Gone By

by Hajong, Beatone

  “Wow! It’s a good book” said Isha, as she showed me a brief sign of the Novel.

  “Yeah! I haven’t read it”.

  “You haven’t read it and gifted me”.

  “I thought I would be hearing it from you” I could slightly blush out a smile on my face.

  She smiled and patted on my side arm. After a long walk for about minutes finally we came across a place where we could lastly let ourselves to halt. It had a good environment around its surrounding. Of course we were seated under a coconut tree. Besides, the scenic view of the rising sea waves influenced the presence of a blessing day. Isha was seated next to me. The breeze blew smoothly from all direction. Few distance away, were the people from whom we had diverged. We were away from the crowded area. The floor of the beach area had a loosely packed sand dunes. Walking on sand was a new kind of experience for both of us in Goa. Though I had been in many beaches, but this was something widely different from the rest I had. In addition to that I had one of the most wonderful company with me. Yes! I was talking about Isha. I could remember the time when I had to walk alone along the Versova coastline in Mumbai. That moment I yearned deeply for Anannya. But, how could it be so accidental or the luck, here I was with the one whom I never thought off.

  Isha peeked at me for short duration and uttered “What’s their inside the bag”. Before I replied her back, I was glaring with fierce at the deep ocean.

  “I have the diary”.

  “Really” she said with anxiousness.

  “Would you like to read it”.

  “Of course...did you write the last night”.

  “No..I avoided the last night” mumbling my voice.

  “Pass it to me..I can’t wait to read the rest part of it”.

  “Do you really want it”.

  “Yes!” her tone seemed very insisting.

  “You wouldn’t enjoy the beach sun or the sea waves”.

  “C’mon, they are the secondary for now..and I’m enjoying the view and the moment”.

  “So here take it” I gently handed her the diary.

  I could see the excitement in her eyes. I never knew what made her so addicted towards my writing. Perhaps I could never figured it out. For sure I knew she liked reading books, but what’s the speciality that contained in my diary I could never know that. She began to flip pages. I could just watch her close.

  “I can ensure that this has got a good contained. Indeed it’s one of the best story I have been reading” said Isha flipping some more pages.

  “Do you think so it can”.

  “Of course you’re a good story writer. Moreover it’s your own life story. I liked it” said Isha looking at me deeply.

  I just nodded my head. For the moment it was I, who had been so awkward with my thinking. I never thought anyone could like my story. I looked at Isha nearly very close while she kept turning pages of the diary. For long minutes I had been staring at her constantly. I really loved the way she read it. And I could watch at her on and on. I couldn’t even interrupt her a moment. So engrossed she looked into it that I never intended to talk to her for the moment. Neither she wanted to exchange words. She was lost into my diary and I was trying to make friends with the surrounding nature I could view. I could only hear the birds chirping and the roar of the sea waves which were rushing harshly into the shore. Besides the coconut tree provided us with its shades.

  As the day began to grow bigger, the beach began to get crowded in higher number.

  “Do you know surfing” Isha said suddenly.

  I couldn’t expect she would mutter out a words. As for the last half hour she had been quiet with completely indulge into the diary.

  “I wish to learn it”.

  “I find it very interesting sport”.

  “Yeah! it’s a sort of solitary sport” I said.

  “You have been very touchy with the words you have written here” she said taking a glance at a page which she flipped to read.

  “I don’t know it’s just the words from my deep heart”.

  “I don’t know how Anannya would feel when she reads this”.

  “Well, all I can say is that she would feel good about me”.

  “Are you so sure of it. What if she gets hurt” said Isha giving a stressful look at my face.

  “Oh! Then I’m extremely sorry to her. It’s all for her..there’s nothing more I could do”.

  Isha passed a smile on this. She closed the diary, instead she began to chat with me. The soft sand comforted us. How so ever the ambient was joyous and charming. She handed me back the diary. I gently inserted, placed into my bag.

  “So, when are you going to complete the rest” she said keenly.

  “Well, before you go back to Houston”.

  “That’s excellent..I would wait for it until I could read the whole” Isha said.

  We were still seated on that same place for the last one hour.

  “Should we walk back” I hinted her.

  “Yeah”.

  We forwarded our steps and gradually faded away from that place. The beach had a lots of shoreline cafes and restaurants. We decided to get in one of the restaurant for a break of the day. Isha had spent almost the 23 days of the month in India. Just a week left to go back. Before I had met her, she had been already here for more than a couple of weeks. Fortunately it’s the accidental meeting we had in Mumbai. She wanted to spent the last week with me before she could settle back to Houston. For both of us it had been a very hard life. She had to overcome grieves over her Father’s departure from the family. Whereas on the other hand I had to get stronger in my heart for losing someone who I had loved more than myself.

  We stepped in to a restaurant. And settled ourselves with individual chair. Nothing much the order has been but just a cup of coffee would give a full time relax and the feel of joy. She sat just in front my eyes. It was a open wall cafe, hence nothing obstructed the view we could see at. The breeze blew silently. It gave a shrill touch on body and swept away the tiredness of the day. Isha’s hair had been interrupted by those silent breeze. It kept on flaring from all direction. And I could sense she had been tired all through settling for more than a dozen times. She looked much better with open hair.

