Free Bird Part 13

Read the previous part here

There are some people, some situations which scare the ghost out of the most courageous persons. Most of the times these are matters of the heart. That day Sneha casually ambled to receive the phone. Most of the times it was her father who received the calls on the landline. Sneha had pestered him to get a mobile phone. But his logic was that since he hardly ventured out of the house, the landline served his purpose. It was he who attended all the calls on the landline. But as luck would have it Sneha was passing through the drawing room when the phone rang and she picked the phone.

'Hello.' The caller said. There were butterflies in Sneha's stomach and her legs felt jittery on hearing his voice. Catching hold of the armrest of the sofa she slumped into it.

'Sneha, I know it is you.' The caller said.

'I will call Papa.' She said not knowing what to say.

'No, I want to speak to you. Read the feature on you. Congratulations, you have come a long way.' Raj said.

'I thought... you had forgotten me.'

'I may forget to breath Sneha, but I can never forget you.' He said.

Sneha felt a strange sensation course through her body. She wanted to ask him to fl doywn to India from Australia to meet her. She wanted to share her joys with him. She wanted to tell him how much she had missed her. She wanted to fight with him and ask him as to why he hadn't bothered to keep in touch with her. In spite of her greivances now she was content that he cared for her. That he was keeping track of her activities and wished to congratulate her.

'How did you come to know about it? She asked, not knowing how to start the conversation after so many years.

'Someone sent me the clipping as an attachment.'

'Who?' She asked.

'Well I have my well placed resources.' He laughed.

'Where were you? Why didn't you call me all these years.'

'Was a little busy.'

Sneha wanted to retort by saying that he had time to wish her father on his birthday but no time to call her. But the next sentence that he uttered made her melt.

'There are so many things which I want to tell you. Will tell you once we meet.' So Raj was eager to meet her. Sneha forgot that he had not kept in touch with her for years. She forgot that when she had called him a few times, he had avoided her. He had expressed his desire to meet her and Sneha had forgiven him once and for all.

'When are you coming?' She asked.

'Very soon, to taste your pickles.' He said.

Gaining a little composure she said, 'I can send a jar to Australia.'

'But I wish to have it from your hands.' He said.

Sneha blushed. That's when her father entered the room. 'Whom are you talking to beta?' He enquired. 'Papa, it's Raj.' Sneha said. Then she told Raj that she had some urgent work to attend and hung up. Later that day Sneha got angry at herself. She had always disapproved those spineless girls who were tongue tied in front of their boyfriends and agreed to all that they said. But today she too had replicated their behaviour. Does love that to a person? Sneha didn't know. She resolved, the next time Raj called her, she would tell him how he had wronged her, how he had played with her emotions and how much heartache he had caused to her.