The Invisible Strings Of Love - Part 2 (The End)

Wow, this is not uncomfortable at all. Rajiv thought in despair as Aryan left the hotel and he found himself alone with Shobana.

Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he and Shobana found themselves with each other without Aryan. The boy always had made it easier with his presence, cool and casual attitude and cheerful disposition.

Rajiv toyed with his food, thinking of some way to keep up the conversation without any awkwardness.

"You didn't like the dish?" Shobana gestured to his still-loaded plate.

"Yes I liked it. It's delicious." Rajiv wished he could find a way to tell Shobana that he found her presence intimidating and that's why he was too nervous to eat anything.

                                                                            -@-

Of all the days Aryan.. you had to meet your friends today? Shobana thought with irritation as she tried to eat nonchalantly though she was feeling awkward to be alone with Rajiv. The irritation was replaced with sorrow as realization dawned that Aryan would be leaving soon and there was no saying when he would meet his friends again.

To her disbelief, tears pooled in her eyes and she hurriedly sought out for the tissues kept in the table. She gently wiped her eyes, hoping that Rajiv was too busy toying with his food to see her. When she looked at him, she saw that he had leaned back on his chair and was watching her with a strange expression.

She took her time to calm down and then resumed eating. When he kept gazing at her, she couldn't control her irritation any longer and asked him curtly. "What?"

                                                                              -@-

There were many things that Rajiv could have said in reply. He wanted to say that he could never really see her cry. That it hurt him badly and broke his heart. That if it were possible, he would have done his best to never let a single tear drop from those beautiful eyes.

But what he really managed to say was, 'Are you crying because of my comment about your dress?' and then he cringed visibly as he saw the disbelief on her face.

                                                                             -@-

Really? That's all he could come up with? How can anyone be so dense? Shobana shook her head in exasperation. It made her want to tear up, laugh and scream in anger, all at once. But then, Rajiv had always invoked such deep feelings in her.

"Then why are you crying?" He asked, sounding genuinely perplexed and inspite of everything, her heart went out to him. The guy really had no idea of the functioning of a woman's brain.

"It's just that... all these years, I have been a mother. My days have revolved around Aryan. I never realised how time passed and when he grew up. And now he is leaving. He won't be there when I wake up in the morning. I wouldn't have anything to do. I have never learnt how to live without him.
Now that he won't be there, I don't know what to do." As she finished, the tears pooled up again and she bent her head, wiping her eyes with the tissues.

                                                                         
                                                                                 -@-

Rajiv looked out of the window of the restaurant into the garden and gave her some time to compose herself. He should have realised that Aryan's departure would break her heart. And his too. Not only would he no longer be able to see his son as frequently as he wanted, he now had absolutely no excuse to meet Shobana too. He badly wished he could do something to help. May be, reverse time, go back ten years, and stop my hand from signing the papers. 

He again felt the deep sense of regret and remorse that had eaten him from within for months after the divorce. He had no idea that missing someone could torture him to this extent. And in his case, there were two of his people. As the weekend visits and stays with Aryan progressed, he finally made peace with himself. But that never really had made him stop loving Shobana. She was and always would be the only and true love of his life.

As he returned his attention to Shobana, he found that she had stopped crying and was her usual cool self.

"Are you okay now?" He asked her gently and she nodded her head. Satisfied, he resumed eating and for few minutes there was silence at their table.

As the dinner was coming to an end, Rajiv desperately felt the need to do or say something that would ensure that he could meet with Shobana again. He had to meet her, for his own sake and for hers too.

                                                                         -@-

Shobana dallied with her meal, wishing that time would stop at this point forever, Then probably all would be well. Aryan would still be with her. And she could always meet Rajiv. She wished that she could tell the truth to him - that she had cried both for Aryan and for him too. Because there were two people, two most important men of her life that she would have to live without. She had no hopes that Rajiv would meet her in Aryan's absence. And why should he? After all, they had gone their seperate ways, ten years back.

"Would you like to have anything else? Desert?" Rajiv asked her, hoping that she would say yes.

She wanted to say yes, but ended up shaking her head. Thoroughly disappointed, Rajiv signaled the waiter for the bill.

                                                                               -@-

There was a deep sense of urgency in him now. Say something, think of some excuse to meet her, or to be with her. On a whim, an idea struck him and he blurted out.

"Hey... I have been thinking of going on Europe tour. It's a three-week tour and covers many countries. Would you be.... would you be interested in joining me?" He finished his statement in a single breath. Please say yes! Please!

                                                                      -@-

Shobana could not believe what had just happened. Had Rajiv really invited her for a tour? Three weeks with him? Would she survive? To her amazement, her heart replied Yes to this. Not only would you survive, you would be happy. This is what  you want. 

She looked at him and then with a shy smile, she replied. "I would love to."

                                                                      -@-

If he could, he would have jumped from his seat and shout out to the whole world. She said Yes! He would have danced then and there itself with happiness. But most of all, he would have pulled her to him and hugged her hard, never to let her go.

He contented himself with 'That's great!' and smiled back at her.

The waiter brought their bill and Rajiv tipped him generously. He felt like he owned the whole world now.

There were tour operators to meet, tickets to be booked and visas to be arranged. Which meant several meetings with Shobana. And then there were those three wonderful weeks that lay ahead.

And while none of them really thought that they would always stay with each other, there was now the hope for further meetings, and conversations, and the promise of some quality time spent together ... time spent with the person they loved the most.

And that's all they wanted for now.

