Reunion Pt. 01

(This is completely a work of fiction. All characters are fictitious. Any resemblance to any real-life character is completely unintentional. The author does not intend to hurt / disrespect / demean anybody)

Today is a red-letter day for me. I have found my ex after a gap of 4 years.

The first two years from those were spent in extreme mental agony. I lost the will to live, then started recovering slowly and now have managed to find my feet a little.

I found that I unconsciously have stopped blaming Mini... she couldn't have stayed back with me. Our backgrounds are different, and she was being subjected to a kind of house arrest and emotional blackmail from her conservative parents after they found out that she was seeing a girl. Me.

Within a month's time, I got the news that she was married off. To a groom of her parents' choice. That was such a nightmarish and emotionally volatile period for me. To wake up and spend each day. Maybe it was the same for her too.

And today, out of the blue, I catch a glimpse of her in the balcony of a two-storied house in a pretty upscale neighborhood, where I came as a traveling salesgirl for ladies' cosmetic products. It has just been four months since I joined this firm. At least it helped me to stay distracted from my pain, and also gave me a certain stability. As part of my work, I have to visit the various neighborhoods of a particular area of the city which has been allotted to me.

I had moved out of my old place after Mini's marriage. Eventually I came in this city with the little savings I had. I didn't know Mini too has arrived here. Maybe her husband has a transferable job.

My heart started pounding as soon as I spotted her from a distance. It was just a momentary glimpse, as she immediately went inside from the balcony. I was absolutely clueless what to do next. I was so close to my adorable sweetheart. I could vividly remember the living hell which I had to endure in the last few years. I never went into another relationship, nor encouraged any temporary fling. It was as if I had lost interest in everything.

And now, with this stroke of luck, I have traced her again. I decide to skip her house and come back another day. My mind is racing and getting ahead of me. Shall I start lurking near her house and keep a track on her movements? I may get a rough pattern of when her husband leaves the house, how many members reside in the house and so on. It can become a full-time obsession for me.

I must control myself. I am feeling heated up and feverish, a burning sensation is raging through me, compelling me to knock on that door and take her in my arms. But I must plan my steps ahead. I cannot let go of this opportunity. Letting out a sigh of relief, I thank my good fortune and start walking ahead to cover the rest of the houses in the street.

Throughout the week, I continue servicing the houses in that locality only. I use my friendly and convincing attitude to achieve a considerable amount of sales and my team boss is happy. He insists I keep close to that radius as it may consolidate my customer base and target group. Inside I am flying high.

I deliberately avoid her house, yet keep a close watch on it. My observations tell me that her husband departs around 9 in the morning and comes back after 6 o'clock. Twice or thrice I catch sight of Mini during this 5-day week. She seldom comes out on the balcony and mostly stays indoors. I do not know if she is unwell at present. Also, it is a pretty rainy week and so there is no need to water the plants or hang the clothes on the balcony. Then a magical thing happens on Saturday.

I thought her husband works 5 days a week, but I am proved wrong, as he leaves the house around that same time today also. I am fighting an intense inner battle whether I shall muster up the courage and come face-to-face with her today, and I am just not able to make up my mind. But around 10, I find Mini unlocking the gate and stepping out of the house.

I am in the middle of sipping tea at a roadside stall when I notice her walking to my direction. Hastily I find a newspaper left in the bench by someone, bury my face inside it and feel her going past me.

She is quite a mature woman now, and her figure has grown fuller. Her face is grim, firm and unsmiling. I get a vibe of unhappiness as she walks past. Previously it used to exude a cheerful glow which seems lost now. It is also a strange sight seeing her in a sari, as I have mostly known her in tops and jeans. Putting the paper aside, I keep watching her from her back as she disappears around the end of the lane.

Today I must follow her, I tell myself.

While maintaining a safe distance, I trudge along while she keeps going briskly, occasionally checking her phone. I am having fleeting memories of the two of us, walking hand-in-hand and enjoying each other's company. Discovering new places and never-seen-before roads. Countless times, she had lied to her parents to meet me. I was an orphan and had only myself. My life changed completely after meeting her. I was a little older than her and we had met at a book club a couple of years back. Overall our relationship lasted about three years. By that time, her parents became suspicious and started matchmaking for her, when she completed her graduation and began pursuing masters. I do not know whether she has completed her masters. At that time, I was doing some part-time jobs and did not have a steady income.

I am born this way and always fancy girls. Mini became a perfect friend and soulmate to me. Her orientation did not matter to me and we became very close. We were happy with one another. We did explore our bodies but it all happened very naturally and spontaneously. I was deeply attracted to her and was very fond of her. I was sure that this companionship would lead somewhere. But the narrow-mindedness and orthodoxy of our society came in the way of everything, as Mini bade me a tearful goodbye and I was left broken in many pieces.

I find her going inside a library and seating herself in the office chair. She is still into books, I contemplate. Maybe she manages this library on weekends. It has quite a satisfactory collection. I keep staring at her for a while and then walk away.

I am feeling very light, very elated. It has been a profound experience in reminiscing old days and looking at my beloved after all these years.

I will be coming soon to meet her.

It is the following Monday, and I press the bell and wait with bated breath. My heart is again beating very fast. In just a few seconds from now, I will be in front of her again.

I can hear approaching footsteps and someone opening the door.

