Capítulo 11: Music to my ears…

Aryaman had a packed schedule back home with meetings, inaugurations and speeches: all lined up one after the other. By the time he retired for the day, he was thoroughly exhausted. He looked at the watch, it was half-past twelve in Washington. He calculated the time forward and found it was decent enough for a call to Myra.

Myra was equally anxious for a call from him. It had been two days since he flew back to the US. She was waiting for his call ever since and would jump in anticipation every time her phone rang. Everybody called – husband, friends, family, people seeking charity – but no call from him. And she vacillated between hope and disappointment.

And then, the phone rang; and it rang to the beats of her heart. She snatched it quickly and greedily and smiled at the international number flashing on the screen. "Hello" she crooned

"What were you doing?" he asked in a low husky voice

"Waiting for your call." –she blurted involuntarily.

He laughed audibly and she bit her lips. "Are you blushing?" he asked, but there was silence. She was much too embarrassed to reply.

"Don't." he enjoined; "You don't need to be conscious of anything when you are with me. Remember what I told you the other day? I mean every word of it. Allow your heart to feel what it does now; there is nothing more beautiful than this love that we have for each other."

How close he felt when he spoke such words; how loving and authoritative they sounded as though she belonged to him and they had absolute right over each other. How she loved to hear it from him. She had already surrendered herself to him.

"This affection is not new, Myra;" – he resumed, "it has been there ever since we have known each other. No one else knows us the way we know each other; no one can read anyone the way we read each other. What years of separation could not alter, must not be changed by mere consideration of modesty."

Myra's heart melted and washed away all reservations, she previously felt. "How was your day?" she eventually asked.

"Hectic, boring and more boring."

She smiled, "Why?"

"There were meetings with already predictable outcomes, and then inaugurations and speeches in which I talk and people sleep and wake up only to clap."

Myra laughed, "I thought all you do is to manipulate people; when did it become boring?"

"Is that why you sent me into it?" he quibbled

"Of course not." she retorted snobbishly. "I wanted you to do something good for people, just like my father."

"Wrong." – he said emphatically; "If you want to do good, then you do charities or start an NGO. Politics is all about scheming, coaxing and getting your way out and around."

"That's why more and more good people should get into it and throw the bad guys out." She said fervently; "There is a lot of misery and poverty around Aman, we need people who can do something good."

"I don't know about others but I got into it because of you and I am fulfilling your wish. And I have realized that there are many good people in this world who genuinely work for the people. I want to help them and protect them. But it's not easy. No matter how hard you try but there are always people who will oppose you and cut you off."

Myra was pensive, she knew what he meant. She had experienced the same in the family she was married to. There was jealousy, insecurities, manipulations, treachery, deceit: families are no different from politics. "People are the same all around." – she concluded.

"There are times when I ask myself – why? what for? And in those times of vacillation, only you kept me going. Your image, your words, the look in your eyes when you asked me if I would work like your father." He sighed. There was a long silence but silences also connect. "Myra, I have carried you in my heart and my memories. You are a part of me, a very important part."

"Won't you say something?" – he urged again

She did not. She wanted to savour this moment and only hear him talk. Oh! how delicious were his words, how sweet was this elixir that rained on her parched sensibilities and ended years of draught? She had turned to the window and was looking at the pretty flowers. How glorious was the morning with the sun at its brightest and how beautiful were these flowers today? How they bloomed gloriously and captivated her.

"Well then, I must go," he said curtly

"Oh! don't."- she protested. "Don't go…not yet. Keep talking, your voice is so delicious."

"Is it? I didn't know that." And he thought for a while, "How come everyone can doze off when I am addressing them?"

"Because you talk about boring things." – she replied; "Woo them; tell them how wonderful they are and how happy you are to meet them. People want to know someone cares for them."

"That's difficult because I am your servant. I care only about you."

"How you flatter me…" she said laughingly, "You weren't this crazy before."

"People change." – he sighed; "You are not what you used to be and without you, I am not what I am supposed to be."

There was a long pause in which they thought about past and present. "Thank you" – she said a while later, "for forgiving me. Thank you for not giving up on me all these years. And, thank you for the call today. I was really anxious and wanted to hear your voice and feel this connection."

"Didn't I tell you I will call?" he admonished; "I never break my promises… especially the ones made to you."

There was a pause again, "Say something" – he urged,

"No." – she insisted; "Today you talk and I will listen."

"I can go on all night if you so wish."

"Night? What time is it there?"

"A little after midnight."

"Midnight? Then, you must sleep."

"I might," he said, opening the balcony door, "but the glorious moon, the stars and the soft wind do not allow me to sleep."

"You'll feel sleepy if you lie down and close your eyes."

"Hmm," he sighed; "When I do that, I see only you and sleep evades me further."

"Go to bed; let me play some music for you." – she enjoined and turned on the music system in her room. Soft melody smoothed their ruffled nerves and both slept peacefully in each other's company.

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