Maybe

Please find the first part here.Always

Maya couldn’t concentrate on reading. She was bored, bored of one activity which defined her. Various thoughts revolved like a cyclone inside her mind and she couldn’t focus on one. She grabbed a paper of unimportance from the pile on her table, placed it between the pages where Mr. Biswas had just hired someone to get his house built, turned off the table lamp and went to the kitchen.

She brew a coffee for herself. It was 11 p.m. by the clock, a cup of coffee at this point of day wasn’t a good idea unless one didn’t wanted to sleep. And that was what she exactly wanted. To not to sleep. The idea of having to close her eyes and immersing everything around her into darkness frightened her. She couldn’t let her subconscious take control of her. Caffeine intake helped her maintain reign over herself.

“Why can’t there be enough sugar in this house” she uttered these words loud enough to be hearable in the bedroom. “Never mind, I think I like my coffee this way too” she tried to comfort herself.

It was a cold winter night which though made her uncomfortable while standing in the balcony, didn’t made her miss out the dark night that she adored. Dark night with stars sprinkled around its fabric with no consideration to their homogeneity, but apparent mystic importance to them forming patterns here and there. Dark night with one big piece on the fabric outshining others and changing shape night by night. Ironically she could never confront the darkness that prevailed inside her but in some way she cherished the darkness that engulfed her. Maybe because she could keep her eyes open and be in control of herself, or maybe because she could find some resemblance in this darkness. The stars reflected the infinite thoughts strewed in her mind, the darkness the obscurity she felt, the moon resembled that one thought which she could manage to increase focus on, which then waned with time. Maybe because it was her attempt to elicit a clue from this darkness to resolve her internal storm.

Abhi had had a stressed day at work. “Why is it always has to be a coffee place, the people around here seem so intellectual. Look, that girl can’t keep her eyes off the laptop, and that gentleman over there can burn a hole into the newspaper anytime. When I’ll be over with everything, every single thing, I will get into my best suit, head to the bank, take out all my money, put it in a bag, throw that bag into the trunk of my car and get the car to some place distant. And of course you will be with me”. Abhi couldn’t hold his anger and blurted out these words fluently as if he had them written somewhere inside his mind. “What would you want to do if you were free from everything Maya?” She couldn’t think of anything.

Maybe having sleepless nights and getting to stare the night sky was what she always wanted. Maybe getting to recognize patterns among stars was what she wanted. Maybe to find him in the vastness was what she wanted. Maybe she wanted them to be together. Always.

Always

She was dressed in the turquoise outfit. It didn't reflect her self, but his choice for the occasion. Actually, a present. A present he brought for her when they last met at the dockyard. 6 or 7 months ago, she thought. He had taken her to the ship, to show her his workplace.

For last few years they had this kind of relationship, meeting for a few hours after long periods of time. He was always to leave for duty. She, always upset for the same reason.

But today they had all the time they wanted. He was off duty, she had taken a long leave.

She got into the garage and was about to get into the driver's seat when she thought of giving it a routine check. Unlike herself, like him. She didn't wanted to be late anyway. "First, check under the hood. Are there any leaks? Are the battery terminals clean? Does the drive belt looks worn out? Pull the engine oil dipstick out, wipe it with a clean rag or a paper towel and insert it back fully. Pull it out again and check the level - it should be close to the "FULL  mark on the dipstick." He always took interest in letting her know these things. "There's always a telltale sign" He always emphasized. " Oh, they run great" She used to reply.

Everything was OK. She halted at the newspaper stand, asked for the day's issue of local daily. It were always the small things in life that made him happy. A few good articles with the morning coffee. Anyway, today was big. He had an article published on him . She had a glance at the picture with the article, payed the person, then took to the wheels again.

It was his birthday today. Valiant Captain's 35th birthday. They met at the God's acre, behind the city church. She sat beside the tombstone and read him the news. "It's a day for the youth to take inspiration from Captain Abhi who departed while serving for the country....."  He was as stoic as he always was, she pretended to be as vivacious he always wanted her to be. They had all the time they wanted today together. Not the kind of they had always...