A dinner that's cherished

I was reading 'A thousand splendid suns' and was so immersed in it that it took me few moments before I realized that Britney Spears had been tirelessly humming 'Oops, I did it again..' for me to answer the call.

For no reason, my face was lit up looking at the caller's name. It was HIM.

"Hey, wazzup?", I greeted.

"Mmmm, lets see. Where are you and what are you up to?"

"Where else? At my place resting on the couch and reading a book."

"OK. I know girls can never say yes to this but I will still try; Can you be ready in 15 minutes?"

"Err..I will try if you want me to but WHY?"

"Great. Your 15 minutes had already begun and you don't want to waste your precious time asking stupid questions, do you?"

"Fine. What after 15 minutes?"

"Wait for my call. Bye", and he disconnected the call.

I had guessed enough that he probably wanted to come down and meet me and the thought of it had excited me so much but failed to understand the sudden urge. I got ready under 15 minutes as I had told him and there was his call again, as he had promised.

"Ready?", he asked.
"Yes."
"Terrific. Now walk down the street, take an auto and get down at so-and-so place"
"What?? Is this a joke?"
"No it's not. Trust me and you won't be disappointed", and 'Klichkk' goes the call.

More than excitement for the surprise or shock I was about receive, the fact that my guess-work hadn't worked with him and that he wasn't here when I was most expecting him, had irked me more. Puzzled yet, I did as he instructed, walked almost a kilometer before I could get an auto muttering curses sometimes under my breath and sometimes out loud. To my relief, I finally found one auto and was able to reach the place he had asked me to.

And here again, the call. "Are you there?"

"Yes."

He had begun saying "Now, you.." when I abruptly cut it and screamed,

"Please, no more treasure hunts. I walked more than I could have imagined for a damn auto and now I am sweating like a pig and look even more worse than I was when you first called me today."

He smiled and said, "If you are done venting out your frustration, then just turn around."

I turned around only to see him leaning against his car right behind the auto I had taken. I was little surprised, I must admit, but I wasn't amused and went almost running towards him and asked, "If you are here already, why hadn't you come and picked me up yourself??"

"Well, that was actually what I had planned for. But I suddenly had this urge to see this I-am-not-amused look on your face and how much you wished for to see me today and cursed me for not living up to it."

I wasn't all convinced but I had smiled the moment he added, "I did not plan a surprise today but I am glad that it still worked. And hey, I had been following you right from the moment you stepped out of your place."

"Get in. We are going to a place."

He took me to a splendid restaurant that day, "Our Place". He had booked a candle light dinner table on the moonlit terrace for us and just then it struck me what he was trying to do and why of all days, TODAY.

"Listen, I appreciate it but you don't have to do all this", I said recollecting all that small and big things he had been doing for me for as long as an year just to make me feel better and normal and loved for I had been in my all-time-low life that time.

He smiled and replied, "This has nothing to do with anything. All I wanted is to be with you today and spend some good time. You always dreamed about a candle-light dinner. Din't you? So here it is now and you better enjoy it."

I did enjoy the dinner, the place, the food and most importantly, time with HIM, and it was probably the best till date.

On the way back, I asked him, "Of all, TODAY, isn't meant for U & I to be together."

The day was the 14th of February, 2008 and we were what people called 'The best friends'.

He understood it but just said, "Chuck it. I don't care if each one of us aren't that special someone in other's life. I just wanted to tell you that we are still very special to each other now and remain so hereafter, PERIOD."

"Hmm. That holds true only until you find a girl for this passenger seat I occupied now.", words escaped even before I realized what I was saying and 'sscrrreeeeeech' stopped the car.

He looked at me and I knew he was hurt but he shrugged it off and quickly, smiled.
I smiled back too and said, "OK. I don't know why I said that. Forget it and thank you so much for the time today. I loved it."

"Mmm..I loved it more than you can understand.", he had said before he left.

***

Present: Its an altogether different story that we eventually fell in love with each other after this had happened and got married the same year in October against all odds. HE was, is and remains the love of my life and I cherish that evening's dinner for it had changed both of our lives for good.

PS: Back in Hyderabad, Our Place was our only choice when we wanted to celebrate an occasion, how trivial it might be. Aww...Look at me for I din't spare endorsing at the end! :)