That kiss in the Rain!

Ragini stood near the French window of her apartment. Her bright eyes were fixed on the droplets falling on her window.  The dark clouds complimented the sound of the rain making it beautiful. It was already 12 noon on Sunday but it looked like evening.

Ragini didn’t feel like moving away from the window. That’s the magic of Mumbai rains- they mesmerize you.

 “Ma, give me another coffee,” Ragini said, her gaze still fixed at the rain drops.

“This is your third coffee in the last one hour. Finish this and get out of that pajama. Don’t get me started!” Her mother yelled and pushed the coffee mug in her hand.

“Ma, but I don’t want to go…” She pleaded.

Her mother’s gaze told her that she mustn’t argue. All she needed then was some warmth. If not from her mother, the hot coffee helped. She cupped the coffee mug and her hands felt warm. Her head leaned against the wall as she sat near the French window.

‘You are still sitting here!! Ragini, get a life and move on!!”

A few more droplets fell, this time it wasn’t the rain, “I can’t ma, I can’t forget him! Why did he do this with me?”

Her mother felt sad for her. She sat next to her and said, “You were not meant to be together. Destiny has its own plan. It will bring you together if that is what is meant to be, but don’t hold yourself back.”

Sahil and Ragini were childhood friends. It was in the 9^th standard that Sahil proposed to her, on a beautiful rainy day. She didn’t think twice and immediately accepted. After finishing their graduation, they told their parents about each other. Sahil got placed with a leading car manufacturing company, based in Detroit after his post-graduation. He left for Detroit 3 years back. Ragini was secure in their relationship, and why not? They had been together for 8 years and their parents knew about them. 

Probably Sahil didn’t think like that. Last he called her was a year back when he broke up with her over a phone call. He told her that he had married someone there.

“May be you are right, Ma. I will do this for you.” Ragini said as she relived the last 11 years.

She wiped her tears and headed to her room.

**********************

Ragini looked pretty in her blue denim and a baby pink top. Her matching pink earrings completed her look. She combed her hair and tied them in a ponytail.

You look beautiful with your hair open. Sahil used to tell her and she untied her hair.

The rain wasn’t stopping and Ragini didn’t want to drive in that weather. Mumbai rains were unpredictable and so she thought of booking a cab. The fares were quite high and she booked a shared cab.

The cab was there in the next 5 minutes and she hopped in.

“Yes, Band stand.” She confirmed.

Hi Rohan, I shall be there in about an hour. See you. She texted.

Beep. Beep. The navigation instrument beeped.

“Kya hua?”

“Share sawari hai madam.”

About 7 minutes later the cab reached the share passenger’s pick-up area. The passenger got into the back seat of the cab and looked at Ragini. He immediately got out and moved to the front seat, next to the driver.

 “Lilavati Hospital.” He confirmed to the cab driver.

Ragini felt uneasy in her stomach. Why does this man sound like Sahil? No, this can’t be Sahil. He doesn’t look anywhere close to him. In fact, this isn’t Sahil’s apartment. Sahil won’t wear this cap, he hates it. He is so lean, again unlike Sahil.

She checked the app for the name of the shared passenger and it said- Sahil.

“Sahil…” she murmured.

He immediately turned and their eyes locked. Yes, it was him.

“Hi, Ragini..h-how are you doing?” He stammered to get the courage to speak to her.

Ragini was speechless. He can’t change so much in 3 years. Her eyes were full but she didn’t let her tears drop, especially in front of him. She didn’t want to show him, how weak she felt.

She breathed heavily and responded, “I..I am great. How are you? And.. and.. your wife?”

He smiled and said, “Great. Where are you off to? I know you love rains, but only from your window.”

“I am meeting someone and if things go fine, we’ll get married.” She responded confidently.

Sahil forced a weak smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“When did you come back? Who is in the hospital? You look so weak, what have you done to yourself? And this cap- since when did you start liking it……”

“Whoaa… one by one.. Rags..I mean Ragini.. I am in good shape and this cap is the in-thing, doesn’t it look cool? I.. I moved here..umm.. a year back with my wife. Well... She is in the hospital, we are becoming parents.”

She sunk in her seat. This was the last nail in the coffin. She couldn’t respond. She kept looking at the rain and they reached Lilavati hospital.

“Ragini, you deserve the best, maybe I wasn’t the one for you.” He bid her goodbye and the cab started again.

He has moved on, nothing is remaining within him. He has moved on.

She SMSed Rohan- Stuck in traffic; looks difficult to meet today. She reached Band stand 15 minutes later. She got out of the cab and chose not to open her umbrella. The rain drops felt soothing, as though they were healing her wounds. She sat on a high rock as the tides washed her feet. She was drenched by now.

To her right, she saw a teenage couple under the umbrella. She smiled as she recalled Sahil and her first date as teenagers at band stand. It was raining then and it is raining today, only Sahil is with someone else.

She still didn’t want to believe that Sahil was with someone else. No, he can’t be. Our love was not that weak.

She got up and looked for an auto.

“Lilavati!” She said as she jumped into the auto.

********************

She reached Lilavati Hospital in the next 15 minutes. Stupid me, I don’t even know his wife’s name. But, I need to see her and get closure on this.

At the reception, she asked,” I am looking for a lady who is due anytime now.”

The receptionist gave her the worst look.

“Ok, I know there would be many women like that. Hmm… am looking for Sahil Kapoor’s wife, if that helps.” She wasn’t sure if this will help either.

“Sahil Kapoor … Sahil Kapoor.. yeah.. room no 507, but that’s not his wife. He has admitted himself. He just got admitted.” The receptionist responded.

Ragini was shocked, “W..what are you saying? W..what happened to him?”

“Cancer patient, he has been coming regularly for treatment.”

Ragini was numb.

She got answers to all her questions she asked him in the cab. Now, her tears would not stop. He wanted her to hate him as he knew he had a short time on hand.

“I need to meet him!” Ragini said urgently.

“Ragini.. What are you doing here? Why are you drenched?” It was Sahil’s mom, holding some papers.

Ragini ran and hugged her tight, she cried like a child, “Aunty, why didn’t you tell me? All this while, he wanted me to hate him, to forget him.”

She caressed her and said,” Doctors say that he has just a few months with him. What can be worse than this? Take this attendant pass, go meet him.” Her wet eyes screamed of a mother’s pain and fear of losing her son.

She ran and figured her way to room 507. The door was closed. Her heart was heavy and eyes were wet. She opened the door…

Sahil saw Ragini standing there, not trying to hold back her tears this time.

“Ragini…. I …”

She hugged him and said, “I am here now and things will only get better. Destiny wanted us to be together!”

“Why are you here Rags? You.. you have your whole life in front of you. I..I.. don’t even have a few months.” Sahil turned and looked at the rain drops out of the window.

“Sahil, I want to live my entire life with you in whatever time we have. Will you marry me?” Ragini took his hand in hers.

He cried like a child. His tears expressed his heart’s desires. Ragini wanted to make their wedding special. She kissed his forehead and told him that she will be back soon. She stepped out and called her mother, “Ma, you were right. Destiny has its own plans. I am coming home. We have a lot of work to do.”

A week later, Sahil got discharged after a few sessions of chemotherapy. Ragini was wearing a white gown as she came to receive him.  She handed him a suit to change into. She took him to band stand instead of his home. There were at least 50 more people over there, some friends and some family. They exchanged vows where they had their first date 11 years back.

It started raining and people started rushing not wanting to get wet. Ragini and Sahil stood there and kissed as Man and wife.

The rain sealed their wedding as everyone looked happily at them.