When Love Came Knocking
Since I got the entire night for myself, I wanted to do something different tonight. I wanted to do something that I never did
before. I thought about it over the dinner and decided to do Rajiv’s pencil portrait. It’s been a while that I did portraits and this
looked like a good time to start again. I can gift it to him and announce the news. It will make him happy. Till now I never did
anything for him. It’s time I start thinking about him. I congratulated myself for the bright idea and immediately started working.
About an hour later, I halted my work and moved back to look at the rough sketch I pulled. It was just the outlines and
proportions of the face and shoulders. From this stage, I have to improve it and finish the sketch by morning. I am not planning
to do anything too detailed. It is going to be a black & white pencil sketch with some detailing work. In this less span of time, I
can’t do more than that. I took a sip from the water glass I kept on the table and looked at the board.
I stopped dead in my tracks and couldn’t move my eyes from it for a bit. Unmistakable features of Abhi were looking at me
boldly from the drawing board. It looked so real, I burst into tears. His overgrown beard, moustache and eyes were reminding
me that I can never forget him, come what may. I sat at that place for a long time, not desiring to finish the sketch, but
something inside me pushed forward. By the time I finished the portrait of Abhi, it was very late and the whole world around
me was so silent, it’s too much to bear. I refused to look at those bright probing eyes and covered the sketch with a thin butter
paper.
This incident caused me to realise that the decision I considered this evening is never possible. I tried to pretend that I can
marry Rajiv and forget Abhi, but my heart immediately showed me how foolish I am. Despite the fact that Abhi never told that
he is in love with me, I gave my heart to him and I can’t take it back now, and I can never give it to anybody else. I reluctantly
left my drawing board and went to bed. I am not sure what I am going to tell my parents tomorrow. I have to make it clear that I
can’t marry Rajiv or anyone else. I don’t know how I am going to do that, but it’s time I stop deceiving myself and them too. I
can’t play with their emotions anymore.
Much later, I was deeply immersed in those thoughts and half asleep when I first realised the soft thump somewhere near. I
turned in time to see a moving shadow and screamed. Someone stepped into my room through the balcony. I neglected to
close the balcony door which leads directly to my room. I cursed myself for not allowing mom to put an iron grill around the
balcony. Now I have to face the consequences of my senseless decision. I hoped that watchman might come to rescue me
since I yelled so loud, but nothing like that occured. Instead, that shadow slowly moved forward and I felt something familiar in
its movements.
My throat felt constricted, but my mind adamantly refused to heed to what my heart was trying to tell me. That is not possible
at all. But I gasped aloud when that shadow moved into the light and stood in front of me. Colour drained from my face and I
froze as if I saw a ghost. It was as if somebody clutched my heart and I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t talk and do nothing except
the stupid tears streaming down my cheeks. Within seconds, my knees gave away and I collapsed.
Abhi caught me before my head hit the floor and drew me into a hug. We just stared at each other for a long time, neither of us
making any attempt to talk. I was afraid to break the silence or the eye contact. I was not sure whether all this was really
happening or I was dreaming. But I never saw this clean shaven and handsome angel in my dreams. I touched his cheek to
see if he will disappear like a puff of smoke. It always happened in my dreams. My finger tips slowly traced his jaw line and
instead of disappearing, he produced a dazzling smile.
I was hundred percent certain that I was daydreaming. Abhi, the savage can never smile like this. Looks like drawing his
portrait did this to me. I am now having hallucinations of Abhi. God, I am gone mad. I should get a grip on me quickly. I tried to
get up and pull away from this illusionary figure. However tempting he looks, I should remember that he is not real and
believing something like this can make me mad.
“Does this mean that you don’t desire me anymore?” My hallucination asked me.
I never realised that my imagination could be so great. The voice was just perfect with the right amount of deep baritone. I
rubbed my face with both hands and tried to laugh. I need to get my anti-depressants. All this is happening because of
overworking. I tried to reason and calm myself. Anyway, I stole a quick glance at the still standing figure in front of me. My
God, He is so gorgeous.
