Page
of
1
AD ONE SHOT
What Could Have Been
The sky was a leaden grey…so different from the blue skies they had left behind hours ago. These few hours had changed their lives more than they had ever imagined. Life would now never be the same…unless..unless some miracle took place..something unthinkable…something mysteriously exalting…
For the first time in the light eight hours Deepika's eyes clouded with unshed tears. The burden of the entire team was on her alone, and in circumstances like these, it became hard to bear. Her staunch stance, her expressionless face had given them hope even though she had been at the depths of despair.
As the sky above burst, so did her dam. As the torrential rain fell on the ground, the stinging salty tears dried away on her face.
"Deepika?"
The tears went away as quickly as they had appeared. Neha was standing in the doorway of the terrace.
'The next words she would speak would change my life completely,' Deepika reflected silently.
"Kya?"
The drops of rain hung in the rain suspended and so did her tears.
"He is stable."
The rain and the tears came crashing. Deepika sank on her kees. This time, she let them flow.
-o-
Sixteen days later
The antiseptic smell was a lingering reminder of the place despite the yellow paint and the flowery curtains. The department had settled for nothing but the best.
Deepika deposited her bag on the side table and picked up the flowers she had brought. The bouquets he had received had long over flown the constraints of the table and now littered the floor where they had been deposited haphazardly. Deepika tut-tutted unapprovingly. Neatness was a virtue she was proud of.
Clearing up the mess on the floor and arranging the bouquets in an aesthetic manner, she reached for the long stemmed nishigandhas tuberoses she had brought. She inserted them into in a makeshift vase – a plastic bottle of water. There had been no time for anything more sophisticated.
"Deepika?"
She closed her eyes savouring the sweetness of that voice. She lifted the bottle and hugged it to her chest and turned around slowly.
"Kya?"
"Tum kab aaie?"
"Abhi. Tum shayad so rahe the."
"Oh."
He looked at her searingly, expectantly. She could not discern the third emotion on his face. It was an emotion that he had never shown in front of her. Even though he wore his heart on his sleeve, Aaryan was hesitant this time. He was waiting for the right time.
"Kuch chahie?" Deepika asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.
He replied in negative and disappeared under the paper. Deepika looked at the time. It was nearly two thirty. The others would be here soon.
Deepika's cell rang. She took a look at the number and frowned. Sipping outside the room, she stood in the corridor and received the call.
"Hello Deepika?"
"Bolo Shotgun. Any problems?"
"No no. Commissioner sahib ka phone aaya tha, par its okay. He said you can stay there."
"Par case Shotgun-"
"Commissioner Sahab ke permission hain Deepika. Waise bhi autopsy ka koi kaam bach nahi hain. Ganesh aur Anna Kartoos se related kuch printing aur filing bacha hain."
Shotgun looked at the papers in his hand and then at the office. Boxer and Ajay were at their respective workstations, hammering away on their reports of the case. He had to work on some latent reports. Neha was drawing up transcripts of interrogation they had conducted.
"Aur baki logon ka?"
"Teen chaar ghante main ho jayega. We will be there by…say five thirty?"
"Okay."
Deepika came in. Aaryan was awaiting her expectantly.
"Kya hua?"
She narrowed her eyes and began talking on subjects that had to do nothing with Special Squad. After two and a half hours of spirited conversation about everything under the sun, Aaryan feel into a light slumber. Deepika looked at his face. In sleep, he looked calm. Not even a crese of his worries existed as he slumbered peacefully. Unable to resist, she placed a light hand on his cheek. The slight movement disturbed him and he stirred. Deepika took away her hand hastily and exited the room.
She finished all pending work on her laptop. Bored, she got up and walked about in the room. The rain lashed against the road like whips on a prisoner's back.
There is no way I can drive back in this rain, Deepika thought. She whipped out her cell phone and called Neha..
"Hello Neha, Deepika bol rahi hoon."
"Bolo Deepika. Kaisa tha din?"
"Akele bore ho gayi hoon."
"Aur Aaryan?"
"So raha hain."
"Deepika, kuch pooch sakti hoon?"
"Sure."
"Kya…kya tumne use kuch-"
She sighed. "No Neha. I haven't got around it yet."
"Deepika-"
"Kitni barish ho rahi hain na?"
Neha pushed her specs higher on her nose. "Haan, bahut. Mumbai rains are just unpredictable."
Deepika looked at the window at the end of the corridor. Rain slapped against the glass and it shuddered.
"Such a curse. Aaj main yahaan atki hoon."
Neha chuckled.
"Suno, tum log barish kum hone ke baad hi aana. Itni barish main toh-"
"Yes ma'am."
They chatted for a few more minutes before Neha had to excuse herself.
The shadows lengthened with time but still the downpour did not cese. Now worried, Deepika looked up at the gray skies, as if ordering them to clear up.
Someone chuckled behind her. "Chodo na Deepika! Tumhari wo famous look un badalon pe kaam nai karegi. Who to sirf hum logon par kaam karti hain."
Deepika raised her eyebrow challengingly. "Accha?"
He smiled and she gave one in return. How could she not? He had the most amazing smile in the world.
The look continued for a few minutes and ten, but neither of them noticed it. It was magical, and hope in Deepika's chest fluttered to life.
The arrival of the doctor on the evening round broke the moment. After a ten minute visit, the Doctor left, and with him the easy atmosphere of the room. Deepika had realized her folly. She had been hoping for something so transient, so tantalizing. It was like yearning after something you know you will never have, but still you can't stop yourself from hoping, wishing, fanatsising.
"Deep."
She picked up a paper and disappeared beneath its folds.
"Bolo."
He leaned forward and tugged at the paper. It did not budge. Deepika held on steadfastly.
"Your choice." He took a deep breath. "But I want to say something."
"Hm."
"Tum sun to rahi ho na?"
Truth be told, Deepika had been fearing this moment. She did not want to let go of her love, but Aaryan returning her feelings was something close to impossible. The pangs of unrequited love hurt her, and so would now his rejection. She had never loved anyone in this way before. It was more deep, meaningful and tantalizing. He had been the only man she had envisioned, even entertained the idea of a future with.
But the fact remained. He was Aaryan.
She remained behind her paper fortress.
"I love you."
The paper crashed to ground.
Had Aaryan Khanna just said that?
He leaned back on to his pillow. "Kabse kehne ki koshish kar raha-"
The rest of the sentence drowned as Deepika kissed him.
Maybe the rains had not been a curse after all.
comment:
p_commentcount