Angel Face

It is my first attempt at fiction. I shall appreciate any suggestions and feedback 👏

*****

She was stunningly beautiful. In fact she was more than beautiful. She looked like an angel. She had childlike innocence and curiosity in her movement and her gaze. I was never so good at judging the age of ladies but would say she looked in her mid 20s.

I had gone through a smooth check in and security process at Mumbai International Airport. I was so excited. My first trip abroad! My company had chosen me to go for training to our international head quarters in New York. I was elated. I had thought I was still rather young for a senior management role, but God has always been very kind to me.

My thoughts were on what all I would be doing in NYC. I had taken leave for 10 days after my training course to be able to see NYC and Washington DC. I was always a voracious reader and already knew a lot about these cities. Looking at the big list of all I wanted to see and do I was wondering if 10 days would be enough! 

I still had two hours for boarding and was wondering what shall I do. My eyes fell on Starbucks and decided to have a cup of tea. I was not sure whether I would get good cup of tea in my Delta Airlines flight. I love Darjeeling black leaf tea and it is not easily available. Starbucks offer Darjeeling Earl Grey and it is one of my favorites. 

I settled down on a comfortable chair facing the shopping area. I love life and can spend hours looking at people. I am good at half closing my eyes and view people coming and going. It gives me the feeling of a reality show and everyone playing a role, including me!

I saw a mother trying to manage two energetic and excited children! A young man with earphones perched over a laptop. A young couple in animated discussion. A middle aged couple facing each other across a table and staring at each other with vacant looks; and I prayed for them. Something was not right in their lives at this moment. And then my gaze fell on this divinely beautiful girl, and time froze and so did my thoughts!

Angel Face was looking at the shelves in the store with the curiosity of a child. She had a round face and big light eyes. She was of average height and average build and looked like an angel. She was moving around slowly. There was no hurry in her movement or her gaze. She looked completely at peace with herself and the world around her. 

I was wondering where is she from, as she did not look Indian. And I thought how nice it would be if she too was going to NYC and was in my flight! Yes there are lots of Indians with fair complexion and light eyes. Even I have been mistaken for a foreigner in my own country once in a while! Angel Face could have passed for an Indian girl from the hills but I didn’t think so.

All of a sudden I realized my tea had gone cold! I had got so absorbed in the thoughts of Angel Face that I had completely forgotten about my tea. Nobody in my family would have believed it. I love tea and it has to be real hot! I was wondering whether to get that cup heated again or buy another cup when I saw Angel face walking towards me. My heart started to pound. I am a rather shy person and often get tongue tied when introduced to a female for the first time. Luckily or unluckily she did not come to me and went on to sit on a bench nearby. There were already many passengers sitting around and Angel Face chose to sit next to a lady, who too was alone. That lady was a little older but they could have easily been taken for sisters. Both were fair with light eyes and round faces and of similar build. 

By this time I had completely forgotten about NYC and what all I wanted to do there! The excitement of my first visit abroad was way less than seeing and thinking about Angel Face. I was in for yet another surprise! Angel Face took out a book from her bag to read and I was amazed to see it was the Autobiography of a Yogi. This book by Paramahansa Yogananda has had tremendous influence in my life. In fact I had grown up with this book lying all around our house. My parents were disciples of Yogananda and so am I.

All of a sudden I felt so connected to Angel Face and the whole situation started to feel very surreal – my unexpected selection for this training, Angel Face and the Autobiography of a Yogi. It all looked like a drama being played and I got a little scared. Is this all a dream? Am I really at the airport and on my way to NY? Is Angel Face really an angel? Am I being sucked into a drama I have no clue about? 

Everything else in the crowded airport had ceased to exist. It was only Angel Face and the book and I. Angel Face closed the book and placed it between herself and the other lady. I thought they might talk now but they didn’t. They kept sitting in stillness with smiles on their faces, for what appeared to be ages! 

I was in for yet another surprise! Angel Face got up and started to walk towards the boarding gates leaving the book on the seat. The other lady picked up the book casually and put it in her bag! One part of me wanted to go after Angel Face. Another part wanted to go to the lady who was still sitting there and ask her what was this all about. But I kept sitting as if glued to the chair ….