would meet him, of that he was sure. He walked over to the bookshelf and picked up her portrait. She smiled back at him with a mischievous look in her eyes. His heart skipped a beat or two as he ran a finger along her cheek. She was very beautiful.

“I’ve got a feeling that's beginning to grow.
There’s only one thing I can say.
I’m ready, to love you,
I’m ready, to hold you,
I’m ready, I’m ready,
I’m ready as I’m gonna be”

As the CD played in the background, he settled himself on a recliner, holding the portrait close to his chest. The night was going to be a long one.

Dawn had broken out and sunlight filtered in through the window. The CD player had continued playing tirelessly throughout the night. The maid would be in any moment and he was still in the recliner, pale and tired. Shortly, the maid had arrived and began her daily tasks. She was surprised to see the elaborate layout on the dining table and the number of burnt out candles in the apartment. “Is it Diwali already?”, she mused. The bed was not slept in. “Looks like he has fallen asleep in the lounge again. When will he change this habit!”

Sure enough he was on the recliner. She tapped him on the shoulder. “Wake up saab ji, the sun is beating on our heads.” He slumped forward at her touch. The portrait slid from his hands onto the floor. A beautiful face looked up and smiled at the maid. Across the lower end of the picture were scrawled the words “See you in heaven tonight sweetheart.” A smile was drawn underneath it.

The maid’s scream pierced the silence.

“Forever, we will be
Together, just you and me

For all of my life you know I’ll always be…

… right there.” went on Mr Adams.

(image by Anne-Marie Ladegaard)