The Air India Girl...25

The Air India Girl...25

Just as the Evening star (the planet of love - Venus) follows the Sun in West every day, I had fallen in love with her all over again. She was looking radiantly ravishing. I wish I had the artistic skills to write a poem on her! This girl had dazzled my world one year from now. And look at me I am following her like winds push clouds through the blue sky! 

"Why are you so silent Priyanka?" I tried to talk her through telepathy! No response! 

"I hope you are staying with me" - I asked Saurabh. My feelings had made me apprehensive about the next 15 hours! I did not want to be near her and still want to look at the innocence of a baby- her face!

"You are expecting too much! Anyways the flight is pretty empty. Not much crowd, so I have ample space to romance in some corner. You can either think about her or sit with her, you know who!" - he replied.

"Ok" I said. 

---

The flight flew and I fell asleep. Saurabh was busy planning his marriage and again she was all alone,  thinking about me. Why are girls so complicated? 

"What can I get you for lunch?" - the air hostess asked me politely. I had slept through the night and Saurabh was still not in sight. I took the lunch and went to wash my face. 

On returning, I found the complicated girl waiting for me. 

"Can I have lunch with you? If you don't mind?" - she asked in her child like voice. 

"Have I gone nuts that I will mind?" - I thought to myself and said "Yes, it is actually a pleasant surprize" - I said to her. (Just pleasant? Heavenly! Actually I like to give surprizes, but this was the best surprize that she could have given me :)).

She had changed to a red top now with white slanting stripes. "These girls" - I thought - "have time to change in flights too and smell like lavender all the time". Obviously. I was looking shabby, even after washing my face. Anyways, the lunch was going to taste more than awesome now!

"We can at least be friends, right?" - she broke the silence. "I think I have done everything that a friend does, right?" - I clarified. 

"Yes"- she agreed. "But I want to be more than a friend" - I thought - "what the heck, why is she not leaving me, why is she irritating me by coming closer again and again, and then going away" - my head said to me. But the heart ringed something else - "Please stay here with me, at least I can see you, I think I love you!"

---

"I will go back to my seat and take a nap" - she said bye after the lunch and left. I was left alone again, thinking about the white and pink snow that was leaving me!

I dozed off, thinking about the bird of spring, that has been humming her songs in my ears for some time now! 

---

We were about to reach the JFK in another 2-3 hours. Saurabh, as a courtesy, come and went. I felt that he wanted to tell me something, probably about her, but was talking something else. He also had some snacks and all with me. 

After he left, she did not return. I was not expecting. I took out my book on Vedic Astrology and started to read it, or rather started to act that I was reading it. As I was turning the pages, something suddenly fell from it. "Really" - I said to myself!

I just could smile for a moment for a moment. "What if...?" - I thought!

---

"Saurabh, can I have a word with you for a moment" - I had walked to my dear friend and was asking for his attention. He immediately stood, said bye to Puja and came to our seat. She wasn't visible anywhere close; I actually wanted to see the spring butterfly!

"Yes, tell me" - he said. I showed him that. "What man? Really?" - he looked befuddled. "It seems so, but I need to talk to Maa first, the first thing I have to do when we get down". 

"Awesome" - he said - "I will tell this to Puja. Actually I wanted to tell you also something". 

"I think I know what you wanna tell" - I replied with a smile - "..and don't tell her anything now. Let me talk first".

"Great" he replied, " I am really happy". I said "..wait for that". He left with a twinkle in his eye! We have been friend for more than 15 years now and he knows me pretty well. Someone did not know what was happening in one corner of the flight! 

---

"Thanks Maa, you are the best in the world" - I was talking to my beloved mom on a call to India. We had landed just 15 minutes ago and that was the first thing that I had to do. 

Saurabh was standing beside me. "Well actually, Saurabh had shown the photo of his girlfriend to me when I talked to him about her. She looked familiar to me. But I wasn't very sure" - she replied to my questions.

"You are definitely the best Maa, thanks for doing that" - I said - "...love you Maa" - and hung the phone. 

"So, what now" - he was getting impatient. "Puja" - I said and walked towards the girls. They were waiting for us. 

---

I took away Puja and asked for some details. Smile spread on her face and Saurabh's face as we ended our short conversation. The singing koel was looking at us suspiciously. I smiled at her.

Slowly I walked towards her. I took out my pen and took her hand. "What?" - she said, confused. I drew a little heart in Priyanka's palm and smiled!

The chilling winter was over and the blissful spring had returned with its songs, chirps and blossoms. Everything looked beautiful again. And as you can imagine, she looked exquisitely heavenly in her red chiffon dress!!!