Love Lasts Forever Read Online Free PDF

hundred armed pirates are guarding them.
                  We have reached our destination.  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    7 . Our first goodbye
    March 2004 , Mumbai
     
    Little more than a month in our relationship and we had to face the toughest part – separation.
    Especially to meet Aisha, I flew down to Mumbai from Delhi for my final goodbye. I took Joe Singh’s car, picked her up from her house in Bandra, and we sat on the pavement on Marine Drive gazing ahead toward the Arabian Sea.
    Aisha was wearing cream coloured Capri pants and matched it up with a blue top. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail with a matching hair band and round earrings dangled below her ears. Even in her simplicity she had to be the prettiest girl I’d seen in my life.
    Ahead of us the water swished back and forth, lapping against the rocks, and rose in plumes with few drops directed at us every now and then. There was a slight breeze; the intensity of which just perfect that would make one feel that life indeed is wonderful. Behind us, people jogged with headphones over their ears, and further behind cars rattled down the noisy Mumbai streets. Not too far from us toward our left there was a Bollywood shooting in progress as people appeared to throng the sets. Above us the birds went about with their evening songs, lost in their world. Everything seemed normal with the world, yet for us, nothing was normal.
    I would be leaving for my first assignment as a cadet tomorrow for six months…
    ‘Wow!’ Aisha gasped. ‘I can’t believe we met just last month. I’m so much in love with you already Ronit.’
    She slipped her arms between mine and rested her head on my shoulders.
    I sighed. ‘I know,’ I said, squeezing her petite hands. ‘I’ve just seen you four times and it feels as if I’ve known you for a lifetime already. I love you so much, Aisha.’ 
                  She forced a smile. ‘I’ll miss you Ronit.’
    I could hear her voice breaking. My heart cried at that.
                  Glumly, I looked ahead in the distance. Faraway, near the horizon, a ship was propelling through the water leaving smoke in its wake. I shuddered to think I’d be on one of those by tomorrow, away from land, away from Aisha, away from my Aisha…
    Seriously, I never thought love could be so hard. Staying close to six months away from her would be like eternity. Just last month I was so excited about my first salary in dollars. And now, all the excitement had vanished in thin air. No amount of money could justify the separation from her.
    Few days earlier I had thoughts of quitting navy so I could spend each and every moment of my life with h er. I’d shared this with Joe Singh to take his point of view earlier this afternoon. I had not seen a more astounded look on his face.
                  ‘What? You are gonna forget all the shit we have gone through in the past one year?’ Joe Singh said in a gruffly voice. ‘What is happening to you man, get a control over your life.’ He tutted before resuming. ‘Seriously man love is blind, I mean, one year of struggle and when it’s time to earn the reward, you want to quit, and that too for a girl. And Priyanka’s sister, for her .’
    He thu mped his fist on the table and had a look of disgust on his face. ‘I mean seriously for Priyanka’s sister!’ And then he began to snigger. ‘Priyanka’s sister? Ha, ha, really?’
                  ‘Thanks for the advice,’ I’d replied with gritted teeth, before stomping out his house. Not before collecting the keys of his car, of course.
    F or a minute I wanted to forget Joe Singh’s advice and leave my job. My life is so perfect and complete when I am around Aisha. She is the best thing that has ever happened to me.
                  ‘What are you thinking Ronit?’ she asked, running her fingers playfully over my arms.
                  I let