The Girl From The Reunion

 Eddie took a small pause from jogging to tie the lace of his Nike. Dressed in a sweaty T-shirt and a pair of gym shorts, he continued on through the park and the bridge. It was just another mundane Monday morning. Slightly warm with cold wind brushing against his face. He could see the sun slowly peeking out of hiding.

The road was empty except for the occasional appearance of the newspaper boys and the milkmen. Eddie always found jogging in the morning quite refreshing. It gave him time to ponder over matters of life. About her, about them. She had changed his life in ways unimagined, becoming his inspiration in almost everything. 

Eddie ascended the stairs to the house he and six of his friends had rented just 500m from his college.  Everyone was only waking up. Last night football match ended very late.  But there was Fezil, up early watching highlights. He never watched these late night matches, the only one among them to do so. He would then watch the highlights and go to the college go on talking as if he had watched the match live.  He could never stay up beyond 11 pm, even on exam nights. But he would wake up like five in the morning.

Eddie entered his room and there was Mahi sleeping like a fat little baby all covered in a blanket. Chances were that he could be fully dressed for college right now even wearing ID card. He had this awkward habit. He would wake up early, get bathed and fully dressed and then go curl up again saying “Wake me when you guys are going”.

Eddie was going to kick Mahi out of his bed when his phone started playing Beethoven’s fifth symphony. It was Nisha, his friend from school. They had recently met at the school Reunion earlier that month. He wondered why she was calling so early on a Monday morning.

“Hey, Nisha, What’s up?”

“Hello, Eddie” Her voice trembled like she was crying. Sensing whatever she had to say was pretty intense. Eddie sat down.

“Hey, what happened Nisha?”

“Have you watched the news?”

“News? No. Just tell me what happened?”

“Something terrible has happened. I just met her yesterday.” Saying this she broke down. Her? Who was she talking about? Eddie wondered.

“Nisha, Tell me what happened.”

“I can’t Eddie. Just turn on the TV.” Before he could get a chance to say anything, she hung up.

What had just happened? Why was she crying? Who was she talking about? Above all what does it have to do with him? Eddie struggled to stay afloat in the sea of questions. Then like a revelation, it flashed in his mind. Nisha’s WhatsApp status yesterday. He sat bewildered in horror.  

Fezil was still watching the highlights when Eddie changed the channel. Fezil was pissed off.

“Hey, what the…” he rumbled. Eddie didn’t respond. Another day, it would not have been his response. He wasn’t exactly an easygoing character rather a fiery one. But today his mind was preoccupied.

The news channel was live at eight in the morning. After all, it was the age of live interactive TV, Eddie speculated. Reporters roaming around in OB vans, jumping every chance to be the first one to cover the news. But in their rush to be the first, many a time they broadcast hearsay without verifying it first.

“As you can see Vinu, the NH 544 has been closed following pile up that occurred earlier today. Seven cars are believed to be involved in the tragic accident. It’s unclear as to what caused the accident. The police and fire force are on the scene. “The reporter went on.

Eddie’s mind took a detour to that day. The day of the reunion. The function had already started when he reached the school. It had been long since he last visited his school. It had changed a lot. The school authorities had organized a reunion of all the previous batches on the occasion of the Ruby Jubilee of the school. 

The invitation said that the function would be taking place in the open auditorium, newly constructed to mark the Ruby Jubilee. Eddie passed the U-shaped kindergarten block where got his first teacher, first friend, lost his first tooth and many more firsts. When he arrived at the auditorium, he could see the official function was almost over. The old basketball court had been converted into an open auditorium retaining the court. There was also a new block beside the auditorium. There were four huge steel pillars holding supporting the two storeys high roof. Calling it an open auditorium seemed a bit off putting as it is a storey below the ground level and surrounded by building on three sides. Besides the auditorium space, people were seated on the corridors of the surrounding buildings as well giving it an opera house like feel. 

 Eddie was having a great time catching up with old buddies, meeting his former teachers.

‘Hey, Nisha. I barely recognized you. What happened to your glasses?”

“Really Eddie? We are meeting after so many years and that’s the first thing you are asking me?” She chuckled and said “I don’t use them anymore and let me answer your next question in advance. No, I’m not using lenses.”

 A sweet voice interrupted Nisha. “Nisha, Teresa ma’am is asking for you.”  A curly-haired girl in a broomstick skirt and what seemed to be Gucci boots stepped into view.

“Oh, I forgot. Give me a minute Eddie. Why don’t you guys get acquainted? ”

  “Prakash is joining from Metro Hospital. Prakash, What updates do we have on victims of NH 544 pileup?” The news presenter asked.

“Mohan, what we are able to know is that so far 10 victims has been declared dead. They are….”

“I’m Edwin. You can call me Eddie.” Eddie introduced himself to Nisha’s friend.

“Nisha had mentioned you earlier today. By the way, I’m Ruth.”

“Ruth? Where have I read that name before?”

“Did you happen to read the Old Testament?” Ruth asked with a cheeky smile.

“Yeah, that’s it. The Bible. You don’t happen to have a mother-in-law named Naomi. Do you?”

“Not as of now. But my mother’s name is Naomi.”

