If You Forget Me

Prologue

But

if each day,

each hour,

you feel that you are destined for me

with implacable sweetness,

if each day a flower

climbs up to your lips to seek me,

ah my love, ah my own,

in me all that fire is repeated,

in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,

my love feeds on your love, beloved,

and as long as you live it will be in your arms

without leaving mine.

-Pablo Neruda

He paused looking at her. As oblivious as a child could be, she kept staring at the nothingness behind him. Frowning he shook his head, maybe she would never understand the way his heart beats for her. Only if he knew she was barely restraining herself to do something stupid when every nerve of her body screamed to hold him in her arms. 

When he is all heart . . . She is all brain . . . And it's difficult for them to be on the same page . . .

***

 After a month of sweltering heat; Delhiites finally had some relief from Sun's rage. Amidst the chaos of the capital, looking out from his balcony, Aakash was reflecting upon his life so fruit amazed him how life is so similar to these unconstrained, spontaneous raindrops. But he had decided now; he won't be thinking about her anymore. He has resigned the course of his love life in the hands of destiny and is all set holding the reigns of his career himself. He has been preparing the whole summer for this one interview at Intel the day after tomorrow. 

Though his father wanted him to join their family business from the day he had returned from Bangalore after completing his MBA at IIM there, his love for gadgets and technology urged him to create his own niche. Though the interview was the day after tomorrow, he had prepared everything already. From neatly ironed formals placed in the closet along with matching tie, correct socks paired with shoes, handkerchief and his lucky watch placed neatly beside the folder containing all his important documents; everything checked twice for surety. He was all ready to grab this job he had set his eyes on for a long time now. 

But sleep was far from his eyes and all his attempts to focus upon the future was in vain because his mind kept rushing towards his past. After much tossing and turning, he finally slept around dawn. He was up with an uneasy twitching in his heart. The sound of alarm disrupted his line of thoughts. Ignoring the uneasiness as the anxiety for the upcoming interview, he shut down the alarm as well as his over-thinking brain. 

The day being Sunday was a lazy one for his family, so he got ready and went downstairs. The maid cleaning the living room greeted him as soon as she saw him climbing downstairs and asked if he wanted something. He denied and planned to cook breakfast in order to calm down his nerves. By the time his parents came down, the tantalizing aroma of breakfast wafted towards them. Their faces had a knowing smile and they walked towards the kitchen and saw their son removing the apron. The platform was full of hot piping chole-bhature along with a jar of freshly made Lassi. 

Aakash turned and saw his parents standing there, smiling. He greeted both of them. His father chuckled and teased "Already nervous for the interview, don't worry I won't disown you, after all, you are my only heir. The offer still stands valid, you can start coming from Monday." Aakash sighed and shook his head at his father's words. 

Growing up in the Sehgal household, he had finally accepted that his family was one of its kind. His father handled the family business with his uncle. Though he was a successful businessman for the world and work took a lot of his time; Aakash had never seen his father neglecting his mother or him. He had been there at all the important moments of their life. He wasn't the same man, the business world knew, at home; at home, he was a doting husband and a chilled out Dad. Mrs Sehgal stopped her husband before he could start irritating her Ladle in the morning itself. So pulling both of them towards the now fully laid dining table, she said "Let's go. I want to have a tasty breakfast before it gets cold. After all, it's not every day that I get to have such yummy food made by my Son." 

As they put the first bite in their mouth, their eyes shone with delight. Mr Sehgal licked his fingers and said "Wow, this is heavenly. Itna achha mausam aur tere haath ke garama garam Chole Bhature. Wah bhai,aaj to Maza aa gaya!" (Such beautiful weather and hot piping Chole Bhature prepared by you. Wow, I'm just loving it today.)

 His mother winked towards his father. Wiping her fake tears, she exclaimed "Mera beta shaadi ke liye bilkul taiyar hai." (My son is completely ready for marriage) and both of them guffawed. She wanted her son to be a little less serious and enjoy life, like other boys of his age. But no, he always talked less, seldom joked, and behaved calculatedly. Her son was a computer nerd; who's life revolved around books and gadgets; you could talk hours about them with him, but can't expect a simple chit-chat about some new movie or the girl in the neighbourhood.

 Akaash's only reply to this was a loud "Hmm". His mother sighed loudly "I just called him my son and he behaves like a 90-year-old man, I wish he would have inherited at least some of my traits." Pointing a finger towards her husband, she blames loudly "I told you not to talk about work all the time and be more jovial. Now see he has become just like you, old and boring."

 His father gasped "You called me Old?? I look younger than you. Wo to mai tumse pyaar thoda zada krta hu,wrna Aaj bhi ladkiyan marti hain mujhpe. " (it's just I love you so much otherwise girls run behind me even today).

His wife rolled her eyes at him "Only in your dreams, Mr Sehgal. Have you seen this hair of yours gone white and this pot-belly? " They continued to banter playfully. Aakash would have believed he was adopted if not for the striking resemblance between him and his grandfather and in turn his father. He often believed his parents behaved too kiddish to even be his parents. But he wouldn't have it any other way. He felt lucky to have such cool parents. They continued having breakfast laughing and teasing each other, having a good time together.

 He was about to climb the stairs in order to go to his room when his phone started ringing. He disconnected the call without sparing it a glance. The next moment it rang again. He immediately swiped right and answered "Hello" but the next second his face lost all colour. His hands started shaking and steps faltered. He would have fallen flat on his face; if not for his hold tightening on the stairs. But all his strength left him at the next words from the other end and the phone slipped off from his hands. Instead of picking his phone, he ran towards his room, repeating the words "I need to go; Nothing will happen" again and again; leaving his bewildered parents behind.

Hello,

This is the prologue of If You Forget Me. 

I hope this prologue has managed to pull a string of your heart and you would want to continue to read it. If not, then I would request you to give it a chance, I promise you won't be disappointed. 

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