She glanced nervously at the glitzy confines of the café. Except for the new staff behind the counters, everything looked the same after two momentous years. He was predictably late but sure to saunter in any moment now, his irresistible smile his major adornment. But would their conversations ever be the same again? What if...
With these thoughts swirling like a tornado in her head, she stood entranced near the entrance.
"Ma’am, would you like me to show you to a table or do you have any preferences?" a soft, gentle voice flowed smoothly through her ear, bringing her out of her reverie.
A smart, cute-looking youth stood before her, a slight smile playing around his full lips and crinkling the corners of his cat-like eyes, as if amused by something about her. Irritation lacing her voice, Radha asked to be shown to a table with some privacy.
Raising his perfectly arched, bushy eyebrows, the young maitre d' gave an almost imperceptible nod and indicated Radha to follow him. Weaving through round tables covered with red-checkered tablecloths, each adorned with a red rose in a slim vase, he led Radha to a quaint alcove with hanging pots of plants and a bubbling fountain in the corner.
Radha was surprised by this new addition, pleasant and serene, quite separated from the rest of the restaurant. She recalled this area used to be the kitchen, and the back part belonged to the owner. Scanning, she noticed the former living quarters of the owner now renovated into a spacious, well-maintained kitchen.
A gentle cough drew her attention, and she realized the waiter was waiting for her to accept her seat, his slight smile still tantalizing. Forcing herself to tear her eyes away, she asked, "Where’s your boss? Is Zulfi still the owner?"
His lips curved into a wider smile as he replied, "Yes, Zulfi sir is still the owner, Ma’am. He now lives in a big bungalow in Kharghuli with his family. His wife, Rezina Ma’am, is the SDO in Bongaigaon. They have a 3-year-old daughter. He’ll be here any moment now."
Without prompting, she received details about the owner, a friend and elder brother during her lonely college days. "Zulfi da," as she always called him, had recognized her loneliness and offered invaluable friendship along with a bar of 5 Star chocolate.
Lost in memories, Radha had forgotten the waiter. Now, again, he stood before her, clearing his throat to gain her attention. Her eyes, lost in the past, focused slowly on his smiling face. For a moment, she struggled to remember where she was. The present came into full view, and she felt a bit irritated by his seemingly all-knowing smile, unable to hold back from asking its source.
At her question, his smile broadened, and enigmatically he replied, "You’ll know in a minute, Ma’am. Meanwhile, as you wait for your friend, why don’t you have the Masala ThumbsUp I got for you? It’ll lose its fizz, and you won’t like it."
"What the…!" she began but checked her language, a force of habit from her time spent among nuns.
"How do you know this, boy?" She asked, annoyance in her voice.
The boy smiled further, about to reply when jingling bells interrupted. She looked toward the entrance, seeing a familiar, tall figure in a light pink shirt, jeans, and white Reeboks glide in. "Rishabh!" she whispered. His still-handsome face, with untrimmed grey stubble and bags under deep-set eyes, looked haggard, and she felt a familiar ache in her heart. His sweeping gaze fell on her, and her heartbeat stopped momentarily. Rishabh stood rooted for a moment, then beside her, embracing her tightly, knocking the breath from her. As she struggled, long-held tears drenched his shirt.
"Please don’t leave me, Radha. I’m a changed man now. I haven’t touched it since last year. This time it’s for eternity. I promise. If you don’t believe me, ask Zulfi; ask this boy here."
He reluctantly let Radha go and, stretching his hand, pulled the young waiter toward them. Radha, reminded of his presence, looked embarrassed by this public display of emotion. The boy was smiling again!
Radha stared at him intently, sensing familiarity. She couldn’t place him. Seeing her confusion, Rishabh asked, "You don’t remember him, do you? At one time, you considered him like a son, Radha. He’s Sparsh!"
"Sparsh!" Her mind echoed. How could she forget? The intense young boy who had worked at Zulfi’s Sunflower Restaurant, who seemed to have touched her soul, whom she and Zulfi had supported through education. "So that’s why he knows about my Masala ThumbsUp. That’s why he was looking at me like that."
"Sparsh! Oh my God! I’m so sorry. So much has happened, but I never forgot you. Why didn’t you tell me earlier? What are you doing here?" The questions poured out.
"After graduating from IIM Delhi, I came home looking for you. Instead, I found Rishabh in a bad state. I called Zulfi, and together we’ve been taking care of him. Zulfi got me into rehab in Bangalore for a year, and since then, I’ve been here with him, ensuring he stays clean. I work with Zulfi at the restaurant, and all this renovation was my idea," Sparsh explained.
At last, the enigma of the odd waiter was solved, and Radha hugged him.
"Ma’am, Rishabh da has been a gem this past year. Please don’t leave him again. I promise you, he’s a changed man now," Sparsh pleaded, and she was happy to oblige.
Author Bio
With an M.Sc in Anthropology, Nisha is a trained Public Speaking Coach who enjoys storytelling. They have published several short stories in The Assam Tribune, GPlus, and Readomania. Additionally, Nisha has authored two children's storybooks, "Adventures of Jharna and Masti: Saving the Jungle" and "Adventures of Jharna and Masti: Saving Maya and her Lamb," along with an e-book titled "An Unresolved Affair." Nisha conducts engaging Public Speaking sessions for both adults and children, and hosts Storytelling Workshops specifically designed for kids.
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