The Invisible Strings Of Love - Part 1

"Mom, please relax. You look fine, beautiful in fact. And it is just Dad that we are going to meet now." Aryan smirked while his mother gave him an exasperated look.

"You know your dad well. Everything could be perfect, and yet there would be something he could find wrong with, or to criticize. That would be enough to set me off totally." Shobana said and again started searching for invisible creases in her kurta. Aryan shook his head and chuckled.

Ten minutes later, he saw his dad enter the restaurant. The not-so-old man cut an impressive figure, he had to admit. In his mid-fifties, his dad was a stunner with just the right amount of grey hair at the right places that gave him an uber-cool look. Dressed in jeans and a simple white formal shirt, he didn't look his age at all. He walked with the confidence of a man who had it all. Aryan felt his mother stiffen beside him and again smothered the need to laugh. He could never understand why these two had opted to walk out of their marriage when still, ten years after the divorce, they were madly in love with each other. Only, their love came out in the form of tiny skirmishes and conflicts and little explosions.

                                                                        -@-

"Hey."  Rajiv said and sat down on the chair opposite to them. Hey? that's all he can manage? Just a 'Hey'? Who is he meeting? His drink buddies? Shobana thought with irritation as she acknowledged her husband with a barely perceptive nod. He was looking good, she noted. Way too good for an old man. She chuckled at the thought of addressing him so. Oh, how it would wound his inflated ego! She thought with glee.

"Looking good, Shobana." She waited, for she knew that something would follow this compliment too.

"Though, I have to say, the color of your Kurta is a bit gaudy for my liking." He said this in the same tone that he had complimented her with, a few seconds ago. She shook her head even though she had expected it.

"It would have been a surprise if  you had liked it. More of a shock, if you like anything about me at all." She said icily and he just gave her a surprised look.

"All right guys, reserve the fireworks for later please. Dad, if you don't mind, I have to meet my friends soon. I don't know when the three of us will meet again. So let us keep it cordial, okay." Aryan said in a pacifying tone.

                                                                  -@-

This is not my boy, this is a young man talking! Rajiv thought in wonder and with pride as he took in his son's handsome young face. When did the years fly by? When did you finish your pre-school? Where are the weekends that we both spent together in my home, when I tried to get all the information about your mother from you, hoping that you wouldn't divulge our secrets to her? He resolutely brought his mind to the present. He had already made a blunder right in the first few minutes of their meeting, he didn't want to make it worse.

He cringed in embarassment as he remembered his remark about the 'gaudy' color of Shobana's Kurta. It was perfect. She was perfect, just as he had always thought about her. She was aging gracefully. Everything about her was graceful and lovely. So why couldn't he compliment her properly? He had just blurted about the color thoughtlessly. He didn't miss the disappointment and hurt in her eyes and badly wished that he could undo that moment.

Aryan was leaving for Canada in three days to pursue higher studies. Rajiv had spent the past whole month with his son as he carried out all the formalities, starting from student visa to obtaining currency. He had treasured every day with his son.

When Aryan had finished his schooling and moved to higher classes, the weekend visits had ceased. The past month had kind of made up for all the missed weekends and dad and son had had a great time together. And tonight Aryan had wished for a family dinner, just a normal family dinner.

Except that, their family had never been normal at all. There was too much of love, and thereby, too much of hopes, too much of disappointments... He could never explain how he and Shobana had mutually agreed to part on cordial terms, she getting the custody of Aryan who was just ten years old at that time and he getting complete visitation rights. He remembered the days when he would eagerly wait for the weekends, for that meant meeting both his son as well as Shobana. He treasured the few minutes that he would get to see her whenever he went to pick up Aryan from his house and when he returned to drop him off. 

Aryan kept up a polite conversation at the table and Rajiv was grateful for that. It made things easier, all he had to do was nod his head. Time and again, his eyes strayed to Shobhana, watching the way she ate, the way she looked at Aryan with pride and a little bit of nostalgia. He could watch her forever, if she allowed him to.

                                                                           -@-

Shobhana tried to concentrate on Aryan but she was fully aware of Rajiv's presence. There was something soothing about him. He always gave the impression that he would take care of everything. And to his credit, he had taken care. The daily fights over petty issues had taken a heavy toll on their marriage and it was with relief that they both had agreed to part mutually. But the divorce seemed to have mellowed Rajiv down. He started getting more involved in the family affairs after the divorce and watched over her and Aryan protectively. He had never missed a weekend with Aryan, as far as she could remember.

Before she knew it, Aryan had finished his meal.

"Ok people, I am sorry I have to leave now. I am meeting my friends at the cafe for dessert. You both please carry on."

Shobhana began weakly. "But.." Before she could say anything, Aryan got up and kissed the top of her head. "Sorry Mom, got to go. Don't wait up for me. I will be late."

He turned towards Rajiv and held out his hand for a shake. "Dad, you are dropping me to the airport right? No change in the plan?"

"Of course, I am dropping you. Wouldn't want to miss this at any cost. I will be there to pick up both of you by 3 in the noon." Rajiv shook Aryan's hand and clasped his shoulder. For a moment, Shobhana felt that Rajiv wanted to hug his son. She was very close to pitying him when suddenly Aryan hugged him hard. And just like that, her heart melted as she watched the two most important men in her life.

"Bye guys. Behave yourself, no explosions tonight, please. For my sake." Aryan winked at her and left swiftly.

                                                                             
(To be Continued and Ended in Part 2)