The Encounter (Short story)

The sky was clear and blue about half hour back. Never has the Sunday sky been so blue since the rain started. Perhaps, it was my instincts that asked me to carry along my umbrella when I went out shopping for my fiancée. She was bed ridden with a badly sprained left knee and said she’s in need of some good books to pass her idling hours.

And, there I was, buying books and DVDs for my dear lady, when it started pouring heavily without a warning. The sudden down pour caused quite a commotion in the streets. People ran helter-skelter for a shelter. Within no time the streets started flooding and nevertheless to say, the street where I stood had the poorest drainage system (or so it seemed), for we had water up to the door steps of the shop within minutes since it started raining. Feeling a bit gay, I wrapped the purchase neatly in a plastic bag and tucked it under my arm, opened my umbrella and stood at the side street, enjoying the rain and the cool drizzle that the wind brought on to my face.

Seconds ticked by and I stood there humming a favourite tune. I noticed a black sedan that came to a halt across the street and a few seconds later, the driver started honking like mad. He pulled down the window, put his hand outside and stated shaking it like he was calling someone. Before I could turn around and look for who he was calling, a lady just stepped into my umbrella and said, “Can you please help me cross the street. I’m in a hurry”. Without waiting for a reply, she put her arm around my waist and pulled me along with her. Now, this was something I least expected and I had no choice than to succumb.

Within seconds we were near the car and she opened the door and got in. I stood there shocked and so thoroughly numb trying hard to figure out what had just happened!

“Thank you and hope we never meet again”, she said and pulled up the window. And before I could respond the car moved away.

But that touch, that sound, the smell of that perfume… Seemed so familiar! But… But who?

And in a flash it all dawned on me.

Yes. It was her. My first love who left me all soul-shattered and heart-broken when she ran away with another guy after being with me for nearly five years. Those were the worst days of my life, trying to recover from a most unexpected blow. It was never easy until I met Eve.

It was a chance meeting in a book store that I had with Evelyn and before I realized anything, I was engaged to this most wonderful woman I’ve ever come across in my life. Soon I began to reconcile with my past and promised myself never to dwell in the hurts of yester years. I started dreaming again, being hopeful about things… I started living again.

And now… Meeting her again and that too in such an unexpected situation was thoroughly an unnerving experience. My emotions were all mixed up when I walked back to Eve’s apartment. Those past hurts, the anger, the rage, the deep-deep sorrow and all that had just sprang back like a dragon with claws from nowhere.

“What happened? Something wrong?”, Eve asked me when I sat on the chair that I pulled near her bed.

“Ah! Nothing…”, I said in a weak tone.

“Come on. That’s not true. I can read it on your face. Tell me na…”

“Eve …” and that’s all I could say. The next moment I had my arms around her and our lips were locked in a most blissful kiss ever.

The kiss, it seemed, lasted for, I don’t know how long? But when it was over, I had tears in my eyes and Eve was looking deep into it.

“It was her, wasn’t it?”, Eve asked without taking her eyes off mine.

“Yes. But… Eve…”

“That’s ok. I can understand. First love is always the best or the worst experience in anyone’s life. It’s ok, dear”, she said and spread her arms wide open.

Being held close to her chest I knew that there could never be a better place for me in this whole wide world.