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Birds of Paradise
She was equally desperate to see him after a decade. He got married and left with his NRI wife to distant lands. He was coming back today and had shown interest to see her. She was single and worked as a professor in the fine arts college. They had planned not to meet in their common city but somewhere else. She chose a place near the hills and booked a homestay for just two of them.
She went to the homestay two days before the meeting day with her huge canvases and painting colors and brushes. It was a perfect time to spend on her passion with the memories of her lover. She drew some intimate moments often biting her lip with a wine glass in her hand. She worked day and night and finished four huge paintings. "Vocation and vacation! Wow!" she thought to herself before sleeping with a smile on her lips.
Next morning, she woke up and loaded the pantry with essential items, filled the refrigerator with greens and stocked the liquor of their liking. Everything seemed perfect. She had butterflies in her stomach. She stood in front of the full length mirror, looked at her grey streaks, wrinkles on forehead, near eyes and lips. She didn't feel bad, she looked better than her fellow colleagues and was still attractive for her age. She looked at her watch and oops he could be here any minute. She rushed to the bedroom, took out her beige transparent saree, draped it quickly, set her hair, did a little make-up and went in the kitchen to prepare the drinks and food.
The horn honked and the taxi was there, she looked from the window, her heart was beating drumsticks. She kept her hand on her bosom and took some deep breaths. The door swung open, and out came a handsome gentleman with a kind smile. The driver handed him his luggage and he tipped him heavy with a big thankyou handshake. Rhea smiled at his gesture and before he could knock at the door, opened it. He was shocked to see her after long ten years and boy she didn't seem aged at all except for some lines om her face and grey hair. She hugged him tightly filling his nostrils with the fragrance he missed so much. He dropped his luggage and hugged her back. They stayed same way for some moments when she realised that he must be tired of the long journey. She moved back and said sorry and showed him to his room,telling him that she would be waiting in the living room.
"Aha! Am I smelling Rhea special cheese pasta here?" said Gautam wiping his hands on hand towel. Rhea smiled and said, "So, you still remember my cooking. That means your wife is a bad cook than me." Gautam smiled back and took the paste plate and wine glass. He settled on the couch and started eating. "Mmmmm, same taste yaar! Mzaa aa gya! You are the best!" Rhea kept looking at Gautam sipping her wine silently. Gautam had his second filling and then lied on the couch groaning with pleasure. Rhea got up to clear the plates when Gautam held her arm and pulled her by his side. "Sit down! I will do the dishes, you have already done enough." Rhea sat silently by his side, he held her hand and kissed it.
At that moment, catharsis happened. She cried and cried until her body had no strength left. Gautam held her tight and kept kissing her forehead, telling her not to feel sad anymore. She wasn't selfish, that's why she let him to go to his wonderful family and carefully chose a secluded and independent life for herself in exchange. His being back today, made her emotionally too weak and she cried all her sorrow out. Gautam got up, made a nice cup of tea for her and handed it to her. Then he hummed their favourite song from the movie 'Guide' and did some steps of Dev Anand that made Rhea giggle. The atmosphere was light and chirpy again. And suddenly Rhea remembered something, "Oh! Oh! Come on, come on, i need to show you something." She almost pushed him into the library and made him stand in front of her paintings.
The paintings were lightly covered, she told him to unravel them one by one and give his comments as he was her best critic. He was curious too and she was super anxious, biting her nails. Gautam uncovered all the paintings one by one and stood looking at them for a long time. The butterflies in Rhea's stomach were fluttering with excitement. Gautam turned towards Rhea and moved slowly towards her with deep penetrating eyes that scared Rhea. He brought her lips close to her ears and whispered,"Time to bring these paintings alive my Lady Picasso!!!!" and lifted her up in his arms. She was baffled at his sudden transformation and couldn't even think what just happened. He kissed her softly and took her in the bedroom humming the same song....
© Meenu
She went to the homestay two days before the meeting day with her huge canvases and painting colors and brushes. It was a perfect time to spend on her passion with the memories of her lover. She drew some intimate moments often biting her lip with a wine glass in her hand. She worked day and night and finished four huge paintings. "Vocation and vacation! Wow!" she thought to herself before sleeping with a smile on her lips.
Next morning, she woke up and loaded the pantry with essential items, filled the refrigerator with greens and stocked the liquor of their liking. Everything seemed perfect. She had butterflies in her stomach. She stood in front of the full length mirror, looked at her grey streaks, wrinkles on forehead, near eyes and lips. She didn't feel bad, she looked better than her fellow colleagues and was still attractive for her age. She looked at her watch and oops he could be here any minute. She rushed to the bedroom, took out her beige transparent saree, draped it quickly, set her hair, did a little make-up and went in the kitchen to prepare the drinks and food.
The horn honked and the taxi was there, she looked from the window, her heart was beating drumsticks. She kept her hand on her bosom and took some deep breaths. The door swung open, and out came a handsome gentleman with a kind smile. The driver handed him his luggage and he tipped him heavy with a big thankyou handshake. Rhea smiled at his gesture and before he could knock at the door, opened it. He was shocked to see her after long ten years and boy she didn't seem aged at all except for some lines om her face and grey hair. She hugged him tightly filling his nostrils with the fragrance he missed so much. He dropped his luggage and hugged her back. They stayed same way for some moments when she realised that he must be tired of the long journey. She moved back and said sorry and showed him to his room,telling him that she would be waiting in the living room.
"Aha! Am I smelling Rhea special cheese pasta here?" said Gautam wiping his hands on hand towel. Rhea smiled and said, "So, you still remember my cooking. That means your wife is a bad cook than me." Gautam smiled back and took the paste plate and wine glass. He settled on the couch and started eating. "Mmmmm, same taste yaar! Mzaa aa gya! You are the best!" Rhea kept looking at Gautam sipping her wine silently. Gautam had his second filling and then lied on the couch groaning with pleasure. Rhea got up to clear the plates when Gautam held her arm and pulled her by his side. "Sit down! I will do the dishes, you have already done enough." Rhea sat silently by his side, he held her hand and kissed it.
At that moment, catharsis happened. She cried and cried until her body had no strength left. Gautam held her tight and kept kissing her forehead, telling her not to feel sad anymore. She wasn't selfish, that's why she let him to go to his wonderful family and carefully chose a secluded and independent life for herself in exchange. His being back today, made her emotionally too weak and she cried all her sorrow out. Gautam got up, made a nice cup of tea for her and handed it to her. Then he hummed their favourite song from the movie 'Guide' and did some steps of Dev Anand that made Rhea giggle. The atmosphere was light and chirpy again. And suddenly Rhea remembered something, "Oh! Oh! Come on, come on, i need to show you something." She almost pushed him into the library and made him stand in front of her paintings.
The paintings were lightly covered, she told him to unravel them one by one and give his comments as he was her best critic. He was curious too and she was super anxious, biting her nails. Gautam uncovered all the paintings one by one and stood looking at them for a long time. The butterflies in Rhea's stomach were fluttering with excitement. Gautam turned towards Rhea and moved slowly towards her with deep penetrating eyes that scared Rhea. He brought her lips close to her ears and whispered,"Time to bring these paintings alive my Lady Picasso!!!!" and lifted her up in his arms. She was baffled at his sudden transformation and couldn't even think what just happened. He kissed her softly and took her in the bedroom humming the same song....
© Meenu
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