Broken Hug

The Rain

“Whenever I’ve felt alone, I’ve come here, and watched the sunset.” She said. “Watched the shades of the sky turn darker.”

All of a sudden Rohan became aware that she was a part of nature, with her sky blue dress and her mind going far into that vast expanse outside.

“You want to walk for a while?” he asked.

She nodded.

They got up and went around the passage. A few chairs were kept against the wall but no visitors seemed to be around.

“Pe-pawl are in the revolving restaurant on the 84th floor.” She said. “Would you like to go there?”

“No, not today.” And he looked at her. “I think this silence is fine.” He smiled. “But what about you?”

“No, I’m fine here.”

They had completed two rounds, stopping here and there and observing the outside view.  

As she walked she began to think how destiny played a hand in making them meet, but now he would be gone in a few days from now.

They came out of the tower. She looked at the time.

“I’ll have to leave, it’s nearly thirty past seven,” she said and looked at him. “And I’ll reach home not before eight fifteen.”

“Oh sure,” he said, his voice slow.

They began walking. An air-con bus arrived.

“This is mine,” she said. “Make sure to get up on a yellow board bus. And tell the conductor MBK stop.”

“Shall we get to see each other tomorrow?” His voice was a request.

“No, Raw-han. Tomorrow I have school activity till late evening. A fest is coming up and we have some work after school, in school itself.”

He nodded. She read the mark of down-heartedness written on his face. “We’ll w******p, in the meantime.” And she smiled.

He smiled back. He held her hand as the bus stopped. She squeezed his hand, smiled, turned and hopped into the vehicle. He saw her blue dress and her black hair close off as the door shut.

“Did you have a good time?” Raj asked as they sat in the open bar of their guest house. Max took a swig from the Singha beer.

Rohan nodded and smiled at his friends. “How did the shopping go?”

“Oh that was fine,” Max commented. “While you romanced we did some sightseeing.” His eyes glinted.

Raj spoke. “We went to a strip club in Soi Cowboy. Loud music. And girls doing pole dance.”

“Good. Good.” Rohan nodded, smiling.

Raj went on describing the scene inside the club. He turned to Rohan in the midst of his description.

“Hey what’s the matter, Rohan?” Raj asked. “You listening?”

Rohan looked far away. “You know,” he started at last. “I was thinking of extending my stay.” He looked at his friends.

Max had lifted his bottle but stopped it from tilting towards his mouth. Raj turned.

Rohan turned his gaze to them and nodded. “Yes.” He then looked away. “I want to stay back two more weeks, spend more time with Fai.”

Silence fell. After several seconds Max broke the silence. “Cheers to that,” he said, lifting his bottle. Seeing him, the two did the same and touched their bottles with a clink.

Sleep refused to come to Rohan. The excitement of extending his stay tingled in his nerves. He lay awake seeing himself moving in the city. Fai’s city. He decided to send her a text. Taking his cell phone, he already found a text from Fai waiting in his chat box.

The sunset was beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with me. Good nite J

He checked the time. It was 10:51 pm. They were at the open bar then. With all the noise around, he hadn’t’ realized his cell phone had buzzed. It was 12:02 am now.  She must be sleeping. He decided he would send her a good morning text around 7 am or so.

The next morning he was at the Thai Airways office getting his cancellation done and changing his departure date from this Saturday to two weeks from now.

“Thank you for extending your stay.” The lady at the counter smiled. “You like Bangkok?”

“Sawasdee khap.” And he smiled. “Bangkok dee ma,” and he gave her a thumbs-up sign.

That day and the next Rohan and his friends moved about in the morning, in malls and shops. Raj and Max picked up dresses and souvenirs for their family members, nephews and nieces. But Rohan still couldn’t decide what to give Fai, as a token of his love, or, rather as a token of their love for each other. He had decided on something for his parents, but that could wait for two more weeks.

