C U 2MROW @ 9 (September 29, 2016)

Mannu sighed but opened the door. There was a piece of paper in his hand, but at the moment nothing was as appealing as the courier from Pia. Through her handwriting Mannu could fancy her beautiful, delicate palm and the extra soft fingers. Illusions were getting dissolved. The child inside him was unable to hide his happiness and in hurry he tore a part of the envelope. The room bathed in the exotic essence that rose from it. Packed in a plastic sheet, there it was, the first present from Mannu’s first love. He untapped the plastic and touched it for the first time. Nitesh was clicking pictures. Vipul was to come any minute in the room. Mannu stepped up again to check the lock on the door. Nitesh hugged the parcel as Mannu left it. Holding the packet near his lips, Nitesh was imitating a kiss, grinning and Mannu’s impatience answered back. As soon as Mannu jumped back, Nitesh flung the packet in air. Oh! It took Mannu’s heart out. Plunging back to the bed, Mannu caught it safely. With just a sullen look towards Nitesh, Mannu chose to embrace it.  

She had sent her heart with three beautiful letters embossed on it. ‘I love you’. The soft heart shape toy rested on a heart shaped love card, red in colour and a red rose to further darken the moment of love. Mannu had started breathing heavy. The delicacy and the tenderness made him soft from inside. Touching, rubbing it with his cheeks for a while he looked inside the plastic sheet and found the most awaited love letter. Nitesh was now busy in his mobile phone. Mannu comforted himself with the pillow and embraced the gift several times. Nitesh wa giggling. Water was running from the bathroom tap, but Mannu didn’t pay heed to it. Nor did Nitesh. The gift had different shades of red and Mannu could not control his emotions but by kissing the card, the rose , the soft toy at all possible sides.

‘All I need is not much... Just someone called You... I love you’. The last flip of the card read.

He smiled, hugged it to his heart . It seemed his heart was pumping love rather than blood. He couldn’t believe his  destiny that there was such a lovely girl in his life. The vagrant within him had come to rest. His search for a soul mate was over.  

‘I’m sorry Pia for all the bad I did 2 u... I could never understand how much u love me except today. U know i’m a fool... 4give me... I love you 2 darling...’ He messaged Pia. Today, he learned that life and love are not easy to understand. Secretly, in a strange moment life teaches us what we ought to learn. Mannu, too, really needed to learn how deep Pia’s love   was for him and this love gift was the key to all answers.  His  heart had a little pain when he opened the letter. It was decorated with red and pink hearts on top of one another. One was mine and one was hers. Bingo! Removing the red ribbon Mannu finally unfolded it. The glittered red and pink letters conveyed a little more than he had ever heard Pia say. Every letter was roofed by a heart. The fragrance was clouding the room with the same emotion. As he had heard in Bollywood songs and seen in movies how a love letter filled with hearts and roses never lets the smile fall down from the lover’s lips. He was living the moment today.

Hi my love, my life, my only, my one, my buddy, my alone, my sweetheart, my darling  

As he read further he had to kill the strange thing that reproduced in his eyes again and again and again. Every word had separation, but every phrase had love, pure love. Mannu cursed himself for all the bad thoughts and doubts that had evolved in him for Pia’s love. The demand for the letter came out just to know her more and know her in reality.  

What a bad person I am...

What a beautiful life love I have.

God! What is it?

What is it?