Chapter 1: Introduction
I stared at Sandhya's name and face staring back at me from my computer screen. It had been years. Our glued-together chairs in the office, our intense meetings, and innocent banter, the truth about all of it now seemed like closed chapters that I had crammed deep at the back of an old dusty drawer of my memory.
We had not kept in touch after she left the company in 2010. Yet, here was her name in my Facebook friend recommendations.
I had hesitated, but then I couldn't resist. I clicked 'Add Friend' with the old images of us, filling my head. Look at her now, I thought, mature, poised, confident - an epitome of sensuality.
My heart raced as I nervously waited for her reply. A few days later, it popped up: "You and Sandhya are now friends on Facebook." I took a moment to let it register. I stared at her profile picture, which showed her stunning silhouette visible against the sunset.
Her hair cascaded down her shoulders, a dark waterfall I always secretly admired back in the office. I could almost smell her shampoo. It was time to connect.
One weeknight at about 23:45, I happened to notice her status message online. The temptation to reach out was irresistible. I instantly tapped her name to initiate a chat.
The wait was filled with anticipation. Perhaps she was thinking about me as well, wondering what kind of man I had grown to be. My pulse quickened as her name flickered: "Sandhya is now active."
"Vi-jay? Is that you?" she asked playfully, exactly as I remembered her voice. I felt a jolt of excitement racing down my spine.
"Well, well, if it isn't the long-lost Sandhya!" I playfully shot back. Typing her name again, I savored the memory of our working days together.
"Are you still the same Vijay solidly working away till late hours?" she asked, adding a winking emoji.
"Only for some people I know," I teased, still wondering how she would react. "Seriously, work's been great, and I got married to Sharda in 2012."
I paused, half expecting her to apologize for changing jobs - but she didn't.
"Oh, how wonderful for you, Vijay! I'm sure you two are perfect for each other. I also got married to Mohit in 2014. Still, it feels like just the other day when I used to walk into the office, and you were always either there or at a meeting." She had this ability to make our mundane office memories feel so special.
"About Mohit, I always wanted to ask - what is he doing?" Developer?
"Yes"
That's impressive," I replied, envious of his slightly exotic job profile compared to my own predictable one.
"Well, he is pretty ambitious, always has been. It took me a while to get used to a partner always wanting more than what he has. It's invigorating, but sometimes it's exhausting," she confessed.
An awkward silence settled between us, and I decided to change the subject.
"Oh, yes, there's one thing that has stuck in my mind from our office days - your beautiful hair. I always admired how it cascaded down your shoulders and back all the way down or how you would twirl it around your finger when you were lost in thought during a meeting. You have always had such a graceful way of carrying yourself."
She giggled and responded, "Why, thank you, Vijay! It's been so long since I received such a lovely compliment. I always admired your work.
You had a sense of confidence that just made everything you did look so chic. I still remember that presentation you made in 2009, when the whole office was buzzing afterward, talking about your sharp intellect and charisma. Did I never mention that?" I asked.
"Honestly, no, Vijay, but it's very kind of you to bring that up. I would be lying if I said that it didn't feel good to hear that again after all these years.
"Well, I guess we both had our strengths back then."
"Indeed, we did. I've always wondered what it would have been like, had I not married Mohit." She said, those words causing my heart to race once more.
"Life does take us in unexpected directions, doesn't it?" I responded carefully, not wanting to divulge too much at once.
"I've had my fair share of ups and downs over the years," she admitted. "But I've always tried to be true to myself."
I couldn't help but feel a pang of admiration for Sandhya. She had always been so confident and self-assured, even in the face of adversity.
"And you, Vijay?
Have you ever been curious about how it would have unfolded?" she asked curiously.
"I'll admit that I did sometimes wonder about it," I said in an almost whisper. "But life is okay with Sharda"
"Anyway.., Have you considered modelling? If not you must"
I blurted out.
"Modeling?! No, I'd never thought about that before. It's so far removed from what I do now. Besides, with everything happening in my life managing a side gig might be too much." Hearing her laugh was commendable as I was always slightly nervous while speaking to her.
"Well, you certainly have the right attitude, and I think the charm you exude would YouTube, I could easily help with the production side, you would be amazing," I tried to reassure.
"I don't know, Vijay. Why do you think so"
she asked, the curiosity evident in her voice.
I hesitated for a moment, considering the weight of my words, before responding.
"Well, you radiate this poise and grace, and your beauty is almost ethereal. When you smile, the entire room seems to, well, light up," I admitted, feeling vulnerable.
"And there's nothing more attractive than that kind of confidence, the one that comes from within," I furthered.
She hesitated for a moment and then sighed, almost wistfully, "It's hard to imagine that I could model now, but I appreciate the compliment, Vijay. Life hasn't always been kind to me, and I've had to fight for what I have."
I wanted to know more about what she meant but decided to hold back for the moment. "Well, there's nothing that can't be overcome with grit and determination."
"Indeed," she agreed.
"Very well, we should leave it at that for now. But do keep in touch."
Her words lingered in my thoughts for days to come. I found myself glancing at my phone, almost expecting to see an alert notifying me of a new message from Sandhya.
Each day that passed, I found myself growing increasingly enamored with the woman she had become.