Samantha

The flight back home was torturous, only I knew how many times I felt like running back into her arms? Though, I was more alive and connected with my inner self.  Even at the cost of pain, I would not like to trade this experience off, with anything else. I understood precisely why love was justly called crazy. One moment it could give intense happiness and in a few seconds, it might cause considerable depression. I chuckled gleefully to myself, it was 16 hours flight back home and I never slept a wink.

Seeing no other option to check my racing mind, I opened my laptop and put on the headphones. I played the songs which Riya gave me on the pen drive and further went through other folders. They contained many photos of our trip, I never knew Riya clicked a few of my candid shots.  One photo was extremely special, in which I was lost in the market, looking around for her with fear in my eyes. Seeing these countless photos made me miss her even more, and I sincerely wished she was also thinking about me.

Riya

I was tossing and turning in my bed, the past few days were running in my head. Suddenly a ping from Liz bought me back present," Hey, you vanished? "

I smiled, "No I cannot dare to do that, I was busy with the client."

After a few minutes of wait, my screen lit up, "How did it go? How was the Agra experience?"

I sighed wistfully, "It went on fantastically well, I got to know Sami more. Remember I mentioned my client to you. We developed a nice bond and I was feeling terrible when she was going."

A lot of smirking emoji-filled my screen, "This is interesting somebody is missing someone, I am getting jealous."

I smiled wryly and willingly shared photos of the pleasant trip. But I never sent Sami's picture, I felt it was not proper, it was like breaking her privacy.

"This is India for you, so what's new in your life?"

She promptly replied, "I need to tell you something interesting, my book is going in print from online to offline. Guess what? The publisher was telling me I have to travel to a few places, to promote my book."

I immediately brightened up, "Wow this calls for a celebration. Go out and get drunk with your friends or partner."

Her reply indicated a deep hurt, "What is there to party? My partner is terribly engaged for the next few days, we hardly get to see each other. Forget about partying together, and I am not a very social person. I don't have many friends around."

I tried cheering her up, "No worries, we will celebrate once you are back over here. Have you informed your family?"

Probably after some contemplation, she replied, " Well I am not close to my family, I mean I am not in talking terms with my father. My mother lives in the Philippines, we have some unresolved issues between us, sincerely hope you can understand."

I instantly felt a strange emotion washing over me, without sounding like a psychologist; I could partially understand her commitment issues. Her childhood never witnessed a stable family, and it took a toll somewhere. Adversity brings out unusual things, at times it invariably makes us strong and other times it breaks us. We can't realize what damage has been done?

I brightened her up, "This means we have all the more reason to celebrate together. What say?"

A lot of smileys lit up my screen, "Done, you call me the sunshine though you deserve this tag more than me. I will call you happiness now."

I felt butterflies in my stomach, "Liz, I know it is difficult, but I don't want you to become cynical. Sometimes we genuinely need to let go of the bad memories, it undoubtedly helps us."

I knew she was thinking, "I comprehend what you are asserting? It is already late over there, push off to bed."

I tried to be a little braver with her, "I will push off to bed only on one condition, you will call me sometime tomorrow."

She instantly replied, "Sure, good night happiness."

I sent a smile emoji along with "Good morning sunshine."

I closed my eyes, recalling our little chit chat and happiness engulfed me.

The next morning while getting ready, I decided to check about Samantha's whereabouts. I hastily sent a ping on her number.

"Sami, earnestly hope you have reached safely."

By the time I dropped Neel to school, I was running late for the office. To make matters worst, I was stuck in the traffic, suddenly the sight of a guy selling tamarind sweets caught my eyes. Invariably Sami's face came to my mind I let out a smile, she hadn't replied probably she was sleeping.

Finally, I managed to reach the office on time, before the madness of the day started. These early moments were mine when I planned the day schedule, but today Annie was not in the mood to give me peaceful moments.

"Ri, I require all the specific details without skipping anything, about Agra trip."

I shrugged my shapely shoulders, "What is there to tell? The trip went well, Sami is a nice female and totally different from what we perceived?"

She smirked at me, "Sami, huh?"

Her smirk made me blush and also amused, "What? Stop teasing, calling her Samantha throughout the trip would have been stupid. We explored the local market, I took her to Taj and did many things together."

Annie looked at me quizzically, " Am I missing out on something? "

I was getting confused by Annie's questioning, but decided not to drag it further, " I wanted to tell you something interesting, I received a call from the author. "

She looked genuinely shocked, "Are you kidding me? You undoubtedly meant the author, whose novel you were obsessing about?"

