A Train Story (Part IV Finale)

If you haven't read the previous parts, here are the links:

Part I: https://nomadscholastic.blogspot.com/2021/06/a-train-story-part-i.html

Part II: https://nomadscholastic.blogspot.com/2021/06/a-train-story-part-ii.html

Part III: https://nomadscholastic.blogspot.com/2021/06/a-train-story-part-iii.html 

It was 3 am. Shreya couldn't sleep. Her head was swirling with thoughts the implications of which she couldn't perceive. She got up and arched her back. Switching on the night lamp, she walked to the sea facing balcony. She checked her phone and found a text.

"Still up, ma'am?"

"Yes, cabbie. Up for a call?"

After a minute...

"How long will you call me that? Gimme a minute."

A few minutes later, Shreya was on call.

"I'm not feeling well, cabbie. Any suggestions?"

"Hmm....lemme think. Tell me about that day at the hotel."

"The day Srikant hugged me for the first time?", asked Shreya with a smile.

"You know I'll always call him Tommy. You can't change that."

"I'm not trying to, idiot! So, I had no idea what was happening, but I loved the feeling. First thought was that it was fate. Turns out your cousin had it all planned."

"It wasn't exactly a plan. More like a Tinder swipe. Uncertain."

"Enlighten me."

"A few months before you two met, Tommy had registered our hotel on weekendgetaway.com. He handles the database of customers here. When he heard you're visiting Goa, he checked our database and found someone by the name of Shreya Dikshit booked for that day. What he wasn't sure of was that if you were that Shreya. Genius he was but in matters of socializing (blows raspberry)"

"So, that's why he said he had my number?"

"Kudos! Someone has brains here."

"Haha. So funny. I just died of laughter. (sighs) Go on."

"Why do you think I was on cab duty at the station that way? It was our lovely Tommy who planned that."

"You were quite a pain in the ass, you know that, right?"

"I try, ma'am. It was the same day his grandma died so, I did what I could to console him but he was in his own dreamland. I couldn't console him but somehow a stranger he just met and shared a stupid playlist with could."

Shreya laughed.

"For your record, the playlist wasn't stupid. I still have it."

"So Shreya of you, ma'am!"

"Yeah, okay. Go on."

"I don't think I have anything more except a veryyy dark secret."

"Don't you dare to keep me hanging, cabbie!"

"Okay, if you say so. Tommy said that if I didn't tell anyone about his little friend a.k.a. you, he would pay for drinks for the next month. He never did."

"This was your dark secret? Seriously, cabbie? Once a kid always a kid."

"Also, wanna know a fun fact?"

"Cabbie, I swear if this is another lame joke, I'll kill you."

"The day at Palolem Beach and the bonfire were not complementary service. Tommy paid for all of them. And when he saw that you're not comfortable wearing a bikini, he put on a shirt himself. Otherwise, he's the kind of person who shows off his beach bod."

"Good for you this wasn't lame."

"Pleasure's all mine. Sorry Shreya, I gotta go now. Baby's up."

"Enjoying fatherhood, cabbie?", teased Shreya.

"In parts, yes. Mostly, no."

"Bye, cabbie. See you next week."

"Copy that, Shreya!"

And he hung up.

Shreya looked into the distance. The full moon was at its prime. The whole beach was lit in silver rays. A lone man was sitting; a wine bottle in his hand as palm trees swayed to the cool breeze.

She entered the room and closed the glass door behind her.

"Enjoying the view, hon?"

"Very much, Srikant."

"It's late. You didn't get any sleep?"

"I couldn't. There are these thoughts I can't shake."

"It's okay, darling. Happens. Now, get some sleep. We have an early train to catch tomorrow."

The End