1. Square, Squared.

Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new emotion
I want to walk in the open wind
I want to talk like lovers do
I want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you…

With both her ears plugged, Misha was listening to this and singing along. The song was a perfect fit for the weather. She was at her happiest best until the cab broke down around 3km before her workplace. She had no choice but to get down and get another one.

The luck dumped her again as there wasn’t any cab around that could lift her in the next few minutes. While she was embarrassed to ask for a drop, she had no better option left.  She got down and in next 20 seconds, she got drenched.  Busy city where everyone was in rush and the pour to add to it, who would stop for anyone?

A car pulled off and stopped by, the windows rolled down and a gentle voice of a middle-aged man was barely audible. All she could gauge is – he is asking if she wanted to jump in. Without much thought, she entered the car and alongside expressing her gratitude, she began to dry herself with the help of her tiny hankie which itself was too wet to come to rescue. She was offered with a bunch of paper towels that would really work wonders for her; she accepted it against her typical nature.

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Tell you what, I had gotten shipwrecked today but to my luck, got saved and made it to the presentation.

Kritya responded with a basic nod.

Misha was on and on.

Let me call you back, Misha – Kritya hung up with a cold period.

Misha got involved and broke for lunch at the usual time. However, it was a business lunch today with the vendors and hence, she didn’t text or call Kritya. Neither did she receive any message or ring.

It was an hour late than usual when she left work. Per her normal habit, she made a call and like it happened most of the times, it was disconnected. She typed a sentence and initiated her travel.

No response, not even a blue tick until she reached home. With no ego in mind, she redialled.

Hey expect my call soon, I am tied – came the reply.

A good night text at midnight did the trick. She got a call back with a subtle apology.

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An extended weekend to the lovely beach of south coast was around the corner. Misha took an additional leave for shopping and Kritya had planned to work from office during the first half and further remotely, until the seat-belt signs are turned on.

Hello! We are on a vacation and more importantly, we are engaged – Misha otherwise a calm and patient girl sounded tad bit irritated on the third day of their holiday as Kritya was more or less with his stuff since the time they met on the airport.

After a 5 day holiday, the routine resumed for both.

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Shankhesh was married for 4 years and living a life with hardly any zing. Both were working in typical corporate environment. They didn’t have much to talk about and when they conversed, they, especially she had loads to crib on.

She was extremely workaholic hence most of the times, would leave early to work and almost all the times, he would return to home much before she did. They had significant space but barely any spice.

Happy-go-lucky Shankhesh would plan drives, dinners and movies quite often but many a times ended up enjoying it in solitude due to needless-to-mention reasons.

The idea of a weekend for her was to do research on her professional topics of interest and for him, it was to stretch legs and either read a novel or laze under the sun. Most of the times, this would happen at their home. Seldom, a holiday would shape up especially when an opportunity of an extended weekend came along but the respective ideas yet remained the same.

It’s been long we have made out. Is this a right night for you? – Shankhesh requested in a smooth tone.

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How can I make things right for him so that things get perfect between the both of us? – Misha was speaking to herself in the pantry but the tone was audible to him who just had entered for a cup of coffee.

I am sorry to poke in but is everything ok?

Oh! Hi, I am so sorry I couldn’t even thank you properly last week and then I was off on a vacation and have resumed today itself. I never knew we were on the same floor. I feel apologetic and moreover, it is so silly of me that neither I asked your name or number so that I can just come up to you and express my gratitude – Misha was non-stop until she felt she had to take a breath.

Hang on, it’s alright. I came in for a cup of coffee and I got so much of thank you and sorry that my stomach won’t accept, neither my heart would like as much. Ha-ha – He tried to relax the conversation and added – I don’t belong to this floor. I had come to catch up with someone but look, who has been caught. He ended the last sentence with a beam.

Misha complemented with a laughter and rearranged her hair, which made her look all the more beautiful and full of life.

So, when are we meeting for our next cuppa? – He jolted in.

I am a coffee person – She winked.

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Hey, we did plan a coffee and you are still at work. I am waiting at the coffee house since 30 minutes; a text from your end would have helped, Kritya.

Well Misha, I know but…

Chuck it, Kritya. Some other time. Misha placed an order for takeaway and to her surprise she was patted on her back.

