Fiction: Unspoken Bonds

Parminder Singh

The corporate conference hall hummed with the quiet murmur of conversation and the subtle clicks of laptop keys. Saba watched as Noor hurried out, her heels striking sharply against the linoleum floor. She didn't spare a glance for Deep, who stood awkwardly by Saba's chair, a document clutched in his hand that he was here to deliver to Saba. The tension in the air was palpable, like a taut rubber band ready to snap.

 

Saba turned to Deep, her brow furrowed in confusion. "But I heard you were the best of pals," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

 

Deep's fingers tightened on the document, crinkling the paper. He cleared his throat, a sad smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Yeah," he said, his eyes still fixed on the door where Noor had disappeared. "She used to say that her happiest times were those she spent with me. And I..." he paused, swallowing hard, "I could have happily sacrificed myself for her at the drop of a hat."

 

Saba leaned forward in her chair. "Why was she so cold? She didn't even acknowledge your presence," she inquired, a genuine concern lacing her words.

 

Deep's shoulders sagged slightly. He turned to face Saba, his eyes reflecting a mix of resignation and lingering affection. "What can I say? This is probably how she wants it to be now," he replied, aiming for casualness but falling short.

 

"What happened?" Saba couldn't contain her curiosity. The contrast between what she'd heard and what she'd just witnessed was too stark to ignore.

 

Deep sank into a nearby chair, placing his hands on the table. "Maybe our togetherness was jinxed," he said softly, more to himself than to Saba. "And this paved the way to our separation."

 

"Doesn't she talk to you at all now?" Saba pressed gently.

 

A wistful look crossed Deep's face. "It's her wish. But you know, I feel her presence at every spot we've been together. I talk to her about everything that happens in my life, every day. It's a different matter that she doesn't realize it." He said with conviction, "I remember her with every breath. This is all I can do until she realizes that she has... well, destroyed the pristine temple of my heart where my goddess dwells. Some things can't be taken away from me."

 

Deep's gaze drifted to the window, where the city skyline stretched out before them. "Except for completely unavoidable circumstances, there was hardly a day in the last dozen years that we didn't meet. We shared a unique bond, the kind bestowed upon only the rarest of the rare. Until..." his voice trailed off.

 

"Until she decided you wouldn't meet or stay in touch anymore," Saba finished for him, her voice soft with empathy.

 

Deep nodded, a single, sharp movement.

 

"So what will you do now?" Saba asked, leaning back in her chair.

 

Deep's eyes refocused on Saba, a steely determination settling over his features. "I shall always wait for her. I can't imagine myself without her. Her being with me, my need to share everything with her – it's as important to me today as it was to her before."

 

He hadn't shared his pain with anyone before, but now that he'd found a listener in Saba, the words poured out. "It may be easy for her to forget an ordinary person like me and move on, but one who has known Noor as I do shall remain in awe of her for life."

 

Saba's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I'm so sorry to know you were so connected to her," she said, her voice thick with emotion.

 

Deep shook his head vehemently. "Please don't say that. There's nothing to be sorry about. On the contrary, it has been a bliss."

 

"But it hurts me to see you in pain," Saba insisted.

 

A soft, sad chuckle escaped Deep's lips. "I've tasted the fruit of her companionship for years. Now, if she's given me this separation, how can I complain?" He stood up, gathering his briefcase, “… and thanks a lot, it’s only because of you that I could see that heavenly face today again after months.”

 

Saba watched him, a mix of awe and sadness on her face. "I wonder if such bonds still exist," she mused aloud.

 

Deep paused at the door, his hand on the handle. He turned back, his eyes glistening. "I promised her I would always cherish this bond. I can't forget that."

 

"And what about her promises?" Saba couldn't help but ask.

 

Deep's smile was bittersweet. "I can't be responsible for anyone else’s promises," he said softly. With a small nod, he opened the door and stepped out, leaving Saba to ponder the complexities of human connections in the quiet of the now-emptying conference hall.

 

 

Bio: Parminder Singh is an IT Professional-turned-educator who teaches English at Dev Samaj College for Women, Chandigarh. He specializes in Digital Humanities and Cultural Studies. He is a multilingual poet, short-story writer and translator, and has been awarded by the Sikh Educational Society for his book Sikh Dharam, his Punjabi translation of the book Appreciating Sikhism. He has co-translated the poetry of Sudeep Sen into Punjabi book Gau-Dhoorh Vela and has published poetry in Punjabi, English, Urdu and Hindi in various national and international books and magazines.

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Setu, October 2024