One Night with Her

Past few years Sam intentionally skipped the idea of returning to India. He is now working in Uk as a writer for a reputed magazine. Even though his life here is very good, he always thought about his past life in India.  From his Childhood he was calm and very shy .  He had very less friends and always tried to express his feelings in words. His childhood behavior continued and he became a writer with expressive thoughts.

In his early twenties, he started career as a writer for a serial. Working on that, he learned many things and gradually became popular. People say that, “Writers always write what they live in their actual life”. To some extent it is true. But few writers just write what they never had in their life. May be they imagine and just put in words.

In his case actually he never felt a need to feel something and then write about it. He just imagined the needed situations and wrote. Very soon he was good in writing love stories which never happened in his life. True that few times he was in infatuation but it was not true love anyways.

One day he was at work explaining something to the director. At first he listened a voice turned his head towards her to see her.

“I know her but never heard her voice”. He said in his mind.  She was working as an assistant to the art director. She never grabbed his eyes even though they worked together for more than a year. Now when he heard her, for the first time he looked at her and to his surprise all these days he never saw in her eyes.

“Oh god they are so attractive”. While she was talking, her eyes expressed her words better than her lips. She finished her words, but he understood nothing what she was trying to tell.  She left after that. That night he was trying to remember what she explained and thought tomorrow I am going to ask her again.

May be he was trying to find a chance to meet her. Once again he was in attraction.  But this time it is more severe. He once again wanted to look at her attractive eyes. Watch her speaking and explaining.  Night was so dark and long. After every hour he stared at his wall clock. Was that going very slow? He cross checked with his wrist watch. It was same as the wall clock. Then why this night is so long. Whey don’t it be morning at once. After a long night the sun rised in the sky.

He woke from his bed and did everything in a hurry. Finally he reached the work place and found that everyone was late. Actually he was a bit early. May be, 3 hours early.  He was just waiting in his room. Slowly the crew started to enter the office. That day his eyes searched  for her,  but she was not present in the crowd .

In the lunch break he went to the director and asked him,” where is that women who was talking to us yesterday”.

He said, “She asked leave for  2 days for which I said ok yesterday. You were with us right.”

“Oh my god so I need to spend two more nights as yesterday”. The thought itself hit him hard in heart.

He thought he would go and check her. In fact he does not want the night as it was yesterday. He immediately checked her address in the contact list of office emergency register and started searching that address. At last after 1 hour of his search he found her house.” It is not so cool place to live”, he thought. He started to enter the premise without any delay.

He knocked the door twice and then she opened the door. She asked nothing but her eyes questioned him, “ What have you come for?”

He began to talk. “Hello, I am Sam writer of the serial you are working for”.

She said, “I know, please get in.”

He came inside and found the house very tidy and clean. Everything was in order. Unlike his room, where everything is messy.  But he is a writer and so from creative people we cannot expect everything.

She started “Yes sir, what do you want to have? “

He replied, “Nothing, but…”

She said “Sir I know you from the first day I joined. You are a kind of a person who really doesn’t do anything without any reason. So tell me if there is something wrong from my side?”

“God she was so innocent.” he thought.

“Sir please tell me, what is the matter? Is there any problem with my job?” She said.

He gained every bit of courage and tried to be as simple as that. “I have come to you not for any professional matter. It is my personal wish to see you. All these days I never observed your eyes. I just want to look in to your eyes and speak.  I really loved them talking. I don’t know may be I am very straight forward. But my heart is asking me to tell you something.”

By this time she was a bit shocked with his words. She just stared at him for some time and started.

“Sir, I dint really deserve your words. I can understand your feeling. But before you start something, I want to tell you about myself.”

“I am married and mother of a 3 year old girl. I truly have so many responsibilities. My husband is in hospital from past 1 year. I need to look after him and my daughter a part from my job. In these conditions I cannot effort to lose my job at any cost. If you create any problem my job will be at risk.”

He raised and said,” I must be crazy but, I want to be with you for at least one night. A whole night. I promise that I will take all your responsibilities. ”

She said ”I cannot even think about like this. Not only me any one in my place will never accept your proposal. . Please sir, understand my situation and don’t try to disturb.”

His words got locked. He has got nothing to say. He stopped for a while. Now there was nothing to do. So he said in a calm voice,“ I assure you that there won’t be any problem from my side. Thank you and goodbye.”

He just turned and left the place. He returned to work. He thought of not thinking about her any more. He just wants to finish of his assignment so that he might not watch her at work. But whenever she appeared before him, he got just one thing in his mind. The same thing.  “One night with her”.

All the days passed and at last he finished his work. That was his last day at work. He saw her for the final time. His eyes just asked her the same question and she relied in the same manner as she did before. Fed up with this life he started planning to leave the country and he successful got another job in UK.

That’s how he left India and did not want to return India as he probably know that her answer will be a big no. He thought that he will not try to meet her at any cost and directly finish his work and leave India as soon as possible.

But the first thing he does after getting out of airport was to go to her house. He remembered her address. He went there and found that the door was locked. He asked a neighbour about her.

“Where is she now? How is her husband?”

“Oh don’t you know. She is in hospital. Her husband died a year back.”

He asked “Which hospital?”

He explained the complete address of the hospital. Sam was not happy but in his heart, his wish again got refreshed. “One night with her.”

By the time he reached hospital it was 8PM. He immediately rushed to the reception and asked about her. The receptionist checked and said that “she is in room no:9. “

He was able to hear his heartbeat. All these days he was madly in her thoughts. Now here is the time to see her again and put his wish before her again.  He rushed to that room. He opened the room door.

He found her lying on the hospital bed. She was dressed in light blue patient dress. Her eyes were closed. All around her there were machines and at a corner he noticed that a 6 year old girl was sitting. He slowly moved towards her. All his excitement was gone. He came to her and held her hand. With his touch she slowly opened her eyes.

“Oh Sir, is that you. Nice to see you ,after so long time.” She whispered.

Unknowingly his tears rolled in and dropped on her. She said, “Why sir? Are you not happy to see me again?”

“Yes I am”, His heart was filled with pain.” But, I never expected to see you on bed. Any ways tell me are you happy to see me?”

“Yes sir, I am very happy that I saw you for the last time. But I am very sad that I may not able to see you tomorrow. Not only you, I cannot even see my daughter by tomorrow. It is so painful that I have not kept up my responsibility. Sir could you just do me favour. Please inform any orphanage about my daughter after me.”

Suddenly, he busted in tears. His voice was shivering. Even then,  he did not stopped his words. “One night with you and I will take your responsibilities. Your daughter is my responsibility. One night, the whole night.”

She just smiled.” But her tears dint stopped.

The whole night he was with her holding her hand in his hand. He just remembered all the days when he used to think about this night. At last this night was his night with her.

He kept his promise all his life and always remember , that one night with her.

–END–