FIRST LOVE

FIRST LOVE was first published in the February, 2015 issue of Spark, a leading Indian literary magazine. Here’s the link: Here’s the link: http://www.sparkthemagazine.com/first-love/

Deblina glanced at her watch and sighed as she listened to the announcement. To her dismay, the flight to Kolkata was delayed by one hour. The airport was filled with harried people, waiting for their flights delayed by the fog to take off.

Dragging her trolley behind her, she wandered to the small, makeshift bookstore that had sprung up in place of the usual one. This one wasn’t as big or well-stocked as the other one, but it had a decent collection of magazines at the very least and some of the latest bestsellers. She was trying to decide between the latest issue of her favourite fashion magazine and a new bestseller by one of her preferred authors, when her cell phone rang in the pocket of her jeans. She whipped it out and almost instantly groaned. This was the third time in the last hour! Didn’t he understand that she was a grown woman who knew how to take care of herself? “Yes Sujoy? What is it this time? We just spoke about ten minutes ago!” She knew she sounded brusque but she couldn’t help it. Sometimes his persistence just got on her nerves. “I heard your flight is delayed.” He sounded anxious and that irritated her even more. “Have you had dinner? It’s late, you have an acidity problem and the doctor did say…..” “Oh God, Sujoy!” Deblina cut him off and pressed a finger to her temple. “I can take care of myself. I don’t need any more mollycoddling from you. Can you just treat me like a grown woman for once?” She disconnected the phone and flung it into her bag, shaking her head in exasperation.

“Well, well, well! I thought that voice sounded beautifully familiar! And I see the temper hasn’t tempered, huh?”

One hand automatically flew to smooth down her dishevelled hair as in a panic she checked her reflection in the mirror behind the checkout counter. That voice was unmistakable and one she would recognize anywhere, anytime. She slowly turned to face him and there he was. The same set of twinkling mischievous eyes, the same generous mouth, the same strong jawline. He smiled at her then, that slow intoxicating smile that had haunted her for so long and still plagued her dreams on those particularly difficult nights.

It had been the perfect whirlwind summer romance. They’d been crazy about each other and everyone said they looked perfect together. She’d never been so wildly, so completely in love before. Aryan was dashing, funny and witty. His songs were wonderful, his stories incredible. Being with him swept her away into a world that was as fantastic as it was implausible. They spent the entire summer together and the first time he declared his undying love for her, she vowed that she would never, ever let him go. She was his Debbie and always would be.

Destiny, however, had other plans. Though he claimed he was madly in love with her, he admitted he wasn’t yet ready to settle down. He wanted to travel and see the world and marriage was the last thing on his mind. It was heart-breaking, for Deblina but nothing could persuade him to make that final commitment to her. After six months of futilely waiting for him to change his mind, Deblina finally gave in to family pressure and married a man of her father’s choice. Sujoy was a banker by profession and a Bengali to boot. Needless to say, her parents were thrilled with the match. He was the kind of son-in-law they’d always wished for. He was pleasant, well read, educated and “cultured”. But Deblina knew he would never be able to ignite the spark in her that Aryan had. Aryan was and always would be her first love.

Now, seven years later as she stood there at the domestic terminal of Indira Gandhi Airport and stared back at the man she’d loved and hoped to marry and still thought about sometimes, all the memories came rushing back to her almost like a tidal wave. He was as handsome as ever and she was amazed at the still-muscular, ripped body that was proof of the fact that he was still as religious about the gym as before. How many times had she tried to coax Sujoy to exercise more regularly but he always refused. His ardent love for Rasgullas and Mishti Doi didn’t help matters either.

Turning her attention back to Aryan, she noticed that the dark brown hair had a sprinkling of grey now but it certainly suited him. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a dark brown sweater with a jacket thrown carelessly over his shoulders and he smiled at her now as he came forward to envelop her into a hug. As his arms encircled her, it felt strange and unfamiliar even though she noticed that he still wore the same cologne. She shivered slightly and gently untangled herself from his arms, reaching for her coat at the same time. “It’s chilly in here,” she mumbled as she put it on “I’ve just recovered from a nasty flu and …..” “Plenty of time to catch up on all that,” he interrupted. “Gosh, I can’t believe it’s you, Debbie!” It felt strange to hear the endearment again. No one else had ever called her that. “And the best part is that I see you’re flying to Kolkata too,” he said, looking at her boarding pass.

