Chapter 3
I was staring at my present sister and mother like a fool, while thinking every possible reason for my current situation. There was no difference in our house. It was as it was before Imlie set her foot here.
Did I actually travel back to past? Did I really do something without my own consciousness? Did my wish really come true? But how?
It was bizarre to the point, that I began to deny my sanity.
"ARU! COME BACK TO EARTH!" My trance broke, hearing my sister's sudden yelling.
Controlling my urge to shout back, I spoke up, "Here I'm. Happy now?"
She gave me her known smug before digging her food again. I had my piece of breakfast as well. However, this turn of the event didn't let me eat for long. I needed to find out about everything. From my current situation to current location of my wife. I needed to get out from our house, for my 'new office' as soon as possible.
Getting up from my chair, I almost ran towards my room. Although, I had to hear some of my sister's 'concerning' words, while doing so.
But who cares? At least a time traveller won't!
°°°°°°°°
"So, six months and approximately 20 days. I came back to 200 days ago in total, right?" While calculating the time on my phone, I noted down everything on my notebook.
However, I didn't have to do this for long. As soon as I rolled up my sleeves of my shirt, a specific number engraved in my left wrist, came into my sight: 199. It was imprinted in crimson red.
Day-199, the day, I returned home with my wife, Imlie's last reminds.
°°°°°°°°°°°
I drove my car away from the familiar road, which I had visited in the past countless times. Even though, my secretary sent me all the locations and details to finish her duty, I didn't bother to check it for obvious reason. Since my childhood days, I had eidetic memory. I clearly recalled the time, place, situation, when I first met Imlie in the past. She was walking on the road and got almost hit by my car.
Thanks to that stupid stone on the road!
I chuckled.
This time, it would be different. I would pick her up from here. I would be doing my best to impress her from day 1. I let out a laugh after pulling my car on that sideway. The clock indicated the exact time of occurrence, location was on check; I slowed down the speed in order to 'safety landing' before her. But, it didn't happen. 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 1 hour passed since I was looking for her in the road, wondering about the cause of this distinction.
Did my travelling back in the past, cause some butterfly effect?
"What if she actually weren't existing in this realm, only I might return?" I felt cold waves spreading throughout my body.
"No!" I couldn't jump into the conclusion just like that.
It was possible to change certain small, insignificant incidents like this, as long as the past remained the same, to the broader perspective.
I drove out to Bhasker Times, in order to schedule the internship interviews, that I was supposed to take from tomorrow.
°°°°°°°°
"Send Shakshi into my cabin," I put down the telephone after checking the documents of our aspirants.
KNOCK. KNOCK.
"Come in."
"Sir, you called me."
Keeping those documents before her, I proceed to state my requirement, "Are these the final lists of our interns?"
"Yes, sir. You will take their interview from tomorrow."
"No other names is finalised?"
"No, sir."
"Can you send me the applicant name files before this shortlisting?"
"Ofcourse, sir."
"Alright. You're dismissed."
"Thank you, sir."
She left the room without any further conversation. My eyebrows crocked; trying to resist all the possible negative thoughts that were coming in my mind. The finalist had not have any mention of Imlie in it.
Am I missing something? Did she never apply like this? Or... she truly doesn't exist in this world too?
"No, Aryan! Focus! Focus!" I mumbled under my breath, while dialing the number of the college, where she supposed to be there right now.
"Hello! Aryan Singh Rathore from Bhasker Times here. Our schedule for the.."
°°°°°°°°°°
"Thank you for your cooperation." We shook our hands before going out from principal office.
I felt lost, devastated. The brilliant student in scholarship, Imlie did exist in this college. However, since yesterday, they didn't find her anywhere near the college campus. She didn't even attend the interview today. She was also missing from the hostel as well since yesterday.
"Where are you? Damn it!" I murmured in exasperation and fear.
Giving a last look to the college campus, I straight up walked into the parking lot. Driving out from the campus, I was trying reason every single data I found till now. I didn't know when I came back to my main office. The only thought I was having, was my wife, Imlie.
Where on Earth are you?
************
"Arpi, didn't he look quite bright these days? I truly hope it's not my illusion," Narmada expressed her thought before her daughter Arpita, who was doing something with her laptop.
"Yes, maa. It's really not your illusion. He seems to have a purpose now. A purpose of living," Arpita assured her mother with a heartfelt smile.
She was typing something which attracted Narmada's attention again. After Arvind's death, her daughter stopped living her life too. She left her career in middle, lost her will to live and put herself in such isolation that none could enter. A wall between two siblings were also emerged, falling them apart. Narmada was helpless before the fate they were brought in. However, after years of prayer and pleading to the God, the day of their salvation might have come to them, finally. Both her children were looking brighter and had aliveness in their eyes. She prayed for this to continue till the last day of earth.
"Maa, check out the designs that I composed for our new jewellery brand," Arpita kept the laptop before her mother and showed.
"Brilliant, Arpi!" She overjoyed seeing her daughter being a master as usual.
She grinned at her mother's joyous face while voicing out her thought in her own mind.
From now on only laughter will be heard in this house, maa. Just wait a little longer.
***********
"Okay! No issues. Tell her to join from tomorrow," Cutting the call, I let out a deep sigh of relief.
I let go my body weight on the bed. Laying on the bed, I kept thinking about the day. Imile went to her village Pagdandia suddenly. This afternoon before the closing time of her college, she visited principal office to request for another chance of the interview. As per I planned beforehand, principal already agreed to it and informed me after her leaving from his office. I took all the responsibility of the formalities and told the principal to conform her qualification status to her by tomorrow.
Finally, we will meet again...
I gradually drifted down to sleep, with an anticipation for the next morning in my heart.
°°°°°°°°°
"Good morning, sir! I'm Imlie from Pagdandia. The new intern joined from today. I'll give my best in this job. Please take care of me from now on." Wearing her usual, green salwar suit, tieing her hair into a long braid, putting her identity card on her neck, my wife was standing in front of me with her firm smile; just the way, she did in the past, on her first day of this office.
I only nodded my head in agreement. Inside my heart, I was having a storm of emotions. Hope, happiness, gratitude, gratefulness and many. Most of all, extreme relief. Seeing her alive, walking around with a single scratch or squeezing blood, I never felt so reassurance in my life.
A perfectly fine living being.
I couldn't help but kept staring at her in awe, while she was taking the task from my secretary.
I am truly back in the past to meet you again. Please Imlie, don't leave me ever again...
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