ANUSHIYA SMITH
I and Alice came out to buy a graduation gift for her son.
It's my first time walking out in Manhattan with the public since I came here. The streets were busy, you
can hear police sirens 24/7, any time you can see a taxi but getting one is a tough thing, people were
always walking faster than usual as if they were late for their last train to Busan. Large buildings,
people with cigarettes even women are smoking. If I were now with me here, they should definitely
blindfold me until she crossed past us.
While walking on that busy roads Alice nudged my hand to see that huge building. That building's
entrance was made with glass and a squirrel-bitten apple in the center. Yes, it's an apple store. Not an
apple store like the apple-apple store it's like an apple store. I was surprised when she dragged me
inside that store. I've no idea why she was going over there.
Once we got inside the store I asked her, "Why are we here?"
"For my son, didn't I tell you?" she asked. Well, technically she said but...
"To buy an apple laptop?" I asked surprised.
She just smiled and said. "Being a chef for the only good and no.1 CEO of NYC, makes me buy this.
He's paying me very well."
"You just mention that he's a CEO?" she nodded. "Can I ask you CEO of what?"
"You don't know! You don't know anything about him?" her eyes widened.
I let out a nervous smile. What else could I say? We didn't even talk before getting married? It's an
arranged marriage? I can't do that.
"You wanna say something?" Alice asked when she saw my embarrassed look on my face. I thought I
was good at hiding but I wasn't.
After buying the apple laptop for her son and we were eating at an Indian restaurant. We didn't talk
much after that conversation I just followed her lead. Eating at an Indian restaurant was my suggestion.
She ordered chicken biriyani for herself and waited for me. I ordered myself tomato rice and a medhu
vada. She gave me that confused look when I ordered vegetarian food. "We don't eat non-veg on
Fridays. You know." I'd said. She nodded.
"How do you two meet?" she as the waiter placed her order.
I thought since we were going to live under the same roof and my only friend here in NYC, I couldn't
resist saying her whole story of ours. I told her everything; just how crazy I looked when gave a
surprise visit to our house, engagement, marriage, till today's morning coffee with a letter.
"What I have concluded was you weren't seen or talked to each other." I just nodded innocently. "You
didn't like him initially."
"But I started to like him in the past couple of days," I said as fast as I could once she finished her
sentence.
She chuckled.
"I can see that in your eyes."
My phone in my bag started to ring. I took my phone out as excusing myself from her and answered the
call. "Hello?" when I didn't get any reply or even some kind of background noise I checked the dialer id,
there was no name only the number and on the top of that saying unknown number which means I
don't know who might be on the other side of that call.
Suddenly I remembered the past when I used to get blank calls when I was in India and even a couple
of days before. When I didn't get calls for the last couple of days I thought whoever on the other side,
must miss my number and I can live freely. When I checked my contacts both of the new and old
numbers were from the same number which means from the same member too. That was surprising.
That can't be possible. People don't get blank calls very often and with the same number over and
over.
So I thought I've to put an end to these types of calls.
"Hello? I'm Anushiya Smith. Whoever on the other side of this phone just listens up! I lost my patience
getting these types of blank calls from the same number over and over and hearing no voice but only
your breath. I have lots of work to take care of, unlike you." I groused. "Hey! If you're still there, just to
let you know, I love my husband. I love my husband Arjun Smith. Just in case_ Why am I even saying
this to you? I don't know what happened to me, Mr. Stranger but I felt relief after saying this to a perfect
stranger who I didn't even hear his or her voice. But thanks though. I can sleep in peace tonight. Have
a nice day and sorry for shouting at you. Please do not disturb anyone like this. Goodbye! And please,
please, please... don't call me again."
When I end that call Alice stared suspiciously at me, her chicken piece was halfway to her mouth and
she blinked as if she was trying to remember what'd just happened.
"I was just keeping this in my heart for a while, now I felt relief," I said as she nodded and continued
eating her lunch.
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