The Man Behind My Eternal Smile

“With each passing day, I am going to love you a little more, miss you a little more,
And let you invade my heart, every time you breathe my name!”

It was 2.00 AM on 11th November 2018 and he was on a bus. It was a cold winter night and he was almost shivering, yet he did not regret leaving behind his jacket. He had boarded a private bus last night after booking his tickets on an impulse. This was one trip that was going to change his life and mine forever...

Oblivious to his midnight adventure, I was cosily tucked into a warm blanket on the soft bed in my bedroom. I was going to miss this warmth. I was already missing home even before I left. When I had travelled to Bengaluru from New Delhi in December 2017 after securing an internship in Chennai for my master’s thesis, I was exultant. After saying goodbyes to my friends at TERI SAS with a heavy heart, I thought that my stay in Delhi had finally come to an end. But little did I know that my first job after M. Tech would once again take me to Delhi, specifically to Gurugram, the world’s most polluted city. Reluctantly, I packed my bags and longingly looked at my study table before switching off the lights. My usual phone call with him before bed was brief and short. I could barely hear him, and he said that he would call me back in the morning because he was out with his friends that night. By 4.00 AM, I was in the car with my father and left him a message saying that I had left for the airport.

Suddenly around 5.10 AM, he called me. Luckily, the phone was in my hand and I disconnected the call before the ringtone was heard. I put my phone on silent and texted him that I would call him after reaching the airport. He replied back insisting that I call him as soon as I enter the airport. I was surprised that he was awake so early in the morning. Nevertheless, I bade goodbye to my father with tears at the brim of my eyes, but I had already mastered the art of controlling my tears. Thank God, I had already bid goodbye to my mother at home. I could not afford to be vulnerable because being brave was the only option. I had made this decision for my life and it was only fair that had to be strong to live with it. After showing my ticket and ID proof to the security, I turned around to look at my father just one more time before entering the airport.

With emotions clouding my heart and eyes, I entered the airport and moved my trolley towards the airline check-in counter. Just then, my heart almost stopped! A hand went around my shoulder from behind and his voice filled my ears. A second later, the love of my life was standing right in front of me with his broad smile and twinkling eyes.

‘What! What are your doing here? How did you come inside?’ I blabbered unable to believe my eyes.

‘I took a visitor’s ticket to meet you. I had to give you a send off to Delhi!’ he beamed.

‘Really? Do airports… hey wait a minute! There is no such thing as visitor’s ticket in the airport. How did you come inside?!!’

He gave his signature laugh and I could see myself falling in love with him all over again.

‘I am travelling back to Chennai by flight. My flight takes off almost an hour after yours,’ he said with a huge grin.

For the first time that day, I allowed myself a weak smile. Seeing him there that day still feels like a dream to me. He had travelled over five hours in a bus the previous evening, reached Bengaluru after midnight and taken a bus ride to the airport. He waited in the airport for me close to three hours bearing the cold without sleeping the entire night. He is insane and so is his love. Naveen, the love of my life! I might not have taken up that job if not for his encouragement and unwavering belief in my ability to achieve success. I was the last person in the line to the boarding gate that day and his hand was entwined in mine until the last moment. There was a promise of eternity in his hug and I can still smell his warmth in the memory of that momentous day. When I looked back at him one last time, he blew out a kiss and smiled, bringing a smile on my face. My tears left my eyes only after he was out of my sight because I knew that otherwise we would not have let each other go.

Our love life is filled with such lovely memories and each one is a story in itself. I have been waiting with bated breath to introduce Naveen to my world. This is the man who shares not just my life but also my dreams. My novel is the only one he has ever read in his life, but he wants me to keep writing and telling him stories. He is simple, honest, suave, witty, man of few words, determined, chivalrous, fun and an amazing man with a kind heart. Marriage has bound us in way acceptable to the world, but we were bound to each other the day we realised that our life was meant to be shared between us. We started with nothing in our hands, slowly we have built this monument of love, brick by brick with each passing moment. Love is a commitment that can be fulfilled only with immense understanding and loads of patience. Words cannot justify the love we have, yet it is certainly worth trying!

Scaling the peaks of immense happiness and braving the storms of a long-distance relationship, our love story has indeed come a long way. In this momentous journey, we have had our share of joys, sorrows, longings, successes, failures and arguments. Nevertheless, our love has only grown stronger with each passing day…

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