PERHAPS, TOMORROW

I could hear my wife’s voices. She was trying to make a call but may be because of some network problem she was unable to do so. Out of frustrations she was cursing the telephone companies.  I am glad that I am not an owner of such a company and I am pretty sure I do not have to explain the reason. I could see her looking at me couple of times with that ‘this is your entire fault’ type of look but I was trying my best to avoid it. Few minutes later I heard her talking to somebody over the telephone. I sighed, thinking that she would no longer be angry in the kitchen. After pondering for some time I turned on the TV. It was Saturday and millions of people including me were waiting for the El Classico.

“45 seconds already into the match!!” I shouted as if somebody pick pocketed me. Regardless of the surrounding, I got indulged in the match.

“Honey, can you turn down the volume please?” I heard   my wife saying. I decided to ignore it at the first time not because I wanted to but because I was watching El Classico.

“Baby I am watching El Classico”. I replied with ignorance and continued to watch the match.

“I am sure you are but I am trying to make a conversation.”

I love her assertive behaviour. I have always loved that. In fact, that’s what made me fell for her in college days. I smiled and turned downed the volume. Without contemplating much I was busy with the match again. After hanging up she came and sat near me and looked for shelter on my chest. I hugged her and asked, “Is everything alright?” My eyes still rock focused on the television screen. She did not reply. I knew she would not. It has been two years since we are married and she was used to such behaviour. Neither had I expected any reply.

As the match went on I kept cursing some players for their misses. I have loved football for years and Barcelona was like my second wife. During my school days everybody called me ‘Culḗ’ for I was crazy about Barcelona football club. I played football myself and I was good at it. I remembered the days when I played for my college team and Anita always came to cheer for me no matter what. I used to blow flying kisses to her after scoring goals and she used to hold it in air and kept it near her heart and screamed at top of her voice. We celebrated our victories together and when we lost she always consolidated me. We were deeply, madly in love. One day I married her and life seemed to be more beautiful than ever for it was our destiny to be each other’s better half.

After a goalless first half I looked at her. To my surprise she was not there. I could hear her cooking food in the kitchen and sounds of the utensils were louder than usual. I knew she was upset so I tried to make a conversation:

“Baby do you need some help?” I asked. She was quiet and kept on doing what she was up to. After waiting for few seconds I asked again, “Baby may I give you a hand?” I was not desperate to hear a yes though.

“I am good. Almost done” She kept it short. I was obsessed with the match. I kept pondering how Barcelona could break the deadlock. It was important for them to win the match and for me too. Second half was about to begin and I was eager to see it.

“Would you like to have your dinner now?” Anita asked me.

“After 45 minutes” I replied looking at the screen as the players entered the field.

“Shall I wait?” She waited for a reply.

“No.” I said after a long pause.

 The whistle for second half blew.  The second half was much more intense. The atmosphere of a lakh people inside the Camp Nṏu was well felt by the players. It was a match for pride and honour for both the teams. It was a match of rivalry of over 65 years between these two Spanish giants. It was a match between Leo Messi and Christiano Ronaldo. It was El Classico.

“Goooooaaaaalllllllll!!!!” I shouted as Messi brilliantly finished on 62^nd minute. Now I was more involved in the game. The players were desperate to win the game and the atmosphere started heating up. 83 minutes into the game and now Real Madrid started to press even harder. Some desperate defending could be seen from the defenders of Barcelona. I was praying so that they could hold them some more minutes.

“Yeeeeeaaaahhhhhh!!!!” I shouted again as this time Real Madrid got caught in counter after trying to press even harder. It was Messi again who calmly put the ball into the empty net after a Neymar’s shot was blocked by Navas.

Barcelona won the match. I was very happy and after switching off the TV I sat to have my dinner. My wife finished her dinner long back. I knew I was unfair to her. She was one of a personality that everybody liked and I loved. She loved me desperately, so did I. But at times some small things would make some huge differences. Quickly finishing my meal I went to bed and I could see my wife sleeping. I knew she was not asleep yet so I went near her and kissed her. She smiled and kissed me back.

“They won. Did not they?” She asked eagerly.

“Yes baby they did win.” I said as I kissed her one more time.

“By 2-0?” Her eyes glowed as she asked.

“How do you know?”

“I heard you shouting twice” This time she pulled me and kissed me more passionately.

