(This incident took place five years ago. I don’t know why I took so long to jot this down. But still, here it is….)
He was right there-in front of me! I couldn’t believe my eyes. Could this really be him? No. How was that possible when three days ago he………
Either it was virtual or real; a mirage or reality-I didn’t care. The sole thing of importance was that it was HIM.
Very carefully I took a step forward. He did the same. I kept walking (he too didn’t stop), fear gripping me with every passing second-please God just let me touch him once; let me feel his warm hands, his soft cheeks; let me gaze into those kind and eager eyes; let me be mesmerized once again by his appearance; let me sink in every single word of that husky voice; please God hold him still till I come, just once………
Though we both were walking towards each other, I don’t know why but the distance between us kept increasing by miles with each step. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He was smiling my favourite smile. But then he stopped. I did the same. He looked sideways and started concentrating upon something in the yonder. I was forced to take my eyes off his loving face. Reluctantly, I followed his gaze and was hypnotized. Where were we?!
Everything was so gorgeous-lush green trees, tall mountains half covered under the cloud blank, sun rays gently touching the water of a nearby stream. The water was making the netted sunbeam dance. This was the perfect place for him-so elegant, so quiet yet intense-just as he was. No-said a small voice inside my head. He belongs with me no matter what. I teared my eyes away from the breath-taking scenery and continued my rendezvous. But he was immobile-still staring at the mountains as if they were sprouting pearls. I am your pearl, look at me-I thought. He seemed to read my mind because at the same moment he looked at me, smiled intriguingly and beckoned me to come towards him. YES! I wanted to run like mad just to hug him once and feel his cool lips brush against my cheeks. But my legs went weak. I couldn’t help but walk like a snail.
But then, a blinding flash of light made me come to a halt. I was shaking very vigorously. Someone was shouting my name-KANUPRIYA! KANUPRIYA! Was it HIM? No, his was voice wasn’t so shrill. Then who was this person coming in between us?
That person proved to be my grandma-the one who brought me back from my dream (or hallucination more likely) to the real world. I was in tears. I noticed she too was crying. Both our eyes were red and puffy. She held out her arms for me and I leaped into them. Her hands had grown weak and so had she; so had I.
After all, how couldn’t we be? Both of us had incurred a devastating loss: she had lost a caring son and I had lost my loving dad. Yes, my dad had died three days ago due to jaundice. I hadn’t seen him, touched him or felt his mesmerizing presence for exactly two months, one week and three days since he was admitted in a hospital in a far off metropolitan city.
That was a DREAM. A bitter one: since I didn’t get to meet him. Oh! What won’t I give to make my dream come true, to talk to my dad once more, to feel his strict yet kind eyes upon me, just to hear him say once more-“ Little one, I love you so much.”
Hmmm……and they say that the dearest dreams come true………