It was his first letter to her and the only one to begin a new chapter in their lives.
She opened her first letter and all the memories drove her to that special day which she still felt blessed about!
“Oh!!! I just drew that, you naughty wave!!” she said innocently with a smile on her face.
It’s not that she wasn’t aware of the fact that, no matter how much she wanted her inscribed figures to remain as it is on the wet sand, those waves would wash them away. But, still she complained as if the waves could understand her. Realizing that she was just being silly to talk to waves like that, she turned around slowly to make sure that he didn’t see any of it. “Thank God he didn’t notice me!” she murmured as she found him, as usual writing something in his diary. She knew that as long as he was busy writing, he won’t pay any attention to the world around him. “Even if it was being attacked by humongous dinosaurs, he would have continued to write” she thought. Her own imagination made her chuckle.
She turned towards the sea, took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could feel the wind on her face. She was able to feel the deep happiness within her. The sweet experience of being with the one she always loved and to be bound-less at the same time made her smile endlessly. She was startled with a tap on her shoulder. It was him. “Shall we go back?” he asked. She nodded with a smile and they both walked towards their hotel. While on their way she spotted a raised shack which was perfect to sit and enjoy sea view without any sunburns during the day. “Hey, we’ll sit there tomorrow.” She said. He saw the spot and agreed with a smile. They reached their hotel, had dinner and headed towards their room, separately .
Yes, separately! They were two good friends on a much needed vacation, away from the hustling of crowded city, overly crowded social media, professional and personal network.
A pact was signed between them, not literally but, yes something like that. According to the pact: One, they would respect each other’s privacy by staying in separate rooms during their vacation.
Two, will not hinder each other’s activity to enjoy this leisure time.
Three, will not compel each other to enjoy time together, both will have full freedom to visit places separately.
Well, they did stick to the first two conditions but, every time they ended up going to places together.
While lying on the bed of her hotel room all she could think about was him being a thorough gentleman to her, always. She knew that nothing was possible between them but, she was smitten by his caring and chivalrous nature. “Dear God, please bless this man with the best of everything…he is such a perfect human being.” she prayed for him, just like every other night. Little did she know what was happening in the other room where he mumbled, “Amen!”
Next morning she woke up to the warm smell of coffee kept on her side table…and this was a sign for her to know he was around. It was a routine during their stay. Every morning he would come to her room to share the morning coffee and discuss their plans for the day. She never admitted to him that waking up to see his face, first thing in the morning, was the best part of her day.
While they were planning, he said he had some work which he needed to do alone and so, will be able to catch up with her later. They decided to meet on the spot in the afternoon, which she chose last evening. It was unusual of him to ask her to go ahead alone but, she recalled the conditions of their pact and so, agreed to him.
It was two in the afternoon when she reached the spot but, there was no sign of him. She looked around the shack and found it a bit different from what it looked last evening; it was decorated with her favorite flowers that made it look & smell amazing. She found a bunch of papers on the coffee table with a note written for her, saying “Just for you!!” She sat on the couch with those papers in her hand and couldn’t help but, blush. It was a letter from him, to her; comprising of several pages having beautiful pictures of her. She never found herself beautiful though but, those photographs were telling a different story. Each page had one photograph with a request attached to it.
It read,
“Hi, I didn’t know how to say this so, here I am doing what I am good at…writing everything that I have always felt but, never admitted to you. But, I guess this “time-out” has given me a lot of time to look inside, accept and express the most pleasant emotion I have ever felt!!!
You know what is the best part of my day? It’s when I see your face every morning. You look so peaceful while sleeping. I don’t remember the last time I had a peaceful sleep like that.
I must confess today that I have always envied that hair strand of yours. Because unlike it, I could rightfully never be so close to you. I have always wished to touch your beaming face, to kiss your forehead to say how much I love you. I have wished to caress your soft and supple cheeks. I have wished to whisper “good morning my love” in your ears to wake you up every single day. I have always wished to be rightfully close to you, I want to feel the peace, with you, like you. May I?
When I saw you talking to the waves the other day, you were being silly but, I loved the fact that you were being unapologetically you. Do you know that you bite your tongue when you are up to such things and how much I love to see that.
No one has ever known me so well like you do and so, would know that I have never let myself to be so carefree. I have always held back because of some unknown fear. But, I have always loved the way you have been yourself without being bothered about how others would see you…I want to enjoy being silly with you, like you, unapologetically. May I?
When you were enjoying the winds near the shore with your eyes closed and that sweet smile on your face, I couldn’t help but, admire your acceptance of those little moments of joy and happiness which you embrace so lovingly.
I have forgotten to feel the depth of happiness. I want to embrace every moment, every happiness of my life with you, like you. May I?
My Love, I want to spend my life with you, loving you, like you, May I?”
All this while when she thought that he was not paying attention to her and did not feel anything; he was there, he was always there. This very thought made her look at him in a different way altogether and she found herself falling in love with him, all over again.
It was his first letter to her and the only one needed to begin a new chapter in their lives. While she was trying to absorb all those feelings, he came and kneeled before her with a ring in his hand.
“Show Naani…show us the ring!! Is it the same ring that Nana gave you?” All her grandchildren surrounded her and asked in unison. “Yes” said their Nana from behind. “That is the ring which I gave to the most amazing woman in the world” he said, while holding her hand, as she blushed.
–END–