Ruth is the 8^th of the 73 books in Bible, coming between Judges and 1 Samuel. Traditionally believed to be written by Prophet Samuel, It is one of the History books in the Bible. The book depicts the life of Ruth, the great-grandmother of King David and her mother-in-law Naomi.  

Eddie did not find the name he was looking for in the list of ten names read out by the reporter.

“Dude, what happened? You look worried. Did you know anyone of them?” Fezil asked.

“No. But Nisha said” Eddie stopped short. “I need to get to Metro Hospital.” Eddie walked to his room. Removed his sweaty T-shirt and put on a new one, still in his Gym shorts. The keys to his bike weren't there where he usually kept it. Then he remembered. Mahi had taken it yesterday. He was still asleep. Eddie smacked him hard.

“Where are my keys?” He asked a half asleep Mahi.

“What’s with you?  Had a fight with her? It's probably on Mathew’s table.”

Eddie didn’t reply. He walked to Mathew’s room, picked up the keys. On the way, he picked up his phone, tapped the first name in the list of favorites.

“Meet me at Metro Hospital ASAP. It’s urgent. Don’t ask anything now. I’ll tell you everything once you are there.” Without waiting for a reply, he hung up and kick-started his bike.  

When he arrived at the hospital, it was swarming with reporters and relatives of the victims. Soon he found himself leaning on the near the operation theater opposite Nisha. Ruth was in surgery. She will pull it off. She was strong. He assured himself.

“God! Eddie, you’re okay. ” The voice of a relieved girl echoed in his ears. It was Jiya. The first name in his list of favorites, in his life, his inspiration, the love of his life.

“You had me worried with that call.” She said hugging Eddie. “What happened? Who’s in surgery?” She asked as she pulled away.

Eddie didn’t answer. “Ruth.” Nisha was the one who said it.

“Ruth? The girl from the reunion? ”Jiya asked in astonishment. Eddie gave a faint nod.

“So tell me about your relationship status.” Ruth asked as they moved along the food counter. ‘I’m single’ would have been his usual reply. But for some reason, he didn’t say it. There was something about Ruth that pried the truth out of him.

“It’s complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“Like that omelette, you are having.” It was an inside joke running in his college. But Ruth was quick to spot the allegory.

“What? Oh, single one-side. Meaning it’s a one-sided affair.”

“That was quick.” Eddie expressed his wonder.

“It was kind of obvious. Tell me your story.” Ruth demanded.

“My story? You don’t happen to be a writer, do you?”

“Oh, no. Just an avid reader, I’m afraid. I have tried to write. It didn’t work out for me. Don’t worry I’ll be discreet. Just give me the short version. What’s keeping it one-sided? “, She winked.

“Her name is Jiya. A versatile sweetheart. She changed my life in ways unimagined, became my inspiration.”

“Then what? She friend zoned you?” Ruth interjected.

“Not exactly. She never gives me a chance become friends with her. Then how can I be friend zoned? Every interaction with her is as if it’s the first one. She behaves as if our last meeting never happened. So I am never able to get to a point where I could confess my feelings for her.”

“She does not even know?” Ruth gave an expression of disbelief. “Come on. What are you waiting for?” Without waiting for Eddie to answer she continued. “Don’t tell me the right time. There’s never a right time.  Don’t wait for signs and stuff.” She paused. You know what? Call her right now.” She said taking his plate from him.

“Now? Are you serious?”

“Does it look like I’m kidding?” Her face was stern. “Say it while you still can. You wait too much and you may not get a chance. Then you’ll regret it. Life only gives you so many chances. You eventually run out of them. If you want your fantasy to be a reality, you have to act. Nothing is free in this world. You have to earn everything one way or other. So pick up your phone and call her.  ”

“What do I tell her?” Eddie was worried. He was never satisfied with any of the lines he had rehearsed. His heart rate raced up. Would he be able to do it?

“Just what comes to your mind, then and there. Be honest. They weren’t kidding when they said honesty is the best policy”

Eddie fished the phone out of his Denim jacket, brought up the contacts and tapped her name. Almost ten seconds later, he almost hung up when he heard it.

“Hello”

 Jiya knew Ruth only from what Eddie had told her, as the girl from the reunion. He had told her all about that night down to the minor details. He always used to say ‘If it wasn’t for Ruth, I would still be chasing you.’ He had said she sounded as if she was speaking out of experience. It was only very recently that they found out he was right. There was someone in her life too. But it had ended before it really took off. 

She didn’t know if Eddie had really intended it but he had made the name Ruth an integral part even in her version their love story, that night when he said: “Where you go, I will go and where you stay I will stay.”  Chapter one verse sixteen in the book of Ruth, he had later confessed.

Standing, now in front of the ICU (the intensive care unit not the troll group) knowing that Ruth would pull through, with Jiya right by his side, Eddie couldn’t be happier.  Several others had died that day. Ruth was one of the lucky few to survive. Maybe it wasn’t her time to leave yet. Maybe there are more lives waiting for the touch of Ruth. His grandmother used to tell him that there are people who find happiness in helping others, even people they barely know. Eddie never believed it until he met Ruth, the girl from the reunion.

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