Found But Forgotten

I was sleeping peacefully when Ash came inside and shaked me. I slowly opened my eyes and saw her worrying eyes. She said, "Wake up, Agent H. There's been an emergency." I asked sleepily, "What's the matter, Ash?" She replied, "We are currently running low on food items and have to go to shopping." I asked, "How's that such an enormous emergency?" She replied, "The thing is that U.C.I.D has assigned me with all the duties of the house, except for shopping or leaving the house." I asked sleepily, "You want me to go shopping?" Ash said smiling, "Only if you want to." I smiled, "Don't worry. I am going." She said, "I have already send the shopping list on Whatsapp. Don't forget to bring salmon and soya sauce. I'm planning to give you a Japanese cuisine today." I asked, "Anything special?" Ash replied, "Yes. Captain is coming to pick you on Tuesday. So, I just thought it will be a perfect occasion to cook my special dish for you."

I rose from my bed and went to the bathroom and washed my mouth and brushed my teeth. I went downstairs and saw Ash was already ready with a shopping bag in her hand. She gave me the bag and said, "Here, take my card. The bills are on me." I took the card and asked, "Where is my breakfast?" Ash replied giggling, "Actually, I woke late and also we are currently left with only vegetables. Anyway, you can stop at Bansal's restaurant. I am pretty sure he must have just started making parathas and egg curry. If possible, bring some for me too." I said, "Okay. Be careful." I hugged her and went outside. The sun was moderate and I looked for a taxi, but no taxi driver was willing to go inside the market area. I finally gave up hopes of traveling in taxi and walked towards the market area. The market was exactly not too far away if one knows some shortcuts, but I decided to travel on the usual one. I reached the market and saw an old woman selling dried fish and other aquatic food which was filling the atmosphere with unbearable foul smell. I walked inside and saw many different shops which were selling their stuff and was frequently looking at me with eager eyes.

I went inside and saw a shop of my interest and went inside it. The man on the counter asked, "What do you want, sir?" I replied, "10 kg of sugar, 15 packs of sunflower oil, 10 medium size bags of basmati rice, a packet of salt, two bottles of soya sauce, a medium size bottle of Aloe Vera juice, three jars of honey and three bottles of lady fragrance." The man was looking at me with shocked face. I said, "Yes. I want all of them." The man asked, "How do you intent to take all of them?" I replied, "Just these two hands." The man went inside and after five minutes came out with three large bags filled with the items. He said, "Each bag is over four kg. You sure you want to use just your bare hands?" I replied, "Okay. I will find a vehicle." After exchanging words and literally begging him, an electric rickshaw came to my aid. I loaded the bags on the rickshaw and looked at the man. He said, "Since you shopped a lot from me, I will give you a ten percent discount. You have to pay me 10,350 rupees." I gave him the card and he handed me the receipt." I went on the rickshaw and stopped near Bansal's restaurant. It was not like any restaurant at all, but a small house with five tables, which were empty. The scent of hot egg curry and sound of parathas sliding on butter made my mouth water. I took the bags and went inside and ordered the main dish. I sat on the table and saw people passing by. I started to reminisced about the time when I was thirteen and Papa was busy in some office work. I was feeling hungry and wanted to eat something, but Papa said that he can come now. The woman at the counter, the name I gave to the receptionist then, gave me a packet of chocolate biscuits which I didn't liked even a little as I was unfamiliar with the taste of cheap biscuits.

I looked around and saw a man was going outside and I followed him outside and after sometime I was lost. I wanted to cry like a baby, but I was attracted to a smell of chicken meat coming from a small restaurant. I went to the restaurant and sat on a chair. The waiter came to me and asked, "What is your order?" I pointed towards the chicken and after sometime, he brought a tray full of a chicken. I hastily ate all the chicken and looked around and saw a young lady sitting couple of seats away from me. I went to her and asked, "Do you know the way to Debating Hall?" She looked at me and said, "I work there. Why are you asking?" I narrated her the whole incident and she said, "You are a naughty boy." She paid the bill and took me to the Debating Hall. Luckily, my father was still busy and the woman also left me at the kids place and went away. That day, I acquired both the taste of cheap food and solo adventure.

The waiter brought the food and put it on the table and asked, "Would you mind if someone shares the table with you?" I pointed towards the empty tables and said, "They are empty." The waiter smiled, "No, sir. They are not empty, but reserved. You are lucky that you are early or else you have to stand in a queue and eat." I smiled, "Okay. I have no problem." The waiter smiled and went away. I took a bite of the paratha and it was so tasty that I closed my eyes and started savoring it. A voice said, "You haven't changed much, have you?" I opened my eyes and saw Alisha was standing in front of me. I asked, "Coincidence or stalking?" She replied, "Bad luck." She sat on the chair and said, "You haven't changed much. Same hairstyle, same taste of clothes and same perfume." I smiled, "I didn't know that you love me so much to remember even the slightest details of me." Alisha said, "Love is a crafty business. You loss more than you gain."

