The moonlight glittered the waves in the beach. Vivek and Sheetal were involved in a serious conversation. They were engaged to each other and this was their first outing together.
Sheetal was saying something interesting, when Vivek held her hand suddenly.
“I love you”, he said. There was a brief silence.
“Me too”, she said looking into his eyes.
“So, what’s the next program?”, he asked her
“Vivek”, she said, “I think we are getting late. It’s nearing 9. My mom would scold me”.
“Don’t you feel like staying a little longer?”, he asked her with a mischievous smile on his face.
“We shall come again tomorrow”, she said smiling exposing her beautiful dimple.
They got up from the sand, dusted their clothes and walked towards the road where he parked his bike. It started drizzling.
“What about Switzerland?”, he asked her.
“Why too far? Moonar would be okay”
“Baby boy or girl!”
“What would you prefer?” she looked at him.
“A beautiful baby girl”, he replied.
“Same pinch”, she said as they neared his bike.
She sat on his bike and placed her hand on his shoulder. The rain started getting heavier.
“Shall we wait until the rain stops?”, he asked her.
“I love getting wet in the rain”, she replied abruptly.
Vivek felt very excited. She possessed all the qualities of the perfect girl he expected to be his life partner. He felt was he was the luckiest person in the world at the moment.
Sheetal noticed people started running helter-skelter because of the rain. Some moved under the shade of a nearby icecream parlour and some inside their cars. The peanut vendors were hastily covering their peanut sacks with a thick blanket. Suddenly something caught her attention. Sheetal’s heart missed a beat. A strange chill ran down her spine. Her hands and legs started trembling. Vivek started his bike.
“Shall we start?”, he asked her. There was no reply.
“Sheetal, shall we start”, he asked her in a louder tone.
“Yes!”
She tightened the grip of her hand on his shoulder and held him firmly.
“Are you okay?”, he asked her as they travelled across the deserted road getting wet in the rain.
“Yeah! I am okay”, she replied. She was silent all the way when the bike came to an abrupt halt. She did not even sense that she had reached her home.
“Good Night”, he said and left.
“Why are you looking tensed?”, asked her mother serving the dinner.
“Nothing”, she replied.
It was midnight. Sheetal was unable to sleep. She picked her mobile and dialled Anand.
“Hi Sheetal”, came an instantaneous reply.
“Anand”, she screamed in a worried tone.
“What happened Sheetal?”
“I saw him”, her voice shivered. “I saw him at the beach”
Anand paused for a few seconds.
“Are you sure?”
“I am absolutely sure…..I saw him………... ”,her voice stammered, “He was staring at me”
Meanwhile Vivek felt difficult to sleep. Sheetal had disturbed him a lot. He picked his mobile and called her. Alas, the line was busy. He tried her again and again but in vain.
“Did Vivek see him?”, Anand asked Sheetal.
“No”
Anand sensed her sobbing.
“Sheetal”, consoled Anand. “There is nothing to worry. We shall do something to get rid of this problem”
“I am really afraid Anand. I don’t know what’s going to happen in my life. ”, she said rubbing her tears.
“I am there. Don’t worry. We will discuss this matter at office tomorrow. Stop thinking about this and go to sleep”.
“Do you think we can resolve this problem”
“Sure Sheetal. We shall definitely find a way out. Just pray to God and go to sleep”, he consoled her.
“Ok”
“Good Night”
“Good Night”.
Sheetal fell on her bed and closed her eyes. The unforgettable events of the past appeared before her.
--To be continued
