The Refused Proposal- Ongoing

The city of Amsterdam

Chapter 20

As Shreerang boarded the plane back to India from Schiphol Airport, he felt a tinge of regret.

He couldn't do much sightseeing this time since he was there on a work trip but whatever glimpses he got of the city were breathtaking enough to be reminisced. He wanted to visit the famous museums too. He made a resolution of coming back again and visiting them and also trying the popular cycle rides through the city. He had seen people enjoying themselves on it while he was on his quick run for meals.

However there were few things in the city that made him homesick too.

The colorful old buildings somehow made him miss his Wada in Pune. The elderly cute couples reminded him of his own parents.

He pulled out his cellphone from blazer pocket and started checking new messages. His cellphone was swamped with unread ones.

He found some photos that were sent  by Sarika Aunty recently. He hadn't noticed them in the sea of other messages earlier. The other messages were mostly from his mother dearest who reached out to him on WhatsApp mostly since the timezones were different. Calling wasn't such a feasible option.

She had video called him only once, during his stay in Amsterdam and that was when he saw glimpses of Shrimayi in the background. As much as he didn't want to admit to himself, it did make him happy.

It was the first time he hadn't seen her for so many days or atleast the five days he had spent apart felt like it. She was explaining his father how to play chess on a mobile phone.

Those two were turning into a chess maniac day by day,he thought to himself.

Then she suddenly stood behind his mother and was asking her where she had kept some masala.

However she had stopped mid-sentence upon watching him on the phone screen.

"Shrimayi is making fried rice."His mother had announced to him proudly.

"Here. Talk to Ranga while I find that masala you need."with this she vanished into the kitchen, leaving him to face his wife alone.

They didn't speak for a whole minute.

Shreerang kept looking here and there while Shrimayi waited for her mother-in-law to appear again. Soon he realised that there wasn't much point in staying on the call.

"I have to get back to work. I should end the call."He said awkwardly.

She had only nodded in response and then the screen went blank.

Currently he was looking at the picture of the two of them wearing matching heart lockets. He was smiling in it while his one hand was wrapped around Shrimayi so comfortably. He chuckled at the stunt he had pulled off. If they were alone she would have threatened him with her karate skills which he was yet to witness.

His eyes ravished her beauty. She looked so pure with wet hair and the Anarkali kurta she had worn along with a pair of ripped jeans. The chunky silver earrings added a spark to her personality.

And the most important thing of all was that she was looking at him.

Actually looking at him while surprise was etched all over her face.

Suddenly the announcement of take off blasted through the speakers of plane. He contemplated deleting the photos but then changed his mind and switched off his phone without deleting any of them.

Afterall it wasn't everyday, Shrimayi Paranjpe gave him her full attention like that.

He fell asleep on the flight for almost three hours and was woken up by the sound of a baby crying. The latter's mother looked embarrassed while his father was least bothered about any of it. He kept watching something on the screen in front of him.