She entered the dingy waiting room at the railway station. It was a small square room with three benches against the three walls and a door on the fourth. The stench complementing the dirt dropped around making it evident that it had not be used, frequented or seldom cleaned. She moved to the bench on the left of the room and tried to sit there, but she noticed the bench was not clean. She moved on the opposite bench, a small window faced the railway tracks; she placed the papers in her hands and the bag on the bench and wrapped her handkerchief on her hand and pushed the window out. After some struggle she could force the rusted hinges to budge. The rain showered just to confess the earth of its love. She kept staring at the downpour thinking it rained the same that night.
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“How did you come here Ananya?”
“That doesn’t matter Rohan, the rains are not stronger than your voice on the phone that even though was calm screamed you would leave me.”
“You are drenched, don’t stand there, and come inside.”
“I have lots of questions Rohan, but don’t give me an answer. Just say it once that Reema is better than me. She has it all beauty, care, money and love that I don’t. Just say it, my heart will be lighter and life will be easier to live then.” There was no comparison of the speed of her tears to that of the downpour.
“It won’t be easier Ananya, it will be even difficult. The thought of living without you kills me in an instant.”
“Looking at your innocent face, I feel like believing in you again Rohan.” She added.
“What I am saying is true, but I also know that if you see the storm coming head on it makes sense to turn your boat and move away.” He added with a straight emotionless face.
“You have started talking a lot of sense Rohan. I just regret that why I did not get this sense before you did. Today please also tell me what if our paths ever cross in the future then….”
Before she could complete he said, “Then we will not promise each other to meet again Ananya.”
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Ananya just dropped herself on the bench, staring at the slow moving fan on the ceiling, lost in oblivion.
After a while a man entered hastily and sat on the adjacent bench trying to read the papers in his again and again. Ananya too lost in her thoughts did not notice any activity. He noticed her, dragged himself on the bench to get a closer view. The woman he saw looked tired, her hair were loosely tied in a bun which touched her nape. Her sky blue chiffon saree was worn perfect; her wedges were seen beneath the saree as she rested her feet forward. Her face looked like a tired bird that had migrated miles to reach home. Her hands showed she was used to working and not in any luxury.
“Ananya?”
She opened her eyes slowly and she straightened her head that rested on the bench. Moving forward she tried to recognise the frame of the man under the dim light bulb.
“Rohan, is that you?” her voice had matured, speaking out loud that she was a woman and not a girl in late twenties anymore.
“Yes, it’s me.” A restless voice responded, the breathing was loud and hard. A closer look at Rohan made her realise, his face was worn out and worried, his dark lips exposed that he was a chain smoker now. His feet constantly moving as he spoke.
“How are you Rohan?” her voice calm as a still lake.
“How are you Ananya? 6 years have passed and we meet today.” He said unsurprisingly.
“What difference does it make in meeting today or not meeting the entire life?” She sighed.
“You haven’t changed a bit, Ananya.”
“What would we have got by both of us changing Rohan; only one among us changed sufficed. You changed was enough.”
“So you left him Ananya, you didn’t marry?”
“Gaddi lagne wali hai, chheti aao” (“the train is going to arrive, don’t be late.”) the station master announced and left in a jiffy.
“It’s already late.” Ananya murmured to herself and got up slowly moving towards the door, Rohan saw the papers on the bench left behind. He picked them and got up, the bulb hanging flashed on the papers and the only thing he could make out that they were legal papers which read ADOPTION.
“Ananya, these papers are yours, left behind.”
Ananya turned startled, “No, I have mine.” as she put her hand forth to show the papers. The light bulb flashed on the paper and it read, DIVORCE.
Rohan quietly took the papers from her hand and handed her papers back. This train journey was going to be really long.