“You are an illusion, thus it won’t do any harm to look at you one more time. From tomorrow, I will increase the medicine
dosage and that will put everything back to normal” I explained to my illusionary Abhi while looking at him again.
“What do you mean” His gorgeous face is confused now “You don’t even want to see me?”
“My Abhi can never be confused. He is beyond all these human emotions. He is only interested in greater things like tribal
welfare and revolution. He never bothers about a depressed damsel like. So I am perfectly accurate. You are an illusion” I
enlightened him and giggled madly. I am going insane. He stared at me with that open mouth expression and that face looked
so comical. Wow! I should try to draw this funny Abhi. He almost looks human and very attractive too. Every expression suits
his face.
“Ashni, what is this? Are you trying to tell me that you don’t want to see me? All the love and emotions you showed back in the
jungle are gone like passing clouds and melted with time? Please talk to me once, and then I will go away if you want. I waited
so long to meet you, I can’t stand this”, He requested me.
I stopped my giggle and looked at him. “You mean that you are real Abhi? That is not possible. I am not insane and I can
perfectly recognise a hallucination when I see one. You see, I am a doctor” I tried to laugh again. He is so cute while pleading.
Why didn’t I have dreams like this before? I should have tried his portrait much before.
He puffed a sigh as if he is appalled by my behavior and pulled me tight. He put a finger under my chin and lifted my face so
that I look at his eyes. Determination shone in his eyes.
“Now check this and tell me whether I am an illusion or not”
He suddenly bent his face forward and kissed me on the lips. It was a rough and hard kiss, which demanded my total
surrender. My whole body trembled as if it received an electric shock. It made me realise that I am at last kissing the genuine
Abhi. I was speechless for a moment, then put my hands around his neck and smiled at him. I don’t know what happened
later. I just forgot this damn world.
About half an hour later I found myself resting on the bed with Abhi sitting next to me. I drank water from the glass Abhi was
holding and asked him “What happened?” All the while my eyes never left his face.
“You passed out” He suppressed a grin and tried to appear normal. He is so endearing that I still can’t believe that this is really
happening. He looks so different too. He is wearing a crisp white cotton shirt on a jeans trouser instead of his regular khaki
clothes. Except his neatly trimmed moustache, his face is cleanly-shaven and well groomed. Furthermore, his eyes were
twinkling mischievously. He bent again and kissed my forehead lightly. In an impulse, I touched his thick curly hair with my
fingertips, just to be sure once more.
“You lost a lot of weight and look real pale. Please don’t tell me that this is all my effect. I never counted you among those silly
lovesick girls. More over I like that chubby Ashnita with curves, you see”, He mocked.
I knotted my hands around his neck and drew him tight. “Hello! Don’t set such high hopes for yourself Mr. Abhimanyu. In fact, I
was about to announce my engagement with Dr. Rajiv tomorrow. He is the most eligible bachelor in the city right now and
loves me too. You need to prove your mettle if you want me to consider your application instead of his. What is so special
about you that I should choose you in the place of Dr. Rajiv?” I taunted him.
“I can get the most obstinate and pig-headed girl like you kiss me while sitting on the tree branch, that too in the middle of the
jungle. Isn’t that enough? Or do you want to hear some more? I can give a demo right now if you want” he smiled through his
tears. He slipped a thin ring with a tiny stone onto my finger and hushed me when I tried to speak.
“And I can also become engaged to a girl without even proposing to her” He winked. “You can announce it to your Mr. Eligible
bachelor and ask him to be a best man if you want”, He concluded.
Tears poured out of my eyes freely and flowed continuously. At last I got my Abhi back and I am not letting him go again this
time. To this world he might look like a normal person, but for me Abhi is the world. Without him, my life is nothing. I hugged
him tight and slept peacefully.