We’ll Meet Again: A Story by Moushumi Ray

It was the shaking cup that drew his attention outside. The contents had almost spilled onto to the papers. Until now, although the waves had been angrily lashing and the lightning had emblazoned the sky, he had remained unperturbed. He was a skilled sailor and every six months, along with his good lady, he would take their luxury craft out to the seas for a quiet romantic week leaving his business in the hands of, unknown to him then, greedy others. Life had given him a great deal of wealth and he utilized them wisely. A family man unlike his counterparts, fulfilling her desires was paramount to him.

This sailing was to be the beginning of making a baby. They were both ready to embark upon parenthood.

Pushing his files, he rushed to the deck! A storm in all its fury had begun the dance of a hurricane. The lacerating rains were uncontrollable making visibility almost at zero. As the swells of the sea lifted the boat, it was the port side that seemed to tilt. He knew the worst had happened. The keel was injured. He rushed back to wake her up.

It had always been a joke between them she could sleep through a war.

But this was no joke. The look of alarm on his face was unmistakable in this violently shaking boat. The dark sky and the waters seemed to have become the same color. She could see tentacles of lightning flashing in place of the charming moon a few hours ago.

Her sixth sense smelled doom. The cruel tosses intended to separate them. Within moments of the paintings crashing, the curtains tearing, the furniture was upside down and they could barely manage to reach the lifeboat. In the rigorously shaking, almost capsizing boat, four hands, two brave hearts, and four imploring eyes did their best to unfasten the lifeboat and get it in position. With an explosion, they were thrown off the boat! The gale was screaming at the ugly monstrous fire-raged craft.

They found themselves on the lifeboat hugging each other tight, unaware of the worst which was to engulf them in seconds. Suddenly there came an envelope of water and they were drowning, barely holding only each other’s fingers. There was no lifeboat in sight!
“We shall meet again!” he assured her, helplessly submerging into the depths of the enemy waves.
She understood nothing and heard no words because she was thrown high into the sky.

Two unconscious bodies were found on the sleepy seaside, a hundred kilometers apart, thousands of kilometers away from the place of the mishap. Their faces had taken the brunt of the storm.
It has been a decade since then.

She works in the cafeteria and lives with her ten-year-old son. He works in the local garage and tends to his garden. They don’t ask for each other because they have no recollection of the past!
Let us pray that their memories meet again!