I sat tight watching the lady walk through the aisle looking on both sides, clearly in search of her seat. A prayer rose in me; how great my journey would be if she sat by my side. Aircrafts restrict movements. In such a box, exchange of ideas could fire the mood up, I thought.

She walked closer, still in search. I kept gazing at her beauty and lest I met her eyes, looked away. A moment later, I sensed her presence just across my seat. She had stopped and was trying to open the overhead luggage space. But her fingers reached mid-air and no further. I turned towards her and our eyes met. I observed a luminous smile underscore a plea in her eyes. I could sense the cupid bow at my lips dance tentatively. Though she did not utter any word, I rose to my feet, smiled at her and with a delicate wave of my arm lifted the small leather bag and lovingly deposited it into the overhead space. She smiled most softly and uttered, “thank you”. But my “you are welcome” did not come out in time and I felt awkward to utter it after that delay.

As I was slipping my waist in the gap to acquire my seat, she spoke again, “Window seat! How lucky!” Her eyes fell decisively on mine; her smile more radiant.

I searched something in her gaze not knowing what and recovered quickly.

“You wish to sit there?” I asked not knowing if I really meant it. It felt as though it was so obvious an offer to make to someone who had not been lucky enough. A strange feeling of accomplishment filled me when she sat by the window and blinked a couple of times, smiling like a child, “so kind of you!”

Then it occurred to me that I desperately needed water. It got all over me in no time. The middle-aged airhostess showed up in response to my call. Those days the government owned airline relied heavily on highly experienced airhostesses. They were impeccably dressed. Their manner held a swagger similar to what we see in school teachers. I never found any wrong in it. But that moment, her response to my request induced a throbbing vein in my temple.

“Not possible,” she said pouting, letting her shoulders drop. “There is a short supply.”

I instantly measured my neighbour’s reaction. She was peering through the window oblivious of the savage let down, discovering which, my wound felt less painful.

Just then the aircraft commenced taxying on the runway. I love that contrast of the leisurely rolling of the giant against the fierce thrust of a take-off; the lull before the storm. Unable to view the world outside, I reclined shutting my eyes. But, the lady’s face zoomed in my vision.

And then it hit me – I have seen her before. That moment, fetching her trace from my memory was almost like dredging through a dense copse. I relented shortly thereafter as the brute machine took off, inflicting a fierce shudder in my body. Another few minutes, air-borne and the seat belt caution relaxed, I opened my eyes to her serene face praying with folded hands. She looked innocent, her eyes closed, lips moving rapidly beneath her sharp nose. I noticed that unmistakable glow on her face. I could not tear myself away from her beauty. And here I was caught worshipping her as she suddenly, opened her eyes and looked straight into mine. Her gaze held no question but a hint of a discovery. Her faint smile held a guarded meaning. There was no question of me removing my eyes now. It was an embarrassment I could not simply camouflage with any pretext and so I tossed a reason, smiling.

“It seems you are frightened of something! A rather long prayer, it seems,”

Her faint smile did not change as she let her gaze hover on my eyes for a few significant seconds. Releasing a deep breath she raised her chin.

“I am jittery travelling in an aeroplane. There are no garages in the air,” she said clicking her tongue.

I got her point and smiled in return, “Yes, you are right.”

And then she did what I thought I had successfully put to rest. She held forth a bottle of water she had collected before boarding the flight.

Astonished I asked, “So you had heard the lady’s response?”

The lady shook her head and wore an injured smile.

“These senile airhostesses are hamstrung.” She said ruefully as I gulped down some from the bottle.

“They bask in the safety of their government job.” I commented. “By the way are you flying till Hyderabad or are you Siliguri bound?”

“Siliguri is my destination; Darjeeling to be precise.”

“You could have taken a direct flight till Bagdogra. Why via Hyderabad?”

“I have someone from Hyderabad joining me.”

“I see.” I said. “Darjeeling is a wonderful place to visit. Holiday?”

“Oh. No. I have a shooting schedule in the hills.”

