Our thirty dates

When you turn 30, it's the worst age to be, you start thinking, about what you achieve in these 30 years? It's half-years of life, you want to attain stability in your life. And one of the things that come with stability is getting married and having kids. Ashima who already crossed 30 and has spent 4 years more living lonely life according to her mother also thinks the same things all the time. She also thought about her biology clock, it was ticking very rapidly. Being a career-oriented woman, these things were not her preference, she had big goals, but not until all her friends started getting married, most of them have kids now and she, just spends her weekend with her cat or her mother. It's not she's sad or lonely, she's very happy and content with her life, what she achieved has a trace of her hard work of all these years. She just wants a family, a family who will always support her, be with her and someone who she can call her better half. After thinking for days, she decided to meet him. They connect through a mutual friend. This is the first time she's going to meet him, she may look confident outside but There's an internal battle going inside. This is the first date after her last relationship...hoping That everything works well for both of them. Sitting in this cosy restaurant, middle in her thoughts, she heard a voice. aman - "Hey, Ashima?" Looking up, her eyes adorned with kajal meet his dark brown eyes. Ashima - "Hey, aman?" Aman - " yep" with a smile, he sat opposite of her, putting his office bag and his white coat aside. " I am sorry for being late, you know nha traffic, how long you're waiting?"aman asked her with a guilty expression. Ashima - " exactly 33 minutes" Ashima say looking at her watch. He wasn't surprised to hear her reply, he did his homework well, and learn about her from his friend. Aman - " so, shall we order?" Ashima - " yes, what do you wanna eat? , I am quite familiar with this restaurant." Aman - " Tortellini and some sweet curd." Ashima - " with sweet curd?? Wow-what a combination" she chuckled and proceed to order his and her order. Ashima - " so, is this your first date?" Aman - " no, I had a few before but didn't work out, what about you??" Ashima - " first." she said with a shy, embarrassing smile. Aman - " It's alright, I am glad to be your first one and I'll try my best to give you a good experience" Ashima smiles, looking at his face, she found him very handsome, having those smily wrinkled eyes, which make him look so good when he smiles, with a delicate subtle beard on his jaw, hooded dark brown eyes, and thin lips decorated with a small smile. Sunbeams through the window brightened his caramel skin, that loose collar giving her a view of his neck and chest a little, folded loose cuffs showing his veiny arms and hands. Ashima sighed and had a small blush on her cheeks, her fingers keep mingling with her hair, she's attractive to him, no doubt. Aman - " shall we introduce ourselves more precisely?" Ashima - " yeah sure...I will start, you alright?" Aman - " yes, please" Aman looked at her and only one thought came into his mind was beautiful, she was stunning, especially her eyes, they were not too big or too small...just perfect, and those beautiful lips who look so good when she smile...it was kinda refreshing smile....when you forget your tiredness and worries. He noticed her straight nose beautified with a stud ring, it's looking good on her, he also noticed her tattoo a little, below her right ear but they were hidden by her earnings. Her relaxed and composed posture gave her a very confident look which he liked, she has a warm aura which made him feel at ease and relaxed, and he didn't feel awkward with her, and he was pleased with that. Ashima - " I am Ashima Singh, I work in bold Titans as chief technology officer and I am 34 years old, my mom is a retired, physiological professor while my dad died as a martyr when he was in the navy in his late thirty's and I was raised by my mom" Aman - " your dad was very lucky, he died for our country, covered in our national flag and got the most respected funeral, he has my admiration" Ashima was glad that he didn't say sorry to her and sympathise with her, she love her father, and what he did was not feel sorry but feel proud, she's very proud of her father. Aman -" it was very hard for your mom to raise you alone as a single mother" Ashima - " yes it was but she's a soldier's wife, she's a very strong woman....so tell me about yourself" Aman - " well... I am aman Vashistha, I am a gynaecologist and have my small hospital in alliance with my friend, I am 35 years old, and my parents are retired doctors and now managing an old age home, I have a younger brother also. The waiter comes with their orders and moves forward to put them on their table, with a formal smile he left. Ashima -" shall we play 20 questions?" Ashima - " yeah sure...you start, m comes first from s" Aman chuckled and agreed with her. Aman:- " what are your hobbies?" As he chuckled for asking the typical question, he rubbed his ears in a shy way.. Ashima:- "it's alright, I like listening to music, dancing and spending time with my cat." She said with a smile. Aman:- " you have a cat wow! That's great...and you dance too, I don't even know how to move on beats... it's kind of embarrassing." Ashima:-" yeah Somali breed..and by the way..I also don't know how to dance...I just know one type, bathroom dance". She said with a giggle. Aman:- " I don't even know bathroom dance, I never did anything as this".he said with a straight face. They both laugh, enjoy each other presence, eat their food, and they can sense their positive vibes match with each other, not even for a second do they feel awkward, it was not a romantic or love aura, it was something else, maybe the beginning of a friendship which may turn into love, admiration...no one knows what the future holds for them...right now they are just enjoying each other presence. Ashima:- " can I ask you something personal?" Aman:- " yeah sure... go ahead." Ashima:- "why didn't you get married early?." Aman:- well...when I was doing my pg, I had a girlfriend, we were together for 3 years, she was getting pressure from her parents, they were already finding a potential groom for her, She asked me to talk to her parents about our marriage, I wasn't ready, I want to study more, have a stable income, a home, basically everything...I want to give her the best, I needed time and she can't wait...so we broke up, and she marries someone else. Ashima:- " did you regret it?" Aman:- " initially it was difficult but I start getting busy later...and somehow she wasn't in my mind nor in my heart...and she's happy now, what more I can ask for her." They both sighed and fell silent, we don't always get what we desire, or maybe we can get it but others interfere..... The rule is quite simple ' if you want to gain something, you have to lose something also' Wish this rule doesn't apply to everything...but at the last, it's just a wish. Aman:- " why you didn't marry? You're beautiful, smart and independent." Ashima:- " I honestly want to marry in my mid-20s, we were together for 2 and a half years, I was not as successful as now but I had a decent income, I thought he's the one, I even introduced him to my mother, and she was happy and accepted my relationship....but when it comes to his family, they don't like me, they disapprove of me, we were from different caste and that's why They don't want their son to marry me. He gets married to another girl and I was still there. Aman:-" he didn't fight for you?" Aman:- " not everyone dares to fight against their own family, it was not his fault I understand, maybe our love was not that deep or maybe he was more feared of not having his parents in his life than me." She said with a small smile and the look of irony was visible to him, he doesn't know what to say, he don't know another side of the story, but he thought of how still people believe in all those things, Just because of different caste and religions, so many people lost their love and some even lost their lives. Removing a dull atmosphere, Ashima tries to lighten up his mood... Ashima:- "soo..I am beautiful?" She said with a teasing smile. Aman:- " you're beautiful."aman said confidently. Ashima:-" I am not that beautiful as much you're exaggerating, and you're more handsome." she said with an innocent-looking face. Aman:-" really, I am?" He said getting embarrassed, men don't get many compliments like this, he's glad she found him good looking, or he will keep doubting himself. Ashima:- "yes, you are. " she said with a wide smile. Aman:-" so Ms Singh, do you want to go next date with me." he said with a small smile and hope in his heart. Ashima:-" well Mr Vashistha....yes," she said with a chuckle and nodded her head. ............