The Glorious Moments

Sitting in the waiting area of the Mumbai airport, I looked around myself, noting the subdued activity of the airport, the half sleepy travelers, the cafe shops with dimmed lights, and yards and yards of gleaming floors devoid of the tapping feet. It reminded me of another night exactly an year back. That night, at the same time.. the airport was silent that day too.

After all, it was late; soon the midnight hour would be past and a new day would begun. A day for which I had been waiting for eons and eons it seemed.

Some one was playing the song "Waiting for Tonight" by J Lo to while away the time, and this song seemed to have taken a very different meaning for me as I sat there, in the uncomfortable chair of the airport.

I glanced again at my watch, WILLING the time to fly. My 8 hours long wait was about to be over.. and the snatched moments.. precious, delirious and happiest moments were about to arrive at last. I smiled in happy anticipation.

My mind was in chaos, one moment reveling in its good fortune long awaited; and afraid the next. What if the plane was late? What if the custom clearance took hours and hours.. what if, after all the trouble, we just were not destined to meet. So, I sat there, vacillating between joy and fear, but waiting, always waiting. when would the call come?

And then, suddenly the moment was upon me. The cell phone rang, and an unknown number flashed on screen. My heart pounded, would it be from him? So, I picked up the call, and;

"Hello?"

"Hi, Its me, cleared the customs.. calling from a security officer's phone. Will be out soon."

I could hear the smile in his voice, the joy too evident to be hidden.

"O please come fast!" I gushed, nearly mindless with happiness. All the waiting was over and he was here, finally. O God finally.

I just could not keep sitting, so i just popped out of the chair, "How long you will take to be free? O please make it fast.. I miss you too much!"

"Me too. see you soon."

And the call was over, the first long awaited moment already past, but me in my joy did not see the loss just then, just the happiness, and the love.

Those passengers waiting with me for the next flight, who had as of yet ignored me, the stranger sitting next to them till now, suddenly were looking at me. The lady of the group passed me a knowing smile. I could feel the flush in my cheeks, and I knew I had stars in my eyes. We stared at each other; the woman and I, two strangers who had this bond of knowing exactly how it feels to wait for The Loved One. and then I was off to the gate of his terminal. Waiting for the first view. The first real view.

As I tried to locate him through the glass walls, a voice called me from back.

'Hey Miss!! Over here!!"

I turned eagerly and looked. It was a stranger and he was beckoning me to come to the gate.

"What is it?"

He just passed me a parcel. "Your gift ma'm. I was told you would be waiting for it."

I was astounded. A GIFT? what was going on?

As I stared at him dumbstruck, he asked me hesitatingly; "Um, you'r Tisha. Right?"

Tisha.. Oh.. thank goodness. He was looking for someone else. I beamed at him.

"No. I m no...."

And then I saw him. Crossing the gates with his luggage, and all my senses got engaged with his presence. For the life of me, I can't say what the Tisha_Guy said or did after the first sighting.

So, I rushed over to him. we stopped with inches to spare. It was too much of everything. I just jumped and hugged him. It had been a truly long wait.

I had been so afraid of myself. What if I ruined it somehow? But all fears were now laid to rest. I was here, He was here, and my world was just right.

Eyes have a better language than the words. So, We kept quiet, and walked towards the Single restaurant which allowed entry without a boarding pass. It was nearing 2 am by that time, but for me it was a day as bright as the noon of a summer day.

We talked of mundane things. His journey, My exams, and things all so mundane. our fingers locked feeling the life force of the other, conveying what could never be conveyed in words.

He wanted to have Mumbaiyya food considering he had never tasted it.. So we had the same and a cup of coffee.

And later, as we stood under the sky, we sat and talked. It was amazing how much we had to share in spite of talking hours at end every single day for so long.

Before I realized; the golden time was over. it was time to move back to separate areas, among separate people. My heart broke a little, looking at him. My heart gave a huge start. I felt a premonition.

We would never meet again.

My eyes filled, and spilled over. I had no words to convey what it would mean to me, and he did not need to hear them anyway..

So, we parted. He to proceed to his duties, me, to mine. He asked me to turn first, and when i looked back, he was gone.

And it was true. We were not meant to be. He went on to make a life as he wanted, and I moved on as best as I could, to make a life for myself.

A sudden announcement regarding regret for delayed flight which was starting to board brought me back from past. I looked around. Everything was still the same. The co- Passengers were different, no one noted me and passed me a smile. The magic of that long past night was over. Or maybe, my trust and respect for the love I once held was over.

I was no longer the girl with stars in her eyes. But yes, I was stronger now, because I could look back and admire the faith and trust of the girl I was and be grateful that the love was Honest.

With a smile hovering at my lips I walked past the place which was the shrine of a love long dead. paying a silent salutation to the ghosts of memories which will always be associated with that 2 by 4 feet of area.

And then I was past the memories. Towards a new journey and a new dimension.

The glorious moments appreciated, but no longer highlighting my life

I realized I had learned to love an year back, but learned to accept defeat sometime over the year. And Finally was happy...