Page 86 - Love Story of a Commando

He blushed and rolled his eyes with pride. It warmed my heart and I
said, ‘You know about Marine Drive?’
The class said ‘Noooo’ in unison.
‘It is the most beloved place in Mumbai. It is a long boulevard in
South Mumbai and flanked by huge buildings on one side and huge porous
rocks known as Tetrapods on the other side. Waves strike these rocks with
full force and retreat soon after. People from all around the world,
Mumbaikars and tourists, sit around there. You know, it looks magnificent in
the night with all those flickering lights and it is also known as the Queen’s
Necklace.’ I described it with childlike enthusiasm.
The kids looked mesmerized and then little Fatima asked, ‘Then why
did you leave it?’
The question hit me with an intensity I was not anticipating. I was at
a loss for words.
I replied rather dimly, ‘Err…Umm…because…you see I love
Kashmir more!’
I finished up class soon after and took the rest of the day off. The day
was a blur in my mind, and a combination of strange, fuzzy dreams about
blood, gunshots, fire and Virat kept me tossing and turning throughout the
night.
The pain of losing him just like that was excruciating.
He left me only to perish into bits and pieces every day. It would
have been a glorious death by those firing bullets in the Taj, better than
dying and quitting every day. For him, maybe I was just another victim like
those he keeps meeting during his missions. Maybe it is just his routine and I
meant nothing to him. He risked his life every day. It was not extraordinary
that he saved me during those dark hours. Didn’t I have a right to lose my
heart to my saviour? Just like in all those Bollywood movies! He never
showed up nor had he bothered to explain. I did not deserve that or maybe I
deserved that, as losing your heart to an unknown warrior comes with
consequences. It was my fault and my punishment was to suffer throughout
my life.
But he said… ‘I will find you’.
I closed my eyes quickly.