Sitting on a beach chair, he gazed out at the blue waters ahead of him. A large smile on his face. As she took his hand in hers, he closed his eyes and tried to savor the moment.
"Sir, left or right"
He opened his eyes to find himself in the back seat of an Uber. It took a moment to register that he was on his way back home from work. "Left. Then right after signal", he sighed.
His phone buzzed. He took it out of his pocket and saw it was a call from her. He let it ring a few times and then grudgingly picked it up.
"Yes. I am on my way".
"I know I said I'll be back early. Last minute meetings"
"No. Listen to me...."
He slapped his thigh in frustration.
"Sir. Music switch off?"
"No. Just take a right."
He shook his head and settled back. Opened his mail on the smartphone, swiftly sending out a few replies and updating his calendar.
20 minutes later, he was ringing the doorbell. She opened the door.
"Wow. Didn't expect you."
"Listen. I am sorry."
"For what?"
"Everything."
"You look exhausted. Can I fix you a drink?"
"Yes. I'll like that"
As she headed in to the kitchen, he loosened his tie and kicked off his shoes. He looked up at the wall and smiled. She had the photo of the two of them, holding hands, sitting on the beach; his eyes closed.
She walked back in with two glasses and saw him looking at the picture. She handed one of the glasses to him.
"Seems ages back"
She replied,"It was. 15 years"
"Thanks for making me feel older"
"I wish I could say wiser as well"
He laughed. She joined in.
His phone rang again. She asked,"Is that from work?"
"I really don't care."
She softened,"Everything fine?"
He shook his head,"I am tired. This isn't the life I want."
She shifted closer to him,"Don't worry. We all feel like that sometimes"
His phone buzzed again. He reluctantly picked it up.
"This is the fourth time I called! Why were you not picking up the phone? Are you coming home or not?!"
He looked at her, "No. I had to head back. Some urgent work. Sorry."
"Are you serious? It is our anniversary! There are people waiting here."
He closed his eyes,"Sorry. Sorry for putting you through this"
She had cut the call. He thought of the last 15 years. He turned and she was looking at him.
"You should head home"
He said aloud, "I wish I had stayed when you asked me to."
She smiled sadly, "Your staying wouldn't have been any surety for happiness"
He chuckled. Gulped his drink. "You are right.". Walking out of her place, he turned back, "And there's no reason to be sure that my current life would could lead to it either."
He stood a while on the street. Paralyzed. Trying to think but blank. After a few moments of uncertainty, he threw his phone away. He hailed a cab and quickly got in.
"Sir? Where?"
"Take me as far away from this city as you can."
"Sir, left or right"
He opened his eyes to find himself in the back seat of an Uber. It took a moment to register that he was on his way back home from work. "Left. Then right after signal", he sighed.
His phone buzzed. He took it out of his pocket and saw it was a call from her. He let it ring a few times and then grudgingly picked it up.
"Yes. I am on my way".
"I know I said I'll be back early. Last minute meetings"
"No. Listen to me...."
He slapped his thigh in frustration.
"Sir. Music switch off?"
"No. Just take a right."
He shook his head and settled back. Opened his mail on the smartphone, swiftly sending out a few replies and updating his calendar.
20 minutes later, he was ringing the doorbell. She opened the door.
"Wow. Didn't expect you."
"Listen. I am sorry."
"For what?"
"Everything."
"You look exhausted. Can I fix you a drink?"
"Yes. I'll like that"
As she headed in to the kitchen, he loosened his tie and kicked off his shoes. He looked up at the wall and smiled. She had the photo of the two of them, holding hands, sitting on the beach; his eyes closed.
She walked back in with two glasses and saw him looking at the picture. She handed one of the glasses to him.
"Seems ages back"
She replied,"It was. 15 years"
"Thanks for making me feel older"
"I wish I could say wiser as well"
He laughed. She joined in.
"I really don't care."
She softened,"Everything fine?"
He shook his head,"I am tired. This isn't the life I want."
She shifted closer to him,"Don't worry. We all feel like that sometimes"
His phone buzzed again. He reluctantly picked it up.
"This is the fourth time I called! Why were you not picking up the phone? Are you coming home or not?!"
He looked at her, "No. I had to head back. Some urgent work. Sorry."
"Are you serious? It is our anniversary! There are people waiting here."
He closed his eyes,"Sorry. Sorry for putting you through this"
She had cut the call. He thought of the last 15 years. He turned and she was looking at him.
"You should head home"
He said aloud, "I wish I had stayed when you asked me to."
She smiled sadly, "Your staying wouldn't have been any surety for happiness"
He chuckled. Gulped his drink. "You are right.". Walking out of her place, he turned back, "And there's no reason to be sure that my current life would could lead to it either."
He stood a while on the street. Paralyzed. Trying to think but blank. After a few moments of uncertainty, he threw his phone away. He hailed a cab and quickly got in.
"Sir? Where?"
"Take me as far away from this city as you can."
