Page 86 - You Only Live Once [BooksLD]

‘May I come in?’ someone whispers in a feeble voice. It’s still 5 AM and
we don’t expect guests during this time. Harinder and I are usually the only
ones awake at this odd hour as we expect some food and alcohol delivery to

some huts. But Harinder has gone back to his village in Punjab. I turn only
to recognize a dark silhouette of a woman standing at the entrance of
Ricky’s. Since the lights aren’t turned on, it is only the feeble light from the
sun at dawn that can help me try to recognize who it is. I move in the
direction of the mysterious woman.

‘Elisha,’ I whisper with equal parts surprise and disgust. My feet go
numb.
‘Hello, Ricky. I really miss you.’

‘You have not aged a bit. That’s miraculous.’
‘But you look like a retired psycho sailor, just like I had imagined.’

‘I can’t believe that you’re standing here right in front of me. Where have
you been? All these years?’

I stand on the other side of the door, looking straight into her eyes. She
does not answer me. Rather, she moves in the opposite direction. I long to
kiss her passionately, but only gather an uncomfortable silence that
stretches up to miles. The veil of conscience holds me back this time, like
every other time.

Soon, she has left the gate and starts to move towards the side of the
beach that leads to the Canacona Island, separated by a narrow backwater
formation from Palolem Beach. It’s the same island where we used to go
years back and discuss everything, like the best of friends do.

It reminds me of the question Elisha would always ask me. ‘If a wish of
yours could come true, what would it be?’
‘If I were granted a wish, just one, I would time travel and be an explorer

in the 18th century. Someone like Captain Picault who extensively explored
the Seychelles and eventually made it accessible to all the nomads,
travelers, and explorers of the 21st century!’

‘And you?’ I would ask.
‘I would want a daughter like myself who is a singer,’ she would say.
She doesn’t seem to stop. I hesitantly ask her, ‘How is Mr. Czech?’ She

doesn’t reply. I keep moving towards her.