My First Love Letter - Part 4

                    A week later, a Sunday, after the Sunday mass, I was alone at home watching a movie, I received a phone call. A girl, asking, “Is it Meena?” I replied, “Yes, I’m Meena.” “Just a minute and then the phone was taken by another person, It was Thomas friend, an advocate. Since he has this professional acumen(expertise) of talking and seeking the truth and exposing it, he just straightforwardly told, “Meena, Meena, Meena, that’s the only thing Thomas has to say to us for the past week.” Thomas, took the phone, and just said, “Hello, How are you? What news? I would like to meet you.” Just that and he talked something of this and that and the phone was cut. My heart had stopped beating and I just had the weirdest sensation in my temple(forehead). But then I controlled my feelings because I didn’t want to get hurt myself a second time.

          The stipulated time arrived for our meeting. That was the first time I was going to meet a man clandestinely (in secret). I was alone but he came with a chaperone, his another friend - a teacher. They hadn’t eaten anything. So we all went to a hotel. As usual, the friend started the dialogue and as usual, he came straight to the point. But for me I had this weirdest idea, why is Thomas not saying anything. God what a dumb person he is, to just skip around just like his letters. Anyway I decided to say few home truths. But luckily, that wasn’t necessary, his friend departed for some errands, leaving us two alone.

          At last Thomas spoke, “Meena, I’m not a youth to just run around the bush romantically and I’m much older than you and I’m sorry that my letters had troubled you a lot. But I really wanted to hear from you. I really felt attached to you, but you were just sixteen. So I didn’t want you to think of anything other than studies. When I saw you again I didn't want to let you go, at least without asking.  Now you are 23 and I want to ask you one thing, let the answer be anything, you can take as much time as you want, but you should reply, because my future and my life would depend on your answer and I had to wait another 5 seconds to get the question, because I couldn’t comprehend  this future and life dangling question. Anyway, he asked the question, “Will you marry me?” I just gaped at him open mouthed, wide eyed. I had expected everything but not this. 
          To tell you frankly, I would have accompanied him then and there but I was soooooooooo stuck that I was short of breath and words. This was simply incredible. But he thought that he had asked the unwanted question. He reiterated, its OK if you say No. You don’t have to reply immediately. At that juncture we were saved by his friend’s arrival. We left the hotel and we parted our ways. I was dazed(seventh heaven). I returned home, my mother was there and my brother too. They didn’t find anything special in my appearance or behaviour. Days passed, weeks passed. I waited to reply after a month. Do you want to know why? I waited for more than seven years, to make him speak, at least, he should know the value of waiting for “the word” for a month, isn’t it?

          I waited for exactly one month and then I wanted to do it differently. I went to an Archies card centre (a place where you would find cards for all occasions). But what occasion is this? Anyway I just went through all the racks and all the cards and at last I found the right one. I send him in the old address. He was very happy to see my handwriting. He opened it and he read. On the outside it was written “Dear Thomas, I can’t”. He felt very very sad and disappointed. But still he wanted to see what the reason was for me to deny him and he opened the card and there it was written “Live Without You”, Meena. Ha....Ha...Ha... He couldn’t contain his laughter and the relief. He took this card to his friends and when they saw the card and read the outer message, they were so angry with me, that they said all things, which normal humans would rethink to live after that, but luckily, I didn’t hear any of it, but Thomas did and he didn’t respond. After all the wasted abuse and energy, they opened the card and “voilà”. They had the best surprise of their lives. Thomas called immediately and said, “You really gave me a heart attack. But thankyou for accepting my proposal.” I just smiled. It was worth the effort, wasn’t it? At last he started calling me, talking to me and joking with me and writing to me "Love Letters" to my home address. I just get heart attacks, whenever I see the postman.  Just Imagine if my mother or brother were there? Luckily God too were with me in doing some works clandestinely. A New Thomas.
             We got married overcoming lots and lots of hurdles. And can I pass a secret? Even today, he gives advices for free. But now I’m a very changed person, very mature and serene and once in a while I really become a she cat whenever I hear all those cool advices comes in bulk. Isn’t it cool for a normal girl?

             Just stay happy until tomorrow. Bye for now.

Meena