  “So how far have you done with you thesis” I raised my voice softly.

  “Well, I just gave a beginning to it. I intent to complete at home”.

  “Can I have a one look of it”.

  “Of course..you will be the first person I would be showing it” she said with a sip from her coffee cup.

  “I never felt something so good like this before” said Isha softly.

  “Indeed it’s wonderful place”.

  “And you too” she added and smiled.

  I was absolutely fine with the day. Inside I knew this one week I would have a good time of my life. But, the very moment I would be back to my own institution, I would be someone else different, away from rest of the world. That same silent and quiet nature of mine would cover me back. Wouldn’t know where would my fate take me.

  “I suggest you write your diary story here” said Isha flushing a bright smile on her face.

  “Here itself”.

  “I mean it’s a good time, you can do it. You’re happy inside I can see that” she said solemnly.

  I quietly nodded my head before her. We were over with our coffee cup. With the final payment we shuffled for a sight scene of the beach. We began to walk along the shore. The small waves rushed towards us and touched our feet and would crawled back into the deep sea. The soothing weather indeed spread its bright light over the sky. And we were like the two lovely child of heavenly God. The buzzing noise of music and chattering of people gradually faded away from us. We could see ourselves into a place where there was nothing more than a silence. We never knew how far we have walked yet our steps couldn’t stop us. We were out of the beach area. In fact we were far away from the rest. The shoreline stretched in kilometres and we have covered more than a half. Af
ter walking for about a distance we finally decided to halt. There were nothing ahead. But the long stretched coastline with an infinite length. All around an open space, no sign of any of our kind. Birds flew high up in the sky. We gently settled to sit on the sandy edge of the shore. The small waves flooded out and touched our feet as we kept ourselves spreading into the shinning sun. Beyond believe to trust where I was that day. Yet it made me feel like I knew her since ages. She was seated just by my side. So close that I could feel her every breath that she inhaled.

  “So tell me the rest part of your story” Isha said.

  “Do you want to hear the rest part of my story”.

  “Well, I believe it would be good enough to listen from you. Why don’t you narrate it to me while I write it on your diary” she added.

  I thought of it for a while. She was so desperate to hear it out of my mouth, that I couldn’t stop to verse all out of my words. Even the waves added it’s adorable scenic beauty which finally let my words burst out of my mouth. I glanced shortly at Isha. She was patiently waiting, until I would start the narration. She held my diary into her hand. We were very much comfortable with the loosely pack sand dunes on which we were rested upon. Isha gripped her pen tightly between her fingers, just waiting for my words to note down. In between she passed brief smile like she never smiled before. And I couldn’t wait so much to see her smile like that way before. I began with the narration which she began to penned down with the flow of my words.

  Twenty Four

  ............................

  The winter had slipped away. I had spent it at home. So, the long wait of spring was over. I had to return back to my institution. With no further delay, by the next week I had fled back to Pune. I was received by Anannya at the airport. Both she and Gagan came up. It was a day where I could feel the slightest touch of cold. Night 12:30pm was the landed time of my flight. As I walked out towards the front porch of the airport zone they were in a state of waiting mode. As I saw them I waved at them. They caught my sight, in response Anannya waved her hand back at me. I shuffled towards them. Shook a hand with Gagan like the best buddies usually does. I could see the smile that flushed on Anannya’s face after a weeks. She came up closer to me and embraced me for long minutes. I could feel the warmth of her heart which settled my heart beat. I gave her a kiss on her forehead.

  “So, where we are heading to?” Gagan mumbled out.

  “At my place” said Anannya.

  “Alright”.

  I stood quiet between their conversation. We headed to move on out of that area. All we had to hire a taxi to reach to her place. We began to walk together towards the taxi stand. I carried nothing more than a long size bag with some pairs of clothes in it. She was walking by my side where on the other side she had Gagan. We were shuffling where we could set a reasonable price for the taxi.

  “So, how did you enjoy the vacation” Anannya asked.

  “Well, firstly I had a good job”.

  “What job”.

  “I mean the whole time I had to settle my Dad’s cubical library and the unsettling disputes of people due to careless distribution of books” I said. She giggled on my words.

  “So you turned into a librarian”.

  “Yeah! you can say so....but all to an end it was a wonderful winter” I added my voice.

  “Hey driver” shouted Gagan from the other side of her.

  The car came up and stopped before us. I opened the door for her while the other was seized by Gagan. He sat inside the car, while I allowed Anannya first to get in followed by me the last. We were now droving to her place. I had to stop the night until the day gets matured. It also added my long week separation to rejoin my heart with her. I could feel the touch of her words which she spoke out every moment we were together. It’s just the beginning of a new year. I had a wish to take our beautiful relation to a greater height. With the every faith and believe I geared my heart for a better year. I curled my hand at her back. She gently rested herself upon it. While the speeding car gave us a thrilling experience of being together. Of course the next to her was her friend Gagan seated.

