Short Story: A Whisper on a Zephyr

(My first attempt at writing a romantic short story. Kindly grade me on mush factor: A - Nice - made me feel warm and fuzzy; B - Not bad, but I wouldn't hire you; C - Hand me some detergent, I got mush all over me! )

"I need your help," declared Tara, plopping down her coffee mug, "Remember my friend Sharanya?"

"Pretty little thing, shoulder-length hair, quotes Kipling when indignant and Yeats when murderous? How could I forget?" said Hari.

Tara giggled. "Well, she's been feeling low since her break-up way back in Jan, so I told her I'll find her a date who doesn't smoke, isn't a male chauvinist pig, and appreciates literature."

"Tough one."

"And seeing that all the guys I know are either married or in a different country, I thought you could recommend one for a blind date."

"Actually, I do know someone who fits the bill. I'll give Kiran a call. You've met him."

"Kiran... oh, the guitar guy? The songwriter-cum-singer chap?" she made a face, "Too chocolatey for my taste." Then she brightened, "What am I thinking? This is not for me. He'll be perfect for Sharanya!"

"Chocolatey?" he sounded amused. "Wait till I tell him. The expression on his face ought to be priceless!"

"Oh, you're an evil man!"

"So, which one am I?"

"Eh?"

"Married, or in a different country?"

Tara spluttered coffee all over the table. "Well, it's just that I've never seen you date and I've known you for how long, six years?" He raised an eyebrow as if to say all the more reason. "Not to imply that you're gay or anything, I know you're not," she said hastily. The other eyebrow went up. "Well, we've decided on Kiran, so that's that!" she said, defiantly ending the conversation.

-----------

"A blind date?" Kiran sounded doubtful.

"Don't worry, she is pretty, I've seen her," assured Hari.

"It's not the looks, I mean, I know nothing about her. What if she is the yelling type, or the technology type? You know I don't get along very well with most of your female friends."

"Look, I'll give you an escape call if you want, alright? Just give it a shot."

"Alright... twenty minutes after I'm in, you're calling me up, ok? I'll make up some emergency if I want to get out."

"Fine. By the way, I know exactly who you were thinking about when you said yelling and technology. She thinks you're too chocolatey, incidentally."

Kiran looked flabbergasted. "Chocolatey? Chocolatey? What the hell is that supposed to..."

But Hari was already out the door, grinning widely.

-------

Tara couldn't put her finger on it. She was bothered.

Why doesn't he date?

And why do I not think of him as "available"?

I have been taking him for granted.

Good lord! I haven't told him I am moving!

Why haven't I told him? Why is that so hard?

"Don't you have a call to make?" the voice shook her out of her reverie. Tara looked at her watch, and sure enough, it was time to make a call. She shot Hari a glare.

How did he know it was time for me to make a call?

She dialled the number and listened. Then, she simply said, "Ok," nodded and disconnected the call. As if on cue, Hari picked up his cell and made a call.

Kiran watched Sharanya hang up her phone and immediately excused himself as his own phone rang.

"Why on earth are you drinking hot chocolate? Aren't you man enough for an espresso?"

Not even a hello. "How the hell did you know I am drinking hot chocolate? Are you in here?"

"Actually, I didn't. But I do now."

"She's drinking pink lemonade. What do you say to that?"

"She's a girl. What's your excuse?"

"You're supposed to be asking how my date is going."

"I know you and I know her. I'm sure the date is going just fine."

"If you knew it would go fine, then why did you agree to call?"

"So that you would stop whining."

"Alright, so you had a reason to say you would call, but why did you actually call?"

"Couldn't pass up the opportunity to pull your leg."

The line went dead.

Hari chuckled and shut the phone. Tara, who was mentally filling up the other side of the conversation, was laughing. "You're an insensitive lummox, you know that?"

"So you keep saying."

At the other end, Kiran was apologising. "That was Hari. He's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack."

"Crumple-Horned Snorkacks don't exist."

"Exactly. He's unbelievable."

Laughter. A pause. "That was your escape call, wasn't it?"

"And that was yours, so we're square." Kiran was grinning.

"Ouch. Okay, we're square. Let's shake on that." She proferred a hand.

Kiran shook it, but she was already saying, "So, who are your favourite authors?"

"Hmmm.... J.D. Salinger... Ayn Rand... Aldous Huxley."

"Interesting... in a way, they are all social commentators, but their styles and viewpoints are all unique."

"My turn. I'm told you like poetry. Your favourite poets?"

--------

Tara was gathering up her courage. "Let's go for a walk. Someplace else. I have something to tell you."

Why did he not date?

"Okay. Beach?"

She nodded. "Yes. I need air."

It didn't take them long to arrive. They headed towards the water. "So, what is it?"

"I'm quitting the company. I'll be moving to Bangalore. You know my team here hates me."

"I know. You boss consulted me on your replacement."

He turned around to see that she had stopped, two steps behind.

"You knew?!! And yet you said nothing!"

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to telling me. I thought I'd give you some space."

Tara grit her teeth. Oaf! Lummox! Insensitive, thickheaded fool!

But a small voice in her head asked, Him or me?

------

"Oh my God!" said Kiran, "Look at the time!" Glancing down at his half finished drink, he added a rueful "The late hot chocolate."

Sharanya looked at her equally unfinished lemonade and pushed it away in distaste. "Let's leave. I want to listen to your songs, the ones you wrote yourself. Tara said they were quite good."

"What about dinner? It is rather late."

"We'll order pizza or something."

"Okay... I don't mind. Won't be the first time I stuck to my guitar instead of eating proper food."

-------

With growing panic, Tara realized why it was so hard for her to tell him she was moving. Why she never really thought of him as "available".

"Listen... I'm going to miss you. As irreverent and facetious and... and... an insensitive lummox as you are, I will miss you. This may sound crazy, but I want to ask you something."

"You sure have a strange way of asking me for a favour." A faint smile played on his lips. "Go on."

"Come to Bangalore. In fact, the company I am joining needs a team lead in their Embedded Systems department. You would be perfect for it. You'll get a substantial raise, I'm sure."

Without a break in his stride, he replied, "Okay."

Tara was again stranded two steps behind. Okay, he says. Just like that. And then she realized. He knew I was going to ask. How does he know all these things?

In a flash of insight, she figured out why he never dated.

"Do I have to search for an apartment?" That infuriating smile again.

She knew him well. It was no simple question. That man and his subtleties! This was as close to a proposal as she was going to get from him. Lummox!

My Lummox.

She put her hand around him and leaned on his shoulder, with a contented sigh. "No. Mine is big enough for the two of us."

He put his hand around her waist. They walked, the waves lapping at their feet.

-------

Sharanya was sitting on the floor, her back against the wall. Her eyes were closed. Her feet swayed in beat to the soft strumming of the guitar, and the sound of Kiran's voice.

It feels like...
Early spring rain.
It feels like...
You're drunk on elixir.

Sometimes, love hits you hard,
Like an oncoming train.
Sometimes, love comes softly,
Like a whisper on a zephyr.

X-----X------X