Chapter 16: Reunion and Departure (1)

Reaching my apartment after 3 months. I called cleaning service to clean my apartment. After a couple of hours, with my apartment finally cleaned I started making plans for my departure.

But first I sent a message to my friends informing them that I am back, and we should catchup. Immediately all three replied and decided to catch up at 5 pm at my apartment.

***

Knock Knock

I prepared myself and walked to open the door, to be honest I was a bit nervous as how to explain the changes with me to my friends, but I thought to hoodwink them by using the crash course as an excuse.

As I opened the door, Arnav, Roy and Kenny looked at me and then looked at each other with a confused expression. After a moment of silence Arnav spoke in a gentle manner

"Hi, we are Joy's friends. He asked us to meet us here at 5 pm. Is Joy at home?"

Dumbstruck I let a chuckle out

"Guys, aren't you able to recognize me? I am sporting a new look."

After another few seconds of silence Roy spoke

"Joy, what happened to you? I am not able to recognize you."

"Let's continue our chat inside the room, come inside, stop standing at the doorway." I urged my friends.

As we all sat inside the room, I took of my t-shirt and vest and showed my toned body to the boys. With an amusing look, it was Roy again who spoke

"Oh my god! Where has your pot belly gone? Tell me. How did you manage to get in shape within 3 months?"

Arnav: "Bro, turn around, show me your back."

I turned around and let my friends examine my newfound toned body with well-developed muscles.

Arnav literally touched my biceps, triceps, abs, back, calves, shoulders and pressed them, squeezed them and did a thorough analysis of my body. It was expected of a fitness maniac like him.

After a couple of minutes Arnav was finally satisfied as he let go of my body.

Arnav: "Bro, how did you get such refined muscles. Its neither too overbearing nor too slim. It looks perfect, how do I put it…"

As Arnav was finding difficult to put his thoughts into words, Kenny joined him

"Your body looks like a warrior's body not a body you develop in a gym."

After hearing Kenny's bullseye remark I finally decided to clear the situation to them and tell them half the truth and my plans for the future.

"Guys, if you are done staring at my body, calm down now, remember the last time we met on the eve of my birthday?"

The trio nodded.

"After you guys left, I was thinking a lot of stuff that day. Things about my past, my present and my future. To be completely honest with you, at that time I was not at the right state of mind and to be honest with you all I planned to end my life on my birthday."

As I dropped the bombshell, silence ensued the room. I also didn't continue to speak as I wanted it to sink down.

With a look of disbelief Roy said

"The things that you were talking about that day, was that the reason why you were having such thoughts?"

I calmly replied

"That was not the only thing, I felt like I had lost my purpose in life. There was nothing that made me feel like I need to live to do something. Everything felt boring in life. I think I was depressed and adding on to my loneliness and the pain of my mother's death I felt very alone."

None of the trio spoke as they let me continue

"You guys already know, I have no one in my family who will care either I live or die. When my mom was alive, they boycotted her because she was pregnant with me without marrying. You know how narrow-minded traditional Indian's are.

Had it been in the US my mom need not face such situation but here people value societal norms more than individual's happiness. If you are an outliner here, you will be left alone."

I sighed heavily, then I took the water bottle which was near me and gulped down a few mouthfuls before continuing again

"Even when my mom was sick, I took care of her alone, I cooked for us both, I cleaned the house, did the laundry, shopping and gave my all to save my mother.

In a way I matured mentally when I was a young boy and still when she passed away, I felt like there is a void present in my life.

Though a few relatives tried to contact me after she passed away, in hopes of getting a share of the inheritance she left me, but I blocked all those selfish foxes out of my life.

At least she made a few good colleagues who were explorers and archaeologist who visited her when she was sick, but that was as far as it went with the people in our lives."

After saying so I closed my eyes as tears rolled down my cheeks. Without a single word I let the pent-up emotions in me, which were building over the past few years express itself through my tears.

A few memories of my mother and our happy time together flashed in my mind. Memories like when she used to feed me, hug me, sing me a lullaby when I couldn't sleep, taking me to school, attending parent-teachers meeting, cheering me up from the sidelines during sports festival and celebrating even my failures, made me smile.

With a melancholic tone, I said

"I miss her. I miss you mom. I wish wherever you are, you find all the happiness that you deserved. In this life I was not able to give you the happiness, maybe if God gives us another chance, then I will do my filial duty."

As I said these words, all the strength in my body left me. As I slumped down and put my back against the wall of the bed.

After a few minutes of silence, it was Kenny who broke the silence

"Guys, excuse me for 5 minutes, after hearing Joy's words I just realized how much lucky I am to have my parents with me.

You only realize what you had after you lose it. I will be back after calling my mom and dad. Don't mind me, you guys carry on, I will join you guys in a few minutes."

Saying so he stood up from the chair and went to the living room to call his parents. Roy also left the room to call his parents. Seeing Arnav who was not going to leave the room, I asked

"Arnav, you are not going to call your parents?"

With a complicated look, he shook his head.