  “The year has gone it’s the new beginning what do you look forward” I asked her.

  “Nothing more than you” she responded peeking sharp at me.

  “So, you don’t wish nothing more than him” said Gagan sarcastically.

  She laughed at first and patted at him.

  “Yes I do love so, that’s none of your business” she added.

  “C’mon it was just a kidding” Gagan smiled looking at me.

  “Did you mind sir” he added to me.

  “No, absolutely not friend”.

  We were driving through an empty road of Pune. It took us an hour to reach at her place. It had a miles distance away from the airport. Within short time I was at her place. She got an access of a guest room for the night. While she had to return to her hostel. Gagan had to ride back to his rented room. Well, the guest room wasn’t that much away from her hostel area. Just fifteen minutes walking distance was the separation. The next day I had to turn back to my own place, which was the schedule I had planned.

  The night was passed and the sleep was very heavy. Perhaps the reason was the tired some journey I had the day before. When the morning broke I could see the sun rays penetrating into my room. Somehow I could managed to wake up early. I stood upright out of my bed and thus the day began to bloom out. I thought of making a call to her, just waited for seconds with a rising hope on my mind. I searched on for my mobile. Until I could find it, it rang before hand and I could locate it from being misplaced. I hurried to pick it up. The very first voice was of her “Hey good morning”.

  I felt like my day had been structured beautifully. I heard after a long weeks that wish from her and something gave me more than what I couldn’t think of. It’s a wish from the one whom I never thought of losing. Something that I would love to hear every morning.

  “Hey good morning to you too” I replied her in simple words.

  “So, are you ready”.

  “No..just woke up. What do you want me to do?” I said softly.

  “I’m on my way to you”.

  That morning had relaxed me. I couldn’t wait to get myself ready as quick as possible. I was on my best attire. I knew she wanted to spent some time with me before I would depart.

  “Come soon” I said with strong intention on my voice.

  “Yeah...I’m just close to you” and Anannya hung the phone.

  A knock at my door. I quickened to open up for her. She stood before my eyes like one in a million. She looked so adorable that morning. I couldn’t surpass my thoughts that day and praised her. I failed to blink my eyes. And with decent staring I waited for her response. She stood like a stable angel statue before my door. Maybe I was out of the world like I had never been. But that day, something spell she dropped on me and I was soaked into it. We both stood stable and stiff looking at each other eyes, so sharp and soft. It felt like we were blended together. “Hey..what’s wrong” she shook off my body for seconds.

  With that sudden jerk I realized momentarily.

  “What happened to me” I intended to know.

  “Just stay quiet and get yourself done” said Anannya smiling at me.

  She got into the room. While I was still unsettled with my belongings. I was with my trouser and the shirt on.

  “You were staring so hard on me like you never saw me earlier” she said with raised eyebrows. For fraction she glanced at me and passed a brief smile while I was on my dressing mirror. The guest room had every necessary things that one personal has. She was just few steps away from the dressing mirror behind me. She wanted to step out as quick as possible.

  “Won’t you look at the mirror” I suggested her.

  She flushed a smile and made a sarcastic face.

  “Why are you making me feel embarrass” she squinted.

  She just held my hand and pulled away from the mirror.
/>   “We are getting late” she raised her voice once again.

  “Well, I’ll be waiting outside when you get ready, you can come out”. She stepped out of the room.

  While I was trying to settle my hair. I had no idea where she wished to go. Finally, I stepped out of the room. Out into the bright morning Sun that bloomed the whole area around. We began to walk together. Since the winter in Pune had never been so strong. I covered myself with a thin Jacket. She was under the woollen quill, somewhat like a long overcoat type jacket. I don’t know what they call it. Her head covered with woollen cap. Yes, the morning though not so rough yet there was a silence influence of bitter cold around the atmosphere. She grasped my hand tightly. I could feel her strength on my arm. We crossed few streets and came up to an open park. The day began with an amusing scene before me. I saw the wonderful white clouds hovering above us. Beneath the green grass on which our feet had been shuffling, besides the gripped of Anannya enthused me.

  “So, what your Dad do usually?” she uttered.

  “Well, he has got a great interest in collecting books”.

  “What sort of books”.

  “Any genre..not only that he’s got an ample collection of music too”.

  “Sounds interesting” Anannya added pressing her lips.

  We stopped a while, the open space gave us the realm of the fresh morning. There was an empty bench few yards away from us. We shuffled towards that. The bench was blanket by the morning dew. I thoroughly rub the place by my handkerchief. Finally, I could feel the wetness on my small handkerchief. We sat together on it. She shifted closer to me. Her hand grasped my palm tightly. I could see the rising Sun blooming before my eyes. We were silently seated for minutes. I knew that morning had different essence which I began to feel. It’s the time of New Year, moreover the Spring knocking at its door. I had been waiting for Spring since the winter began. Before She could say anything I firmly embraced her and kissed on her forehead. I knew she was surprise by my act. She looked at me with perplexed eyes.