There was another list of abandoned places all over the world. The last pages were dedicated to herself. He continued to read her. At last, he reached a column where his name was written below the tagline ‘worst regret’; he felt a wave of guilt wash over him. It read, ‘His friendship was a mirror for me. I wish I hadn’t messed it up. Misunderstandings kill the best of relations.’ He shut the logbook close and ducked it inside. He had started to admire her. But now his stomach churned. She was a strong person, her guards protecting her. He rose. And walked a few steps and stood close enough for her to listen. “So, the next would be Cape Town?”
She was so preoccupied with star gazing that she failed to interpret it. It took her a moment to realize, and then it dawned on her. He had checked her bag. She loathed herself. She stood up and now faced him, he smiled back at her “I’m sorry, I read it.” She was at a loss of words. She could feel the ground crumble beneath her feet. Rage was quickly building up inside her, her fists clenched, she could explode any moment. But, she closed her eyes instead, took a deep breath and allowed the anger to pass. She sat down on the terrace and banged her fist hard on the ground. He had never seen her this way. It was intimidating.
When she spoke, it was loud and clear, “Just because my weakness happens to surface around you, doesn’t mean you’re at liberty to manipulate me. Count yourself the luckiest, but my naked soul isn’t weak, it is prudent. For me all the relationships have a certain wavelength, if we resonate, I have intense respect for you, but if we collide, the equations change.” Having said it, she turned her face away and stared into the night sky. Suddenly, the warmth and comfort had gone haywire. He tried making it up to her. Clicked her candid pictures, but he knew time and again, he had disappointed her. All she had expected was a pure and innocent friendship. He had failed her yet again.
She marched towards the sleeping bag and retired for few hours till sun up. He saw her release her long, soft and curly locks. They settled evenly on her shoulders accentuating her round face and high cheekbones. The frown was still evident in her sleep. She had forgiven him before, and he ruined it. There was no way of it getting better now, he was sure. It was getting cold; he thought to catch up on some sleep as well.
A slow tap on her shoulder woke her up, “May I join you?” he asked. She shuffled inside the bag on her side and let him sneak in. Both lay next to each other, with absolutely no contact. Within no time, she drifted off into a deep sleep. He could hear her breathe. Slow and passive. He sensed the tension releasing from her body. Given the limited space, she curled a little. Something woke her up, and she felt her pulse rising. The emotions were empowering. He looked into her passionate eyes. Then she whispered, “You’re safe with me. I wouldn’t touch you.” Theirs had been a very volatile bond. But they knew their limitations though they were comfortable in their skin. “I respect you lady,” he smiled.
The first rays of the sun cracked at the dawn. He was up way before it. The last few hours had taken an unexpected turn of events. He turned to look at her. She had winded up the sleeping bag and packed her backpack. With a camera in her hand, she seemed as if nothing had soured between them. The entire valley looked lovely. Never before had she seen such a mesmerizing sunrise. She looked fresh, and a satisfying expression of accomplishment was evident on her. She had attained yet another desire. He took her by her hand and gave her a warm hug, and she happily embraced. In no time, they descended and reached her car. This time, he drove back to Florence.
Tuscany’s Orcia valley may be a perfect slice of a perfect part of Italy. The gently rolling undulating hills, vineyards and the scenic green fields felt blissfully timeless in the early morning.
Everything amidst them was forgiven and forgotten. Three hours passed admiring the nature. Half way through, melancholy filled the air. The hardest are the goodbyes without any promises, they say. Two independent souls, whose encounter was uncertain. When they reached Florence, they hugged each other and they barely spoke as they went separate ways, leaving a trail of another unexplained bond.