I didn’t plan this but here I catch you again. Today, I am forced to trust my luck for the second time and probably the last.

Misha’s derailed mood came back to normalcy and she chipped in. I thought you were third time lucky today. You seem to have forgotten the rainy day.

Come on, that time you were lucky – He blasted even before he finished the last word.

Ha-Ha, but why did you say – probably the last?

From next time, I would be confident and so, luck would be out of picture – came the reply following by a wink.

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How come you are so confident? – Shankhesh asked his wife.

I am not only confident but sure enough about this.

Ok, go ahead.

She had to travel for a month for striking a huge deal for her organization. It was supposed to be a hectic trip that included due diligence and working towards a live proof of concept and that too at the client’s experimental location.

Shankhesh was apprehensive as it was an unknown location and a much longer than usual trip. His caring attitude put him in a state of worry but there was nothing much he could do about it.

Her ambitious nature and bold attitude didn’t allow her to focus on anything else. She left after a week.

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For this entire week, we haven’t met and have hardly spoken on phone. Can we please meet today? – This text message went out from Misha’s phone after a lot of edits.

Let’s meet up tonight at the airport coffee house before I fly for an assignment – a subtle response popped up on her phone.

What? Which assignment? Did we speak about? – Three questions in a row reflected some amount of agony.

Something sudden. Backfilling for my subordinate who can’t due to an exigency. More at the terminal. Laters – bullet point reply.

The flight took off alongside so many thoughts that landed in Misha’s mind; predominant of which was – What wrong have I done to him?

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I think I was wrong. This is sheer fate again. Ha-ha.

He was right in front of Misha but she was engaged in her thoughts and hence didn’t respond at par with the expectation.

Since I have arrived after you are done with your coffee, you are feeling sad. Is it?

Kindly let me be alone – Misha started walking.

He was dumbstruck.

After a few steps, she looked back and requested if he wanted to walk along for a while.

He agreed.

She apologized.

They walked. Initiated a chat that lasted for over 45 minutes.

More than chat, it was a monologue.

Let’s have a cuppa, what say? – The monologue ended with a statement followed by a 2 word question?

Wow, you and tea? – He was surprised.

Consider it as a compensation for listening. Ha-ha – Misha couldn’t resist.

Well, we need to go back to the airport as I have left my car there – He exclaimed.

Oh no! Silly of me – Misha was feeling inept but she laughed at herself.

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Don’t be silly, Misha – I had texted you about my arrival.

Yes, it’s been 2 days post that, Kritya.

Ok, I am fine, you take care – Kritya was uninterested in engaging himself on the conversation as he had to enter the boardroom where the vendor team was waiting.

Arnita, who was leading the project, had come up with a presentation.

Kritya was impressed but smartly he kept it to himself.

After the presentation, Arnita had arranged a dinner party and was more than keen to know the feedback from Kritya.

They entered into a dialogue and after a warm-up talk, Arnita attempted to pull him into the feedback mode.

After the dinner, they took a stroll and exchanged insights from their professional experience so far. They discovered many things in common and with no much realization, the talks manoeuvred from professional to personal.

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My personal life is not worth discussing – he hummed.

This isn’t fair. I told everything about my life and when I asked you, your lips got locked – Misha sweetly complained.

Ha-ha. If I start, you will get fed up and probably this would be the last sip with you. Post that nothing will work – neither luck nor confidence.

Misha raised her eyebrows and quoted – That’s not funny but your wish. She turned the face towards the west after the statement.

He steered her chin with his thumb and finger towards east and their eyes met.

I will surely tell you my story but let’s keep it for some other day. It is late today and let me drop you back home. Also, I need a reason for our next coffee meet, try to comprehend. Ha-ha.

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Kritya and Misha met over a light dinner. Misha wanted to tell him few things but since she wasn’t very expressive, was struggling to frame the words.

While they were about to wrap the evening up, Kritya asked her if he can spend some time with her.

Misha was surprised but she nodded in agreement.

Kritya was upfront and he told Misha every about his trip. He also told her that he met Arnita and described about how well the chemistry worked between the both of them.

Arnita and Shankhesh filed a divorce after Shankhesh confessed about her relationship with Misha.

Kritya moved in with Arnita and Shankhesh started living with Misha.

Both the couples got back on the track and the love square was squared.