Where there is wind, the trees sway.

Three Dates

Abir

Three dates, she'd said. She'd be my girlfriend after three dates. I closed my eyes and recounted what had happened that day.

"Writer's café? Say, this Friday, seven o'clock.", she asked smiling.

I smiled in reply. "I have to go find my parents now." She said as she moved toward the stairs. I followed her. We went down to the hall. It had more guests than before.

"Akansha Balasubramaniya Rajan, where have you been all day?"

I turned around to see a familiar middle-aged couple walk towards us. I had not bothered to even think about her last name 'Balasubramniya Rajan, it was a Tamil last name. I had no idea that she was Tamil.

She said, " Mom, where were you? I was searching everywhere for you."

Her mom turned towards me and said. "Abir! I never got to thank you."

I had found the couple standing in front of their broken-down car and had offered them a ride, knowing that we were both headed to the same place.

"So, you've met him?"

"This young man right here drove us here. You should come over to our house for dinner. And where were you when the old car broke down?"

"I told you that I had to be here early."

Akansha turned to me and said, "I have to go now. See you later." She ushered them out of the hall, talking urgently.

I didn't see her for the rest of the time I'd been in Chennai.

I stared blankly at the computer. The project in front of me was almost done, so I had some time to myself. My stomach let out a low grumble, I was hungry. I was headed to the cafeteria when I saw Ramesh going the same way.

"Hey", he said.

"Where were you the whole time that day? You just disappeared."

"Yeah, no, I saw some of my old friends and had to say hi. I forgot about everything else for the rest of the day."

"But anyway, what did I miss?", he continued.

I wanted to tell him about Akansha, but I didn't want to brag about a date that didn't happen. Yet.

I poured myself a cup of coffee and went back to my office. I realized that I had a lot more to do than I'd thought.

***

"How was your day?" my mother asked when I reached home. "Exhausting", I replied.

"Come eat. I have made roti and panner." Mom always knew how to make me feel better. It was my favorite.

I quickly washed up, dressed, and went over to the kitchen. I helped her make a salad and set the table. We had sat to eat and talk about everyday things when I decided to tell her about it.

"Mom, there is someone I like."

She smiled. She seemed happy. She rested her face on her hand, "And..."

"I am trying to get to know her better."

"Do whatever feels right." I had not expected to her be so understanding since she was used to arranged marriages.

Though her marriage to dad had been arranged, I think they loved each other more than a couple whose marriage was planned for them. About 20 years ago, thinking of Dad would have pained me to tears but now, it had dulled to a slight squeeze in my chest. There were times when i would get frustrated with his behaviour, especially during his last days, but Mom never lost her patience nor did her love start to wither. She'd always had hope, even in the most desperate of times. And that was only one of the reasons why I admired her.

I still missed him; I missed seeing him every morning, sitting on his chair, reading, or sometimes wandering into the kitchen to help Mom. I missed how we always prayed together before we went to sleep.

No matter how much I missed him, I knew I could never miss him as much as my mother did.