This was the second time Maya was meeting him in life...the first being almost a decade back...she had met him for work then...
It was their first informal meeting...She reached their scheduled place around 7 pm to see him seated in a corner table...a cozy corner..a place for two...the place was dimly lit with loud music...a pool table at the ground floor and a huge led screen featuring a live football match...the only brightness amongst all this was his smile...she was happy to see him...
They have been speaking since one and a half months now or may be little bit more...They spoke about their lives...their ongoing turmoils...about themselves...about their inhibitions...strengths ...weaknesses and then they met...it was long due it seemed...
They started off with their own share of wine...Maya started feeling relaxed in a while, from the skeptical self that she was when she first entered...she was too stressed with her ongoing divorce...a break-up of another very close to heart relationship...life seemed haywire for her when she met him...The dimmed lights helped her to open up...to be upfront about her feelings..about things which she has never shared with anyone...she opened up about her relationship...about the break-up...and he dint miss the tears that sparkled in her eyes from time to time...
The warm hand caressed her head...he mentioned with the bright smile.."God Bless u"...it felt like heaven..she has been missing this..she knew it was making her weak...It was all very intimate...a very very intimate discussion...they spoke for almost 2 hours over food and a few glasses of wine by then...and soon it was time for confessions... It was time to tell "truths" as he says...Maya was happy to hear how within the very short span of about a month...he has found a very good friend in her...Its after almost a year that someone made her feel happy..worthy..needed..she had a friend to depend on...yes they had shared with each other things and experiences of their lives...he has been a very active support during the most traumatic situation of her life...when she is going through a divorce...
Suddenly holding her hand he said "where were you all these while? Why dint u meet me earlier? Why dint you ask me?" ...Maya with a little pause, replied "was fighting with life" ...somehow silence was growing stronger between them...and she could understand she was herself avoiding looking into his eyes...soon he mentioned that he likes her...they shared their similar difficulties...difficult times of life...how both of them dreaded weekends...they spoke...She was feeling blessed and relaxed after so many months...And soon the warm soft hand touched her again...no not her head anymore..this time its her cheek...she could feel his entire wide soft and warm palm on her face...wiping her tears...smile struggled through her tears...it was the 1st time she was experiencing something so beautiful... A touch which dint feel unknown for her to move away...as if she was waiting for this..as if it was so close to her and yet she was searching it...it felt eternal...a spark went down her spine...a fire within wanted to frame the moment...she was slightly touching his other hand by then...this was the first time she was touched so beautifully deep inside..the first time in a public place by any man ever as if they were bound to meet...as if he was the man...
He drove her back home... their fingers never left each other the entire time...parting seemed so very difficult...only with the hope to meet again...Maya wanted to meet him again, may be next day itself but she was silent...it was too much of happiness for her on a single day...she was scared that she wont be able to handle it...he left...he vanished...After much trial when she could finally reach him next day evening...he mentioned..what do you expect out of me..."we were acquaintances,we met...we had a nice time"...it echoed in her heart more than in her ears...yesterday seemed a dream to her now and she silently mentioned "My Stranger..."
It was someone who touched her scar to feel it..rather than just seeing it...
Kolkata , 7th Feb 2016
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