Julie sat in the restaurant and was tensed. She kept looking at the watch again & again. She was irritated.

“Never thought he would be late today!  Today was not any normal day after all. It was going to be our first date! Did Christopher actually ditch me?” She thought to herself.

Can this happen really? But it’s unlike him. She thought to herself.

What unlike him!!! How much do I know him? We are online buddies!  It was just one year that we are in touch regularly. But that does mean I know him really? Never!! Well, let’s see if he is just like others! He will come around. Her mind had endless conversations.

She tried calling him. ‘Phone is not reachable’, was the message that she got.

Why, Why, Why? Why did she believe him? All men are the same. They cheat, they humiliate and they ruin you. He is the same. Several such negative thoughts made her vision blurred. One last time she called him. This is the last time  I  will call him and if he does not pick up the phone, it’s over! Final. I am not going to be a moron again. She decided.

She thought to herself and dialed the number. He picked it up. Finally!!! She smiled and spoke to him.

“Hello, are you there?”, Julie enquired.

Christopher spoke on the other side.”Julie, I need your help. please reach The Tenth Avenue in the next ten minutes if possible.  It’s urgent.”

What? Are you ok? She asked to which Christopher said that he did not have much time. She  hired a   taxi and rushed to the place and found Christopher waving at the other end.

She ran towards him and saw blood on his T-shirt. worried, she reached out and said,”Are you okay? What happened to you?” She looked petrified.

“Nothing. Don’t worry my dear. I was rushing to meet you you know. I did not want to be late. It’s our day but see what could I do when I saw someone lying on the road all bleeding? Someone had hit this poor man and he was lying in the pavement in blood. It was evening and a relatively secluded patch on the highway. I had to do something. I took him in my car and reached the Hospital here. I also called up the emergency helpline number and registered a case. The authorities were a little reluctant to admit him. But I managed it somehow. I wanted you here because  I was mentally losing it and would not have been able to reach you in this state and was worried about your safety as well. It’s a rainy and dull day.”  He replied.

“But see dear, look at me I am a mess. I ruined it for you. I am so sorry. “Christopher said with a lousy face.

Julie kept listening to him. With admiration filled in her eyes,She just captured that moment in her memory forever. The blood-stained shirt on her Man made him look the most handsome soul in her entire life. She opened her arms and gave him a big tight hug.

“I love you, Christopher! This is the best rainy day in my life” She declared.

They walked hand in hand under the umbrella towards their car and Christopher kissed Julie on her cheeks. It felt so warm.

Love,

Chinmayee