WHERE IS THE STORY???

Episode-2

 It was a long day in office. I took a cab back home.When I was nearing my street, I lowered the window pane to take a look out. The Vikram Hospital there was  fully decorated with serial bulbs.

“What is special today?” I asked the driver.

“Don’t you know mam? It is their 25^th anniversary.”

“Oh! 25 years of service” I exclaimed.

“How long have you been a driver?”

“36 years”

“Don’t you celebrate anniversaries?”

After a long day of hectic work, I was not actually interested in talking too much. But I kept prolonging my conversation just to divert my mind and as we neared the dead end of the vikram hospital lane, I suddenly looked out and screamed,

“Anna! Stop near Veekay Apartments.”

He pressed the clutch and applied sudden brake, then turned, looked at me and said,

“Anniversary? It’s just a matter of daily bread.”

The security guard, a short man with long moustache opened the main gate. The gate was opened too fast that it gave a clinging sound as it dashed against the compound wall. I strolled across the car parking area towards the lift. The light beam from the tube lights were making the night bright enough. When I neared the lift, I looked at  my image reflection in a  car window and adjusted my hair.I was reminded of the tall young man I saw that morning and tried imitating his facial expressions . I smiled slightly one sided and curled my lips. The dimple in my cheek grew even deeper .Ha Ha. I giggled a little , believing that there is none looking at me.

To my surprise , the car window was lowered. There were two little kids.

”Akka we are playing hide and seek . Don’t tell anyone. “, the girl whispered.

“No I won’t “I replied with a gentle nod, turned and thanked God because these little children  did not notice what I was doing.

One of the girls called me again in a whispering note.When I turned to her,

“Akka! I saw what you did.”, she said.

 I was really embarrassed. I curled my lips, shrunk my forehead, shrugged my shoulders and whispered, “Don’t tell anyone.”  ,with my right index finger taking its place on my lips.

The girl smiled. I dint  stand there anymore.I turned back and walked fast towards the lift, as if I was in a race.

“Where do these children hail from? All of them target me.” I murmured in humiliation.

I entered the lift and pressed 3. When the lift door opened, I turned right in the long corridor. I was only two steps away from my room, when my phone rang.

Must be Wincy,  Who else ,I thought. And Bingo! It was Wincy.

“Reached home?”

“Yes dear. Just now, you?“ I asked.

"Reached office."

That was it and the call ended.

Wincy, my best friend , my roommate. Everytime I think of Wincy, I get reminded of an interesting saying, “We lived together for twenty years and then we met.”

We have been staying together for the past three years and we hardly meet. She works in night shifts. So, when I get back from work she would have already left for work. But we do talk. Every time I feel disturbed and every time I think of Arun, I dial her number.

To be continued..