(Un)sweet Souls

 09:25pm 

I was putting away vegetables Appa had bought from the market. I looked at the clock. 9:22pm. Almost an hour after I texted him. I sighed. I didn't know what he was thinking, feeling or doing anymore. He hadn't attended any of my phone calls or responded like he usually did to any of my messages. Infact, he had said he didn’t want to talk to me; on more than one occasion. So I had decided that I would wait. Wait for him to say something; anything at all. I knew I hadn’t been fair to him the night before and I had apologized for it too; only, I tend to do that a lot. I guess he’s heard so many apologies from me that he’s finally got tired of them. My gut churned out of the blue and I had the sudden urge to check my phone. I put away the last of the vegetables into the refrigerator and I rushed to my bedroom, leaping two stairs at a time. The green LED on my phone was blinking slowly. My heart jumped and I smiled. He must have called. I unlocked my phone, drawing our names together on the lock-screen and checked my call log. He’d called at 9:25pm. It was 9:26pm. I called back, my heart beating so loudly I heard it thump in my ears. I knew he was angry and I braced myself for the storm. He disconnected the call like he usually does and called back. I picked up and said nothing. Two seconds passed. It felt like eternity.

“Hello?” I heard his voice at the other end. He was unbelievably calm; and that thought disturbed me.

“Hi,” I said. Another couple of seconds of silence followed my greeting.

“Busy?” He asked in a very composed tone, scaring me all the more, “I have to speak to you; a couple of things actually. Need to clarify some things by tonight.” His voice grew distant and sterner with every word he spoke into my ear.

“Uhm, yes, kinda busy. I was in the kitchen.” I returned the tone trying not to give away how I was really feeling and what I really wanted to say.

“Okay,” he said grimly. “We have to talk so please make some time.” He was using the same tone again.

“Is it alright after prayer and dinner?” I asked him.

“Okay. Finish your works and we’ll talk.”

“Okay, bye then,” I said, so he wouldn’t say anything more. I love you, I wanted to tell him, but I knew better not to say that, when he wasn’t himself.

“Okay. Bye.” He disconnected the call.

My heart raced at a thousand beats than normal and my eyes stung. I struggled to keep my eyes from becoming teary. I went back to the kitchen and started helping Amma. What does he want to say? I thought to myself, is he going to breakup with me?

‘No, he wouldn’t. He loves you. He won’t leave you. Remember his promises. Don’t doubt,’ my heart tugged.

‘Uh-huh. Keep telling her that,’ my head rolled her eyes. I sighed, loud enough that Amma looked at me.

“What?” she looked into my eyes.

“I don’t feel so good,” I told her the truth.

“What happened?” she asked, “toothache again?”

“No Amma. It’s nothing. I just don’t feel so good. That’s all.” I lied to her. She can’t know. I lowered my poker face and Amma left the topic.

11:41pm 

“Baby?” I back-spaced it and wrote “Hi” instead.

He responded within the same minute, “Yes”.

“Free?” I asked him.

“I am free”. He typed.

“Okay”. I typed back.

“But are you sure you’re free?” I read his message twice and decided to ignore it.

“Shall I call?” I asked him.

It was his turn to ignore now. “If you have any work to finish or if you want to talk with anyone, take your time and finish it. I will wait”. I sighed. He was not in a good mood; that was for sure. 

“Yes I am”. I typed and I could hear my imaginary voice becoming firmer. ‘Incoming WhatsApp Call’ showed up on the screen and I picked up. “Hi” I said again.

“Hi. Tell me” he said.

What? Weren’t you the one who wanted to talk? My inner voice was getting tired now. “You have nothing to say?” I tried pushing him.

“No. That was then, it’s all gone now.”

Well that was a very nice way to put it.

01:23am

‘I am tired of this. I can’t handle this anymore. I said I am sorry and you are not ready to forgive me,’ I was becoming impatient. ‘I am going to sleep.’ I typed my last reply and saw that he wasn’t online. I switched off my mobile net.

02:00am

I picked up his call. The third in the last hour and hoped that it was over. I didn’t want to fight anymore. I wanted to tell him I loved him and I wanted to hear him say the same back to me. “Hello?” I said into the microphone of my headset.

“Come online.” His voice was soft and warm. I logged on and a video call popped up almost immediately. I picked up and closed my eyes for the bright reflection of his office tube-lights to hit my tired, teary eyes.

“I love you.” He smiled till his eyes.

My jaw tightened and I wanted to scream at him. But I couldn’t. Every time he says those words, I melt. My heart swells and my eyes cloud over with happiness. I looked at him; saw his face, his eyes, how much of love they had for me and how much pain we put ourselves through, when we were arguing with egos attached. I couldn’t help but thank God again.

“I love you too, husband.”

Fate frowned. Love smiled. The 7,413 kilometers, the five hour time difference, the snow on his side of the World and the clear sky on hers, had nothing on the souls who chose to re-write their star-crossed paths.