Pawan alighted from the Sinhagad Express at CSMT station.  

It was 10:00 am.  On time, he thought, as he moved forward with the crowd towards the exit.

The thirty-five-year-old executive in a Pune-based multinational was in Mumbai for a meeting with a top client.  “Finalise the deal, or there’ll be consequences.”  His Boss’ words still echoed in his ears.

The Mumbai-Bangalore Udyan express, which was on the platform to his left, started moving.  It was almost empty.  Pawan idly stared through the windows as he walked on.

Suddenly, he froze.

Was that her at the window?

Palak?

He rubbed his eyes and saw again.

Yes, it was indeed Palak!

God, how she has changed, he thought. So smart, pretty and fashionable.  Writing on a notepad, like some professional.

The train picked up speed.  

It was now or never.

Pawan ran forward and scrambled onto the train.

Within seconds, he was in front of her.

Palak looked up, surprised.  He smiled awkwardly.

“You..you look so..so gorgeous,” he blurted out.

No response.

“Maybe..maybe leaving me has helped you.”

“It’s helped you more, I believe,” she finally spoke.

The sarcasm in her tone was evident.

“No Palak, you’re wrong.  You’ll never know how much I’ve regretted it.  Promise, I’m telling the truth.”

“Why, did Shreya ditch you?”

“No, I mean...”

“Are you not together?”  she persisted.  “You were classmates, grew up together, fell in love.. Yet you married me, chosen by your parents.  Made me live the way they wanted – a housewife, suppressing my ambitions..  Thank God I escaped.”

“B-but..”

“You kept meeting her, said you couldn’t forget her..”

“I was a fool..”

Palak’s eyes said she agreed with him.

“I thought you’d have married her by now.”

“No Palak, I was searching for you.  You had vanished – changed your residence, contacts....”

“What do you want?”

Pawan took a deep breath.

“Palak, I-I’m sorry for the way I treated you.  I was immature.  I didn’t have the guts to let go of Shreya, even though she wanted to postpone marriage.  I didn’t have the guts to speak out when my parents fixed my marriage with you.  And when they controlled your life, I continued to remain a coward.

“Palak, it was after you left me that I realised I loved you – very, very much.

“Palak, I promise to mend my ways.  I know we’re divorced, but.... can we not begin all over again?  Please..”

Pawan sank into the empty seat opposite Palak, covering his face in his hands.

“What happened to Shreya?”

Pawan looked up to see Palak scanning his face keenly.

“I said na, that we’re no longer together..”

“Why?  Did you break up after decades of togetherness?”

“Ah, sort of.”

“Means?”

Her unblinking stare unnerved him.  It took all his strength to speak again.

“Palak, Shreya wanted to move to the States, do a management course and settle there.”

“And you didn’t want her to go.”

“I would not leave my parents.  I’m their only child.  Who’ll take care of them?”

“So your goals clashed and she left you, right?”

“Y-y-yes..”

“And that’s why you are reaching out for the discarded one, making promises you don’t intend to keep..”

“No, Palak, I truly love you.”

“You don’t.  You’re just trying to arrange someone to take care of your parents.”

“N-nooo, I’m not.”

“I’ve spent five years with you, Pawan.  Don’t I know you’re lying?”

The train halted at Dadar station.  People started scrambling in and filling the empty berths.  The flurry of activity distracted Pawan for a moment.

Palak’s phone rang.  She answered it.  Her words sent a chill down his spine.

“Yes, dear, enter that second AC compartment and walk in the CSMT direction.  Our compartment is next.  I’m waiting.”

Palak disconnected, then looked at Pawan.

“You are aware, Pawan, that two years have passed since we formally separated.  That’s a long time, isn’t it?  High time you moved on.”

Pawan just stared, blank and speechless.

Moments later, a man of around Pawan’s age, baby in one arm and  travel bag up the other, strode up to them.  

The baby squealed with delight on seeing Palak.  She took the infant in her arms, cooing into her ears.  The man came forward and hugged both of them.

None of them noticed the stunned look on Pawan’s face as he continued to stand there, frozen like a statue.

The train moved out of Dadar station and sped on towards its destination.