The Last Twelve Hours

Story about a couple who have to separate but don't want to. Original is a story by my friend Laksh which was written from the female character's point of view. I've written this from the male character s point of view

When you’re in love you want to spend all your possible time with that someone special. You want to wake up the first thing in the morning to the wonderful sight of that person close to you. It was the same with him, except that now he was regretting the fact that he would have to wake up. How he wished that this sleep would last forever and the morning wouldn’t follow. They were deeply in love with each other and yet today she was leaving. It was hard on both of them and both of them were dealing with it differently, both of them had different and yet same thoughts to deal with. They had slept together for the last time, simply cherishing each other’s comforting presence. He wanted to stay with her the entire day but the office required him for an important meeting for a new project.

As always she was the one to get up first and by the time he woke up and got ready she had breakfast ready. They had had a long discussion on to how they would stay in touch with each other once today found an end.

“I want to you to at least send me two mails per week, nothing much. You surely can do that.”

She didn’t say anything. She never did speak when she knew he would know the answer.

“I am serious. If you don’t I’ll come over and kill you. I mean it.”

Who was he kidding; he couldn’t lay a finger on her if his life depended on it. He did need to impress his need to stay in touch with her. Why did she have to leave in the first place?

“Don’t worry I’ll send you your two mails. We’ll try and stay in touch.”

Here he was uttering non sense and yet she understood how much he loved her, how desperate he was to have her

“Well get up now, you have to be in time for your meeting. Don’t worry I’ll be here when you come back”

He hoped she would, God only knew what’d happen to him if he came home and found it empty. They got up and she walked him to his car. She gave him a good luck kiss and some how it felt like a good bye kiss already. He started his car and his eyes on the rear view mirror and watched her till he had to take the turn that soon came. He had almost an entire day to go through. The meeting went fine; he got promoted to the head of the new project. Slowly but surely it was evening and he left his office. Half way through he pulled his car over and called her.

“Are you there at home?” She could be unpredictable and he couldn’t take not seeing her for the last time.

“Yes”

“Give me ten minutes; I am half way over already.”

She greeted him with a tight hug when he entered.

“How are you doing?” He asked her once she let go of him. She never said things for the sake of it.

She had made his favorite Rajma Chawal as he had thought.

“How was your day today? Would you like to take a bath first?” She then proceeded to the dining table. She knew his answer already. They sat down to eat.

“Went nice, Got promoted to the head of the new project.”

She looked away. Maybe it was the tears in her eyes that could come out any time, maybe it was the pain in his. Maybe it was both. He looked at the neat pile of his clothes she had done for him. Doing his clothes was like therapy for her. He woke a night before at two to find her arranging his clothes in the cupboard. She always said that she liked his smell. Who would do it for him now? Who would she do it for now? Who would she cook their favorite dishes now?

“Let’s leave. It’s raining and getting late. Please there is no need to come along.” However he insisted on coming along. They got in to her car and she began to soon maneuver her car through the almost blinding rain. Luckily her place was a few hours away. He sat there stiff like a child with a puffed face, and was careful not touch her. She noticed that and took his hand and smelled it before gently kissing it like she always did. They had reached the bus stop and it was time for him to get off and let her go.

“You promised that you’d write to me at least two times a week.” She nodded.

“Give me this bit of solace I need to live.”It was getting late and he would have to leave now.

“Remember to take care of yourself and don’t smoke again.”

“I will if you keep reminding me. If you ever need me, shout and I’ll be there.” He hadn’t smoked since she was with him and he wasn’t going to now that she was almost away. It would remind him of her not being there. Everything else would too. He got out of the car. They saw each other for some time before she nodded and began to leave. He had begun to cry, his tears masked by the rain. He had held it back ever since he had got in to the car. He couldn’t let her see him cry. May be she knew that too and couldn’t see him. That’s why he saw a drop of tear roll down her cheek too before she drove off.

He began his walk back instead of taking the bus, hoping that someone may hit him on the way home. He didn’t know if he could live without her.