He remembers their incessant chats and laughter. He remembers their huge fights over trivial matters. They were so happy when they were with each other. Their presence was comforting to each other. They were always together in the light and the dark. They were best friends and they were soul mates.

Tears rolled down his eyes when he remembers the last time he saw her, seems just like yesterday. She got married to her prince charming. He was there at all her wedding rituals and ceremonies. He was always a part of her family. They grew up together from the age of 4 – went to the same school, the same classes. They even attended the same college. So, their friendship never experienced the concept of ‘distance’.

Things began to change after her marriage. She went to a different country. Time and distance have a peculiar way to treating your friendship. It is that time and distance which changed their friendship, albeit in a negative way. Initially they used to talk for hours every other day. Gradually it became once a week, then once a month and by the end of a couple of years it became very few and far between. She became busy with her various responsibilities, both old and new. In the meantime he began to realize that his fondness for her was more than just friendship. Intentional and unintentional reasons – both made them grew apart. Yes, they are still ‘friends’ on Facebook. They do exchange messages on Whatsapp. They never forget to wish each other on their important days. But the mirth, the happiness, the joy and the spontaneity of their friendship was long gone!

After a long day at work when he comes back to his empty nest, his mind wanders to his happy past. The cheerful past which he enjoyed for 25 years and has been missing for the last 20 years! He wonders whether she still remembers the good old days. Whether her eyes still twinkle when he wishes her on her birthday. Whether she still waits for him to share when something good happens in her life. Or maybe she is too busy to think about the past. Maybe her new friends mean the world to her now. Maybe her blissful marriage life and motherhood keeps her too engrossed to even spare some time for nostalgia.

In faraway USA, around the same time, a 50 year old ‘girl’ sits in her patio with a cup of coffee… Her mind takes her back to the carefree childhood days she spent with her ‘Forever Bestfriend’ in their quaint little town…She is reminded of how delightful her life was with Him always beside her… She takes a deep sigh and wonders will they ever meet each other again? Will they ever relive and cherish those days again, even if in fragments?

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’