It was a dark cold night. The vapors from the street light had begun to fade under the fog. Warm breaths kissed into the air with a puff of cold mist. I watched her as she ambled across the street slowly. Slightly drunk. She would never get high easily; at least, that's what she had told me. Yet today, her walk seemed a bit different; frivolous even.
About 8 months before this cold night, on a searing hot summer day she had walked into my life. Not unlike a cool summer breeze that pervaded one's clothing and inhabits the senses, she had filled the emptiness I harbored. It did not take much. It took just a glance. And then several glances after that. I operate this small grocery store in this relatively small area. I did not have the resources or the range that bigger stores had, but I had the privilege of being the stockist of several rare items that food aficionados and hobbyists seemed to want.
I can usually read people well. Even before they can ask for an item of their interest, I can nearly predict the list running through their mind. But when she walked in that day, I could not read her. Or maybe I could have and did not. Maybe it was the grace with which she moved around my shop. She did not walk up to my counter and ask me for things, like the others did. She walked around the store, gently touching the tops of the containers of sunflower seeds and pistachios among others. I watched her patiently as her fingers stroked the bead curtain that separated the store from my warehouse. I did not stop her as she peered in. On my study rested a small statue of Buddha which was gifted by a friend. It caught her attention. The base had 3 red hexagonal rubies originally, but now had only two. She beamed an angelic smile, still looking away from me. And began walking towards the counter.
Just about then, our eyes had met for the first time.
Just like they are meeting now, this moment.
She crosses the street slowly, never breaking the eye contact or the seemingly surreptitious smile. Her last few steps are hurried, like a sprinter crossing the finish line. She walks into my arms and mutters a sheepish "Hello". I smile back and seat her down on the pavement. The cold seems to be getting worse. I watched her as she continued to smile and removed a cigarette from her pocket.
"You started smoking again?" I asked.
"Just for today" she grinned, looking remorseful as well.
She offered me a puff, it was too cold to refuse. And here we were, two kindred souls sharing a smoke. The cigarette tip glowed in the cold and even sputtered at times with each puff. Perhaps it was the only thing that spoke amongst us now. I took one last puff and handed the cigarette to her; she did not take it. She had her head down between her knees. I tapped her shoulder, offering it again. No response. I took another puff and stubbed it.
"Do you know if you will ever return again?" she asked, still with her head low.
"I don't know. I don't think so" I said.
Another long pause.
"I think you should leave here soon. It’s better for the both of us" she said, in a muffled voice.
"Hmm…"
She raised her head and looked at me, "What hmm? Why do you always do that? I never understood it!" Her eyes had welled up, though she bravely fought the tears from flowing.
I could not say anything. What does one say at moments like these?
"What time is your flight?" she continued.
I looked down at my watch and said "In about 4 hours…"
She laughed and then broke into tears, almost abruptly.
I put my arms around her, holding her close. It was always easier to isolate emotions when you run them in your mind, but it was beginning to seem difficult now. I held her close and kissed her skullcap. She held onto me tightly.
I don't know how much time passed since. I did not want to look down at the watch. But I had to. It was time to leave. I arose, picking her up with me as well. She clumsily took out a small box from her pocket.
"You aren't gonna propose, are you?" I joked.
She laughed and then hit my hand "Idiot! Any excuse for a joke no?"
I smiled and started opening the gift. She held my wrist tight. I saw that look in her eyes and I knew she meant it. I nodded and picked up my bags, pocketing the box in my jacket. We walked towards the Taxi stand. The slowest and longest walk I have ever been on. It was worth every minute.
"You leave first" I said, motioning her to a taxi.
She got in, and then jumped back out of the taxi. She hugged me tight, making me drop my bags right there. It was an embrace neither of us will forget for years to come. We parted, and she was still in sobs. I put her in the taxi, and kissed her forehead. The taxi started to drive away. I kept waving at her, she did not look back.
As I put my bags in the next taxi, I kept thinking about the past couple of months. I kept thinking about how this would all have been easier if only life was an option I had. I brushed away these thoughts as I sat in the taxi; they seemed to weaken me. As the taxi began to drive away, I removed the box from my pocket and opened it. Without a warning or even an inkling of what was to happen, my eyes welled up. I put the box on the seat next to me and looked out of the window.
Lying in the box, small and shiny, was a red hexagonal ruby.
…
