"Sir, we could have been traced because of him!" she exclaimed with frustration.
"I just wanted to call home once and let my wife know that I love her and my daughter. I wasn't certain if we could have made it out of that mission," he retorted, defe...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Chapter Fourteen: Blooms of Apology
His confident stride, the easy smile that could disarm anyone, and the way his presence seemed to light up the surroundings—all of it had caught her attention. Back then, her heart had skipped a beat at that moment, a feeling she now experienced again as she observed him peacefully asleep in the moonlit room.
The contrast between the carefree young man she had first noticed and the vulnerable, sleeping Gill stirred a mix of emotions within Geetanjali.
Unable to resist the pull of nostalgia, Geetanjali hesitantly traced the scar on Shubman's collarbone. It was a faint reminder of a college trip to Manali, where an accidental moment had left its mark.
Geetanjali, during a playful snowfight with their classmates, reached down to grab a handful of snow. Unbeknownst to her, a small pebble had nestled itself in the snow. Playfully aiming to throw the snow at Shubman, the pebble came along with it
In an unintentional turn of events, the pebble struck Gill's collarbone, leaving behind a faint scar.
In the aftermath of the unintentional pebble incident during the snowfight in Manali, Geetanjali was momentarily startled when she realized the pebble had caused a faint scar on Shubman's collarbone. A twinge of guilt rushed over her, and without thinking, she ran away from the scene.
Unable to shake off the guilt that lingered from the accidental snowball incident, Geetanjali found herself restless that night. In an earnest attempt to make amends, she decided to convey her apologies in a more heartfelt manner.
The next morning, as a soft light bathed the surroundings, Geetanjali took pen to paper and crafted a sincere apology letter to Shubman. Alongside the note, she carefully arranged a bouquet of lilies her favourites.
However, in her earnest attempt to make amends, Geentanjali purposefully omitted any specific mention of names in the letter. She wanted the sentiment to be subtle, allowing Shubman to interpret it in his way. As she placed the note and lilies in front of his room, Geetanjali couldn't help but notice the subtle shift in Shubman's demeanour throughout the day.
Observing from a distance, she noticed he held onto the letters and lilies, occasionally bringing them close, inhaling their fragrance, and wearing a small, appreciative smile.
She sighed and turned her gaze towards the ceiling, hugging the pillow. He never knew she existed back then, and even now, he likely remained oblivious to the fact that they had crossed paths. How could he have known? She was chubby during those college days, and despite being an extrovert, her overpowering affectionate nature had kept others at bay.
Reflecting on those times, Geetanjali felt a tinge of sadness. She had been a presence in the same spaces as him, yet he never took notice. Her appearance, coupled with her outgoing nature, had unintentionally created a barrier, deterring others from engaging with her. It was a lonely period, and despite her efforts to connect, she often found herself on the outskirts of social circles.
Now, as she lay there, pondering the past, Vasisth couldn't help but wonder if he would ever recognize the person she once was. The person who had silently admired him from a distance, yearning for a connection that never materialized in those bygone days.
She closed her eyes, allowing her thoughts and vulnerabilities to dissipate like a gentle breeze. Turning towards the window, a melancholic smile played on her lips as she gazed at the moon. At that moment, a profound realization settled within her – the life she had envisioned and desired as a child, a life filled with certain dreams and aspirations, remained unattainable.
As sleep embraced Vasisth, Gill, sleeping on the other side of the pillow tower beside her, shifted closer in his slumber. In his dreams, Shubman savoured the scent of the first flowers ever given to him, the same blooms that had accompanied a heartfelt apology note. The note, adorned with a cute message, had come from someone who had inadvertently caused him a scar during a playful snow fight. Despite the mishap, the memory remained etched in his mind as a cherished moment.
