CHAPTER 6: LOVE-Fantasy of Reality

So, this is a chain love story as a part of CBC (Chennai Bloggers Club) chain story relay. In this we write a love story as this month is for love. 20 Bloggers will write one chapter to make a beautiful love story How do you know it will be a beautiful story? Think no more- especially today Because Love stories are always beautiful!
The story starts with episode 1 and then flows here. What happens next is captured in this episode, after which Vid Dev (a Chennaiite who blogs at ‘The Pensieve’) came up with this amazing twist here. Gitanjali carries it thru her: http://rhapsodic-xana.blogspot.in/2013/02/turning-point.html

I have divided this episode into two possible narrations so as to give exemption and options for dragging the story there after. The next chapter can be written from anyone of the story that appears here. This is my first fictional, love, or any real story for that matter.
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NARRATION 1:

“This is the last and final boarding call for Miss Ahalya Ramanathan, passenger of Lufthansa Airlines, bound for Stockholm, scheduled take off time 1.45 AM, IST”

He saw people rushing, some waving hands to the affiliated friends, flesh and blood, and the departing passengers. There was no sign of her. He was deeply discharging his remorse, for this act of his, within his thick-skulled brains.

He wanted to go back to his house at least to have a good sleep, so he stood up and walked towards the exit or entrance of the passenger-lounge. His eyes, disinterested in focusing on anything around him now, captivated the oculus of a gal rushing towards the counter. At once, the nerve cells notified his wits about his sight and it responded with some immense proximity. There she was! – Ahalya. She recognised him as well!

“She asked me why I was late! What?! How did she know I was coming? She tangled her hands in mine and started walking. Rapidly. We were followed by her mom and dad as well. Should I insert a Question mark or exclamatory mark?! After passing through the security guard where she presented the tickets and passport of their family (including mine!), we boarded the bus near the airport runaway. Right under the flight stairs, along with the turbine noise and Jet engine rumbling, we were asked to board the White aircraft, as quickly as we can, as I was obscurely noticing the Lufthansa symbol (animated bird) in the empennage. Muddy with what was happening, I started driving the car to take a look at her face, at least once, surpassing her santro. But I didn’t want to drive at this moment. So, quickly I came back and showed her the charcoal drawing of her eyes and eyelashes. They were gracile for the human eyes. The stewardess approached us and dashed my face against the seat (for having shown my drawing?!).”

He realized that he had hit his face in a pillar, near the couch. Oh, shit.! He was in a False-awakening mode. Per-lucid dream layer! Goodness.

He saw people rushing, some waving hands to the affiliated friends, flesh and blood, and the departing passengers. There was no sign of her. He was deeply discharging his remorse, for this act of his, within his thick-skulled brains.

He looked at the time- 2pm! I have missed her. Damn u sleep!

He wanted to go back to his house at least to have a good sleep, so he stood up and walked towards the exit or entrance of the passenger-lounge. His eyes, disinterested in focusing on anything around him now, captivated the oculus of a gal rushing towards the counter. At once, the nerve cells notified his wits about his sight and it responded with some immense proximity. There she was! – Ahalya. She recognized me as well!

He pinched himself- ya it was reality!
She shook her head as well- ya it was reality!

“Guru?!… What re u doing here? ”

“I came to see the pilot of Lufthansa, he was my old friend. ”

“Kalaikuriya? (u kidding me?)”

“Illa illa, ain’t your flight supposed to have departed?.. Aren’t you late?…you’re standing here Casually? ”

“Athuva! That’s a big story! My flight is at 5.30am.

“Oh.. oh..I thought I missed u.”

“First, u tell me, why did u come here for me?”

“(Stammering) hmm.. Hmmm. I never told I came for you. Chumma our small visit. We met even in the gift shop and market. Did we plan?

“Mischievously smiling, his mind voice: avan avan states, Kerala Nu poraan, after all airport ku thane vanthaen.. Athuvum Osila thane.. ”

“Where’s ur mom, dad, family,puppy and friends? U came all alone to the airport? ”

“No no, they all came. It’s a small complicated thing. According to them I waived goodbye in the 1.45pm Lufthansa flight straight to Sweden, but I’m going to see my aunt, mom’s elder sister in Frankfurt and staying there for a week before I go back to Sweden. My sister is also coming there to accompany us”

“Your mom and dad doesn’t know?”

