Heartbeat -2

 Shobhna woke up to the pitter-patter outside. She looked at the clock, 4 a.m. it glowed. Turning on her side she stared at the darkness outside and listened to the orchestra that monsoons brings to the parched plains of the cities. It soothed her soul. She smiled to herself and drifted. 

Bunty, their guide was skipping stones into the river, " Srikant Sir, we love this river like no other, she knows our secrets from our childhood and carries them with her keeping us light and frothy, I suggest you try it too". Srikant joined with laughter and turned back to her, " Come on join us Anna, time we said 'hello,' to our future don't you think?" 

Shobhna's heart was full, nodding she laughingly picked up a smooth, flat, almost heart shaped aqua green pebble from the riverbed, "No not this one, this one is for keeps" she murmured under hear breath and slipped it into her jacket pocket. She looked for an oval or round flat pebble, her favourite kind for skipping. Suddenly her eyes rested on an almost golden circular disc, smooth to hold and she knew would roll perfectly as she pressed it with her fingers. She picked it up and threw it over the shimmering surface of blue and green and laughed out loud as the golden stone skipped for a few meters and sunk. She leaped with joy feeling free and boundless, almost like a child. Shri threw his head back and his eyes danced with laughter. Their eyes met and Shobna smiled back and woke up startled from her deep sleep rather a perfect dream. 

The visitation of Shrikant her lost partner in a dream was so vivid she realised all the hurt of many many years had just melted away.