Challenge #3 - A Memory

Sometimes the most daunting incidents turn out to be the best memories

 “One day. One day I’ll have the courage to tell you how much you mean to me.” She whispered to herself as she rubbed the sweat beads off her forehead.

The noon sunlight gleamed over her head as her brows furrowed, her gaze constantly shifting between her wristwatch and the closed gates in front of her. It had been seven minutes since the clock struck twelve and yet there was no sign of the hearty giggles she longed to hear. A gust of wind passed her, causing her simple Kanjeevaram saree to flail about in glee. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, the rest of her locks meticulously tied in a low bun. She fixed the blue drape of her saree and lifted her hand to check the time once again, huffing in anticipation. 

Just then the gates of ‘Bright Children Elementary School’ opened, revealing a bunch of chuckles as little boys and girls ran towards their loved ones. Her brown eyes widened in anticipation as her eyebrows arched, stretching her neck as she searched for her bundle of joy. A few mothers around her bent their backs, hugging their daughters and sons. Others picked their kids’ school bags and rubbed their shoulders, asking them about their day. While she deviated her gaze beyond her, still looking out for a mischievous little kid, she felt a tug at her drape and a smile inched itself across her face.

Ragini Patel turned on her heel, her boisterous smile matching the little one’s. She sank on her knees to match his level as she hugged the little boy in elation, “Hey there, my little one!” 

“Mumma!” He pressed his cheek on her shoulder as his little arms wrapped around her neck. 

“How was your first day of school?” She asked, taking his bag in her hand as he clutched the other one.

“Very nice.” He gurgled in glee as he started walking ahead.

“C’mon, Mumma!” He urged, stretching his hand towards her as she met his, a content smile on her face. His little boy was growing up, growing confident with each passing second. And she could feel the pride swell in her chest at seeing him grow, his black hair dancing frivolously with the wind. 

“You need a haircut.” She murmured, a reminder to herself more than a comment passed to him. But he grew alert, caught onto his mother’s words and widened his eyes at her. The depth of her son’s orbs resembled a man’s who had once made her heart flutter.

“I don’t want a haircut.” He pouted in disagreement, his hands crossing over his chest. 

He peeked through the hair that had now started to cover his eyes. She chuckled at his stubbornness, blaming it at his father. The love of his life would probably disagree, claiming it to be her trait. But he wasn’t here. And he wouldn’t return in a long time.

“Let’s talk about that later. How about you tell me how your day was, Aarav.” She clutched her little boy’s hand as they started walking towards their home. 

He had an innocent excitement in his gait, she noticed as she matched her step with his. 

“It was great. I made so many friends!” He jumped in happiness as she smiled.

“Wow. And how did you like the school?” She asked, a lingering strain in her voice. 

They had struggled to make ends meet, but she had never wanted to compromise on her son’s education. She had wished for everything for her son, and so had started saving almost three years ago, for a trusted and reliable school. She wanted her son to be responsible, not spoiled like the man she had come across and given her heart to five years ago.

“It was huge, Mumma! There were so many buildings, I almost got lost.” The mother in her grew tense at her son’s words before he giggled, much to her relief, “I’m happy I made new friends who helped me out.” 

“Isn’t that great?” She asked as a boisterous grin adorned both mother and son. Aarav nodded in glee before turning towards his new ID card strung around his neck. 

“I got a badge for myself too.” He pointed out as the badge with his name sparkled under the sunlight. Her smile faltered a little before composing herself. 

Clearing her throat, she praised, “Seems like you’ve become a big boy now.” 

He beamed in return, “I have. But I felt very scared when I got lost, Mumma.” The smile lessened to a shudder as his mother’s brows arched in concern. 

“I’m really happy I met Anjali. She was the one who helped me out.” His shoulders relaxed as his lips curved yet again. When he looked up at Ragini, he had a sparkle in his eyes that went beyond mischief. 

She passed a distant smile as they turned at the corner, approaching the familiar lanes near her housing society. Out of habit, she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she remembered, “I too had gotten lost once.”

“Really?” Aarav asked, curiosity glinting in his innocent eyes. All Ragini could do was nod in affirmation before that memorable night marked its presence yet again.

It had been her first day at Chaudhary Law Firm as a tenacious intern in black slack pants and a white shirt, her honey brown eyes lined with kohl, her hair tied up in a high ponytail. It was also her first day as a resident in a new city, surrounded by tall skyscrapers and bustling crowds. Right after she had landed, the 22-year-old had been asked to report at her new office situated at the heart of the city. She had quickly made her way through the unknown lanes under the scorching heat, with two suitcases and a backpack, to her accommodation. Hastily, she had dropped her belongings at Redwood Towers; a cluster of four adjacent eight-storey buildings, freshened up, and turned on her heel to Chaudhary Law Firm. Thanking Google Maps for guiding her through this unknown yet exciting city, she pushed through the glass doors, only to be met with a wisp of cool air and unwavering smiles.