I laughed gaily, "Ya, the aforesaid person. She is charming not very talkative, but probably she is vulnerable, lonely, and deeply hurt somewhere deep down."

She checked me, "Hold on Ms. Psychologist, how do you know so much about her? And how can you be sure of your interpretations?"

Now this was a tricky situation and I was unaware of how to answer her question, "Honestly I don't know An, how to reply to this question of yours? You just get to know intuitively of these things; let's say I can read all those hidden things in her writing."

Her gentle eyes typically reflected genuine confusion, " Whatever Ri, I don't want you to get involved in this more, you might hurt yourself in the longer run. Anyways, we have to discuss the work progress of Samantha's account. We will be an official video conferencing with their managers later evening. "

I obtained the file from her hand, "Sure, will examine it. You go back to work if there will be any necessary changes that will be communicated to you."

Annie walked out of my office, abandoning me alone with my thoughts.

Samantha

It would be an understatement, mentioning I was extremely exhausted. I received Riya's ping and my whole system wanted to respond promptly to it. Only I knew the amount of control I exerted on myself. Since the time I returned, she had been constantly on my mind, but I didn't want to get more romantically involved with her. It would lead to a severe heartbreak, that's why I let the message pass and went ahead with the day.

My office assistant got me the espresso coffee and put a folder on the table, " Samantha, these are the account updates from the Indian agency. I have tentatively scheduled a call with them in the next two hours. The rest of your schedule is in the folder. "

I groaned inwardly, Skype meeting meant encountering Riya again, this was going to be difficult and interesting. But certain things couldn't be avoided. 

I was neck-deep in work when I received a call from mom, " Sam, are you back from India? And what prompted you to undertake that trip without informing us?"

Ohk this was not going well, the statement communicated the irritation of my mother, "Hello, to you Mom. I am very much back, some business meeting needed me to be there. How are things at your end?"

Mom sounded shocked, "Are you ok? Since when you started making small talks. Something is definitely up, come home tonight for dinner we have a lot to catch up."

I laughed sheepishly, "Mom you and your drama talent, I will be there for dinner then will tell you all about my trip. Need to leave give love to dad." With great difficulty, I managed to cut down the call. Mom's across the globe were the same.

By the time I reached the meeting room, everyone was already there, shuffling the papers. My assistant looked at me, " Should we initiate the meeting? "

I took a deep breath and nodded my head in acknowledgment. Soon the whole Indian team came in view, but my eyes locked into one person's eyes. Riya was staring at me, damn the woman, my heart again skipped multiple beats. Her pleasant voice filled the screen.

"Good evening Samantha, we are all here to discuss the progress report. Ronit will present the report to your team."

I cleared my throat, "Evening everyone, yes let's proceed with the report."

I was busy stealing the glances at her as a result, the proceedings of the meeting, totally evaded me. Unable to take this torture anymore, I left my seat.

"Excuse me guys, I have to leave for a meeting, from here my team will take it forward. Please mail me the key points of the discussion."

I picked up my stuff and was about to flee from the room when Riya's voice stopped me.

"Samantha, I insist you kindly go through the complete progress report, we need your inputs on a few of the points."

I was amused at Riya's daring attitude and settled back in my chair. Once the presentation got over her voice permeated the room.

"Samantha, I would like to discuss a few more ideas with you one on one basis. Can I contact you on your landline?"

I gave a thumbs up and moved towards my cabin, barely I had settled when my phone rang, "Hello."

Riya's irritated voice filled my phone, " Sami, would you care to tell, why you didn't respond to my ping?"

I was taken aback at the direct attack, "Well for starters I was tired, and thought of pinging you later."

Immediately her tone changed, "You were tired, are you hoodwinking me? Can you please stop dodging me?"

She was one person, to whom I could not lie, her intuitions were bang on where I was concerned, "What made you think I am avoiding you?"

She was up for the challenge, "Well, you're not responding to my ping, you're leaving the meeting in between. This is for now, though I know the list will grow."

The attack was the best defense as we all knew, "Riya, if you don't mind, I have a life other than you and I was not avoiding you but was plain busy. Can you drill this fact in your head?"

Shit, what the hell I did? Why was I so blunt with her? There was absolute silence as if I had lost her. After some time her gentle voice filled the phone, and I could assess the hurt seeping through.

"I am sorry Samantha, I shouldn't have questioned you. It was just that, I was worried if you had reached safely, forget about the call. Have a good day ahead."

Her calling my full name, made me flinch. I was about to tell her everything was ok, sorry for being a bitch, and wanted to explain my craziness, but she disconnected the call. I thought of calling her back, but realized it was better if we maintained minimum contact between us.