LIFE.... AS IT COMES (CHAPTER 5)

“So, what’s up in your life honey?”

“Oh! You know me. Just work and work and more work.” Said Sheila as she began dicing the onions.

“Oh! So you are not seeing that Ryan guy anymore? Is he still your flat mate?”

It was Suzie. Sheila’s colleague.

“Ryan? And me? Are you nuts?” Sheila exclaimed.

“Uh huh darling! Fool the world, fool him. But don’t you fool me baby! You are so smitten by him! And always have been so!” Suzie commented, as she tasted the syrup.

“Anything needed?” asked Sheila.

“A pinch of salt in the syrup and a pinch of spice in your life!” said Suzie.

“Oh dear! No see it’s not like that. I don’t love him or anything------”

“I never said love sweetie!” said Suzie as she cut across Sheila and went out of the kitchen, winking at her.

Of course, Sheila thought, Suzie was wrong. She didn’t love or whatever Suzie said, Ryan. Ryan was just a friend to her. And on top of it all a flat mate. She couldn’t risk it by falling in love! And she wasn’t in love with him for god’s sake. Yeah she was close to Tam but somehow it was Ryan that always made her feel better at the end of the day.

Be it her breaking up or meeting someone new, Ryan was there. Of course, she thought, others were there too. But that day when Goldie died, he was the only one there. Tam was out of station, at her parents and Kunal was at an office party. And Ryan was working late night that day. She came home to discover Goldie, her sweet goldfish lying dead at the bottom of the bowl. Unable to contact the rest, she called up Ryan. Ryan was in the middle of a shooting, but he rushed home immediately just hearing her teary voice. He didn’t even know the reason why she was crying before coming home. And he had cuddled her to sleep that night.

Now, all four of them were quite caught up in their work, so they only managed spend the weekend together. But not Ryan. At least twice a week Ryan would come zooming in his bike, pick her up and take her out for lunch. Even though, she was a chef at a 5 star hotel, he used to take out somewhere far and would fill her up on the antics of the models he was shooting, till she couldn’t laugh anymore.

Later at home he would fill the rest, over beer, in more details, perhaps, but Sheila was always the first. She felt special whenever Ryan talked to her, but she never allowed her feelings to grow for him. He was tall, fair, extremely handsome and very sought after photographer and here she was small, petite olive skinned with short hair and was only a chef!

Why would he look at her when everyday the city’s beauties would surround him? No wonder Tam said that he should write a book! And she was nothing compared to those models. But Suzie’s words had sparked a hope in her heart. Something she had never dared to do before!

Whenever she was having a private talk with Tam Ryan used to peep in when they lived separately. And when the connecting wall was broken down, he always used to come, jump into her bed and gossip nineteen to dozen. He was always there in the background of her life. She never allowed him to come to the forefront of her dreams.

But maybe now, she thought happily as she carried the tray out, she would. She would face him with a new hope. A new hope for a better future. A future where there was just Ryan and she!