I smiled, "You broke up with someone, right?" She replied sadly, "No. He died." I said with deep sorrow, "Sorry. I didn't know about that." She said, "I don't need condolences from a person who hurt me the most." I asked, "I hurt you the most?" She replied sadly, "After I left for London, you totally forgot about me and moved on with your life and that bitch, Tanya. I felt so sad that day that I almost wanted to come back here and slap you hard." I interrupted her, "Tanya was not my girlfriend, she was just a girl who made me feel alive after you left me. She already had a boyfriend and I was just a good friend." Alisha smirked, "A friend who had sex with you multiple times and even had an abortion. You thought that I will never know it but Tanya herself revealed your dirty face to me before ending her life." I said, "I didn't know that Tanya....Okay, I admit I was wrong but I was not in a stable state that time. I just want to delete that phase from my past." Alisha said, "It's easy for you to "delete" and move on, you are a boy after all. But, what about me? The cries of Tanya still ring my ears. That day, she told me to stay away from you as you only saw her vagina and not her heart. I just hate you and I will never forgive you." She rose and showed me the middle finger and stormed outside. I stood up and followed her but she already went inside a taxi. I paid both of the bills and went to the guesthouse.

I took the stuff inside and heard Ash voice, "Bring it in the kitchen, big boy." I took the stuff inside the kitchen and put it on the table. Ash was already putting something in the microwave and asked, "Brought my package?" I gave her the food packet and went upstairs. Ash mumbled, "I could have used a helping hand." I opened the door and went inside the bathroom and switched on the tap and after some minutes, I was half submerged in a tub of iced water. I closed my eyes and reminisced the day when she came to meet me before leaving for London.

The night was quite windy and had high probability of a thunderstorm. My parents were at some lavish party where taking your children is considered a sin, so I was alone in the house. I was a little scared that night, probably because I was wholly alone and the house was quite big to be afraid of both thieves and kidnappers. I was reading some book whose name I forgot and clearly remembered I didn't listened to the knock on my door. Alisha called me and I quickly opened the door and she came inside. She was moderately drenched and was shivering a little. I brought my gown and gave it to her to wear. I brought a cup of coffee for her and sat beside her. She asked, "So, you will be quite alone now as I'm leaving for London on Monday." I said, "It was your choice. I'm still suggesting you to stay here with me and find a job in your own country." Alisha said, "Don't be a fool. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. Think being called the boyfriend of a NRI. How much respect you will have in front of everyone." I smiled, "That's definitely not the case. But, you happy, I happy."

Alisha came closer to me and asked, "Don't you need any parting gift from me?" I replied, "Why would I....Okay. What gift are planning to give me?" Alisha smiled and kissed my lips and said, "I will start with your lips." We kissed passionately for some moments and then she pulled my shirt and started kissing my chest. I giggled and she slowly bite my nipple. I took her and licked her neck and started kissing her slowly. She pushed me on the floor and climbed on me and licked my chin. We continued licking for an hour and then she said, "Let's go for the final phase." I said panting, "I don't have a condom." She said, "Okay. I can take a pill." We had a tiring and passionate sex session and even the thunderstorm outside couldn't match the thunder raging in our hearts. She said, "Okay. I have to leave. Bye." She kissed me three times and then went away. I took a long breath and fell asleep hugging the gown she was wearing.

I opened my eyes and felt some warm liquid flowing in the water. I chuckled and washed myself and went downstairs. Ash was still in the kitchen but I could see a good amount of food on the table, which was very much unfamiliar to me, but I'm sure it must be delicious. Ash finally came outside and said, "Don't touch anything till I come back." I nodded in approval. After almost half an hour, she came down and stood near me. She was wearing a bright red kimono and the sash was tied in a butterfly formation.

She bowed her head in respect and said, "Please, have a seat." I sat on the table and she served me the food. Most of the food were fish of different varieties cooked in different ways and though not spicy as Indian, but it did brought tears out of my eyes. Ash would occasionally wipe the tears rolling on my cheek, but anyway I finished my dinner." I asked, "Aren't you gonna eat?" Ash smiled, "Don't worry about me. I have already eaten my share of food." I slowly climbed upstairs and said, "Good night." She came running towards me and kissed me softly. She said shyly, "I felt you needed something sweet after all the spicy food." I kissed her and said, "Now, it's perfect." She ran to her room and I went inside my room. I just lied on the bed and my eyes shut downed. I soon got immersed in the sea of sleep as the moon slowly started hiding behind the clouds.....