Warda

Warda

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Romance, Thriller

• by Author

He sat in his usual seat in the cafe adjacent to the entrance facing the counter so that he could watch her without being disturbed. She was behind the counter issuing instructions to the support staff and managing the cash. Warda was twenty three years old and had barely completed college when her father had passed away a year ago leaving her with no choice but to take over the task of running the cafe. Her mother, who then supported her dad continued in the same capacity. When his eyes met hers, he winked at her.

She smiled and after a couple of minutes joined him at his table and placed the coffee mug in front of him. "Here is your freshly brewed hot coffee."

"Thanks, babe" He smiled and said excitedly, "I've a surprise for you."

"What is it?" Warda asked skeptically.

"You have to come to my apartment to see it," he said mysteriously.

"I can't, James. I've been very negligent lately."

James persisted. "Please. A few hours won't hurt. Come on. You know I won't budge from here till you agree."

She exhaled and relented. "Fine." Wait outside, I'll join you in a couple of minutes," Warda said rising from her seat. She gave a few instructions to her support staff, asked her mom to take care of the cafe and left with James.

The moment they entered his apartment, James had his hands all over her. They kissed passionately stumbling their way across to the couch. He removed his T-shirt in one swift action.

"Hey, Hey! hold on, J. Where is my surprise,"

Warda's eyes grew big upon seeing his chest, and she gasped. "James!!!" She ran her fingers through the ink trying to feel the stem, the color floating between blue and green; and then onto the red-colored petals. A tattoo of a red rose was etched on his left chest. The gesture was more than symbolic of his intense love; her name, Warda, also meant the flower rose in Arabic.

James smiled and said gazing deep into her eyes, as he tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ears, "You will forever be in my heart now."

"You're crazy, do you know that?!" Warda said feeling all too overwhelmed. She pulled him close into her arms and kissed him deeply. Their bodies did the rest of the talking as they made hungry love.

Another month came by and went, but not without the customary James celebration. He visited her almost every day at the cafe and spent hours sipping coffee, watching her and talking to her. Some evenings when there was less traffic at the cafe, Warda would go out with him. Regardless, James would call her every night and talk till late.

"James - it is two in the night. I am sleepy."

"Warda, hold on for a little while more, I need to talk more. I don't know what to do when I am not with you. "

Warda felt short of breath and exasperated. She said raising her voice, "James, we are going to meet tomorrow. Why don't you understand? You fill every second of my life. I don't even get time to breathe. I need some time for myself. I will keep now. Good night." And she, disconnected.

James could feel his heart sinking. He dialed her number again. But, there was no answer. Warda put her phone on silent and tucked it away. He kept calling and sending her messages throughout the night. Sometime during the dawn, his eyes gave in to the fatigue and he fell asleep but not before he had called her a couple hundred times and had sent a hundred "miss you, babe" texts. Barely, an hour had passed, and he was up and about. He felt empty.

The cafe opened at ten in the morning; James was there by nine waiting outside on his bike. Warda had still not replied to his calls and texts. She stayed on the first floor of the cafe building. The moment, the cafe opened James barged in. There was no sign of Warda, but her mother was around.

"Auntie - where is Warda?" James asked impatiently.

"James, she has a headache. She is sleeping. Can you come back later?"

"Can I have coffee?" James asked trying to keep his desperation in check.

"Sure, sit down." Warda's mother sighed and gave him coffee and a sandwich.

James waited and waited. But, Warda didn't turn up. Her mother somehow managed to send James out, but only to see him back in an hour or so. Eventually, Warda came down and headed towards James.

"Let's go out, James." She looked tired and sleep-deprived. James followed her out of the cafe.

"I can't do this anymore, James."

His face cracked and went white as if someone had drained the blood out of his body. "I am sorry for the last night. But, please don't say this. I can't live without you. I love you so much."

"We need a break. My life has turned upside down since you've come into my life. I rarely get time to sleep let alone do things for myself."

"Don't you love me anymore?" James asked helplessly.

She sighed. "It's not that, James. I really adore you. But, we need to give each other space. Right now, I don't know what I feel; except that I need to be on my own."

"I will change, Warda. I will give you time. I won't bother you every day. But, please, don't talk about breaking up.”

"If you love me, James, then give me some time. If we are meant to be, then it will be. I really do like you." She loathed manipulating, but it seemed the only way out.

The air from his lungs had been knocked out and he stood lifeless for a moment. Then, his skin trembled. His voice was hollow. "If that is what you want, babe."

Warda turned around and walked back to the cafe. James dropped on his knees with his head held in his hands. As she entered the cafe, she glanced back at James, seeing him on the ground made her want to rush to him, but she held strong and entered the cafe.

