Chapter 4
The Distance Between Two Calls
“Some people don’t stay close by standing beside us. They stay close by keeping their promises, even from miles away.”
Time has an unusual way of changing people.
Sometimes it changes them loudly.
Sometimes it changes them so quietly that only the people who truly observe can notice.
Nearly a year and a half had passed since Aarav Sanghavi had last visited the Mumbai office.
At first, Kajal thought he must be busy with work in Australia. Then weeks became months, and months quietly became a year.
She never asked anyone where he was.
She never believed she had the right.
Their relationship had always been built on respect, never curiosity.
Work continued as always.
Whenever an official matter required Aarav’s approval, Kajal would call him.
There was one thing that always made her smile.
Kajal wasn’t comfortable speaking English over the phone.
Instead of trying to force herself, she simply sent Gujarati voice notes.
She expected replies in English.
Instead…
Aarav always replied in Gujarati.
The language removed every hesitation she carried.
One afternoon, Kajal called him regarding an office document.
Before she could finish explaining, Aarav had already understood what she wanted and began answering.
Kajal immediately interrupted.
“Wait… one minute! I called you. First you’ll listen to me. Then you can speak.”
There was complete silence for a second.
Then Aarav quietly stopped talking.
Kajal finished explaining everything exactly the way she wanted.
Only after she was done did Aarav laugh softly.
“I was about to say the very same thing.”
For a moment, both of them laughed.
It was a small conversation.
But somehow it stayed in Kajal’s memory.
That was simply who she was.
Straightforward.
Blunt.
Completely herself.
Another day brought another unforgettable moment.
An important PDF file had arrived.
Its password was based on Aarav’s Aadhaar details.
No matter how many times Kajal tried, it refused to open.
“I don’t understand,” she told him.
He explained patiently.
Still, she couldn’t open it.
Four days passed.
Not once did he sound irritated.
Finally, he sent a Gujarati voice note.
“Press ‘A’… now again… now press this… yes… now enter the number…”
Following his instructions step by step, the file finally opened.
With childlike excitement Kajal sent another voice note.
“Thank you! Maru kaam thai gayu!”
A single laughing emoji came back from Aarav.
She smiled.
She had no idea that during one of the most difficult phases of his own life, those simple conversations had quietly made him smile too.
Whenever Kajal called and Aarav couldn’t answer, a message always arrived.
“I’m in a meeting. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
And tomorrow…
He always did.
Ten years had passed since they had first known each other.
Twelve years had passed since Kajal had joined the company.
Yet never once had their conversations drifted into unnecessary personal questions.
Work.
Respect.
Trust.
That was all.
Or perhaps…
That was more than enough.
One evening, after ending another short work call, Kajal found herself staring at the office entrance.
It had been eighteen months.
Why wasn’t he coming anymore?
She didn’t know what he was going through.
She didn’t even know if asking would be appropriate.
But for the first time, she admitted something to herself.
She missed his presence.
Not because he entertained her.
Not because he solved her problems.
But because whenever he walked into the office, the atmosphere somehow became lighter.
After a long pause, she finally broke the tiny rule she had unknowingly built between them.
She sent a simple message.
“You’re not coming to the office anymore? Should I send the documents to your home?”
A reply arrived.
“Yes, please send them home.”
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Sometimes, the deepest bonds are hidden inside the simplest conversations.
Neither of them knew it then…
But without ever intending to, they had already become quiet catalysts in each other’s lives.
