Moments with you

The rain was in full swing of romance in the peak of monsoon season. They travelled thousands of miles and kissed the soil. I was in hurry as it was already 8 PM and my tummy growled with hunger for I didn’t even get time to take a proper lunch due to a really tight schedule. After having waited for more than twenty minutes at the junction for a taxi, I had no other option than to walk home so that I could eat and have a timely rest. I folded my pants towards my knees and took the careful steps, fighting mud and rain drops. The rain hit me carelessly and didn’t spare any part of my body.

Suddenly I was given a shield from the violent rain. I felt the presence of someone behind me. I turned around and saw Gyel holding an umbrella for me. I thanked him in the broadest smile possible.

“I always saw you carrying an umbrella. Why not today?” he asked me

It wondered me then. How can it happen that this very man who was standing so tall and protective of me always knew when I needed him? What must have been the matter that he always came to help me?

We then walked under one umbrella continuing all the casual talks under the street light. We were few inches away from each other and we could feel our own breath sounds. He safely dropped me home with his humble umbrella.

“Yangchen, I can remember very clearly that you promised your father that you will stay away from that guy” my mother filled my ears the next day as she saw Gyel drop me home the previous night. I stood there silently and didn’t say a word. She tried her best in convincing me how good things would be if I maintained distance from Gyel.

I entered the mountain café that afternoon and saw Gyel waiting for me across a table. I joined him there. “My mother saw you yesterday and I have been given a last warning to stop seeing you” I said

“So what have you decided?” he asked

Gyel knew my decision. We had so many earlier episodes of fights and quarrels as I told him that I couldn’t go against my parents. He kept poking me again and again in a hope that I would change my mind.

“I know it’s hard but we have to stop” I said very reluctantly

My father has never favored Gyel. Gyel was the nephew of my aunt’s ex husband. I must say that my aunt, Deki and his uncle have had one of the dirtiest divorces roasted in the court with so many allegations. Whilst all the proceedings, my father was the one who stood by his only sister and helped her come through all the turbulent times. My father held his point, “I can’t afford to see another Deki in this lifetime.”

That meeting in the café closed our future together and no matter what that was only way out. Departing has never been easy. And one very painful thing about departure is that every minute hunt you deeply and those beautiful past memories are strong fuels to burning fire. We promised to make our own lives separately whether we were happy or not.

…to be continued