Aryan managed to get his seat on the flight exchanged with Deblina’s neighbour, so they could talk. “So then I told her to keep the apartment and the dog and the car and the kids and leave me in peace. As you would remember, domesticity was never really my thing!”

She smiled wryly at his words and shook her head. “I still can’t believe you’re a published travel author now,” she said. “I’d always thought you’d become a famous musician.” She couldn’t admit to him that she subscribed to both the travel magazines that he regularly wrote for, just to read his articles.

He laughed then and took a sip of orange juice. “That’s exactly what my Mom used to say too.”

“And how is your Mom?” asked Deblina then. She remembered her as a graceful, pleasant lady with a very amiable disposition. “She’s fine…I think,” said Aryan with a sheepish smile “At least she was when I last met her…three months ago. Swamped with work most of the time to remember much else. Anyway, so now I meet the kids once a year during their holidays for about two weeks and travel the rest of the time.”

“But don’t you miss them?” she asked curiously. She couldn’t even fathom being away from her three-year-old daughter and only travelled on work if she couldn’t help it.

“They’re better off with their mum,” he said. “Between you and me, I’d say she’s better off without me too. Poor thing was worn out trying to keep track of my crazy schedule, outlandish habits and outrageous affairs. I think it was the day she told me she’d fallen and fractured her ankle that she decided she’d had enough. I had an article to write and flew out to Darjeeling the next day. She was alone at home with the kids and a broken ankle for two weeks while I researched and wrote my article. I was so lost in my own world I even forgot to call her. She’d already filed for divorce by the time I got back. I do pay her an outrageous amount in alimony and child support every month though. Get this, my mother and she still live together.” He laughed uproariously and Deblina couldn’t help smiling.

As the flight landed, Aryan asked what Deblina was hoping he would and praying he wouldn’t. “I was thinking….maybe we could have dinner tomorrow? I’m staying at the Taj and the Chinese restaurant is famed for its Date Pancakes.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke and she was surprised that he remembered her favourite dessert. She smiled then and shook her head, feigning disappointment. “I’m flying back after my meeting tomorrow. I’m taking the late afternoon flight back.”

Actually, admittedly, maybe she was a bit disappointed. She’d always imagined meeting him once again like this, a crazy chance meeting that would answer all those questions he’d left unanswered when he’d left her all those years ago. It would have been interesting to get to know him again after all these years and his smile was still as intoxicating as ever and …..She pushed the thought away and held her hand out. “It was nice meeting you again Aryan. All the best to you.” They shook hands and he stared at her sadly as he realized that he would probably never see her again.

“At least give me your phone number. Maybe we can have lunch or something when I come to Delhi next. Or….” “You take care of yourself,” she cut him off then as she picked up her small holdall. He smiled at her wistfully then and she came forward to hug him briefly before she walked outside to find a cab.

She leaned back in the cab and inhaled the balmy night air as they drove steadily towards Park Street. Admittedly, bumping into Aryan had been a bit of a shock. The amazing thing was that he hadn’t changed a bit. The same unwillingness to commit, that same reluctance to love and give unconditionally. Heck, he hadn’t even asked her about how her life had been the last seven years! Yes, she was an independent, self-reliant woman and Sujoy’s over protectiveness did irritate her often, but at that particular instant, she was thankful that she had someone in her life who genuinely cared as much as he did and never failed to express it so unconditionally. Suddenly, for no specific reason at all, she longed to hear the familiar voice.

Rummaging in her bag, she pulled out her mobile and was surprised to see that he hadn’t called her even once since she’d landed. Not even a text message. She went straight to Speed Dial and pressed the button. He answered on the first ring. “So how come you didn’t call?” she questioned him immediately. “I landed an hour ago.” There was a short silence before he spoke. “I don’t know. I figured you’re a grown woman and can take care of yourself,” he said. His voice gave nothing away but Deblina knew he was hurt. “So how come you did?” he asked her. Deblina sighed: “Well,” she said, with a small smile, “I suppose I just missed you.”