“When I had first moved here, a few people from office decided to go out for dinner.” Ragini began, lowering her heavy eyes to match the little one’s inquisitive ones.

No sooner had she settled herself amidst the four walls of the cubicle; her new workplace, her colleagues had approached her for a bite in the city. She grew dubious at first, ready to decline their offer politely, when her stomach grumbled, making the decision for her. Half an hour later, she had found herself smiling nervously as her acquaintances shared their first memories in this city as she chewed on her second slice of pizza. In between the cool gusts of fresh air that made her shudder, the warm slice of food in her hand felt heavenly. All the exhaustion wore out, and so did the anxiety of being in a new city. Well, temporarily. 

It had struck past 9 PM by the time they stepped out of the small yet cozy restaurant. She had heard terrifying stories of roaming around late at night and had promised herself on the flight to this new chapter in life to be extra cautious. She had promised herself she’d be at home, organizing her room or re-watching FRIENDS with a bowl of Maggi on her bed. To her chagrin, Ragini was on a bus with a frown on her face, praying she got home without any mishaps. Her newly made friends had parted as they lived in different parts of the city; though offered to give her a lift. She had politely declined this time, inwardly preparing herself for this unfamiliar independence. She had to overcome her fears of living alone. And she believed she could. 

“Did you have your favorite pizza?” Her son asked as a smile tugged at his lips.

She chortled a little before admitting, “I can’t stop myself when it comes to pizza, Aarav.”

He giggled with her before twisting the cap of his water bottle and gulping a few sips. 

As he struggled with capping it back, he asked, “So how did you get lost?” 

“Well, just like your new school, my home was in the middle of a huge maze too.”

She had breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she got down at her bus stop, ready to praise herself for remembering such a thing given the lack of experience in the past. But the relief was short-lived, for beyond her awaited what she now called ‘The Inexplicable Maze’. Her home in Redwood Towers was relatively insignificant compared to the numerous other housing buildings and recreational facilities. The entire property was scattered with colorful skyscrapers, a home to many newcomers aspiring to achieve their dreams here. Well, everything seemed rosy and sweet as long as you knew your way. And Ragini wasn’t one of them, she knew. Unknowingly she gulped, suddenly afraid of whether she’ll be able to sleep under a roof. 

“So how did you get lost?” He asked as worry crept onto Aarav’s face.

She caressed his cheek before straightening her saree, “I couldn’t remember which turn to take.”

And it didn’t help knowing that the place was eerily quiet and suffocatingly dark. All she could hear were the soft gusts of wind and the thumps in her chest. Ragini didn’t want to face the reality that she had gotten lost. On her first night in this city!

She had started off confident, the directions echoing persistently in her head. All she had to do was walk past the monumental statue sitting at the entrance of the gated community, take the first right, walk through the rocky patch of road currently under construction, take a short left, followed by another right just next to the soccer pitches to get to her home.

She had followed the first two steps correctly, yet found herself standing in front of a ‘Dead-End’ sign. She looked around frantically, trying to relocate her bearings. She had briskly walked in the opposite direction in an attempt to find at least one familiar building. She knew there was an old clock tower situated in the middle of the housing complex that could be viewed from every corner. Only, she had reached a ‘Dead-End’ once again, the clock tower nowhere in sight. 

The lighting around the property was minimal, therefore she had to scrunch her eyes to make out.

But she couldn’t.

Despite the chilly weather, she had felt a sweat bead roll off her back, adding onto the parched throat and heavy heart.

Despite always charging her phone for emergency situations like these, she had found her phone low on battery. 

Despite believing she could get used to her life as an independent woman, she had found herself failing miserably. 

It was true. She was lost. 

“Wherever I went, I could only see walls. I couldn’t find my home.” 

“Why didn’t you ask someone for help?” He asked. 

So that’s what she had decided to do. Look for someone in this terribly isolated place who could help her get back home. Knowing her phone was about to die, this seemed like the most sensible option. So that’s exactly what Ragini had set out to do. 

Pushing a strand of hair back in frustration, she had rummaged the place, looking for a single soul in sight. She couldn’t stay stranded on this deserted road all night. She wouldn’t. Just when she was about to run all over to the other side of the road, she had found a person in the distance. It slowly approached her, uncannily dressed in cycling shorts and a loose vest, humming to songs blasting from his headphones. The music had reached faster than him, as she straightened herself. This man had looked weird, but it was her only shot.