“Hmm,, actually there is a family problem that’s sledding on. Me and my sister want to resolve as soon and as secretly as we can. But we can’t expose this to ppl here exc very close friends since my parents would come to know. ”

“Mudiala. Etho. So we have got 3more hours Nu sollu? So at last I caught u! Comment on my sapience.”

“Hmmm thoroughly impressed. Never expected to see or meet you, again. Can we go to a nearby coffee shop instead of standing here?”

They proceeded. And then he noted her urban setting of the forge fashionable jeans, t shirt, and also her free hair which completed her voguishness. He thanked his divine intervention and the so-called god for this indulgent position and favorable scene. She noted his formal-clothes, resounding the fact that he had paused or quit his office hours to come and see her, but far deep, she had a lot of questions. Among few – “why does he have to come this far? And why am I not defying the present scene?”

They ordered their brewage while they allowed their eyes to clash at aperiodic and sporadic moments. Every nucleus of their blood cells was rejoicing inside both, for known and unknown reasons. The words, spoken by both colliding, thereby not allowing each other to speak up. That resonated the heart beats too. They didn’t wanna squander a moment like this, as well as wanted to squander it by their silence. One finally must speak up.

“Are u alright for I’ve come here without your permission?”

“I would’ve resisted if it would’ve been anyone else!”

“Hun? (Surprisingly!) Avalo important person an naanu?”

“Hello, (Mischievously) i meant I prefer meeting any known person that i have met before. ”

“Aan haan. (Smiling profoundly குரு திசையில் ‘காதல் வளம்’ வலம் வருகிறது. ! )”

Followed by 3hours of uninterrupted conversation,they shared almost everything common and unwonted things they could come up with. She realised that this 3 hours was never gonna be buried down by any future felicity, at that moment. Nevertheless to mention about Guru, for he flamboyantly was delighted speaking to her ,every single second. Love was not in his lexicon until then for the past couple of years, after Geetha left. He felt this conversation to be so earnest to bring it back. Ahalya, on the other hand started permuting and superseding his father’s name with his, amidst the confabulation and the joy due to his jocularity.

The time-stuck- 5.30am. She has to be leaving, once with the feel of heaven-sent, now appeared roofless. He wasn’t under bittersweetness even when his mom left him in the city to stay in their hometown for a month or when his cozy friend permanently moved to Noida.

“When will you come back?”

“I’m not sure guru. I’ve got a job to take care of my career. This was like a dream and aspiration for me. ”

“Hmm, ngabagam vachuppiya? (Will u remember me?) ”

“Marakka mudialana. (if I’m not able to forget. )”

“This is the last and final boarding call for Miss Ahalya Ramanathan, passenger of Lufthansa Airlines, bound for Frankfort, scheduled take off time 5.45 AM, IST”

Even the everyday programming peer pressure hadn’t managed to dilute his two eyes. Even the daily distant-driving to office hadn’t shaken her shoulders too much.

“Take care. I will miss those eyes. ”

“you too,…bye. Keep in touch guru. ”

He reached home with no option. He felt he had reached her so close, but still so far. Love looked like an illusion, yet again. Alarm-rang for his afternoon shift, surpassing his sleepless thoughts about her, for he didn’t know how cruelly the meeting is also haunting her on the other side.

“Hi macha, good afternoon. Client meeting is confirmed morrow. And project manager wants to meet u urgently, guru!”

“Sure, ill meet him. I have prepared the slides two days back. Email the HR for me, please macha”

—
“Anandh, you wanted to meet me? i have prepared the slides. Have emailed it to you too. ”

“Va va va. i wanted to talk to you urgently about another matter. A proposal. (after a pause) A good news and a bad news. ”

“Etha venalum sollunga sir (although he doesn’t want to receive another blow in an agile interval. )”

“Bad news is you Might not be working for us anymore. (after a pause) Cheerful news is you have got a life-time offer for the same position in SKAN TECHNOLOGY FIRMS, Sweden!”

