~~~ On that Night ~~~

"Jasbir... just look whether this video has come out proper or not.. and please drop me a mail just before you leave.. i will check out in my BlackBerry and will reply you.. i need to take Nisha, you know my sweet daughter to her friend's b-day party..

you try to reply me by 11 PM.. ok..? Thanks.."

and Kabir rushed out from the office. He dint try to look at the dismal reaction on Jasbir's face. He dint try to notice that Jasbir dint want to remain in the office on late Friday hours.. He dint want to look at the filthy politician's video that had just come out from an anonymous source showing how he lead the new female actor to his bed, promising her the lead role which she is truly capable of doing on screen, for the new movie which is to be made of his black money which he told was hidden under his bed..!

Jasbir was least excited about the revelation this video could bring out the next day after it gets published on front page and highlighting once again the copious wealth under his belt without his name in public. He mailed Kabir just after 20 minutes .."Video is NOT ok... need to edit a few parts.. see you tomorrow for a quick discussion on it.. may be by 10 AM" He knew that this message would ensure Kabir's peace of mind getting disturbed, the way he has been doing it with him since 3 years and 5 months..

This was the second job for Jasbir.. earlier he used to work for an MNC in a reputed IT sector.. and he loathed that life too... He always knew that the life he is leading isnt taking him anywhere.. not at least towards happiness.. He got into media.. eyes filled with glitters of glam and fame of people who most of them were leading an unusual life, that astounding life which every common man dreams of.

he looked at his watch gifted by his grandfather; it showed 10 PM.. locked his PC.. picked his bag and started walking to get a cab..

The moment he stepped out from the AC building.. the sweetness of air filled his mind.. For a moment he closed his eyes.. took a slow deep breath and with a smile opened his eyes.. after feeling the beauty of night..

Smilingly he moved out of the gate, removed his tag and zipped inside his backpack.. and waved his hand for a taxi to stop..

"Kitthey saabji..?" Old Taxi driver asked.

"Sector 3.. lane 9.."

"aes wele..?" "(at this hour... in a surprising tone..)" .Yes... Taxi Driver in delhi are mostly punjabis, or they speak punjabi normally.. or they speak punjabi on seeing a Punjabi guy. This was the latter of the cases.

"Koi problem haigi taan main dujji taxi ley lavanga.."( if you have any problem.. i will take another cab..)

"naii jii sardaar ji.. baitho.."

and he sat in the cab.. listening to the melodious Jagjit Singh .. the verses of Shabad Kiirtan.. that made Jasbir uneasy..

"shabad band kar dawo.." (please stop the shabad being played)..

Driver easily read the pain on his face and stopped the kiirtan.

"haanji.. bus ethhey ruko.." Jabir asked cab driver to stop near a small white gate.. at lane 9..

The clouds had already started making noise.. he knew it would rain that night.. he was waiting for it... he knew .. had he been working on the video.. he would have missed the moment he waited every year on this day...

He quickly made the payment and swiftly walked under the tree.. opened his bag and took out the steel cylindrical pot in which he used to carry tea.. poured in the cup shaped cap of it.. and started taking sips.. Taxi slowly moved away from the scene..

soon he found a drop of water falling in the cup.. The gift was here..

Yes it had started raining... he moved out from the tree shade... lift his face up and let droplets fall slowly on his forehead, cheek .. on his closed eyes... he wanted to cry.. but couldn't. He wanted to run .. fastest as possible till he dry his lungs out of breath.. he wanted to fall on his knees.. and yearn for the loss. He felt pain.

July.. this month was very special for Jasbir... and particularly this day.. 10 years back.. he got the definition correct.. that no one could ever explain to him.. The definition of Love..

High school time it was... Jasbir returning from the extra classes never knew that we would meet someone that will change the meaning of his living...

he saw a girl in a white salwar suit trying to do something with her bicycle at the corner of the road.. he stopped and found that she is the girl from the same tuition class he was returning from.. he inspected and found that the chain slipped of from the chain wheel and she was not able to move her cycle.. he immediately sorted the problem, showing the girl the mechanical genius side of his..

he then offered to company her till the end of the lane.. to which she smilingly agreed.. she was very pretty when she smiled.. she was always pretty and Jasbir knew that he had already fallen for this pretty tuition-mate of his.. and soon it started raining... the girl started running with cycle in her hands.. quickly waving bye to Jasbir and entering into the last house of the lane.. and saying "thank you..."

"No problem... see you tomorrow.." Jasbir replied..

And then it became a routine affair... Jasbir was sure that he was in love and always tried to dig an opportunity to be with her...

but this couldnt last for more than 6 months... differences cropped up.. they chose different college.. career.. priorities.. partners... and reasons for being happy...

but one of the decisions went wrong for both of them.. The reason for being happy... they never knew that happiness was around them when they were together.. Air.. clouds .. weather.. always had a soft part to play when Jasbir tried to move his story forward..

It thundered ... hailed storms.. they day she moved on leaving Jasbir behind.. far away from her life...

................... Everything was like a flashback... Jasbit rose up.. went under the tree.. took his bike off the stand.. and started to drive from the lane he went every night..( he left his bike on this lane every night.. so that he could come and pick it up.. a reason to cross this lane every day..)

but then he stopped.. at the end of the lane... and what he saw was, a girl in her late twenties was standing holding the small gate.. wearing white shawl.. her thick black hair sticked to her face and rain falling on the ground first touched her face and then silked to the ground off her long black locks..

he switched off the bike so that she wouldnt notice... but it was in vain... he saw her opening the gate and coming towards him... as she came nearer, his memories started getting a recall.. she was her..

he thought she wouldnt recognize him... after 10 years he looked tired.. beard moustache and turban covering most of his face... but she now stood close to him..

as close.. that he always tried to be with her.. she removed Jasbir's glasses to look into his eyes (she immediately knew he was Jasbir).. and stared directly into them.. long enough to make Jasbir realize the moments they have lost.. the happiness they could have created being together..

".. I.. I... I..... I am... I.. I.. I was.." and as Jasbir tried to explain, he was shut with a hard slap on his face... and before he could recover from that.. he felt the most beautiful kiss on his lips that he always begged from his fate...

Under the sky showering love again, instead of thunders... this night was enlightened by the purity of the love they had for each other.. tears rolling down the cheeks... they kissed the happiest moment of their life..

The moment of re-discovering their love..

which was sweet.. sweet as the first childhood love.. sweet as kissing your love under the rain that brought them together again..

and sweet as telling her once again.. "I love you.." and she accepting .. not by saying YES.. but just by another warm tender kiss.. silently explaining "I love you too.."