An ‘Indian Return’ to the Nest!
It was a beautiful evening. The sun was setting behind dark clouds, streaks of orange light glistening across a glorious bluish-orange sky and the wind blowing from the sea into Rakesh’s and Priya’s face. Birds were getting back to their nests in their typical V-formations and people were getting back from work in a hurry.
Rakesh and Priya were sitting at 1 ft distance from each other on the sea shore, distantly gazing into the beautiful sky, the sound of waves making up for the silence between them.
Rakesh had returned from the US after 3 years. He had completed his Engineering successfully at one of the premier colleges in Mumbai, and proceeded to do what most of the Indians did – study M.S at one of the universities in the US. After working for a year after his M.S, he decided to return to India for a holiday.
Priya had waited 3 years for this day.
Rakesh landed at Indira Gandhi Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport at Mumbai on August 16th, 2008. Priya was eagerly awaiting his arrival at the airport with bated breath. They both went a long way back in the past. They had played to-gether in the same lawn, shared most of the toys and as they grew older, spent a lot of time at the beach discussing life. When Rakesh left to the US, Priya felt that she had lost an important limb in her body. Rakesh never left Priya alone – he called almost once in three days, if not daily.
She was expectedly very excited by his arrival.
They both drove back in Priya’s car to their favorite spot – the worli beach. Both of them liked this beach since childhood – the rugged rocks, the sharp terrain against which strong waves hit with panache – it gave them a sense of power and calm at the same time.
As they sat in silence for a long time, Priya realised it was getting darker by the minute and decided to do what she had planned all along. She looked at Rakesh, with tears in her eyes, with an overwhelming sense of having her life-support back. She opened her purse, and said
‘Happy Rakshabandhan Rakesh bhaiyya‘ and tied the rakhi to his hand.
They both hugged each other and proceed to their home in Worli.
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Moral of the story? – to read everything patiently until the end (esp. when it happens to be one of your short stories!) ??
Questions troubling my (little) brain:
1. Why did their parents not come to the airport?
2. What was Priya’s educational background?
3. Why exactly ‘1-ft’ distance?
4 ….
5. kashtapadi raasina adhrustam/dhuradhrustam email sequelni dharunamga aapadam nyayama??
@Pavani – haha, thanks! too many surprise short stories kill the fun, so not every short story might end up in a twist
Questions duly answered:
1. Sis is pickin him up anyway – no particular reason why parents didn’t come.
2. Priya’s educational background is superfluous to the story. The intent of Rakesh’s background was to explain why he was away for 3 years. [I generally avoid flab in my stories]
3. When I built up the scene, I didn’t want the reader to imagine that they were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, arms on one another like typical lovers. 2 ft distance, and that would be stranger-like. 1 ft distance suited the story – giving enuf clues but not giving it away
4. ….let’s see…why specifically August 16th 2008 – coz, that’s rakshabandhan day this year
5. Am sooo sorry…reply ichedanu, ivallo repoo..aapeyadam uddesam kaakapoyina, ghoramayina anyaayam neeku…nenu reply ichedanu sure ga!
Now I know when is rakhi falling this year
Good story, should have put more dialogues between them to create much thicker suprise. Also, mama..if my GK is right Mumbai airport is Chatrapati Shivaji Intl airport. I guess you a big fan of Gandhi family? Get it right before Shiv Sena puts your blog on fire. Jai Maharashtr…
@Sreedhar – I wanted to put more dialogues, but didn’t want the reader to walk away with the feeling of an incest
Chatrapati Shivaji it is – corrected – thanks for pointing it out; the blog was in real danger of getting burnt
lol to Jai Maharashtra
and fan of Gandhi family…say what again???
Thanks for dropping by!