“Excuse me?” Her question had slowed him down as he turned with a frown. 

“Do you know Redwood Towers?” Ragini asked in nervousness. 

He looked deep in thought and for a second she felt, she’d finally be able to get back home. To her disappointment, he looked back at her, shook his head in denial, shrugged, and took off. 

“I did. There was this mysterious man cycling late at night, but he didn’t know. So I was left on the road once again.” Her lips flickered with a distant smile as she reminisced that night. 

“What did you do then?”

After being faced with dejection, she had decided to look for home on her own. Considering running on the same road as a vain option, she took a different turn, hoping it would lead her somewhere free from this stifling isolation. She ran, from the darkness, from the cold air puffing out of her lips, from the problem at hand. And yet all she found was failure. Another turn, another twist. Another building that had been locked and stood lifeless, another dead-end. 

Even the wind seemed to scowl at her, as it hit her face recklessly. Her vision started to blur and her hands trembled. Thoughts of spending the entire night under the cruel sky bombarded her head to which she shuddered. This wasn’t how she had expected. This wasn’t how her first day should’ve ended.

But it did.

All she could feel was dejection. 

All she could taste was her parched throat.

All she could hear were the faint sounds of crickets amidst the howling wind. 

All she could think about was how happy her life was back home, and what a disaster it had become. 

Ragini Patel had hung her head in shame and shoved her almost numb hands in her coat pockets. All she focused on were the sounds of her footsteps as her boots touched the cemented road. Her body ached in a way different to her heart yet she refused to look up. It was pointless. No matter how much she tried, she was lost.

Maybe that’s how fate had planned her first night. Alone, scared, cold. She knew it was way past 11 PM; she could tell from the drop in temperatures. As she wrapped her coat tighter to her body, she wondered where she’d gotten herself.

“I ran. Trying to find some place or someone that could help me that night. But I couldn’t.” Ragini continued.

“How did you get home?” He asked with a lingering smile that she was well aware of. 

She was slowly getting used to the rhythm of her breathing and the sounds of her footsteps when another scent flooded through her nose. From the corner of her eye, she had spotted another pair of footsteps, an erratic hymn of breaths. The scent grew stronger and she identified as an enticing one. That hypnotized her senses yet left them in a soothing daze.

“Are you lost?” A deep baritone voice resonated from his lips as she looked up.

“When I thought I had no hope left, he came to the rescue. And saved me from the darkness.” 

The first thing she had noticed after finally being able to take her gaze away from his enchanting pair of brown orbs was his hair. Jet black hair had been pushed back neatly, not one strand out of place. He had seemed a head taller than her, and decked himself up in black. If only he had a hat of the same color, he would’ve looked nothing less than a spy. The man had lean muscles peeking out of his layered clothing while his hands had remained in his pockets and his thick eyebrows arched upwards in question. 

She seemed lost in thought and so did her son, as he tried to figure out the mystery man in her story. 

It finally clicked and he spurred in joy, “It was Papa, right? You said you had met him a long time ago. It was my Papa who saved you. Aman Malhotra.”

“Nachiket Khanna.” He had extended his glove-clad hand at the abrupt introduction. For some reason, she hadn’t been surprised to see him sport a black colored one. 

She gulped in fright as she faced his son bouncing in glee. They had just approached the main gate of their housing society. 

Crouching on her knees, she confirmed, “The man that helped me the night I got lost was your Papa. He is your father.” 

A wisp of air escaped her lips as she trembled. 

Yet the shivers running down her spine had been different to the ones she had experienced that night. They weren’t from the weather, nor from the situation. But from the man standing in front of her. Something about him had told her that he was dangerous. But exhilarating.

She had decided to take his lead, “Ragini Patel. And yes, I am lost.” 

“Can I help you?”

“Would you know where the Redwood Towers are?”

“Um...of course, I do.” 

He hadn’t known. But he had found Ragini her home. With him by her side, the search didn’t seem as daunting. Amidst nervous conversations that soon led to whole-hearted banters, they had reached their destination. She had found home; in a place, and maybe in a person too. 

As Ragini watched her little one skip his way to their home, climbing the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him, she wondered. 

What she said wasn’t the truth. But it wasn’t a lie either. 

As she unlocked the door, preparing herself to face reality once again, she whispered a promise to herself, “One day. One day I’ll truly tell you how much you mean to us.” 

To her and to the love of her life. To the one distanced by misunderstandings yet closest to her heart. To the father of her son.

To Nachiket Khanna.