Goa Memories - Part 1

Arjun had left after lunch to tend to the project that had brought him to Chennai, promising to return late. True to his word, the hours slipped by without a sign of him. Chitra, having prepared dinner and set aside a plate for him, stayed up despite her own fatigue. The Tamil movie playing on the TV had long lost her attention as her eyelids grew heavy, her head bobbing slightly as she dozed off on the couch.

The sudden trill of the doorbell jolted her awake. Groggy but relieved, she shuffled to the door, pushing her hair out of her face as she unlocked it.

“Tan tadaaaaaan!” Arjun exclaimed, throwing the door open himself before she could. He stood in the doorway, grinning ear to ear, and holding up a bottle of Jack Daniels like a trophy.

Chitra raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a reluctant smile. “What’s…