Remembrance

Grey yonder seemed unusual this morning, as if it was announcing an upcoming torment or something. Everything looked gloomy and pale. So was Aakash’s mood. He didn’t even bother to let Anita know that he was leaving for office. He just stormed off the room banging the door behind him.

The red and flushed face of Aakash failed to spare anyone who came in his way. He snapped at everyone. “Do I have to teach you from the scratch? This is the worst way of writing the minutes I have ever seen! Now get of my face and bring me a fresh and a better one and call Fortsman Co for the meeting and inform them it’s scheduled at 6.” With these many information hanging around her head, Lissa, Aakash’s secretary sighed and then left. She did understand her boss, when to push it and when to endure silence. She had guessed right about the disturbances happening in his life.

The meeting went longer than it was expected. The counterparties had left. Lissa came into his office and handed him the minutes. Aakash took a glance and then replied, “I am sorry about the morning and for the late hours you had to stay. You may leave. I have to look at some other stuff.” Lissa smiled and replied in her usual chirpy voice, “its okay, no issues. But I guess none of us can leave for the next hour or two. It’s raining heavily since afternoon.” Aakash realized he didn’t even get time to peek outside. It was raining cats and dogs. The torment was unfolding now which was awaited since morning. “Don’t worry. I will ask Ramesh to drop you home for today.” He took out his phone and was dialing his driver’s number when Lissa interrupted, “But sir that will be of no use, no cars can move, it’s completely stagnated outside and wheels are probably drown in water.” Aakash frowned. Both sat awkwardly in his office. He didn’t ask Lissa to leave. The silence lasted for good twenty minutes. Lissa remembered she used to sit this quietly only when her teacher used to snap at her and the class for being too much talkative and they were made to sit with fingers on their lips. When it became impossible and deafening, she started, “Sir you can give me your pending work you were about to do.” Aakash said nothing. He kept staring out of the window. Lissa’s phone rang, “Yes mom, I have my umbrella and I won’t be going out until it stops raining, No, no one has to come to pick me. Ask grammy to take her night pills on time or else I am gonna give her good ears. And also, tomorrow is 9th September, her monthly physiotherapy session. Remind her. Byee.” She hanged.

“What did you just say, 9th September?” Aakash returned to the conversation. “Yes sir, sept 9!” Lissa replied. Aakash took his phone and began to scroll through the old photographs of him and Anita. It was supposed to be their 5th marriage anniversary. How could he even forget this day? He was about to call his wife and his fingers kept hanging in the middle. Yesterday they had enough of yelling and listening. It was of no use perhaps. She won’t even care. In fact, he was staying late as an act of desperation so that he could stay away from home for as long as possible. Lissa watched every detailed movement of his boss like some film or documentary. She wanted to ask something but thought better not to say anything. But again, being a slave of her habit, she asked slowly and softly, “Anything wrong?” Aakash kept the phone in his pocket and fumbled, “No, nothing wrong. Just that….” Aakash found himself struggling whether to say further or not but then he decided against his will. Perhaps the only thing he needed was to share with someone about anything and everything. “It’s our marriage anniversary tomorrow. And I was almost forgot till you reminded me of the date.” He kept his gaze down while fiddling with his fingers. “Ohh! Congrats sir! Best wishes in advance. So I guess you will be taking the day off. After all, Ma’am does need this one day of yours. Have you planned something special?” Lissa continued to blabber and Aakash was in his own thoughts. Lissa stopped abruptly noticing the expressionless face of her boss and cursing herself for being unnecessarily chatty all the time.

“No, no special plans. I don’t think she would want anything right now.” He muttered finally. Lissa was clueless what to say. “As far I know, women can forego anything but not their birthdays and wedding days. I can help you sir. I shall make arrangements and send it to you tomorrow morning. It’s my job anyway. Tell me, what does Anita Ma’am like? Her favourite colour? Her favourite food? Her favourite flowers?” Aakash pondered over those questions and thought that it was five years and he doesn’t remember any of the answers. He has been so selfish and self consumed in his own life. The very notion of blankness entered in his voids and he felt his eyes getting wet. “I don’t know. I never asked. I never bothered. I love blue and always ordered her to wear nothing but blue whenever we went to parties. Whenever it rained like this, she used to fry something traditional, it used to be oily and I used to mind her about her unhealthy habits. She had short hairs when I first met her. Now she keeps it long because I like it that way. She loved pink lilies, I think. She had planted one in the balcony and I threw that out because it that disturbed me and hurt my foot every time I walked in there. She cried a lot that day, just because she loved that and I was a fool to ignore everything of hers. She knows everything I love and I don’t remember what she actually used to be. Today had been a pleasant day only if I had listened to her what she was trying to explain yesterday instead of yelling on top of her. You know why I was acting crazy today, because she didn’t fight me this time, in fact she was as calm and froze like an ice and didn’t say a word till morning and slept in another room. That silence… ripped me to the core. She told me so clearly without saying that she no more cares about anything, I made her tired.” His voice broke.

Lissa on the other hand never in the world expected her boss to open up like this. She was single, only daughter to her parents, over pampered by her family and still quite young to understand such mature and serious relationships. She thought she was caught in some kind of a challenge where she has to find and place selective phrases without altering or destroying the essence. The rain outside had almost stopped and was proceeding towards a closure. “I don’t know what to say more. I don’t know about marriages. But if I were a wife, I would expect my husband to be with me, that’s it. The entire time. And if in any case, he also happened to have so many confessions to make, I would listen to all of them and then say, ‘it’s okay. Let’s start afresh and this time promise to be a better person than you were yesterday!” Aakash didn’t move his eyes from her. Lissa glanced outside. The rain finally came to a halt. She quickly took her bag and umbrella, bid adieu and left. And Aakash was still drifting in her words long after she had left. This young girl taught him such a deep lesson. It’s never too late to start. He already knew that he was going to do exactly what he was told. Love ultimately never dies. Patience does. And this time, it was his turn to redeem…