The things we do!

He called her to let her know he was coming over for a day. Just ONE day. That too, when he was coming over for work. She didn't hold her breath. They were quite used to this, being in the same town for a couple of hours and not meeting, calling from airports to drop a word and going away, sharing crazy moments together in one city and then acting like strangers the very next time they'd meet. They were entertaining to say the least. 

She had met him a few weeks ago, when they'd shared a good meal with fabulous wine. It started off with a huge gang of friends and slowly with each passing hour one or the other dropped off till it was only them, sharing the night, the wine and the proximity. It was rather heady and it took them all their resolve to head off in opposite directions as the day drew to a close. 

And now, here he was calling her to let her know he was coming over. 

She made other plans. 

They both had learnt long ago to not count on each other for the usual pleasantries and meeting expected norms of civil behaviour. Hence, without waiting for a word from him, she made other plans. 

He landed and called. They spoke and then he had to rush for work. He called again. They spoke and then she had to head for work. He called again and implored her to meet him. This she wasn't used to. The vulnerable side of him. He'd always kept his guard up. She had suspected him of something many many years ago but all these years of aloofness forom his end convinced her that it was her imagination. But now, he WANTED to meet her. 

She went over to pick him up for a meal. He asked her in and couldn't keep his eyes off her. The first genuine compliment in a few years fell from his mouth and her astonishment made him cup his hand over his mouth. He knew he'd given himself away. 

He held her close. But she knew at the back of her mind that their table awaited them and time was really not on their side. He breathed in her perfume and she his eyes. They knew they had to choose. It took them only one second to make that choice.

As his lips drew closer to hers, she chose her Heineken.