Sweet Nothings

They sat there silently on the opposite sides of the table. Earlier, when they used to meet, holding hands was as good as a norm. But now it was different.
"Why didn't you write something about me? I always wanted you to surprise me someday."
He smiled a knowing smile. "Ok.....let me try."
He scratched his chin. A thin, wiry smile was beginning to form, as thoughts started to come together. "Listen to this....”

I was living a curse,
Until I met you!
It was going to be worse,
Until I met you!
.............
.............
I could have fallen for the nurse
Until I met you!

He laughed and she smiled, softly punching his shoulder, "Very funny!!"
They silently stared at other tables. It was an ironic situation.
"Tell me something sweet", she said, as if cutting through his thoughts.
He looked away and said.....

The moments we shared
The way we cared
You gave me lot of smiles
That would last us all the miles

She looked away. Her hand moved across the table to hold his hand tightly. A small tear drop forming at the corner of her eye.
"I am sorry", she said softly.
"Don't be......it was all its worth."
They were silent for a while.
"Why did you let me go then? Couldn't you have stopped me?” she asked.
"I don't know, have thought of it many times. I couldn't have refused your dad. And, then, I was nothing."
"That’s so stupid. You could have just asked me what I wanted. But you and dad didn't. So let us not discuss this further, it makes me mad."
They stayed silent for some more time. Their hands were so comfortable with each other.
Then she said, "I read something longtime back, it struck a chord somewhere in me. Listen to this......."

Ranjha dhoondan main gayi
Ranjha milaya na moye
Rabb milaya, Ranjha na milaya
Rabb Ranjhe jaisa koye!!

Her eyes were now brimming with tears. A surging pain from the past was coming to the fore. He saw it and stayed quiet for a few moments. Their tightly clasped hands were now providing solace to each other.

"So where is God today?" he asked after another long silence.

Quiet for a while….. She smiled, taking her hands back, "He went to drop the kids with his mom. Should be here any moment.....ah here he is."

They stood and he shook hands with her husband.
"My God", he said winking at her, "we finally meet."
She was fighting hard not to look flushed.
It was going to be a long and difficult, but necessary, evening for all of them. She introduced them and went head on to make peace between her past and present.