After years she opened her personal diary that she had maintained from the age of 16. Now it was more than 5 years that she hadn't written anything.
The day was no good for her. She had a hectic schedule...tiring one...she tried to sleep...but couldn't. After all job hunting is not that easy.
Naima turned a few pages....one of the pages written on 8th April 1994.
"Aalekh looked at me today and passed a smile to me. I thought I would faint of happiness. I had been desperate for a glance from him."
When she read the name 'Aalekh' tears came out of her eyes. He was a gem of a person. Such an understanding, caring soul. She couldn't believe that he wasn't in her life anymore. Her dreams to get settled with him....all were shattered when*****he died in a car accident the day before their marriage. Her first love. She decided to live with his memories. Be single for the rest of her life.
She then thought about Samar(he was the one who introduced her to Aalekh). The name that she called her best friend.She missed his presence. He had not even bothered to come and console her. There was no one with her in the most difficult times. She was shattered.
Naima ....had always taken him for granted. Now she realized how important that stupid, flirty, funny guy was for her.
With each page...she felt she was reliving her past years.
When she turned the next page...something fell down....It was a rose...a red rose...
"My angel ... I love you"(written on the page). She kept it back as a memory of Aalekh.
She couldn't express what she felt.
Those words had great power..to make her forget all her troubles. She had been financially down for the last 2 months. Trying hard to find a job.
It was almost dawn. She got up from the floor, straightened her back. Got ready for another day..tough..but she was confident.
After locking her house she checked the letter box hoping for an appointment letter.
Everyday she had been doing this....but she never got a good news. But she still had hopes.
She just wanted it badly. Naima put her hand inside the box....there was a letter in it.
"God please let it be an appointment letter"
Ah! her face lit up. She had got a job. She felt it was a miracle. A miracle of love and trust.
First days of the job were difficult but soon she got settled.
One day as she was leaving for home....someone called out "Naima". She turned at once
and she saw Samar. (His office was just opposite to her's).
Samar: Hey how are you?Naima: I am fine. Were were you all these years?S: Me...? My dad had a project abroad so had to go there with him.N: oh!
She invited him to her house. He reluctantly said yes.
Seeing her open the door he assumed Aalekh must be at work.
S: So hows Aalekh?N: (with tears in her eyes) He's left me forever. He's no more.
S: (he was shocked) What? When did this happen?
N: On 17 March 1999.... the day before my marriage.
He couldn't speak up. Shocked...and guilty for not being there for her.
N: How's your life? Where's your wife? (she assumed that the 32 yr old guy must have been married).
S: No wife...I didn't marry.
He went away after saying this.
Naima couldn't digest this..."huh! this guy didn't find a girl for himself?"
Moreover his behaviour too had surprised her.
Days passed by...he met her daily....tried to make her happy...He had completely changed. This irresponsible guy who always made blunders had now become a caring gentleman and always used a white handkerchief(the gentleman accessory according to her).
At a restaurant one day.....after they had lunch...
The waiter came with the bill....as he took out his wallet one of his buddies came in...he gave the wallet to Naima... and told her to pay the bill.
She couldn't believe what she saw in the wallet. It was her pic. "Why on Earth would he keep my pic in his wallet?"
She took out the pic..
and turned it..
What she saw was even more shocking......
words....penned down...
"My Angel"
She could understand everything now...
the rose......
the words....
the abroad trip....
his being unmarried...
the change...
She now respected this guy. Who was in love with her but never told her so that she might not feel hurt.
In the depths of her heart......she too loved him for all that he had done.
She turned her eyes to the sky.....felt her name was true to her life....
Naima means belonging to one.
ps:) This is my very first attempt on a story as such. please do become my critiques :)
pps:) SPECIAL thanks to all (Jincy, Prashant, Harshita, Yamini, Madhuri, Sameer, Stephen, Diana, Sormita,Farah.) who helped me choose a name for the character NAIMA.
ppps:) The name Naima showed different meanings... when I consulted different sites..so just go with the meaning i mentioned above.
