The Boundless Bond

Part 39

Ashwin was getting ready for his flight and checked on Shweta to see if she's okay to drop him at airport.

Ashwin: Ka, we'll leave in 15mins, all good right?

Shweta: ya da, amma said she wants to follow along

Ashwin: aiyo ka, why? Don't want any dramas to go on at airport. Pls convince her and make her stay at home

Shweta: as if she listens to me

Ashwin: there'll be a competition going on then between her and Ashi

Shweta: on who's quickly filling up a bucket with tears, right?

Ashwin & Shweta laughed for what Shweta just said.

Shweta: Is Ashi sure that she's going to come?

Ashwin: yea ka, you know her, she's not going to listen to me, she texted few mins ago saying she's waiting at car park. I told her to go and wait at the book café.

Shweta: oh, she's already at the airport a? ok, appo iniki enaku dha aapu

Ashwin: all the best ka, enjayyyy

Shweta smirked at Ashwin. Despite trying so much, both their mum & dad refused to get convinced. They followed Ashwin along to drop him off. Ashwin and Shweta looked at each helplessly thinking 'today's going to be very dramatic, oh good lord, pls help'.

Ashima went to book café and while waiting for Ashwin & Shweta, she was browsing for books to read. One book named "The Boundless Bond" caught her eyes. A lady who was also browsing for books told Ashima "this is one-of-a-kind read, just finished reading it 2 days ago". Ashima smiled to the lady and said "oh, nice, will have a look at it".

Ashima read a brief summary about the book and immediately knew she'll like reading this. While waiting for her coffee, she was reading first few chapters. Somehow, she felt the story keeps getting more relatable to her. Her coffee arrived at the table and she asked the waitress if she can purchase this book.

Waitress: we are so sorry, there's only one copy of this book. The author is a good friend of our café owner, only those who visit this café gets to read the book.

Ashima: ohh..okay. Any chances of renting the book for a couple of days?

Waitress: I'm really sorry, we don't provide such options, author doesn't have any ideas on publishing it. Due to obvious reasons, such options are not available. There are only few chapters, can be read within half an hour if you're a quick reader.

Ashima: yea it does seem like a quick read, anyways, thank you so much

Waitress: no problem, have a good day

Ashima was carried away reading the book, that she didn't even look at Ashwin's text.

A recap of 'The Boundless Bond' book – A tale about two people who having undying love for each other, proving themselves that love always finds a way. Childhood friends, Maverick & Amelia have spent most of their younger days together as they went to the same kinder, school and college. Everyone thinks they are close buddies. But only they know how much they hate each other for always getting pampered more by one of their parents, most of the time it's Maverick getting pampered by Amelia's parents. As they step into their later teens (Maverick 17, Amelia 16), they find themselves falling in love for each other. Maverick spends most of him time at Amelia's home, though Amelia is younger to him, he knows that she's the mature one. Her practical thinking and future-mindedness made him to have a personal connection with her. Each time he's confused with his life or anything else, he seeks her help and ask for her thoughts. It has always helped him out to take sensible decisions. Soon, he begins to secretly admire all that she does. Knowing Amelia's way of approach in life, he wasn't sure if it's a good idea to confess his love, but Maverick is known to be impulsive. He confesses his love to her, tells her that this is just him expressing his feelings for her, she does not have to react, he's not here for that. He goes on telling how he has imagined a future with her and so on. Amelia wasn't expecting this from Maverick, she has always felt that the both of them are like WWE matches.

As months and years passed, she starts to realize that among all that who has proposed to her, Maverick still remains the one who chose to respect her feelings. He never pressured her or even talk about it ever again; it was just once. She knows he's her secret admirer, all that little thing that he does for her, she has always wondered how much details he pays attention to. She wasn't sure if this was infatuation, she decides to talk about it to Maverick. Maverick lets her to figure it out for herself, he doesn't want her to think in future that he has tricked her mind. Eventually, Amelia finds herself falling for Maverick, for the person he is, who's not selfish of his feelings, who let things flow in its own way and for being the first/right person she goes to. This is how their love story started.

As Ashima turns the page of next chapter, her phone rings. Shweta lets her know that they have reached, and that Ashwin is getting done with check in. Ashima gets up and goes to the waitress asking if she could speak to the café's owner. The owner then comes out to see Ashima.

Ashima: Hi, good day to you. I was reading the boundless book and I must say it's such a beautiful story. I'm not done reading it yet, but I can relate so well with it. I wonder if by any chance, I could rent this book for a day, please? I heard from one of the waitresses that this book isn't here for such purpose, but I just can't go on without finish reading them.

Owner: Hi, you're right, we don't lend this book to anyone, it's a special one to us. But the author has told me this – if I ever see someone as beautiful as the moon, I should give this book to them, it should be theirs thereafter. I've never seen someone as gorgeous as you in my entire life..and it's so nice of you to ask if you can rent the book, shows how much you're in love with the story. The book is all yours! What's your good name, if I may ask?

Ashima: (M/V: god, this guy (hits her head), so much for this book!!) My name is Abby, are you sure about this book? I mean, you don't have to say such things just for the sake of it

Owner: not at all, like I said, it's all yours. But there's something you'll have to do before taking it with you. Will you?

Ashima: (M/V: ok why is he starting to sound like a creep, enakunu mattum enga irundhu varanungalo (cries emoji)) what is it?

Owner: you'll have to meet the author of this book; he would be happy to see who's the lucky one that gets to have this book with them. Just a quick, less than five mins worth of treasure hunt which you'll have to do before you get to meet his author. I'll give the first clue and just follow the clues; it will lead you to the author. Don't worry, he's nearby

Ashima: errrr, what is this, a game for a book!? I am in rush actually; I don't think I'll have time for it

Owner: no problem, please give back the book to us and you can come back another day to read the remaining

Ashima was in a dilemma. She badly wanted to bring back the book with her, at the same time, she doesn't want to make Ashwin worried looking for her. "Less than five mins" this line made her to agree for that treasure hunt & to meet the author. The owner wrote something on the first clue and passed to Ashima saying "there's a small note alone with the clues, pls read it, thank you".

Notes on 1st clue: Hi abby (abby is what the owner wrote in the clue a while ago)

Notes on 2nd clue: Sorry for wasting the last 5 mins of your life, but I promise I'll make up to it.

Notes on 3rd clue: There must be a reason on why you'd like to get this book badly

Notes on 4th  clue: But the story of this book isn't a complete one, I did not complete it just yet

Notes on 5th clue: Final clue, I'm just here, look around. Coming back to the book, the book can be completed if we could write it together. So, will you?

As Ashima finish reading the 5th clue, she was in shock thinking what is wrong with this author, who this mad guy is. As she turns around, she sees Ashwin in front of her, kneeling down on one knee with a ring. Ashima was in awestruck. She did not expect this at all. She could not connect all that which just happened, why is Ashwin here, who's the author and so on.

Ashwin: will you, abby?

Ashima was speechless, happy tears started rolling down her cheeks. She kneeled down, hugged Ashwin and said "how can I not say no? I love you abby, what have you done...".

Ashwin placed the promise ring on Ashima's finger.

And their their family (Ashwin & Ashima's) cheered "Congratulationsssss". Only then Ashima realizes that all of their family members are there, seeing all that which happened.