Life is Short & Time is Swift - 2

‘Bye!’ Rahul smiled as he pressed the accelerator. He stopped at the corner of the road to get last glimpse of Tanya. He waived his hand. She blew the smallest kiss and smiled broadly as Rahul disappeared in the relentless darkness of night.

Rahul and Tanya were the sweetest couple in world. They were the most happening couple. Every day was an occasion for them. They always look for reasons to celebrate and when they don’t find any, they celebrate for no reason. It was their way of living life. It helped that their brains work on the same frequency.  Life is short and one can’t afford to waste it. Time is swift! One has to catch up with it, it doesn’t wait for anyone.

Soon Rahul reached home. He called Tanya to inform that he reached home like every day without any hiccup. It was an important task which he could not afford to miss. He had missed once and was almost killed by Tanya. She had gone bonkers! Ever since Rahul met with an accident while driving back home, she never compromised on it. After hustling with the TV remote for few minutes, he switched off the TV. He flipped through the pages of his favourite sports magazine but didn’t read anything. For some reason he had a bad feeling. He didn’t know what was it and what was it about? But he just had it. However, he decided not to strain his brain and give it much needed rest. He switched off the light, slipped under the blanket and closed his eyes. He knew Tanya would be waiting for him in the dreams and he didn’t want her to wait more.

‘Good morning! Call me when you wake up.’ He read the SMS. It was Tanya and he had just woke up. He called her without any delay. They exchanged pleasantries which were followed by quick planning for weekend. ‘Done!’ He said and hung the phone. He was still under the blanket.

 ‘Which flavour?’ Rahul asked Tanya. He was at the pop-corn counter.

‘I tell you every time. I don’t like them! Why you keep asking all the time?’ She replied frustratingly.

‘Movie doesn’t remain merely a movie; it becomes an experience with pop-corns.’ Rahul smiled and bought caramel and cheese pop-corns.

They had come to watch James Cameroon’s magnum opus Titanic. The greatest love story and probably the best movie of all time was rereleased across the globe after the fifteen years of its first release. The movie was released in 3D. Like everyone, they were excited to watch the movie. They grabbed their seats and put on the 3D glasses. Soon intermission was over and drama got intense in the second half. People were on the edge of their seats and so do Tanya and Rahul. She didn’t leave his hand ever since Titanic struck the ice berg.

Movie was coming to an end, a sad end to a grand love story. Rahul turned his face toward Tanya, she was in tears. Most of the people in the theatre were. His eyes were heavy too. Tanya pinched him as Jack and Rose almost fell of the sinking Titanic. He holds her hand tightly and looked into her eyes through the 3D glasses. Her eyes were completely wet but still remain the most beautiful eyes. He looked at her incessantly.

It’s been five years since they were in the relationship. They met first at their college cafeteria and then luck bought them to same city in the same company. They had never experienced a low in all these years of their relationship. It was probably the right time to take a decision, a decision about their lives. Rahul was waiting for the right time, a time that would change their lives. But he was not able to take a decision, a decision on the right time. Reliving the times of Titanic was making an impact on the state of his indecisiveness. As he was looking into her eyes endlessly his subconscious mind told him; it is the time! Time doesn’t wait. It doesn’t care if you are purest person in world.

 ‘I could watch it again.’ Tanya said as she stepped into the car.

‘So do I.’ He reciprocated her thoughts.

‘So, where are we heading?’ She asked after a small period of silence.

‘A drive to remember.’ He smiled.

Soon they were on the highway. Rahul had decided it was night that would change their lives. He was going to propose her, propose her for marriage. He didn’t want to wait anymore. Whole world knew about them. Their love story was as grand as Jack and Rose’s story. He had already designed the dream evening in his mind. He knew it was going to be the best evening of their lives.

‘What is going on in this little head of yours?’ She asked rotating her small fingers over his hairs.

‘Nothing but us.’ He smiled and turned his face towards her.

She looked into his eyes. She saw the longing in them, longing for love. She came closer to him and brought her face near to his. She saw him closing the eyes. She was about to do the same.

‘Watch Out!’ She screamed.

‘Tanya?’ Rahul yelled as he quickly got up. He got down of the bed. His head was aching and eyes were bursting. He could barely walk. He went into the bathroom and saw himself into the mirror. He had scratches all over his body. Half of his body was covered under the bandage. He lifts his shirt and got shocked as he saw stitches in his stomach. He almost lost his consciousness and puked.

They were struck by speeding truck previous evening.

‘What you doing there? You are not supposed to get up.’ Doctor shrieked who had just entered the room.

‘Where is Tanya?’ Rahul asked.

‘Everything will be fine. Get back onto the bed.’ Doctor said and holds his wrist.

 ‘Where is she?’ Rahul screamed.

Doctor sighed as his head fell.

‘I’m sorry. She was not lucky as you’ He said.

‘Tanyaa!!’ Rahul screamed. He was sweating and breathing heavily. His heartbeats were faster than ever. He turned around but no one was there. He was on the bed. He threw the blanket and got up. His heartbeats slowed down when he realised, it was a dream, a bad dream! He checked the time in the watch. It was already three in the noon. Movie was starting in another fifteen minutes. He had fallen asleep after talking to Tanya in the morning.

‘No one could save me today.’ He thought and dialled Tanya’s number in the mobile.

‘Got late. I’ll meet you at the theatre in another fifteen minutes.’ He said without taking a breather.

‘Who are you?’ A voice came from the other side of line.

‘Who are you?’ Rahul asked as it was an unfamiliar voice.

‘This is Manipal hospital. Tanya met with an accident. We have admitted her to ICU. She is in coma.’