I turned and faced her, “Are you an actress? … Wow! … I was wondering where I have seen you. It’s strange that I could not recall; great to meet you.”

My voice was now brimming with awe and emotions. I found it tough to speak in a low tone.

“Such an honour to be travelling with you,” I went on. “Which film are you working in right now?”

She has been observing me silently, her eyes smiling, clearly amused at something, but I guess, she was used to such deluge of vivacity. She threw a small disarming laugh.

“I have a few projects on hand. But this travel is for the film Rani Laxmibai. I am performing the role of her confidante.”

For me the nitty-gritties did not matter much. It was all about living those moments in full, embracing the great luck that had befallen me. Not every day do I get to sit alongside a filmstar. In no time I was talking about other filmstars and the challenges they face. She kept to herself sharing monosyllables and an occasional opinion in return. It seemed she was enjoying my star struck impulses. I lost count of time. I was indeed whipped back to reality when the seat belt alert was sounded. Hyderabad.

She suddenly seemed withdrawn. A dark cloud fell over her face. I was not prepared for this sudden turn. She reclined and shut her eyes for a few moments and exhaled. She was under siege it seemed. I could not help but ask her, “Are you apprehensive of something?”

She looked at me, “In fact the director of the film is travelling in this flight. I have just seen him taking his seat in the executive class. Thank god he did not trace me. He dislikes his crew travelling in economy class. Can you please help me with the bag from above?”

I promptly drew the bag out and gave her. She briskly drew a dark cloth and almost scurried towards the lavatory at the rear, while her bag lay unzipped on her seat. I was rather overwhelmed by her abrupt manner and stood on the aisle waiting for her to be back. Just at a time a sense of dread was about to sweep through me, the lady all covered in a Burqa stood by my side. I took a step back. She slipped through the gap and sat on her seat. She removed her veil briefly and said, “Can you do me a favour?”

I listened to her whisper, “That guy who has just boarded from Hyderabad sitting on 26A four rows behind is one of my co-stars. If you don’t mind, can you please exchange your seat with him?”

I did not know what to say. I stood up, walked four rows back and asked the tall, fair and handsome guy to take my seat. The guy thanked me profusely and gladly offered his seat to me.

I could no longer see the film star from the new seat. I had dozed off and when I removed my eye covers the aircraft was making a smooth descent at Bagdogra airport. I looked forth. My former seat was empty. And so was the window seat. The filmstar and her co-star may have shifted to other seats somewhere within to manage their furtive intent. It no longer mattered though.

At Bagdogra airport, when I stood at the conveyor belt for my luggage to show up, a policeman accosted me. He was my dear friend Vidyut who had recently joined the force. After a few pleasantries he held forth the photograph of the lady and asked if she had travelled with me.

“Yes she did. But from Hyderabad another person sat by her side while I shifted to 26A on her request. Why?”

“Could you recall her face?” he asked.

“No I could not! She said she is an actress in films. I tried my best but I could not figure out.”

Vidyut nodded his head, “She is Aditi, our batch mate. We had studied together till the 5^th standard. After that her father’s transfer took her away from the school.”

“Oh. What a miss! She may not have recalled my face either. It’s great to see her doing well in life.”

Vidyut tutted and said remorsefully, “On the contrary, she is part of a gang engaged in human trafficking. We received a tip off that she is travelling in this flight. In fact our sleuth who boarded at Hyderabad airport had spotted her sitting by the window. Later when he checked she was not on that seat either. But we have not seen her de-board.”

“I saw her covering herself in a Burqa while the plane was stationed at the Hyderabad airport.”

Vidyut thanked me and took to his heels towards the control room where the CCTV cameras were pressed in service. At the far corner, just out of the gate, I watched a lone lady in black Burqa make a brisk exit and stepping into a high-end black SUV.

Driving back home a thought sat big in me – Aditi might have certainly recognised me and made me shift seats to save me from the police glare. I felt relief in that thought.

Next day morning, Vidyut telephoned me to meet him urgently.

“You will be taken into custody for interrogation,” he said apologetically. “It is an order from the headquarters.”