1.1
“This is the most severe rainfall Mumbai has seen in the last 100 years”, screamed the news anchor on television, as if he knew that the owner of the said television set had turned the volume really low. I looked around to check if people heard him, and for any consequent signs of panic. And realised there was no-one else in this cafe except me and the owner of the said television set, who also happened be the owner of the cafe. Besides the news anchor’s shrill voice, the only thing audible was the pelting rain drops outside, punctuated by the occasional thunder.
“Would you mind turning off the TV?”, I hollered.
“Then how will I know about the cyclone?”, there was a sense of excitement in the cafe owner's voice.
“Cyclone? Is there a cyclone?”
“Oh yes, the rainfall is just the beginning. A storm is coming. You should get home”
The man sounded ominous. Like the doom-proclaiming oracles in low budget sci-fi films.
“Well, I don’t have a home here. I had a flight to catch in 4 hours to get to home”
“Heh! Slim chance of that happening.”
My phone beeped. It was a message announcing the cancellation of my flight, due to the impending cyclone. He really was an oracle.
“This is the most severe rainfall Mumbai has seen in the last 100 years”, screamed the anchor again, single handedly trying to outshout the thunder. But his voice got drowned out by the sound of the rain, that became louder for a moment, just as the cafe door flung open, and a dripping hooded figure, made its way in. And then slipped.
“Ouch”, it was a feminine voice.
1.2
“Papa!”
Silence.
“Paapaa!”
Silence.
“Paaaapaaaa!”
“Coming darling”
“Paaaaapaaaaaaaaa!”
“I’m here, sweetheart. Why are you still screaming?”
“Because you didn’t come when I called you the first time”
“Sorry, child. I didn’t hear”
“Not my problem. You should’ve come anyway. Why can’t you know what I want without me saying it?”
“I will try, my child. Tell me, what do you want?”
“What did I just say?”
“Oh ok, Sorry. Let’s go to the ice cream parlor, shall we?”
1.3
“Are you sure, doctor?”, I asked for the third time.
“Yes, Do you not want me to be?”
“Oh no no. I was just confirming. Still pinching myself.”
“Well, congratulations. You are going to be a father.”
This was a feeling unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Like when you really wanted a particular flavour of ice cream as a child, and then when you went to the ice cream parlour, you got three large scoops of it in your favorite cone, with some chocolate chips on top. Yeah, that feeling. Multiplied a thousand times over.
I looked at her adoringly - she was making this happen. This ice cream. Wait, this was going to be better than ice cream. This was better than ice cream every day for the rest of my life. Wow! I looked at her - after all she’d given to me, this really was the cherry on the cake (or the chocolate chip on the scoop, take your pick!). I pinched myself again.
2.1
I got up from my chair, more as a reflex action than an act of chivalry. But the hooded figure didn’t need my chivalry. She was up on her feet in a jiffy, walking towards the cafe counter, and ordering a cup of coffee, all in the time that I slowly put my ass back on the chair. The hood was still on, water dripping from the sides onto the cafe floor. I wasn’t sure why the owner didn’t mind this. He had reprimanded me just five minutes ago for spilling one drop of coffee.
And then the hood came off. Long, partially wet hair winded down. And the figure turned, facing me, cup of coffee in hand. After 10 seconds, I realised I was staring. And its not nice to stare.
But it is hard not to stare when you’re looking at the most beautiful girl in the “Universe”.
This was not an exaggeration. The cafe’s name was “Universe Cafe”
2.2
As the little girl flung open the door, she let out a wail, “Papa! It is raining outside. How will we go?”
“I got it, darling”, as the father walked from behind, carrying an umbrella.
“Yay! Ice cream is more fun when it is raining”
A few steps later, they were stepping into the ice cream parlor. Rains really aren’t the times you see big crowds at such places. Today was no different. But there was one customer in line ahead of them. A little boy.
“Yes sir, what will you and this pretty lady have?”, enquired the man at the counter, ignoring the little boy, who was too short to be seen from his vantage point.
“I think you have a sir to attend to before us”, smiled the father and nudged the boy, almost to shine the spotlight so that the counter-guy could see him.
“Oh, sorry young man! Didn’t see you there. What’ll you have?”
“Strawberry”
“Which boy eats strawberry ice cream, papa?”, snorted the little girl, finding that this boy didn’t meet the stereotypes her friends at school had told her about.
