Gone

Mansi Dhamija posted under Flash Fiction QuinTale-01 on 2018-09-28



“Did he call?” Anu puts a question, knowing Meera will not like to answer.

“The weather is nice today.” Meera does not break her gaze towards the sky.

Anu knows Meera wouldn’t open up that easily. But Anu wouldn’t give up easily either. They are childhood friends and have been with each other through everything. It’s been 2 months Meera’s husband Mayank left the house and she has not spoken to anyone about it.

“He loves you.” Anu is sure this attempt to jailbreak Meera’s emotions wouldn’t fail.

Meera is standing still at the window. She might look sorted but inside she holds a hurricane. Her heart is stuck inside the hurricane and her eyes at the corner of the street.

“Do you say bye to your television or your doormat?” Without breaking eye contact with the street Meera asks abruptly.

Anu puts down the coffee mug on the table and walks towards Meera. She puts her hand on her shoulder but Meera doesn’t turn.

“He never treated you like a doormat.” Anu can sense negativity getting the best of Meera.

“I know. What I can’t figure out is walking out of a relationship is as easy as walking out of that door?” As she points to the main hall door, her eyes start dropping tears as she goes into the flashback of the day Mayank left.

“He just opened this door and gone.”Meera’s voice is still firm, even though her hands start shaking as she holds her finger pointing to the door.

Anu hugs Meera and stands in silence with her. She waits for Meera to throw out what she holds within. Meera and Mayank are married for 10 years and one fine day Mayank left saying he needs time for himself. Did not mention how much time or where is he going.

“This same window, I have spent hours waiting for him. Kept my eyes fixed at the corner of the street so that as soon as I see his car, I will hide. I never wanted him to find out that I am waiting." Meera bends forward on the window grill and looks helplessly through it.

Anu holds Meera’s face in her hands and kisses her forehead. “I know what he did is not right. But now what?” she looks into Meera’s eyes.

 

“Do we keep standing at this window, hoping for him to return?”

“Where did the love vanish?” Meera questions like an innocent child.

"Love did not vanish. Maybe he just wanted to figure out about himself?" Anu tries to cut short Meera’s melodrama. Anu tries not to be judgemental too. She always believed that Mayank loved Meera more than anything else in this world. But sometimes people want to break free from the monotony to figure out what they really want in life.

“Sometimes you need to set yourself free and do things you want to.” Anu tries to explain Mayank’s point of view.

The doorbell rings. Anu opens the door and finds Mayank standing at the door.

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