The night sky was lustrous. Mild showers played all the right tunes. Moonlight and pool side accentuated the mood. His fingers entwined in mine. His sinewy hand grabbed my waist.
Just then my funny bone tickled and I took out my phone. “Selfie time!” I rolled my naughty eyes in response to his tensed brows. “Memories till we meet again, darling.” My voice softened.
Soon he dragged me closer and our lips inter-locked. The time stopped and the world disappeared. It was just him and me and the rhapsody of love.
For the rest of the night we were dancing and drinking, having the best time of our lives in Goa.
Next morning, I woke up startled as I realised my phone was not by the bedside.
“Garry, wake up. My phone is missing.” I panicked.
“Don’t worry.” He murmured, still asleep.
“Garry, it had my office project, my mails, my social media accounts, everything. Oh gosh, Garry it had our pictures from the last night.”
The information hit him hard and he was wide-awake. “Use my phone and change all the passwords. Remember, where you left it?”
“No, it might have fallen while dancing.”
Garry then rummaged through the place in vain for my phone.
……………….
“Back to Delhi man. You sure had fun in Goa.” An office colleague sneered.
I was taken aback by his sudden remark. “What makes you think I was in Goa. I had gone to uncle….”
“Come on, Mukul! The whole world knows. Check your Twitter.” He said.
Suddenly all the hell broke loose. There was a picture of me and Garry kissing.
With shivering hands, I called Garry. “Garry, I think I forgot to change my Twitter password. We are dead. Damn me, Garry.”
Before Garry could respond, I had my wife calling on the office landline. All she did for another half an hour was scream and hurl abuses. But I knew this is how it was meant to be.
Soon after she left me forever.
My parents could not come to terms with the reality for long. Every day I would make them understand that this is natural and absolutely normal. It is no one’s bad. Once even Garry too came to meet them. He said ‘Maybe if they like me in person’. But we both knew it was not about him. It was about their son and his stigmatized needs.
It took me many months but I finally acceded to what Garry would tell me. ‘Don’t damn yourself. Its just destiny’s plan. Now either stand up to face the world. Or our love shall be damned anyways.’
………………
I and Garry are a ‘happily ever after’ couple settled in Goa.
My parents could not sacrifice their only son at the altar of this cryptic society. The reality eventually sank in.
As for me, the night I lost my phone, I discovered the real me – strong, gay and free.
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- The Scarlet Sky - 25 Oct 2019
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