Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Endless Wait

I have been waiting for this day for last 3 months, or last 15 years. Nisha is my first and the only love whom I could not marry. And, I decided that I would never marry. We had stopped talking since then but a few months back, Nisha wrote to me telling me that she was coming to my city and would love to see me. I am standing at the airport to receive her.

My heart is racing so hard, I am sure everyone can hear it. I feel the same trepidation I used to experience seeing her enter the class every day at college. I have imagined this moment hundreds of times since the day I came to know I would see Nisha once again, a hope I had lost years ago. Dreams do come true.

My heart skips a beat every time I see a passenger emerge from the exit, and I am disappointed every time. I am losing my patience, the flight was supposed to land half an hour ago. Weird thoughts are crossing my mind; I am engulfed in a fear. Is Nisha alright? Is destiny playing yet another game with me?

There is a chaos at the arrival terminal. I see security personnel trying to calm the crowd down. I approach a gentleman standing near the exit and ask him what the matter is. The TV screen inside the terminal catches my attention, and my whole world collapses in a second. For world, it is a crash of a plane carrying a couple hundred passengers; for me it is like crumpling of a lifetime of hopes. I do not know how long I stood there, but I come back to my senses when someone touches my shoulder. I turn around to see a woman standing there, and asking me to gather myself. She simply says, “Son, I will pray for you.”

I think I am crying. I have been trying to hold the tears for years and now, I can’t anymore. I cannot imagine life took Nisha away from me, a second time. I am one of those who are never meant to be happy. Perhaps I am just unfortunate; I always have been.

With heavy legs, I walk away from the airport. I get into my car, and I drive back home. I feel nothing as if my mind is frozen, incapable of feeling any pain. I don’t know when I reach home. I don’t want to get out of the car.

Then, I see her. It is Nisha! But how is this possible? She comes running to me, hugs me and says, “Faiz, where have you been? I have been waiting for two hours. You know, I wanted to surprise you, so I took the first flight to here!” I hug her tight, never to let her go.