It is Mini. She is standing, but her jaw has dropped. She is now struggling to stand.

I study the rapid change of her expressions and the range of emotions playing on her pretty face. Her lips are quivering, and she starts shaking uncontrollably. Almost instantly she bursts into tears.

I cannot bear anymore. Closing the door, I run towards her and hug her tightly.

My poor Mini! I press her hard into me and feel getting lost in the fragrance of her hair. She has taken a fresh bath I can sense. It is a different feeling altogether. My tears are also welling up inside me and I can feel myself breaking down. The sobbing girl is clinging onto me even more tightly and keeps on muttering: "I am sorry... I am sorry... I had no choice..."

I pat her head and kiss her cheeks. I hold up her crying face in my hands and look straight into her beautiful eyes, which are pouring right now. She was also in so much pain all this while.

We let go of each other and compos ourselves. Mini sniffs loudly, holds my hand and takes me indoors.

She tells me to take a seat in the sofa in the drawing room, while she runs inside to get water. I try to pacify my thumping heart but in vain and walk around the room, looking all over.

It is a typical homely setup, with all necessities in place and completely devoid of any luxury. It is a reflection of the upbringing and simple nature that Mini nurtures. It is a pretty ordinary two-bedroom flat with a balcony. I felt it is taken on rent and the landlord lives upstairs.

Mini brings a tray containing a glass of water and some snacks, and places it in the table in front of me. "I simply can't believe... how are you Madhu?"

"I have been worse..." is all I can manage. I can hardly keep my emotions at bay.

"Where have you been? Tell me everything..."

And I don't hold anything back. I keep talking. Still, I consciously conceal some unpleasant details inside me, which are too painful to hear. I don't want to cause her further pain. Indirectly, it will also affect me.

She cries hysterically at some point. I do not hold her responsible for anything, I clarify myself. She knows and believes that. We curse the circumstances, the tragic unfolding of the situations. And how we both have a stroke of good fortune now that our paths crossed.

We cannot guess how much time has passed. But it is still sometime before her husband comes home.

I am enormously drained after the talking. These painful recollections and digging up the past affect me deeply. The surrounding air hangs heavy and gloomy. To break the silence, I go up to her and smile, patting her cheeks. She gives a forced smile and excuses herself, murmuring about some work in the bedroom.

I follow her.

A bed and a wardrobe occupy most of the space, though I also spot a small table and a chest of drawers below a mirror hung on the wall. Beside it is a photo of the couple in bridal wear. Mini rummages inside the wardrobe with her back to me. I can hear a few of her wet sobs and sniffs once again.

"what happened Mini?" I whisper to her kindly.

"it was difficult for me too... every night I feel I am betraying you." She starts, again with a shaky voice. I understand what she is trying to say.

"I do not deserve you Madhu. I let myself become married. Your devotion is of a different kind. I couldn't stay loyal to you. Please forgive me. I am so sorry."

I want to hug her tightly again. She is in a complete mess, shaking and crying.

"Every night is a test for me. I sometimes feel I'll go insane. I always keep thinking about you. My husband doesn't know anything. I give in to his physical demands. I lie on the bed and let him do what he wishes. Later I punish myself. I always feel like sleeping in the other bedroom or telling him the truth. I feel so guilty all the time. I am cheating everyone."

Mini is wailing and I put my arms around her. She buried her head inside my bosom. I clutch and hold her, while consoling her over and over again.

I feel very sorry for her. She has also gone through a lot, life has been incredibly difficult for her. She has to serve her husband dutifully, and at the same time burn herself at the altar of self-guilt, regret and remorse. It is all because of what her family has imposed on her, and she had no option. She had longed and pined for me, and she had remained pathetically miserable throughout these 4 long years. She has bottled up all these emotions inside her.

She quiets down her sobs now, and immerses herself in me. We both are in need of this warmth, this touch of togetherness. It is as if time has stood still. We remain standing and hugging each other in silence. We both have found each other and that only matters right now. Reality has been merciless to both of us and we both passionately crave for this long-awaited reunion.

She presses her lips to my cheeks and utters a thank you in a whisper. We are so drunk in the moment that it is some time before we realize our lips have touched each other.

Our eyes are closed.

Our lips keep on brushing each other. I realize my mouth has gone completely dry.

Soft tender touching of the lips...

Mini gently opens her mouth and gulps in my lips after what seems an eternity.

She is now sucking my lips hungrily. I am so lost, so engrossed... I have missed this so much. I can feel some long-lost and familiar urges building up inside me. Maybe she can also feel the same.

In a state of frenzy, I also join in the lip-suckling. Mini is lost in ecstasy and drinks my lips fiercely now. The state of our breathing is becoming heavier in each passing moment. I can feel my lips getting bit frequently.

"your tongue..." I murmured.

She slips out her tongue, still with her eyes closed. I swallow it whole and suck it deeply. She is panting now. Even my forehead feels sweaty.

Our lips now graze gracefully against each other, and occasionally our tongues are slipping inside our mouths and rolling along each other. We are dripping with saliva and getting dirtier at our mouths. Still, we are in no mood to stop as old flames are getting rekindled.

In this excited state of liplocking and open-mouth tongue-play, I press against her body and keep kissing her hard. She now pants heavily and arches her head back, giving me access to nibble on her neck and throat.

(Continued in next part of the story)