The Return Journey

In another ten minutes or so, arriving near the entrance of railway station, the car slowed down. I had to get down at the station. Hesitantly, I nudged Indira, as the driver was pulling the car at roadside. She opened her eyes. She might have adjusted her dress beforehand and looking at me, she asked me with a sweet smile, 'You've to get down here?'

I nodded. By then, the driver had parked the car at roadside. She woke up her husband. Since the door was at his side, he had to get down first. On waking up, he got down from the car and she followed.

As I got up from the seat, picking my backpack, something fell on the seat. Realising it was something Indira had given me for wiping my fingers, I picked up it. I kept my fist closed to hide it, as I was getting down from the car.

My mind was working again. The driver did not get down from his seat. I felt little nervous, thinking the driver might have seen or heard something. My cheeks were heating up but I managed to thank him quickly before getting up from my seat. As I got up from the seat, picking my backpack, something fell on the seat. Realising it was something Indira had given me for wiping my fingers, I picked up it. I kept my fist closed to hide it, as I got down from the car.

When alighting from the car, I was putting straps of the backpack on shoulder, Indira was smoothing her dress. Her husband was standing at a distance with his back at me. She smiled at me, 'Hey, it's so nice meeting you and knowing you,' she said to me stressing on the last two words.

My cheeks warmed up more. She continued, 'But it was such a short journey!' she made a sad face.

Smiling back at her, I could not say much, 'Yes, indeed...'

Her eyes sparkled, 'Hope, we did not disturb you or displeased you anyway?' she asked me.

With a nervous smile, I replied, 'No way. Thanks, I enjoyed the journey!'

'Wow', I patted my back in mind. That was a cool answer. We both understood what we meant, I thought.

She stretched hand, 'This's my card. May be we should be in touch and I'm sure we will meet again,' she said to me.

'Yeah, I hope so,' I said to her while taking the card.

'You forgot something!' I was trying to put it in her hand without saying anything.

But she did not take it and looked at my closed fist questioningly, 'What's that?' she asked me.

I was thinking my reasoning. We all got little carried away and it may be due to the drink. I did not want to remind her anything, what happened in the car but she had asked me a question and I had to answer that.

I was hesitant about how to tell her and without saying anything, I opened my fist impromptu. Looking at it, she broke into a smile, 'No, you can keep it. Our remembrance!'

Closing my fist, I put that in a pocket of my backpack. Flipping the card, keeping in my left hand, I stretched my hand for shaking. She took my hand in her and we shook hands with smiles. Her husband turned back and he was looking shy. I folded my hands 'Namaste' and he reciprocated. Waving at them, I started walking towards the railway station.

In half an hour, getting on the train, lying on my upper berth, closing my eyes, I was thinking about the strange, weird journey and memory was vivid. They would be spending the night in a hotel and their flight would be leaving at 11 am on the next day, I remembered. She told me that. Suddenly, remembering about her visiting card, I sat up and opened the pocket of my backpack. The piece of cloth was a white ladies hanky with 'Indira' embossed on it. Taking the card in hand, I read it. Ms. Indira Hirani, Vice President, Human Resource, Hirani Health Care!!

*****

P.S. - If you have completed the story, you will find some grammatical mistakes. I am sorry about those. In spite of my sincere efforts, I could not get any willing V.E. If you are interested in editing or know about someone, who can do it and will be willing to edit, please let me know.