Thing called love.

She shut her eyes tightly, counted till ten, and opened them slowly hoping to see his face in front of her when she did. But all that was there were trees. Silent trees, that sway swiftly along with the breeze.

It had been three hours but she still waited, hoping that he would turn up. Hoping that he wouldn't ditch her. She sat on a bench in the corner of the park. That's where they always met, every week at the same time. But he didn't show up today. She cried a little because she missed him. She cried because she hated being stood up. She cried because she felt lost.
After waiting for four hours she finally decided to leave. While leaving the park, she smiled and waved at the lady who was also there every week at the same time. The lady smiled back her, but sympathetically.
She didn't feel like going home now, not after such a disappointing day. Wanting to do something to make herself feel better, she went to the nearby market. Maybe a new pair of shoes or some good food or some junk jewellery would cheer her up. But nothing did. She wandered around aimlessly and finally decided to go home, realizing that nothing would help her ease the pain.
She went home, rang the bell and a man opened the door. 'How was it?' he smiled and asked her. 'He didn't show up, again. Maybe he doesn't love me anymore. Or maybe he's found someone else. I don't know. I'm just too tired now, I think I'll go sleep.'
He watched her as she threw her bag on the sofa, took out her coat, went inside her room and shut the door. Just then, his sister came out from the other room. 'How do you do this? How do you manage to go around pretending everyday, knowing that she'll never remember you for what you are? Knowing that seeing her like this only causes you pain?' He smiled but his smile couldn't hide his tears. 'She'll realize one day. She'll realize that the man she goes to meet every week, the man she talks to, the man she thinks loves her, doesn't exist. And she'll realize that the man she always loved, the man that always loved her, the man who promised to be with her in sickness and in health is right here. Has always been here.'
It had been two years since Shruti had completely changed. The doctors called it amnesia. She remembered everything till 2010, but all the memories after that had disappeared. She remembers her husband, Aman, only as her flatmate who she had been sharing an apartment with for a year now. All her memories with him had been erased. But there was still someone in her mind who didn't have a name. Someone she loved, someone who loved her back, someone she longed to meet every week, someone who was just a figment of her imagination. He didn't exist but she still loved him. Aman didn't tell her anything though. He played along and hoped she'll come back one day. He waited, every day, every week, every month, every year. Nothing changed. But he still waited. After all, this is what they called love, right?