Page 120 - Love Story of a Commando

come bring you roti daal packed in a tiffin box, clad in a ghagra-choli?’ I
replied sternly.
‘Exactly! This is what I was thinking. See, we are now reciprocating
each other’s thoughts,’ he said excitedly.
‘Shut up! Okay? Shut up!’ I said, raising my pitch. ‘I don’t know
how to cook. Okay? I need a fully furnished house in an urban location with
a gym and swimming pool nearby. There will be two full-time maids at our
house and kids will be planned for after six–seven years of our marriage, and
by the way nobody uses names like Rahul and Tina anymore. This is so
Nineties. Come out of your clichés. We will name them Aarav and Mannat.
Okay?’ It was as if I was debating over a life or death situation.
He came closer to me and pulled me towards him. He buried his
hands in my hair, stroked it a little, kissed my forehead and said, ‘Okay!’
I was stunned. The warmth of his touch and the security of his
presence in my life was priceless. I rested my head against his chest and
asked, ‘Virat, this is not a dream, no?’
‘No! Of course not!’ he replied.
‘You will not leave me this time, no?’ I asked feebly.
‘No! Riya, no! I cannot imagine my life without you. Please don’t
say that,’ and he wrapped his arms more tightly around me.
Right then, his radio set crackled with voices, ‘Sierra to Tiger! Sierra
to Tiger! Connect!’
‘Tiger to Sierra! Tiger to Sierra! Connected! Go ahead!’ he replied.
‘We crossed the ruins a long time back and are seeing some huge
rocks around us. Confirm!’ The voice on the other side said.
He removed himself from the embrace and replied, ‘Tiger holding
the fort! Over!’
‘We are closing in! Be alert! Over!’ the voice said.
‘Over and out!’ he replied and switched off the set before hanging it
back on his belt.
‘Please get up! My rescue team will be here in two minutes. I am so
relieved,’ he said brightly.
I was relieved too but a little sad. I was beginning to enjoy our jungle
romance. I could totally relate with Adam and Eve and the mistakes they
made creating humankind eventually. Maybe we could have created a whole
new world again. I was totally cool about living the rest of my life under the
thatched roof of a hut constructed by Virat, cooking food on a wood fire
made after rubbing two stones for an hour.
It was so Blue Lagoon- ish. Sigh !
I could hear loud footsteps and two NSG commandos wearing
pherans approached us out of nowhere. They were waving semi-automatic