The Monsoon Sun.
As she took another sip of her third coffee since that morning, her eye caught on to the early morning sun rays cutting through the spotless glass panels that formed the facade of the coffee shop she was sitting in.
“Ah! The monsoon sun”, Maya chuckled.
It was the peak of the rainy season. The sun only made surprise guest appearances through the dark clouds, everyday.
Morning strollers were out, bursting with energy. A few joggers passed the coffee shop, too engrossed in their music to notice anything. A stray dog walked by and stopped occasionally to scratch his neck. He was taking advantage of the sun as well, looking for a warm spot to curl up in, while it lasted.
Maya would have loved to be outside right now. But not today. Today was one of the biggest presentations she ever were to give. Sprawled on the little coffee table in front of her were her notes and a laptop exposing the blue prints she had tirelessly worked on for the past few months. She felt prepared, but apprehensive. The anxiety had kept her awake most of the night, and after catching a shut eye for an hour or so, she was wide awake again. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep, Maya got dressed and moved towards the only coffee shop open at that hour.
An hour had passed since then. She looked over at her computer. The team had done a stellar job, and she felt proud. Her hard work at architecture school would pay off, later today. She zoomed in and out over and over again to check if all the details were right. She went through her presentation points in her mind, making sure she was prepared for every question that might come her way.
After about a half hour of working, suddenly a darkness fell on her screen. For a second, she thought her laptop battery was dying. But she soon realized, the dark clouds were creeping their way in. It was going to pour heavily, soon enough.
Much before her thought was complete, it started to rain. Maya looked outside. A few people scrambled to find shelter. She thought of her college days when the monsoon rains meant getting out of her dorm room. She and her friends would put on their ponchos and take their scooters out for a ride in the rain! It served as an excuse to go see Mihir, her then boyfriend! She smiled as she thought of his boyish face. Holding hands while nobody watched them, sneaking in kisses under their poncho caps. Rains meant garam cutting (hot tea) with crispy kanda bhaiya on the side (onion fritters). Sometimes she even devoured a whole, lip smacking bhutta (corn on the cob).
Those careless days where long gone now. Her friends were replaced with the glossy screened laptop in front of her. The street-side, ‘easy on your pockets’ snacks were replaced by expensive lattes and, at best, a day-old tasteless muffin. Watching her waistline, counting calories and making time to workout had now become a habit. She was left saddened, reminiscing over her past — the relationships and the experiences.
Sighing, she went back to work.
Another half hour passed. The coffee shop was now bustling with people. People were getting their morning coffees and breakfasts. She was distracted again by a man talking on the phone. He was trying to catch good reception, probably to hear his daughter, who had moved half way across the world in pursuit of a loving husband and a career.
Maya thought about her parents. They were walking slower than what she remembered, speaking more about after-life as future, minor illnesses seemed to tag along with both of them. But that wasn't dampening their spirits. They kept going places, at their own pace, coughing all along. Seeing the vast blue ocean still made their eyes sparkle with excitement. Walking the ice-cream aisle in a grocery store, made their eyes grow bigger and mouths water. A faint smile traced Maya’s lips. They were growing old, physically, yet their souls mimicked those of kids. Best of all, they lived not too far from her–she could see them anytime! They were still her pillars, as much as she was their ground.
A group of youngsters walked in to the coffee shop. They looked like young college kids, sneaking in to share a coffee with their pocket money. Her thoughts ran back to her college days, when she would stand outside places much like this coffee shop with Mihir. “One day I want to design places like this!”, she told him.
And she had.
But she was done designing coffee shops, restaurants and malls. She had bigger plans. Today, in front of her sat her completed designs for an orphanage she had been working on for a good part of the last year. Several children would get a roof over their heads. Many would get three complete meals everyday. Not to mention, her plans extended beyond the physical structure of the orphanage. Her proposal included skill-based education for the kids and employment opportunities in their futures. And it was all a product of her passion.
“I have to crack this presentation today!”, she thought to herself looking at her notes and plans.
Just then, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. She turned around.
It was Mihir. The same boyish charm adorned his face. His smile, as infectious as she remembered from their first meeting. Only a few wrinkles now gathered by his kind eyes.
It was her Mihir. Her very loving and supporting husband, Mihir. Also, her business partner.
“It’s time for us to leave for the presentation. Let’s do this!”, he said. She smiled back at him and started to gather her things while he waited for her. As she got up from her seat to leave, she noticed the glass panels of the coffee shop light up again. The sun was peering back out of the grey clouds.
Maya couldn’t help but let a small laugh out.
“Ah, the monsoon sun!”, she chuckled.
