‘Always & forever’ (a short story)

Miles away, living in a different city, Ajay missed her terribly…sometimes even more than family. His family would often tease him about it; that he spent more time with her than with them. But what was presumed to be puppy love had blossomed into a symbiotic dependency over the years.

Now in a new city, lonliness felt like a visceral pain every time he entered his empty apartment. He had promised he'd come back for her as as soon as he had settled in at his workplace. Until then, they'd have to make do with webcam and phone.

She'd always been a patient girl. Confident of her love, she was sure he'd never leave her in the lurch. Ajay still remembered the look in her beautiful brown eyes when he told her he had to leave for another city. It had pained him as much as it had saddened her…the moment of separation outside the airport.

The silence in his empty apartment made him miss her even more. He missed every moment of the time spent with her—those lovely walks they took together, the wordless understanding they would sometimes share, the comfort of her cozy hugs. Two weeks here and he'd realised why they say absence made the heart grow fonder.

His nostalgic pinings were interrupted by the chime of his computer.  8 pm; it was time for the daily rendezvous with his sweetheart. Enthusiastically, he switched on his webcam.

“Yo bro! Ready for your date?” said his brother, grinning on the other side of the computer screen.

“Dude, don't waste my time. Where is she?” Ajay frowned, straining his neck looking for his beloved.

He could hear her now. Music to his ears. Excited yelps reached their crescendo as the webcam was shifted and an enthusiastic golden retriever came slowly into focus, wagging her soft furry tail in excitement.
Ajay's joy knew no bounds, as his little darling climbed up his brother's lap and smothered the computer screen with wet sloppy kisses.

“I miss you too, old girl,” he cried, almost hugging his laptop.  “I miss you too…”

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