“I hope you’ve enjoyed,” said Sathyam as she got onto the pillion, “how everyone sings your praises! I’m really proud of you.”
“It’s a nice outing,” she said fondly glancing backwards as they proceeded homewards.
While the euphoria of the event cast an infectious spell on Roopa, synchronous with his spirits, Sathyam switched into the top gear.
~~~~~~~
As though to bring Roopa back to her humdrum routine, the next morning, Yadamma turned up for work past nine.
“Why so late?” said Roopa in irritation
“I was held up at Taraamma’s house,” Yadamma began her harangue by way of an explanation. “I was helping her pack up for her journey. Don’t worry amma; she won’t go out much, may be once or twice in a month, and that too just for two or three days, no more.”
As Yadamma got on with her work, satisfied with the explanation, Roopa busied herself with the lunch-box for Sathyam. However, when the buzzer sounded that afternoon, breaking the monotony, Roopa expected the postman, and finding him, she experienced a sense of excitation.
“Have you moved in recently?”’ asked the postman handing her a couple of envelopes.
‘My father is a Post Master at Kakinada,’ she said, and seeing that the letters were from Sandhya and her father, she felt that it was bonus post for her.
“So we’re baradaris,” he said as he left. “I’ll treat your mail as our family mail.”
Closing the door behind him, she opened Ramaiah’s letter first, not wanting to get distracted from the bliss of Sandhya’s missive later. As she culled through her father’s letter, she gathered that all was well at home, and felt glad about that. But as she fondly gazed at her address in Sandhya’s hand, her eyes glistened with fondness. When she pressed the envelope to her bosom, her breasts started heaving as though to synchronize her emotions with Sandhya’s anticipated feelings. As she unfolded the letter at length, her eyes became antennas to transmit the spasms of Sandhya’s heart to her soul.
Roopa, my Lovey,
I couldn’t think of a better way of addressing you than the one you thought for me, moreover, you are to me what I am to you, aren’t you?
In our separation, I feel as though the vitals of my body and the essence of my soul were wrenched out from me. I have come to realize that your body is but an extension of my soul. I can feel your line like the flow in my veins - I’ve carried my body leaving behind my soul in your frame. Now I know, more than ever, that we are complete only in our togetherness. I pray that after I get married, we might become neighbors for all our life. Until then, we have to bear our separation and bide for the time.