(after a pause)

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NARRATION 2:

“This is the last and final boarding call for Miss Ahalya Ramanathan, passenger of Lufthansa Airlines, bound for Stockholm, scheduled take off time 1.45 AM, IST”

He saw people rushing, some waving hands to the affiliated friends, flesh and blood, and the departing passengers. There was no sign of her. He was deeply discharging his remorse, for this act of his, within his thick-skulled brains.

He wanted to go back to his house at least to have a good sleep, so he stood up and walked towards the exit or entrance of the passenger-lounge. Then he wanted to dial her, to know what happened, why she didn’t appear for the departure. He had previously noted down her number through a farthest mutual friend with the help of his dear most female-friend. Now it became apparent and postulated to use it. Though unsure of the number’s current usance, he pressed the call symbol. The other end missed his call, twice, only to pick up in the third attempt.

“hello?! ”

“H..e..ll..o.. (Too much perturbation)”

“Ahalya, it’s guru! The sapient. Remember? What happened? You were supposed to depart in 1.45am Lufthansa. They have even called out your name?”

“Guru? What are u doing in the airport? Oh.. Chip.. ok.. Listen. My grandpa got a stroke half an hour back while on the way to airport. So we are taking him to Sri Balaji hospital, Guindy. I’ll talk to you later. Low battery in my mobile too. Bye ”

He was confounded with what he needs to do now. He intrinsically know what his heart desired to do. He called up his friend in chrompet, got a pulsar from him, drove apace to the hospital. In a abbreviated time, he found her in floor number two outside the ICU unit surrounded by her father, mother, two friends who were gals (might have come along with her in the same car), and grandma. They all noticed him dazed, when he came near Ahalya. She lifted her face, taken aback by his fulminant Presence before her and her family members. She had never ever brought any guy to her house nor had discoursed about her male-gender friends due to uncertainty and consternation.

“Guru?!.. Inga ethukku?!”

“Sorry, how’s grandpa?”

They glided to a distant place where her family members couldn’t hear them speak, for she had known the rivet eyes will try to follow them and wary ears that will try to hear them.

“Why did you come here?”

“Sorry ahalya, don’t mistake me. I couldn’t traverse Guindy without seeing you. Moreover after knowing your grandpa got an attack, in spite of knowing the hospital. ”

“Chip.. Seri,.. sorry, for being harsh. I have never brought any of my male-gender friends in contact with my family. I dunno how they are gonna take this too. That’s why even my other male friends who knew about grandpa couldn’t able to see me now”

“Aiyo, i’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, had a disarranged mind when you asked me to hunt our next meet, but Was decisive when I started to the hospital. ”

“It’s fine. Ill manage”

“How’s he?”

“Ya oxygen therapy was done I guess. Now aspirin and nitroglycerin has been administered to him. Doctors said since it is his second stroke, Angioplasty Should be done in two days. My grandpa was too close to me, that might have made him gone through some internal strain. We will take care of. You may leave if you want. ”

“It’s alright. I’ll stay to help you guys. Your dad looks old to handle this. Now that they have seen me, no difference my further stay is gonna make. ”

She couldn’t resist, for she was in ruffled emotions. Couldn’t feel excited about guru’s presence nor feel pensive for her best-friend-like-figure – grandpa’s critical situation. Guru stayed the whole night tolerating the weird retina movements on him. Besides, he was very much persuasive for the sexagenarian parents, doleful Ahalya, and her hopeful-grandma. The two gals were sent back to their homes due to the paternal security.

The next morning, I had gone to my friend’s house in Guindy to take bath and bought some breakfast for the parents, Ahalya and grandma. I had also suggested Ahalya to drop grandma and mom in home while asking her and her dad to take bath and return. The doctors had still couched the grandpa in ICU unit. After a small argument by her father, he finally agreed to attach to the plan.

Ahalya and her father returned after getting off the other ladies in house. She was garmented in a green chudi with her adhering dhupatta in light green. Though she was in a fatigue state, her face looked pleasing to Him. She was triggering the same million butterflies inside his viscus. The night passed swimmingly after he had applied for leave for the next 3days (outta curiosity).