He met Fai on Friday afternoon, the day before their departure. Max and Raj were out shopping. He waited for Fai at the reception of the Asia Guest House.

She walked in around 1 pm, dressed in a jeans skirt, a pair of black leggings and a butter yellow tee. He rose from the sofa on seeing her, and smiled. She smiled back, but he noticed, it was a washy smile, lacking the real brightness that it carried.

“Hi,” he said, and held her hand.

She smiled the same smile.

They walked to the sofa and sat down. Her hair was combed loose and fell over her shoulders and front. He was at a loss for words. She looked at him, then at the ceiling.

“You’ve had lunch?” he asked.

“No.” A faint smile.

“There’s McDonald’s at the corner. How about visiting it?”

She only looked at him, then shook her head after sometime.

“You like Thai food,” she said.

They got up. Outside, the weather was cool. It had suddenly become cloudy. He held her hand. They crossed the street and walked down the pavement of Sukhumvit Road. He looked at her, and then put his arm around her shoulder, and smiled. She turned and gave him the same smile. He could make out something bothering her, and worked out the reason. He was leaving tomorrow – according to her – and in all probability that was playing in her mind.

The food court was inside a building. Rohan and Fai selected their food and went to the food counters, selecting their choice of food.

While they ate, he looked at her again.

“Hey, is the food okay?” he asked after wiping the corner of his lips with the paper napkin.

She nodded.

“Fai, you have to tell me what’s playing in your mind.” He found her looking at her plate. “Is there any way I can lift your burden?”

She kept the spoonful of bamboo shoots and fish on the plate and wiped her hand. “When will I see you again?” She sipped from the water bottle.

He was quiet. “I’m here now Fai, so let’s make the most of the time we are together.” He smiled. “Okay?” and he took a spoonful from his plate and put it into her mouth. It brought a smile to her lips. “Come here,” he told her, patting at the seat next to his. “Don’t sit so far away. Sitting across makes me feel you are in another country.” 

She grinned, this time broadly. While she came and sat next to him, he brought her food near her. Then putting his left arm on her shoulder, he gave her a bite from his share. Seeing this relaxed her. She shared a spoonful from her plate. This continued. She fed him. He fed her. By this time she was smiling and talking.

It began to rain. People ran under cover. Two children stood on the pavement, arms outstretched, looking up with eyes closed, smiling at the rain.

“Let’s go,” she suddenly said, pulling him by the sleeve.

He had no idea what she meant, but her voice sounded so fresh that his heart leapt with happiness at the sheer tone of it.

“Let’s become those little children,” and she put her arm around his arm. Only then he comprehended her idea.

They came out of the door of the food joint, and stood on the pavement. By then the rain came down faster. Fai lifted her head and he saw drops of rain falling on her face. Her mouth opened up in the widest smile he had ever seen on her face. She rubbed her hands over her face. Very soon she opened her eyes, and saw his face getting wet too. The rain came down faster now and she pulled at his arm again. He enjoyed watching her walking. He followed her by her side. By this time their clothes were wet. The streets were getting deserted. Everybody was running under the portico of buildings or the sky train’s station or under the flyover. The sky growled and dark clouds rolled ahead. A c***k of thunder sounded. The rain came down in torrents.

They went ahead till the second crossing. Both were drenched through and through. Water dripped from their chins and their faces, and their hair was a wet mass of blackness. He laughed at her condition, and she looked at him and joined in the laughter and fun. Laughing and looking at him, and finding his white shirt wet and sticking to his chest and exposing his dusky complexion, aroused some s****l feeling in her. She stopped laughing and gave him a queer look. Something warm began to dominate within her. He noticed her changed expression and this made him stop laughing and look at her yellow tee. It was wet and sticking to her body. Her breasts bulged further and stood out prominent. Through the wetness, her black bra became visible. He went closer to her, and touched her hand. He took his mouth closer to hers. She responded, moving her face closer. Their lips met in one streak of passion. Their kissing seemed an endless whirlpool.