She realized the next few days were going to be critical; she would know whether James could actually live up to his promise. She didn't doubt his intentions, but she didn't trust his love for her. The quandary amused her. Did he love her so much that, he would stick to his word and stay away from her or he would break down, override his promise and get in touch again?

She couldn't sleep well that night, half dreading that her phone would ring. But, there was no attempt by James to contact her. A week passed by and there was no sign of him. She wondered whether he was all right. The next morning, she saw him in his usual seat sipping coffee. He spent the whole day there but didn't talk to her, instead gulped down 50 mugs of coffee. The sequence of events continued for a few days and finally, Warda couldn't take it anymore.

"James, what are you doing here? You said you would give me space." Warda demanded.

"Have I talked to you, called you or sent you any text? I am giving you space." His voice lost its strength. "Warda, I need to see you to survive. But, I promise, I will not be a hindrance in what you do."

She let out a deep breath. "How can I be normal when I see you here every day, throughout the day?"

He looked up at her. "I am sorry. If I could, I'd never show up." He rubbed his temples with his fingers; his face wore a look of deep agony. "There are these millions of tiny ants that crawl non-stop into my head when I am not around you. The only semblance of peace I experience is in your presence."

A woman can break a man, but can't bear the sight of a broken man. Warda had an overpowering urge to hug him tight but somehow managed to pull away herself from there. The next day, when James came to the cafe, a bulky man greeted him at the cafe entrance.

"You can't go in," said the bulky man with a bulky voice.

"Why?" James asked.

"Such is the instruction," the bulky man said flatly.

"Fine," James said and sat on his bike outside the cafe. He paid a poor kid playing on the pavement to get him coffee from the cafe. The coffees came at regular intervals and he sat there trying to be as close to her. Out of curiosity, Warda peeked out of the cafe and saw James perched outside.

"Oh God! help me." She sighed and assured herself. "He will go away in a few days."

Nothing changed nor did God intervene. James was there every day. Frustrated and exasperated, she went out to him and shouted. "Why the hell don't you leave me alone?"

He gave her an agonizing look. "I am helpless, babe. Please, help me forget you." A small crowd gathered inquiring Warda whether they should teach James a lesson. "No, No. It' is between us." She'd never think of harming him.

That night, Warda searched online for ways and means to selectively override memory. The following weekend, she took James along with her to a neurosurgeon.

"Can you help us, doctor?" Warda asked hopefully.

The doctor gave a half-smile and replied. "I am sorry, it can't be done. Certain shock treatments have resulted in complete memory loss, but selective memory loss can't be induced."

James sat quietly. Warda exhaled.

"Why don't you go see a psychiatrist? Maybe he can suggest something." The doctor offered helpfully.

Together, they visited the best psychiatrist in the town. "Please help us," Warda said pleadingly. The psychiatrist asked James to take a couple of sessions every week. The first day, all James did was talk about Warda. The psychiatrist's head hurt. James didn't return for the second session. He had better ideas, to have coffee outside the cafe and play with the pavement kid.

The psychiatrist called up Warda. "He is obsessed with you. It's a unique case. How long has this been going on?"

"Six months, since I broke up with him," Warda told the doctor everything.

"Well, I am not sure if this will work. But, I know a very good hypnotist who has helped people in the past. Maybe, he can help you." The psychiatrist gave her the contact details of the hypnotist.

Warda fixed up an appointment with the hypnotist and went to meet him. "I have helped people with selective memory erasing. But there is no guarantee it will work. We can still try."

Warda's eyes lit up with marginal hope. "Yes, please."

"First things first," said the hypnotist. You have to convince James to get rid of the tattoo.

"What?!" Warda was aghast.

"Anything that reminds him of you has to be done away with."

Warda nodded and fixed up a date with the hypnotist for the procedure. "I will come back with him post removal of the tattoo."

"I am sorry, James. But, there is no other way." Warda said, holding his hands in hers.

James stroked her hands gently and said wryly. "Don't worry, babe. I will do anything to make you happy."

Warda sat through the ordeal, watching the tattoo being removed as tears rolled down her cheek. A big red blotch, now, marked the place of his tattoo.

On the date of appointment with the hypnotist, both James and Warda reached his office.

The hypnotist asked Warda to listen carefully. "Post the procedure is over, all his memories of you will be wiped out. He won't remember you or anything related to you. As a precautionary measure, I'd advise you to stay away from him and avoid contact, in any form, with him. You can now say your goodbyes." He left the room to give both of them some privacy.

Warda looked at James who was unusually calm. She held him in her arms and kissed him all over his face. "I wish things were different, James. I did love you."

James stroked her cheek and smiled. "It is all right."

"Look at you being all strong. If you could be this strong, then why couldn't you give me some space and be patient for a while?"