The succeeding morning, things promptly happened – arrival of her uncle and the transport of his grandpa from ICU to general ward. Ready to operate anytime. For the next two days, uncle got very warm about guru and that contagiously passed to her dad and mom who is preparing food for people who are alternatively taking turns to guard grandpa’s needs.

She was really elated with guru’s respectable nature and his peachy impression among her family members. By the time she developed cordial relationship with guru, her kin had transcended their bonds.

Subsequently, after her grandpa’s recovery and arrival in home, they had a chance of meeting one morning outside the hospital In Ahalya’s very own home terrace exactly after a week from the incident. The blimpish family had already outstretched their non-progressive nature, only for Guru.

“So, the Sweden plan, still up?”

“Not sure. But now this had happened, the position was taken up by another person from France, due to the deadline of the project. So I might have to wait for another slot. Hopefully and preferably, I’m trying to get back to my own project in here. I’ll be free-lancing a bit for GreenPeace and other NGO’s until I get a project slot. ”

“Hmm,, how did your family react, like towards me?”

“Oh.. Athuva.. I was so doubtful in the start, but really surprised at the way they’d started accepting and became more liberal to you!”

(after a pause)

“So they have accepted me. ?(;))”

(after a pause)

“Yes, only them. (Mischievously smiling)”

“Why didn’t you introduce your male-friends to your family before? They look pretty nice to me. Your uncle- so jovial. Your dad- very much informative. Your mom- too much health and cooking tips provider. Your grandma – slogas and religious teacher. And finally your grandpa- right and thoughtful Philosopher and a guiding friend if u consider him as one. ”

“That’s what. I wasn’t sure of how they would take. Too much of fear. We were grown orthodox from start in every way. Maybe they can now adapt and mitigate to the new trends and relationships or maybe you’re too nice, special and provocative to them!”

(after a pause)

“So I’m nice, special & provocative? (:P )”

(after a pause)

“Yes only to them (Mischievously smiling again)”

“Your eyes, haunt me more when u smile (இருட்டறையில் இருந்தேன். அகல்யமாய் வந்தாய். ! ) !”

“Hey hero, gotcha go out for claiming insurance for my grandpa’s medical expenses! Don’t try to lure me now. We are talking now because of the help you did to my family. Thats all. So don’t be assuming anything more. Have a good day in office. ”

She felt so rude right before she could complete her sentence, for she had no option. Various Uncertainties, her orthodox threats of a Tambhram family, and the cognitive state of her career too resented her idea of developing any new relationship and anaclisis status with anyone, though she knows he is more gracious and comfortable to her.

He reached home with no option. He felt he had reached her so close, but still so far. Love looked like an illusion, yet again. Alarm-rang for his afternoon shift, surpassing his sleepless thoughts about her, for he didn’t know how cruelly the meeting is also haunting her on the other side.

“Hi macha, good afternoon. Client meeting is confirmed morrow. And project manager wants to meet u urgently, guru!”

“Sure, ill meet him. I have prepared the slides two days back. Email the HR for me, please macha”

—
“Anandh, you wanted to meet me? i have prepared the slides. Have emailed it to you too. ”

“Va va va. i wanted to talk to you urgently about another matter. A proposal. (after a pause) A good news and a bad news. ”

“Etha venalum sollunga sir (although he doesn’t want to receive another blow in an agile interval. )”

“Bad news is you Might not be working for us anymore. (after a pause) Cheerful news is you have got a life-time offer for the same position in SKAN TECHNOLOGY FIRMS, Sweden!”

(after a pause)

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I dedicate this story to my mom, who is celebrating her 50th Birthday on Feb 16th, 2013
Note: All the photos posted here were taken and edited by me long time back, short Tamil hyckoos written by me.
-Senthil Kumar CT
The story would be dragged by Kalyan Varadarajan on 18/02 – a photography enthusiast, lazy sleep loving lad and a gadget freak who scribbles who scribbles here! (http://kalyanb4u.wordpress.com/)