The Call

Story Idea by Ravi Sidula

A Short Story By G.S.Vasukumar

Preethi remembered him a lot today. She had seen his name written on a lorry which was coming in the opposite direction while she was returning home. It brought back the memories of the past. How much she loved and cared for him then. She wanted to hear his voice again.

When she reached home, Preethi searched for her old diary and found it. It was one fateful day when she told him that she loved someone and wanted to lead her life with him. Preethi had broken his heart.

“So you don’t love me anymore, is it?” He asked

“I still love you…but he needs me. If I don’t go then he is going to end his life!” Preethi told him.

“Then get the hell out of my life! I don’t want to see your face again!” He cried at her enraged and walked away.

“Please…please try to understand me!” Preethi cried.

Preethi took the telephone receiver in her hand and started to dial the number slowly.

022 - 22345718

It started ringing.

Her heart started beating fast and beads of sweat started flowing from her head. Her hand started shaking.

Suddenly, she kept the receiver down.

Preethi picked up the phone again and redialed the number. She wanted to tell him ‘Sorry’. It started ringing again. She heard ‘Hello’ from the other end of the receiver and it was a feminine voice.

“Who is it?” He cried from somewhere.

“Don’t know? No one is answering” She cried back at him.

“Then keep the god dame phone down!” He cried back.

The line went dead. Suddenly, Sanjay entered the hall just then.

“Whose call was that?” He asked her.

“Just some wrong number…” Preethi said, keeping the phone down and closing her diary. “I’ll go and get you coffee.” She said, going inside.

“So you had called him…” Sanjay said, when she returned back.

“I..I…err…” She started murmuring and her hands started shaking.

“…and he didn’t speak to you, isn’t it?” Sanjay continued, taking the cup of coffee from her hands and keeping it down on the table.

“I…I missed him a lot!” Preethi said with tears in her eyes…sitting next to him. “I just wanted to hear his voice.”

“But he never understood our love…” Sanjay said, gently pulling her towards him and wiping her tears.

Just then the phone started ringing. Sanjay picked up the phone.

“It’s him…speak to him!” He gave it to her.

“Hello…It’s me…Preethi.” She said.

“What took you so long to call me?” He asked “I had missed you a lot! I’m sorry for not understanding you, my child”

“No, dad..I’m sorry for everything.” Preethi said.

The End