A belated love story, part 5 ...

Continued from part 4

We did not have a telephone connection at our house in the Native land in those days but Alice did. I was unable to learn if Alice was cured. I thought I still have another two weeks to stay at Native land may be I will mange few quick trips to her house if all went well.

It had been raining and storming for a few days, the climate seemed to mimic the storm and unrest in my mind.

I remember spending most of the evenings and till late in the nights sitting on the terrace, for the last few days of the month of May 1992, wondering what will Alice say if I proposed her. Will she reject me? What if she rejects me? these thoughts hovered on me on and on apart from mornings which were spent accompanying my father for medical tests.

But when ever I thought she would reject me. I had a strong feeling that she would not, and I did not know why. I trusted my instincts and I planned to visit her as soon as she gets well.

The game of chess now was in an interesting stage fate moved the pawns and Alice's father knocked the door of our house the next evening. He came to see my father.

I asked him,"How is Alice?"

He replied, "She is well now. Why did you not come to my house for all these days?"

"I thought, Alice is not well, so I did not want to disturb her... but I promise you Sir, I will go to your house tomorrow".

Later in the night, I was assessing the chain of events that took place during this visit. I was now determined to disclose to her that I loved her; no matter what happened.

I looked at the watch, it was 11:15 pm in the night. Why does a day have twenty four hours? I drifted to sleep thinking of Alice.

It was the 1st of June, 1992 after several long and agonizing hours the sun went down. The environment is rather soothing during evenings during at this time of the year. I started to walk towards Alice's house.

All along the way I was mentally rehearsing the way I am going to propose her, over and over again. I reached her home and Alice's mother opened the door.

"Is Alice home?", I asked her.

"Yes, she is upstairs."

While I was climbing up the stairs, I had the same feeling as a fighter pilot, who on a mission to bomb the enemy territory would have had.

As I entered the room, she came running to me and shook hands with me. I noticed that she was in the middle of combing her hair and the comb was still tucked in her hair. She made me sit on her bed and continued combing.

I could not help but say,"You are beautiful, Alice". She blushed. I kept looking at her while she combed.

She knew I was staring at her but did not mind at all!

We started to talk, I was waiting for the right time to propose. Then the phone rang at the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a call from the local pharmacy. Her medicine was ready, although she was cured the doctor had adviced her to take the mecines for a few more days.

She asked me to wait, while she would return with the medicine.

I felt a bit awkward. I started to feel I was living in a dream world. May be Alice will never say yes to me. Does she had to get that medicine today only?

Her father gave me company while she was gone. It took a full forty five minute for her to return!

By the time she came back, all my excitement and emotions had faded. I decided to leave. Her father said, "There is no hurry, if you wish to leave you may do so after some time". The phone seemed to have a prominent presence! He left the room to make some phone calls.

That changed every thing. Had he not stopped me I would have never got the chance to say, what I wanted to say to Alice.

At last Alice was with me again with her hair neatly tied back, though I had lost precious time, those forty five minutes, I decided to make the most of what ever was left. Where is that time machine? I could have taken her to a different time line altogether.

She said,"There is nice little cool breeze out side, shall we go to the terrace?"

"Yes, why not?"

She led the way to the terrace, I found myself following the girl I loved. She seemed to be a totally new person to me and wow! she has developed such an enchanting natural fragrance. But why does she have to tie her hair? She looks so beautiful with her hair down. I wish she lets her hair down.

As soon as we reached the terrace my wish was granted. She pulled her hair band away. I felt a strange delight. We started to talk casually again. Indeed the breeze was nice and though the sky had stretches of white clouds, the moon seemed to play hide and seek with us. After a few minutes, I decided it is time.

I said,"Well do you ever think of me, when I am gone?'

She replied, "Yes, I do...", but she seemed to have got the hint and immediately came to the point, "Sudip, you asked me if I had a boy friend, I said no....now ... let me ask -do you love some one? ".

My heart started to pound again ( like two thousand pounders exploding on the territory I was bombing), this was it, "Err... umm I mean no one ... ", I stammered.

She insisted,"Tell me who she is?"

I regained my courage, "It is you!", I finally said it out loud.

At the very next moment, a huge wind swept over the land and some where far away it thundered with a violent clap.

Her eyes were fixed on me, she stood frozen for a few micro seconds. The wind blew again and she ran up to me and embraced me. I never expected she would react in such a manner. I guess I was blessed than I thought I was. I could not fully believe what was happening, the girl I loved is actually embracing me? That too for the first time....?

I too wrapped my arms around her.

We stood like that for a long time, her embrace was warm and tight and I felt the soft touch of her hair as I slowly caressed her hair tumbling down her back ³. Finally she looked at me. I saw her face, tears running down her eyes.

She play fully began punching my chest, saying, "What took you so long?.. why didn't you tell me earlier."

"I wanted to... that day when... but I could not"

"I too wanted to tell you that very day... I thought you might take it in same other way... my God... Sudip I love you...", she kissed me on both cheeks and rested her head on my shoulder. Tears continued to roll down her eyes.

"I love to you too ... Alice." It was the happiest moment of my life. Mission accomplished!

"Alice", I asked,"I could have told you way back in 1989, why were you avoiding me?"

"Hun, I was getting conscious about my own self, I hesitated... even in your presence. But my love, I always loved you. "

"I love to you too", I said.

I wiped her tears and she said, "You see... when we grow up, we should get married..."

I meant it when I said, "I will marry you..."

"That's all I wanted to hear", she embraced me again,"just respect my love my dear!"

We kissed again.

I continued to hold her in my arms and started to wonder, this day the 1st of June 1992, will never come back. I could have accompanied her when she went out to get the medicine. That would have given me more time with her. Why on earth did I forget my camera? I could have taken a picture of her and captured this moment forever and who made me forget to bring along photograph? I could have given it to her. She is my first love. Even if I was miles away from her, at least a part of me in the form of a photograph would have remained with her.

Now where is that time machine, again?

It started to rain, and continued to do so for another hour. I spent the next hour with her in her room, exchanging vows of love.

I had to leave as it was very late already. I wished to return to her very soon.

Upon reaching home, like a bolt from the blue my father told me to pack up, we had a change of plans and we would be leaving for the City of the desert the next day i.e. 2nd June 1992.

The news gave me a nasty chill, I was under he impression that we will be staying at Native land for at least two more weeks. That meant I would get a chance to visit my beloved Alice a few more times. I told nothing to my parents about my candid affair with Alice ². I loved her from the bottom of my heart!

Fate seemed to have hacked our stay short ¹, we left for the City of the desert the next day. I kept on praying that I should have chance of meeting Alice sooner than the soonest! Chess men had moved them selves to an interesting position. Little did I know that I will have no contact with Alice for the next five years.

Continued to part 6

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