The Vows We Exchanged

Chapter 13: Getting Started

"You seriously need to go so quick?" Aaruhi complained with cutiest puppy dog face she could come up with. "7 days according to my dictionary don't fall under the category of 'quick'." Tanuja said as she placed the last of the bags in Aaruhi's car.

"Then use my dictionary." Aaruhi suggested; trying for another last shot. "No thanks, I'm better without any than using yours." Tanuja pulled her into a hug and tried to conclude the topic. "Don't worry. It's just a matter of an year and well meet again on your next birthday; besides, if possible even you could visit me on mine or even anytime."

Convincing Aaruhi to let her go was a huge task but they eventually parted. Both of them took a look into each other's eyes. Then just simply exchanging smiles they came together for a picture. Aaruhi knew that there was no telling if she could even make it next time. After all it had been years before this meet finally happened. Making and treasuring such small moments of memories to embrace later was the only thing she could do at the moment.

She pulled out her phone and handed it to Mayur who was standing a meter away; watching two sisters part once again, wondering if he could somehow delay the moment or even stop it from ever happening. He took the phone and held it for a click. "You don't wanna pose?" He asked; partially knowing the reason already.

Aaruhi waved her head in negation and simply stood there besides Tanuja, holding her hand and resting her head on her shoulders. Tanuja too pulled her into a side hug and rested her head over hers. Both of them closed their eyes and allowed to let the moment take as long as possible to pass. Mayank make sure it did and captured the moment into the camera, enclosing it inside that phone for all eternity.

The two girls parted and this time, it seemed that one more minute and they might not just let each other go. "I must leave now, the flight will arrive soon." Tanuja said and took a step to head for the door. "Wait, I'll...I'll just get a water bottle for you, just in case." Aaruhi said. Tanuja nodded with a faint smile. 'You can't really lie to me, can you?' Aaruhi quickly ran towards the building and into the elevator.

"Do you really need to go?" Mayank asked, looking at the spot where Aaruhi disappeared from his sight. "What kind'a question is that?" "A polar question or simply saying as a yes-no question." Mayank answered with a worried look which seemed in complete contrast to his attempt of cracking a joke. "Shut up!" Tanuja said; storming up. "I'm a neuroscientist, Mayank. Not a job employee or businesswomen who can just take up month long leaves. My work demands my constant attention. It's a miracle that they even allowed me for a week long leave." She blurted out.

"Yeah, I know. Same old thing." Mayank said turning his eyes towards her. Tanuja sighed. All the emotions she had been containing weren't really supposed to shower in anger this way. "Then what do you want me to say." She said, her voice quite lower than before.

Mayank looked at her crestfallen face. He remembered the day when she was overwhelmingly happy to know the fact that she was finally going to take up her dream job. Maybe, that small corner of emptiness in her eyes that day was due to this very fact that her work will demand her time which she was supposed to give to her family and friends. Probably the only thing she hated about her job.

"Nothing..." he turned and took a step closer. "Just make sure you return." She took a moment to try and comprehend his thoughts before nodding a yes. Looking satisfied a little, Mayank quickly switched the topic. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something." "What?" "Today early morning when I was talking to Aaruhi, something weird happened." Mayank began. "Weird for you means it was super weird. What happened?" Tanuja asked in curiosity.

"When I was telling her the tale of Aisha as per the contingency I had planned, I started... I started crying." Tanuja took a moment to figure out what really was weird in this. "Okay..., why?" "I don't know. All of a sudden I began to feel the pain which was originally intended to be felt when all that had happened. After every passing image I had created in the mind for the story, I felt as if I was looking at a memory. It...It felt like it had actually happened. It seemed like a painful memory was surfacing which brought tears to my eyes. Even though I knew that it had never really happened to me, it still felt like it had."