Manju was arranging breakfast on the table,though her thoughts were already 30000 feet in the sky.
Ansuman,her son,was leaving for London that evening along with his wife Aditi and the 4 year old son Abhay.
Manas,her husband had tried to reassure her,”they would be fine.its just a flight.” Even he lingered eating, forgetting his tea.The recent plane crash had extremely shocked everyone.Both the parents were in fear.
Ansuman with wife and son joined them.
“It’s safe Papa, and you Ma,it seems you have not slept properly last night.” Ansuman said them with that typical smile when trying to calm their nerves.”You both can’t live in fear or sorrow forever.You should feel proud.I have got a good and stable job.Abhay would be in a good school.”
He knew very well that his parents were proud,but pride has a strange way of getting tangled up in sorrow.His parents would miss them,and specially their grand son.
In the evening,Manas went to the portico to check the car.He would drop them in the airport.The sky , streaked with purple and orange of early evening, gave his portico and the car a glow.
On their way to the airport,Abhaya was sitting on the lap of his grandmother, oblivious of the fact that he was leaving everything he knew.He rather was excited for the journey.
Aditi told,”Ma why are you thinking so much.This isn’t goodbye.We would visit and both Papa and you visit us.Video calls would be enough untill the next time.”
“I don’t want my little hero to forget us”, said Manju.
“He won’t Ma.”
Now , in the departure terminal,Manju gripped her son’s hand like she did when he was five to take him to the school.He was taller,broader,a father himself,but still her little boy.
“Call me when you land,” she whispered.
“I will.I promise”,Ansuman said with a subdued voice.
The father stood there, a person mix of pride, sadness and a sense of both letting go and supporting his son’s independence.
Manju watched him walk away, backpack slung in one shoulder, and Aditi going away holding her son’s hand.The glass door closed behind them with a gentle whoosh.That sound usually went unnoticed, but today it was something else to the parents,
The other side of Goodbye.
Ansuman never expected it to hit him so hard.He and his wife were so happy to go to Lonon.He turned once.He saw his Ma standing frozen.His Papa was still and quiet like always.But his eyes followed them.Both of them were waving now.
He stood at the airport watching them walk away, not knowing when or if he would see them again.
He proceeded with a sigh.
Manas and Manju drove home in silence.Every moment after was a quiet prayer. Their loved city Delhi seemed charmless while returning home.
But their phones remained on.
