One morning, he was waiting for her in the office but she seemed unusually late. He tried calling on her phone and she answered in a weak voice. She was unwell and wanted him to tell their manager. He was disappointed that he couldn't see her that day. He decided to sneak away from work and give her a surprise. He stopped by the sagar near her house to get a parcel of curd rice.
She greeted him feebly but was glad to see him. Like boys and girls of their time, they each lived in rented houses shared with their respective friends.The living conditions were makeshift, typical of a lifestyle that was forever temporary. Her group had chosen to pool in money to buy a fridge but there were no cots, TV or such luxuries. She was sprawled on a mattress lying on the floor of the tiniest of the three rooms in the dwelling. The windows and curtains were tightly closed but the hint of morning sun seeped into the room.
He served the curd rice on a plate and fed her with a spoon. Sometimes, he would take a bite in between. He stroked her hair gently while she lay on a pillow. There was a quiet cozy and unspoken peace in them. Her company always had that effect on him. He would visit her there on other occasions and they would "play house". Once, she made him wait in the living room while she made a dish of rice and rasam. He started thinking onions in rasam were in fact a good idea.
One day, while dropping her home from the airport, he lingered on and got into a minor tiff with her. As if to make up for it, she hugged him and he loved it. He wouldn't have dared take the first step, but now that it was in the open, he could use the opportunity whenever he wanted to. He would hold her lightly and feel her breath on him. He would breathe into her curls and go into a trance. When it was time to let go, he would start all over again. Life in an embrace!
_~ Him_
© 2019 Subhash G