“Since when do you like Barcelona?” I asked her pulling her close.

“Since 8^th of August, 2009.” She giggled. That was the first time talked like friend in college. We shared our likes and dislikes, hobbies and many more things.

“Really?” I asked her kissing her lips.

“What makes you so romantic today baby?”

“It’s the impossible depth of the beauty that you possess. It puts even the moon to shame.”

“Flattery would be considered as cheap distraction from truth.” She winked at me.

“You are hard to resist.”

“Are you waiting for permission then?” She pulled me close and started to open my cloths.

We made love with more intense. Again and again until she was tired and slept off on my chest. I was lost deep in my thoughts. I promised her today that I would take her out for a date. But I did not or rather could not because of the match. She was fair to be mad at me. ‘This Tuesday, I would take her out for a date’ I thought as I had off on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Next morning I got up looked at my wife. She was still sleeping. After becoming fresh I went to the kitchen and made two cups of coffee. I came to our room and found that she was still sleeping. I decide to wait till she opened her eyes. When she got up she found me waiting for her with a cup of coffee.

She smiled and asked, “How long have you been waiting?”

“Hours” I smiled back.

“Your hummers are not in par with this dearth.” She giggled.

“How about going out on Tuesday evening?” I asked her.

“Will you be on leave?” She asked with a curious face.

“Yes love.” I replied.

She hugged me tight. I knew she was happy and I was even happier to see her happy. She means the world to me and I would die a thousand times to make her happy.

Today is Tuesday morning. I have lots of work to do as I will be on leave for two days.

“I might have to go to Dev’s place honey.”

“Is it urgent?” She asked.

“I need to wrap this up as soon as possible.” I replied as I kept on focusing on my work.

“Lunch is almost ready. Can you go after lunch?” She asked.

“Sounds great.”

“Okay. Have a bath and by then lunch will be ready.”

“Sure.” I smiled and replied.

After finishing the meal I got ready to go to my colleagues place. In a hurry I came out of my house. I planted a kiss on Anita’s forehead and said, “Wait for me till I come back. We need to go out for dinner tonight.”

“Yes baby. Drive safe. And you are forgetting your cellular phone.” She reminded.

“Leave it. I would not want disturbances from office.” I came out of the house and drove to Dev’s place. The work was pilling. We did the best we could to finish it up by 8:30 pm. Once we were done I checked my watch.

‘Thank God. I will make home by 9:00 pm.’ I thought. There was enough time to go out for dinner.

“Dev I shall leave now. It’s late.” I got up to leave.

“Just a minute I am making some coffee.”

After a long busy day we both sat to enjoy a cup of coffee. It was so pleasing that it felt like heaven.

“Did you watch Saturday’s match?” Dev asked.

“How could I miss it man?”

“Off course. It was a nice game.” He was big fan of Barcelona too.

“Messi  played well.” I replied.

“Hey dude, its Tuesday night.”

“Yes I am aware of it.”

“Champions League quarter final. Barcelona vs. PSG.”  His eyes sparked.

“We have not enjoyed a match together for long time.” I said.

“How about tonight?” He asked.

I could hardly resist. Within no time we sat for the match. When the match finally ended with Barcelona’s victory, I was overjoyed.

“I must leave now man. It’s late.” It was 11:30 pm.

“Yeah man. I am too full with the snacks. I better sleep.” He said.

He took out his cellular phone to check the time by himself.

“Holly shit!” He exclaimed.

“What is it?” I asked.

“8 missed calls from your wife. I am sorry man my phone was silent mode.”

I took my out my cellular phone and it was off. The battery had drained out. I felt like the sky fell upon me. How could I forget that we planned for a date tonight? With mixed feeling of guilt and remorse I ran toward my car. On my way back home I kept on thinking that the lady who loved me so much was in deep sorrow because of me. I felt like I was the worst husband of the world. I could not even do a small thing just to make her happy.

On reaching home I found that the door was open. I quietly entered the house and locked the door. I went to our bed room and found that she was asleep with her dress on. ‘My poor wife’ I thought. She was ready for the date. She must have slept without eating. I came out of the room and lay down on sofa. I started to think about her reaction the next morning.

I knew she would be mad at me tomorrow. ‘To repent, I have to take her out for a date. Perhaps, tomorrow.’ I thought.