Dear Pat

Letter 16

Dear Pat,

So, I shall begin where I left off. I finished work and was ready to leave at 7. Meghana and I hopped down the stairs and reached the entrance for swiping out our cards. We were chatting as we reached the gate when she looked up and saw something to make her eyes go round. She went, "Oh my God!"

I looked up and said, "What?"

She held my arm and said, "Dude, it's Tanmay Tripathi!"

I looked to where she was gesturing and saw him sitting on a katta bench reading a book. He was dressed in a white shirt with his sleeves rolled up and black pants. The stubble had grown a little more. He was oblivious to the world with his attention focused on the book. He turned a page and continued to read.

Meghana turned to me and asked, "He was coming to pick you up?"

I shook my head. I replied, "No, I didn't know."

She smiled and jumped up to say, "Dude, you have to introduce me! I want a picture for my Instagram!"

I laughed and asked, "Wait, is he that popular?"

She paused and said, "Not in general terms. But in the theatre circles, he is a real up and comer. His writing is so lovely, dude! You must watch one of his plays!"

I nodded. It felt so nice to listen to all that, Pat. I then looped my arm around Meghana's and pulled her towards the katta bench where he was sitting. When our shadows fell on his book, he looked up and broke into that smile. And the heart as usual skipped a beat. I smiled back and said, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

He slammed the book shut in a flourish and shook his head to stand up and say, "I'm so sorry. I came here to pick you up and I got this book to keep me company. I don't even know when I got so engrossed." His eyes then went to Meghana. He held out his hand and said, "And now I'm being ruder. I'm sorry. I'm Tanmay. You must be Lakshmi's friend?"

Meghana broke into a smile of her own and shook his hand. Then in a quick rush, she said, "I'm so thrilled to meet you! I've been a huge fan since I watched Agyakaari. I wish I could see the other two. Everyone speaks so highly of your performances."

His eyes lit up, Pat, at the mention of that. He smiled and said, "That's so kind of you! Thank you so much! I hope you come to the next one. It's not far away."

She replied, "I so want to! I haven't booked tickets yet because our training period gets over a day before the play begins. So I'm afraid if I'll be watch it or not."

He nodded thoughtfully as his eyes met mine for a brief moment. He then went back to Meghana and said, "I hope both of you can come for the play. Let me know if you need any help procuring the tickets."

Meghana smiled and said, "That's...I don't even know what to say! I have...a favour to ask actually."

He quirked up an eyebrow in question. She pulled out her phone and asked, "Can I have a picture with you?"

He burst out laughing at that. Almost as if he couldn't believe it. He shook his head and asked, "Really? Of course."

I held out my hand to Meghana and said, "Give, I'll take."

Meghana smiled widely at me and gave me her phone. She then went and stood next to Tanmay awkwardly. She smiled at the phone and Tanmay chuckled and looked at me before looking into the phone to smile his smile. I clicked a bunch of pictures and said, "done!"

Meghana smiled and rushed towards me to take her phone. She looked at the pictures and looked at me to say, "Thank you!" I smiled back at her and rolled my eyes to say, "Duh!" She giggled and looked at Tanmay to say, "Thanks! I will take your leave now. I'm so so glad to have met you in person. And I can't wait to see your new play. I'll catch it somehow for sure."

He nodded and replied, "The pleasure was all mine. I hope to see you in the audience. Take care!"

With that, she patted my arm and walked away towards an auto. Tanmay came closer and looked at me to say, "Hey."

I grinned up at him and said, "Hey back."

Author's Note: I am on a writing spree today. So, I shall continue with the next chapter as well today. And I'm very happy because that hasn't happened since 'Not You.' And to think there was a time when I almost didn't think I would finish this story. Uff.

Seeya soon!

S.