The Scent of Love - 5

Whenever he was at his home or somewhere, separated from the college campus, the fragrance of jasmine flowers gifted him the memories of Tina. His imaginations of Tina took life when his olfactory glands got the sensation of Jasmine. He lived with her in his fantasies when the fragrance of Jasmine flowers surrounded him, when the waves of a distant music touched his eardrums. Every night he dreamed her; and in his dreams, Tina inadvertently raised her face, and showered a beautiful smile for him. While walking through the streets, while doing some routine jobs, when the wind inadvertently brought the fragrance of Jasmine flowers to his nose, Tina came to his font walking from an unknown and unexpected universe.

Albert was never able to open up his heart in front of Tina. Being dangerously shy, Albert had many times purposefully avoided the situations in which he could have been together with her. His unrequited love had made him an introvert at some point of time during his college days. Tina was an outgoing type. She never came to know about her shy college mate’s increasing feelings for her. She never had any hint on the grade of madness that a person suffers due to his inability to confess his love for her.

An angel does not make a good spouse in marriage. Albert always continued to think about her as an angel. So he quit loving her, because of his inability to confess love. But wherever the destiny took him, on the beautiful paths of his life, Jasmine flowers showered scented smiles for him, and he was never able to forget Tina.

Rain was gradually sinking. Albert found himself standing below the Grand Mum tree completely soaked. He wondered, what was that which shifted his three years old memories of Mili to eight years old memories of Tina. It was the scent of Jasmine flowers, brought by the rain drops and wind.  

For Albert, waiting for Mili was not a new experience. After three years long separation, they were going to meet again that day. It was just one night before, he got a call on his phone from an unknown number. When he attended it, a very recognizable voice echoed from the other end. Mili! How he could have forgotten her voice? He wondered.

They agreed on a rendezvous, the Grand Mom Tree in the Rajaji Park, where they used to frequent. The rain was not unanticipated. Because, Albert knew that the nature would be keeping something unanticipated every time for him and her.

Mili appeared with an umbrella in hand, along with the sunlight that was brightened following the rain. She came like a breeze, carrying all the beauty of the wind. He watched curiously at the changes happened to her face. She still has that mysterious smile, he thought. He was curious about her long time separation,

“I wanted to be grown older Albert. I wanted to shed my immaturity”, she said.

He laughed it off. She apologized for the long time absence from his life.

“I learned that I could never stop loving you”, she revealed.

She was despondent after their last meeting at Albert’s apartment. Her only option was to go to the hiding of another city, where she grew up, in order to save her from the mixed emotion she had developed.

They remained sometimes in silent, looking at the edges of universe located far away at the opposite ends.

“What is your plan now?” She asked.

“I want to live just like this. If I get a companion for life, I will make sure that it will be a trusted lifelong partnership”, Albert said.

They wanted to be together again. They recollected the events of their togetherness. How they spent time in restaurants, theatres, parks, and in beaches; how they shared the same umbrella while walking through the streets during hot noon times, and how they ran to find a shelter under the local shops when the rain all of a sudden extended its tentacles towards them.

“Mili, I believe my life with you will be happy and funny. Even though we are humans, I will try my best to make a heaven for you. I will not make you sad, I promise”, he asked at the end, “Will you be mine?”

He saw her eyes were wet then. She was trying to smile between tears. He opened her arms for her, and in moments, she rushed to the shelter of his embrace.

Holding the hands of each other, they walked to the other end and disappeared. The Grand Mom Tree wished them good luck by waving its tree trunks.

A slight breeze came touching the leaves of the trees, carried the light tint of the fragrance of Jasmine flowers away, which had been lingering there the whole time. 

(The End)