Reunion

Like most teenagers my adolescence was spent with friends, friends and friends. Among many I had one best friend with whom sharing anything and everything was natural and routine. We spent hours between classes and most of the daytime together. Our parents had a very hard time keeping us off the phone during holidays.

We were growing up. Life had not started taking a roller coaster ride yet. Suddenly the things that we talked and giggled about started taking shape. Her life saw the entrance of a teenaged boy. I was very happy and concerned at the same time whether he would turn out to be Mr. Right for her.

Days turned to weeks. Our meetings became scanty. I don't remember having a proper fight between us, but irritability increased as she skipped appointments with me only to spend more time with him. Our calls became short and less frequent. I was surely missing my best friend. The end of teenage and the threshold of adulthood were marked by another event. I met a handsome face. The most important position in my life was taken by this person. I could now understand her feelings and her desire to be with her boyfriend and spend time with him.

Time flew. We were now struggling with our careers, somewhat still trying to get acquainted with the topsy turvy corporate world. It has been a few years that we have seen each other. I met her again. This time we were at a restaurant with her husband by her side. I was trying to get acquainted with this man whom I knew as a teenager. I was aghast with what he revealed. He said that he was very jealous of me, how he fought with her for spending more time with me, sharing everything with me, how he stopped her from meeting me, how very systematically he broke our bond. He could realize the depth of our friendship only when my friend stopped him from meeting his best friend. (childish!!) He was apologizing. Being a matured person, I had no grievance. I was happy to get back my friend. Somehow the years of separation had built a huge gap between us. We could never be like we were before.

Time passed. Life took a nasty turn for me. My long and strong relationship was crushing. I could do nothing to prevent it. Suddenly it felt like a portion of my heart being painfully scooped out. I could no longer turn to the handsome face which I knew for all these years so well for solace. Painful days were followed by even painful nights. Staying normal became a challenge. I had to work hard to keep my regular voice while I spoke and fight tears when alone. I declined all sympathies coming from well wishers and friends, started going out to movies, restaurants, parties, social gatherings....

This time I met her again. We embraced each other. Silent tears came out from the confident, arrogant, determined, strong eyes. No console. No gesture of reassurance. I don't know how many minutes passed when we finally drew apart. I looked up at her face and knew that she had been silently crying with me. I knew that finally my best friend is back.

Update: She hardly gets any time from her busy household to talk to me. At times we are half the globe away from each other. Still, deep inside I know that there is no gap. We have been reunited.