Saw my best friend part 2

Wife lifted herself and looked deep into the eyes of her loving husband. He was the only person who knows exactly, how to treat her, how to comfort her and how to love her. She knew it well that her husband never liked to hear the stories or talks about Deva, but for the sake of her smile he always listened to her. But she was now required to answer, so she calmed herself and started telling that why she didn’t met her best friend.

“He was at the flower shop,” she started, arranging all the incidents in her memory, she sounded firm, she continued, “few steps away, holding flowers in his hand. At first it seemed he hasn’t noticed me so I started walking rapidly towards him. I wanted to surprise him. Several thoughts rushed into my head. I was staring him, trying to notice what all had changed in him during these eight years. He has buffed up! He is no longer thin like those old days.” Sanjeev was listening to his wife very carefully and in his imagination, he picturized everything that his wife was describing.  His wife carried the description further, “While walking, I noticed the flowers he held. There were four roses and six lilies. I paused. He was not looking at me as his eyes were fixed in those flowers. But as soon as I stopped walking he kept flowers on the slab and with both hands he gently pulled his ears and then rubbed his nose. It was a signal, an old gesture. It clicked me and I turned back and headed home.”

“Signal?” asked the puzzled husband. His all imagination had already messed up, by the weird signal stuff. “What signal?” he repeated. To this his wife replied, “Deva created this signal during our college days. In which he used to pull his ears and then rub his nose. The signal stated – I’m sorry but please leave right now, else you will be in trouble. And I was required to leave that place at once without any questioning or delays.” “Creative boy!” taunted Sanjeev. His wife didn’t like that, and narrowed her eyes. “Just kidding,” resumed husband, realizing that topic must be carried further at once, “What about four roses and six lilies?” “Oh, it denotes my birthday, fourth of June. He always used the same ratio of flowers for me.” Sanjeev was almost impressed by his wife’s best friend. He deduced that Deva always did coding in his work. Moreover, husband noticed that his wife, who had almost lost her senses few minutes ago, is now smiling. Her sobbing has been seized by the memories of those playful days. He knew, not every time a woman needs an expert advice when she shares her pain. Sometimes she needs someone to just sit and listen to her. After all, a woman’s heart often desires less, but it desires the different. For a while no one spoke. But the silence was broken by the people who were shouting on the road. “What’s with the people?” asked an amazed husband. “Dear, its festive month, it must be children,” wife guessed, “or must be the people for collecting donations for…” She was interrupted by her daughter who ran into the room and yelled, “Papa, its Vikas uncle, at landline.” Sanjeev stood up and headed for landline. “Hello,” said Sanjeev putting the receiver at his ears. “Is everything alright?” said a terrified Vikas.

“Yes! What is the matter? You sound disturbed.”

“Switch ON any news channel, quickly. I’ll call you later.”

Phone disconnects. Sanjeev returns to bedroom and pushes the power button of television and picks up the remote. For the first time ever Vikas sounded such terrified. He was not able to imagine what the matter could be. “What happened?” interrogated wife. “Vikas said to switch any news channel,” Sanjeev replied and switched to news, which showed the same flower shop area, but totally destroyed and the headlines were- ‘Bomb blast at Paharganj market, 13 civilians brutally injured’. Sanjeev turned his head towards his wife and saw her standing straight, staring at television. The news stunned her. She was in the same market few hours ago, moreover she wasn’t alone, she had her daughter with her over there and adding to that she also saw her best friend at the same flower shop, that place was now totally ruined. In seven years of his marriage, for the first time ever Sanjeev saw his wife becoming a statue. She seemed numb. Not a single movement she made. Her eyelids didn’t blink. But then, he noticed those shivering fingers of his wife. The reason for that signal by Deva became partially clear. News continued- ‘Blast caused death of one bomb squad agent, Surender Singh and an undercover agent, Deva Dutta.’  Channel showed the passport size photographs of the two national heroes. Sanjeev lost the grip and remote slipped out of his hand and fell on the floor. She was quiet. She was still staring at the television. Sanjeev rushed towards his wife and hugged her as tight as he could. Instead of warmth of her husband’s hug, she was running cold inside. Sanjeev too had tears in his eyes. His heart was praising and thanking Deva who safeguarded Aisha and his mother. News reported further- Area was cleared half an hour ago but unfortunately the bomb handling failed and resulted death of our brave men.’

“What a gift he gave for this year’s festival gift,” said wife and her eyes flooded with tears. She screamed her voice out of her throat. She yelled, “Oh Deva, my best friend, where have you been all these years?  You just disappeared, you are so mean! Have you married? Are you engaged? Meet my daughter, Aisha.” She vomited every sentence out of her; all these words were stacked in her for the day when she shall meet her best friend. It seemed that no longer she hopes to meet him. Sanjeev didn’t ask his wife to stop crying or to calm down. Sometimes, it is better to feel the pain than to ignore it. That night she kept sobbing lying on floor with her husband by her side.

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