They had made plans with friends that weekend. The gang met in their office early morning and set off on four motorbikes. She was on his bike and he couldn't help smiling thinking about how, just a few months before, she would have protested about riding pillion on his bike and now it was just natural. They winded down many country roads and reached only when the sun was well up in the sky. He was not very excited by the sight of the hill. It seemed like a boulder rock and he was partial only to grassy knolls. Some in the group were anxious to finish the climb before the sun set in, so they started without bothering about water and refreshments.
It was a gentle climb but the sun was shining down brightly. The rocky terrain was heating up and the group started getting weary soon. He started questioning his immediate agreement when the proposal of this trip was made - maybe, he should have made more enquiries regarding the location and associated attractions? His friend was disappointed too, and started making sniding remarks to keep himself amused.
But she was ecstatic. He didn't remember if he had seen anyone so happy before. She walked backward up the hill, taking in the sights below and couldn't stop saying "Wow". He was truly enchanted and strained to see what she found in this slightly elevated sight of a drab town. Soon, he gave up and instead started taking in sights of her thrill and excitement. The sun shone on her happy face to make it even brighter. She skipped up happily and he followed her contentedly. They were thirsty and tired when they reached the top, but he didn't mind one bit.
On the way back, they stopped at roadside shops in the villages and ate whatever they could lay their hands on. When she asked to eat "fryums", he was thoroughly amused that the humble cylindrical yellow savoury had been christened a name far above its pedigree. Maybe that was just her way - lifting things off their mundane status and giving them an aura.
By the time they rode back, it was nearing dusk. Because they were still on narrow country roads, it became dark and isolated very soon. The rest of the gang had picked up speed and they seemed to be all alone. He started feeling a little afraid. He was alone with her and suddenly realized that he was responsible for her safety. His imagination ran riot and he experienced strange fears - what if someone jumped from the shadows to attack them or what if his antique bike choked on its own smoke and decided to stop.
The trip ended without incident but the fears would continue to exist. On their trip to Agra, he would pick out a cheap hotel, hoping to save money but spend the night terrified because it seemed to be a lodge for bachelors, not a hotel for families. They would try to get lost on long treks in remote English villages and when they did get lost, he would lose his calm imagining the worst of outcomes. He would feel like a child vested with a great treasure - proud, jubilant and terrified, all at the same time.
~Him
Episode 6 By her
© 2019 Subhash G