"That, I couldn't my love, as much as I tried. This is different. I am doing this for you."

Warda took a deep breath inhaling his scent and senses and then slowly withdrew. "I will go now. Take care of yourself. Goodbye, James."

"Goodbye Warda," James said wistfully.

The hypnotist entered the room and guided James to a nearby chamber where he conducted the hypnosis. He had made all the necessary arrangements. After two hours, he was through with the procedure.

"Hello, James. How are you?" The hypnotist asked politely.

"I am fine. What am I doing here?" James asked looking confused.

"There is nothing to worry about. You had trouble sleeping and focusing, so you had come to see me. These are some sedatives that will help you sleep."

"Oh, thank you, doctor," James said still feeling dazed.

"Where will you go from here, James?" The hypnotist asked cautiously.

"I've to go and open my shop, doctor."

The hypnotist smiled internally and exhaled slowly. "Yes, you do. But, it is best if you rest today."

James shook his head in acknowledgment and left. Once he was gone, the hypnotist called up Warda.

"I think the procedure was successful. However, we will know for sure in the coming days, if he doesn't get in touch with you, that means he no longer remembers you."

"Thank you, doctor," Warda said feeling nothing. Now that, it was done - she felt empty.

It took three months, but slowly and surely, Warda returned to her usual self. Occasionally, she missed James and his relentless desire for her; she realized no one would ever desire and want her as much as he did.

Five months had gone by since the procedure, and everything was normal in James and Warda's life when the cafe door opened and he walked in and sat in his usual seat. Warda's jaw dropped. Her feet froze behind the cash counter. His gaze met hers and she thought she saw him smile. She remained behind the counter until he was in the cafe. James ordered his usual coffee and a sandwich. After thirty minutes or so, he paid the bill and left.Five months had gone by since the procedure, and everything was normal in James and Warda's life when the cafe door opened and he walked in and sat in his usual seat. Warda's jaw dropped. Her feet froze behind the cash counter. His gaze met hers and she thought she saw him smile. She remained behind the counter until he was in the cafe. James ordered his usual coffee and a sandwich. After thirty minutes or so, he paid the bill and left.

Warda tentatively dialed the hypnotist's number. "James was here."

A brief silence ensued from the other end. "What?! What happened?"

"Nothing. He left after having coffee and something to eat."

"Hmmm..." The hypnotist drawled. "I think it's just a coincidence. He was around in the area, needed a quick bite, saw your cafe and walked in."

Warda groaned her approval but she wasn't convinced.

"Well, you will know soon if there is more to it. Though, I don't think there is any reason to worry." The hypnotist said assuringly and kept the phone.

The next few days were fraught with dread, anticipation, and uneasiness as Warda waited for James to turn up. But, he didn't. "Perhaps it was a coincidence," Warda thought to herself and relaxed.

Twenty days into time and James was back again. This time, Warda didn't let her composure slip. So far, James had not shown any sign of remembering her, though every now and then, he did look appreciatively in her direction. She stepped out from behind the counter and gingerly took her customary round. Nothing happened. She heaved a sigh of relief.

Another week and James was back again. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered. Warda played cool as she walked out to talk to her customers. It was when she was close to him and had her back to him, that he spoke - "you're one of those rare girls who look beautiful both from the back and the front."

Warda stood still. Her breath got caught in her throat and a chill ran down her spine. Her feet seemed heavy and shackled to the floor. With a growing sense of foreboding, she slowly turned around to look at him.

There was a twinkle in his eye. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. I think you are extremely beautiful. There is something about you."

Warda held her breath, smiled awkwardly, and said, "Thank you. Enjoy your coffee."

She walked back to the seemingly secure confines of her counter and called the hypnotist. "I think his memory is coming back. He used the exact line, which he did when he first talked to me." Her distressed voice shot through the phone.

"It is impossible. Maybe seeing you has triggered the revival of his memory." The hypnotist speculated.

"Is it possible he never forgot me in the first place?" Warda asked nervously, as the familiar dread crept upon her. "No, that is not possible. Why would he wait for six months to resurface? He couldn't do without you for a minute. But, then there is no way of knowing that." The hypnotist said feeling equally lost.

"Don't say that doctor," Warda said helplessly.

"There is only one logical explanation to this if we assume the procedure was successful."

"Yes, doctor?" Warda asked impatiently.

"It was sheer coincidence, the first time he that he came to your cafe after the procedure. However, James is naturally and instinctively drawn to you. I think he is falling for you all over again."

"What!" A shocked and stunned Warda exclaimed, pondering over the hypnotist's explanation.

"It is fate, my dear." The hypnotist said patronizingly.

With trembling hands, Warda kept the phone down and looked in the direction of James. He smiled and winked at her.

******************The End****************

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