The boy overheard her, and felt embarrassed. And proceeded to change his order - “Sorry, I meant chocolate”.
2.3
“Are you sure you’ll be able to travel alone? I don’t feel good about this”
“Of course, I can. Besides, what option do we have? You have to fly off for your work trip tomorrow”
“I can cancel my plan. This is more important”
“I know. But you should go. And I will be fine. I know you’ll be there when the important part comes. You’ll be a good father”
“How do you know that?”
“I just do. And I’m waiting to see you as a father”
“I’m a pretty selfish person. And selfish people don’t make for good parents”
“You are also caring and diligent. Caring and diligent people make for great parents”
“We’ll see. I’m scared”
“I am too. Isn’t this fun?”
“You bet!”
3.1
“Do you mind if I sit on this table? Kind of lonely here, isn’t it.”
Before I could answer, she had proceeded to pull a chair and sit on the table I was seated on.
“So, stuck in the cyclone? How?”
I was trying hard to look the other way to avoid eye contact, but this question could not have been intended for anyone else. The owner wasn’t ‘stuck’ here.
“I had time to kill before my flight - so just walked in for a coffee. Didn’t know things would turn this way. What about you? How come you’re here in the middle of such weather?”
“I was just craving some ice cream.”
3.2
“So what will the little princess have?”
“Chocolate. Double scoop please.”
“Uh oh! Sorry, we’re out of chocolate. The boy before you took the last scoop!”
“But! But! Paapaa - I want chocolate!”
“Are you sure you don’t have chocolate?”
“Sorry sir”
“Darling, choose something else. How about strawberry?”
“I hate strawberry!”
“You can have this chocolate. I didn’t want it actually”, the little boy's timid voice came from the background.
3.3
This was it. These are the tensest minutes of my life - while doctors say there will only be 45 of them, to me, they seem like 45 years. My mind is rapidly shuttling back and forth in time.
Ten days ago - “The new decade is about to start. And so will our new lives. As parents. Are you scared? I am.”
A day ago - “We need to get to the hospital. Fast! It’s finally happening!”
An hour ago - “Hold on, just a little bit more. You’ve been strong so far. Just a little bit more. And we’ll have our baby with us”
6 years ago - “We’re married! Finally. We are roommates and companions for life now! Cannot wait to start this journey”
13 years ago - “I’ve never quite loved anyone the way I love you. Infact, I’ve never quite loved before. I love you”
Forty minutes into the future - “Congratulations! It's a boy!”
4.1
“Ice cream? In this weather?”
“Why not? Ice cream is more fun when it’s raining”
“But I see a coffee mug in your hand”
“You really think I’ll have ice cream in this cafe. This is a pit stop before I get to the ice cream parlour couple of blocks away. The road to that place is waterlogged”
“Too bad! What will you do now?”
“Wait for some time for the rain to stop.”
“And if it doesn’t”
“Go there anyway! You want to come?”
“Hell no”, was what I wanted to say.
“Sure, why not?” Is what I said instead. This girl was too intriguing to not spend more time with. She reminded me of a little girl I had encountered many years ago, at an ice cream parlour.
“Cool. It’s a deal then. Are you sure? Sometimes, episodes like these result in the story of a lifetime”
“I think I’ll take my chances”
4.2
The little girl took the chocolate ice cream. The little boy sheepishly slipped away into a corner, pretending to read the menu. He was only pretending, because he didn’t have the money to buy any more.
The little girl saw him. She walked over.
“Hey. Don’t you want a strawberry ice cream?”
“Err…no”
“I bought one. And since you gave me yours. You can have this.”
The boy, sheepish again, was licking his lips, but was hesitant.
“Don’t worry. It's only ice cream”
He extended his hands and took it.
“Friends?”
“Friends!”
4.3
While sleep was trying to power its way through my eyes, I could not sleep. I did not want to sleep. Why will I, when I can see not one, but two, of the most important people in my life, the people I love the most, in one eyeshot, resting calmly? The love of my life had given me another love of my life.
While the baby lay in deep sleep, I could see her slightly trembling. She’d been through a lot - mentally and physically exhausted. I just wanted to be there for her. She woke up.
“How are you doing, honey?”
“The happiest I’ve ever been. You?”
“Makes the two of us”
“It’s raining outside.”
“It always rains when things happen for us”
“True. Anything you want? Just name it”
“Can you get me some ice cream?”
Fin.
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