“Ma’am, please turn off your mobile phone.”, said the smiling air hostess. She gave a fake smile and looked at the photo of her husband on her phone. She switched off her phone. A few announcements were made by the pilot but she was not paying attention. As she watched outside the window, she saw a raindrop making its course on the window glass. Another drop of water fell – this time, from the corner of her eye. She shut her eyes tight and tried not to cry. At least not loudly. The plane took off.
*********
She woke up to the sound of the pilot’s announcement. “We have reached Delhi”, he said. She looked outside. It was a warm sunny day. She checked the time on her watch. Five minutes past eight. “Khan would have woken up now.”, she thought.
The flight landed and she collected her bags from the overhead compartment. She switched on her phone and she had received a text message. “Hope you reached safely. Give me a call when you are all set. Love you!”, it read. She smiled and collected the bags from the overhead compartment.
Once she was outside the airport, she called for a taxi. As she sat in and the taxi took off, she checked her watch. Forty-five minutes past eight. “He must be getting ready to leave.”, she thought. She called him up.
“Hello, Miss. Wife! How is it going?”, he asked. “I just left the airport. Did you have breakfast? What did you have?”, she enquired. “A bowl of oats. Something feels wrong though! I must be the only idiot on the planet who cannot make a bowl of oats right!”, he said laughing. “I’m sorry!”, she said, her voice breaking down.
*********
It was three months ago. She received her admit from one of the top institutes in the country. She had always wanted to get an MBA. It had been her dream. Not her aunt’s though. Her parents had passed away in an accident when she was ten years old. She was brought up by her mom’s sister and her husband. They had provided all the basic care – even more than what her parents’ savings made possible. They had been kind to her. They sent her to a reputed university in Chennai. She always came top of her class.
As she turned 20, they felt that she should get married – “settle down”, as many would say. It was not that she did not want to. But, she also wanted to study further. But, she did not want to be a burden to them anymore and had reluctantly agreed to an arranged marriage.
Khan was not her typical “knight in shining armor”. Yes, he was tall. He was handsome. He was well placed in a very reputed corporate company. But, somehow she found it quite impossible to “fall in love” with someone she had just met.
They got married a few months after she got her Bachelor’s degree. The first few weeks in a new home were a bit intimidating. But, her in-laws were quite kind to her. They did not impose any new rules on her. She had enough freedom – freedom to choose between staying at home or going for work. She chose the latter.
“But, I have always wanted to study more. A bachelor’s is not enough for me, Khan!”, she said. He did not talk for a few minutes. He read the admit letter in his hand for the third time. “This is such a good opportunity. My company is sponsoring and it is such a good university!”, she said. He did not look convinced. “Please, just two years. It is my passion.”, she said.
A few days passed. She had given up hopes. She knew some sacrifices were always made when it came to a marriage. She was happy to get a husband like Khan. He took very good care of her. For someone who did not have parents growing up, her in-laws made her forget that they were her in-laws. They were like her own family. She thought it was okay to give up on her dream.
That night, after dinner, Khan took her out for a drive. “You can go.”, he said. She did not believe what she heard. “But, I though Amma and Appa were against it.”, she said, “Plus, it is going to be hard on you.”. “They are still not 100 percent okay with it. But, I convinced them today.”, he said and took her hand in his. “You said it was your passion. You should always follow your passion.”, he said. She had never felt this happy. She could not believe what she was hearing. “Just two years. Thanks so much.”, she said through her tears.
*********
“I’m sorry!”, she said, her voice breaking down.
“Hey, it’s okay. Remember, it was my decision to send you.”, he said. She reached her apartment. The next one week was hectic. She had to set up her apartment, enroll for classes and choose which ones she liked. But, as hectic as they were, they were also exciting. Being in a class room, learning something new everyday was something she had missed in the last one year.
A couple of months passed and she was topping her classes, as usual. But, something made her sad. She was not as happy doing well here as she had been in her undergraduate studies. She missed Khan.
In the last one year, she had not only found her husband, she had also found her lover and her best friend in him. He was a man of habits and she learned his habits. How he woke up at eight everyday, how he liked his coffee everyday (the exact same amount of coffee powder, milk and sugar, all in the right proportion), how he wore his watch before he made his tie (and never the other way around) everyday. She was missing it all. She wanted to finish the course as soon as possible and fly home.
*********
It was her birthday. She was fast asleep on her assignment on the table when the phone rang. It was Khan. It was 12 midnight. She yawned and picked up the call. “Hey, baby!”, he said. “Hi, Khan!”, she said, looking at the assignment and the empty and ineffective coffee cup on the edge of the table. “Happy birthday, princess!”, he said. “Thanks! I miss you. I wish you were here now.”, she said, tears welling up in her eye. “Could you open the door?”, he asked. “What? Now? Have you arranged to send flowers? Aren’t you such a romantic!”, she laughed and went to the door. “You’ll see, baby!”, he said.
She opened the door and froze. There he was! He had a bouquet in his hand and his American Tourister on the other. She could not believe her eyes. He came in and hugged her. “You were right. Here are your flowers! Happy birthday!”, he said, giving her the flowers. She did not talk a word. She was still in shock.
He brought his American Tourister inside and he jumped on the couch. “I have a long day tomorrow. It is my first day at the Delhi branch. I have to impress my new colleagues.”, he said. She still had not spoken a word. “I got a transfer to Delhi, baby.”, he said. She rushed to him with joy. “How about Amma and Appa?”, she enquired. “They will be fine.”, he said taking her palm in his. “I could not stay away from you. Something strong made me get a transfer”, he said. “What?”, she asked.
“Passion. You are my passion. We should always follow our passion, shouldn’t we?”
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