You are So Beautiful
Part - 3

By Pangamba777 *

She looked at me in surprise for a long moment and said jokingly, 'Pangamba, it's a tough question, dear. Please ask an easy question.' And then she broke into laughter.

I thought a moment and said, 'Somi, how much do you love me?'

Suddenly, she kept quiet. I wondered inside.

After sometime, she started to speak slowly with a cracked voice, 'Well, I am in between two fires right now, Pangamba. It's not that I don't love you, dear but it's just that I don't want to break my mother's heart. You know she is all I have. But now I am undecided yet; please help me decide. Pangamba, I am going to do whatever you say now.' She said her heart out.

I looked into her beautiful eyes for a long moment. Suddenly, I realized it was a tough decision I would ever make. She dared to place her life on my hands. Several thoughts were flying at the speed of light again. But I had to decide... quickly. And I knew it was not going to be a joke.

'I understand you, dear,' I started slowly. Now, I knew I could no longer keep her inside the cage of my heart. Finally, I had to set her free. And that time had come. And I knew it was not going to be that easy. But I decided anyway. 'Somi, please don't feel sorry for me in any way.'

I continued after a thoughtful moment, 'Even soulmates, sometimes, do not meet at the end. Don't worry for me, dear. I'll be fine; let worry worries itself. And now I want you to fulfill your mother's desire. I know your mother has been through a lot. Now it's your time to make her smile again. Will you, Somi... for me?' I was fighting an overpowering emotion inside.

I saw her beautiful eyes filled with tears again. 'Pangamba...' She cried and she couldn't go any further. And she quickly gave me a tight embrace and cried her heart out. I tried to fight tears but they overcame me at last. I also cried quietly. It's hard to fight tears when they come like a flood.

Love does, sometimes, separate apart...

We both cried. She still sobbed with her face on my heart. And I held her close. I had no idea how much time we had spent outside the office. And I didn't care anything else... except her at that moment.

'Somi, please stop crying, baby. You don't look beautiful in tears. I say sorry; I made you cry a lot to night.'

'No, please dear.'

Suddenly, Bryan Adams' 'Everything I do, I do it for you...' sang from her mobile phone. There is a call... After sometime, she picked up her phone. And she started talking in Mizo language. I knew it was from her friend. And she looked at me and said slowly, 'Pangamba, everyone is leaving for the day.'

I looked at my watch and saw it was four o'clock in the morning. 'Two hours gone so fast!' I whispered quietly inside. I never wanted that night to end but somehow it had to be ended anyway.

'Somi, please don't worry about me. Make your Mom smile this time. That will make me happy too. I'll be fine.'

She nodded, 'Pangamba, I don't know what to say to you.'

'We'll remain good friends.'

She nodded. But before she could say anything, I changed the subject quickly, 'What's your plan for the weekend?'

She looked at me for a long moment and said slowly, 'Saturday, I'll rest whole day; Sunday, I am going to Church with my Mom. What about you?'

'I will rest at home the whole two days. By the way, please include me in your prayers, Somi.'

'Sure, I'll...' Again suddenly, her mobile phone sang again, Bryan Adams' 'Everything I do, I do it for you...' She picked up her phone again. After a while, she said, 'The vehicle is waiting for both of us.'

'Okay. You go ahead, dear. I'll stay back for a while.'

'You often stay back whenever I am in the same vehicle; don't you?' She complained.

'Somi, please don't get me wrong. I have to shut down my PC... and I have some work to do. Have you shut down your PC?

'Yeah, already shut down. What work?... Some secret work?' She smilingly asked.

'Yeah, some secret work.' I laughed. She also laughed after me.

And then she started to wave goodbye and suddenly stopped. She was silent a moment and then she said, "Pangamba, now on I am going to believe in what you said 'Even soulmates, sometimes, do not meet at the end'. And... I am really sorry, dear..."

'Don't be sorry, please Somi. I am all right. Look, now the vehicle is waiting for you.'

And she forced herself a smile and then waved goodbye, 'Take care. Have a nice weekend, dear.' And she hurried towards the vehicle.

'You too. Sweet dream! Sweet lady.' I said aloud from behind. And I stood still looking at her direction. Somi, you will never know how much I love you, dear. It's just that I don't want to see you cry. I know you love your mother so much. And from now on, I will be no more a fire to you; now you are free. Like a wind.

And she was gone.

When she left, I felt empty inside, again. I felt as if a part of me had left me. And I stood still inside the garden; I felt alone. And I looked up. I saw the moon still shining beautifully high above the sky. And I whispered slowly into the air, 'You are so beautiful, dear. I am going to miss you. A lifetime.'

Notes: Names changed and some facts ommitted in this story.

Concluded...