A love that'll never grow old

"Do I know you? Why have you come to meet me?"

These two questions reverberated in loops inside Boru's head as his eyes kept staring, blankly at the pine trees, fluttering in the wind! Slow, steady winds then increased their pace, making the pine trees sway vigorously, and along with it, his mind kept swaying, back and forth to the two questions. His mind recollected so many memories, with some being forgotten forever!

Borun strolled down to his room, their room which is now devoid of her presence. The presence, which he immensely missed, there's so much emptiness. Her smile had always been a breath of fresh air! The photo album of their 45-year-old marriage stayed open on his bed as he slept, the pine trees swaying outside because of the tremendous wind, which eventually gave way to hailstorms!

Borun woke up and looked at the calendar. Today's the date of visit. It was raining quite heavily, the soil emanating some heavenly smell of the fresh shower. With a flower bouquet in hand, Borun stood in front of a huge signboard, which read, "National Institute for Alzheimer's studies and Hospitals, "and it sent shivers down his spine. Tilottama, his Tilottama, has been here for the last three months. And she has failed to recognize him every single week. He still feels he should have been careful enough to understand the onset of this disease in its nascent stages. Slowly it dug deep into her and one fine day she failed to recognize him! It was the most shocking thing he heard in his entire life. It literally shook him.

Borun clutched his bouquet hard, and he moved towards Tilottama's room. His last visit had also ended with her not recognizing her!

Tilottama was sitting in her room, staring outside, watching the rain. Or that little bird that visits the pear tree right outside the window. A beautiful nameless bird, having so many shades of colours on the feather. It just comes and sits on the pear tree whenever it rains, probably waiting for it to subside and spend some time in the leafy shades. It goes away whenever the rain subsides. To the waiting family, perhaps. Who knows.

Her lips moved in some unknown prayers or songs. She turned towards Borun as he entered but her expression stayed as it was! Borun went in, smiled the happiest smile he could come up with, and handed her the bouquet. She took it, smelled the flower, and kept it aside! Borun kept looking at her, her face, crooked and crisscrossed with lines, her eyes, still beautiful, but a bit dull, always searching for something!

Borun sighed and took out her shoes from the closet. Like every week, it was time for a walk. He slowly pulled her legs towards him, putting socks on her right foot and then lovingly, pushing them into the shoe. He then went on to tie the shoelace, his heart beating faster and faster.

"Do I know you? Why have you come to meet me?" Tilottama said, a bit of irritation in her voice, as always! Borun stopped for a second and continued. It has become a habit now, listening to that sentence. He pulled her left foot towards him now. Her face was affixed towards him, now!

"Why do you always fasten the shoelaces so tightly, Borun, I can't even walk properly."

Borun looked up at her, his eyes going moist, instantly! She was still looking at him. He felt her face breaking into a smile. He smiled back and untied the shoelaces!

Meanwhile, the Doctor kept looking at Borun earnestly from outside the door. He looked at a second doctor who was listening too.

“We need to strengthen Borun Sir’s medications. His hallucinations have gathered momentum very rapidly now.”

The Second doctor nodded and looked on in the room, bewildered where Borun was trying to tie the shoelaces of an invisible shoe belonging to a person who was invisible too, and kept crying profusely.

“He always wanted Tilottama madam to recognize him one last time, but...” uttered the first doctor and went in towards Borun Sir.

***