The weather was peculiar at New York. It was very hot in the day, and nights were cooler only if you managed to sleep under the sky. It was very hot inside Leo’s room! He fought hard to get a wink of sleep, but failed miserably. His parents weren’t sleeping either, in their room.

“Momma, can I go up to the terrace for a while? I’d come back after sometime. I guess it’s cooler up there.”

Momma allowed him, but, only for a while. They were, anyway, busy in discussing the tour ahead, the itinerary decision! His momma had previous ideas as she’d been reading some travel magazines lately, which had comprehensively covered a tour to New York and places of interest around the city. Leo’s father liked traveling a lot and he’d take his wife and son along with him mostly. This time it was a pre-planned trip to US from New Delhi. Probably the last trip before they’d decide to settle in the US. Leo was fourteen at that time, and his parents found it the right time to consider his studies and career seriously.

As Leo moved, he could hardly find anyone on his way up to the terrace. It was around 12:00 am and that part of the city seemed to be in deep slumber. Despite the city becoming more respectable for tourists, New York is still chock full of the sinful delirium that we all know and love.The city lights were amazing, and the clear inky sky provided an enthralling astral view. Leo could see a human figure, that of a girl, on the terrace away from the entrance to it. Discreetly and slowly, he moved forward to find out as to who it was. To his utter surprise he recognized that girl over there; it was same benign face which had been haunting him over and over again! She was standing with her back towards him; her body was covered with a thin shawl. He took a chance and went ahead, he lauded himself for that!

“Hey, how are you doing? It’s too hot inside my room.”

She didn’t have a reason to disagree on chatting with him. After all what harm could a small boy cause to her at night. What she least expected Leo to have was him being a bit perverted and having bland ulterior motives! She’d no chance of reading his mind and he enjoyed that, although he didn’t think of any other amorous advance towards her. Leo wanted to talk to her, he experienced a divine bliss in that, but he needed to inform momma before he could continue talking.

“I got to ask momma before I come, wait for me.”

He hurried back the stairs and stormed into their room. “Momma, she’s up there on the terrace, I’m having a chat with her, and I’d be coming back in some time.” Leo apprised.

“Why would you need to talk with her at this hour, you are not going!” Momma was frigid. He didn’t know as to how he could convince her. He couldn’t have ignored informing her, as, he was supposed to make her au fait with every single move he’d decide to make, and take a formal permission for the same. After all he was a Momma’s boy at that time!

“Momma, pur-leez!! She won’t eat me! She’s not a kidnapper and you know that!” He blurted out satirically.

“You are not going! I don’t want your reasons!” Momma scowled.

He knew that mellowing down his tone should be a good effort to melt ice. Prospect of playing emotions was always a good motivation for mom, to allow him to be harmlessly naughty, eclipsing her motherly genuine compunctions.

“Momma pleaaaaaaaaaaase! Just for some time! Please Please …. Please!” He badgered. And then, he went up to her, placed his arms around her and planted a kiss on her cheeks.

“Boy, you’re nagging like anything! I’m worried. Okaaay! You don’t have to feign it! You will come back in fifteen minutes Leo. If you don’t I’ll go there, pull your ears and get you back here, mind my words!!” Momma conceded too soon, she knew he’d be inexorably insistent!

“Gosh!! That was a huge relief; at least momma won’t be sneaking on me for the next fifteen minutes!” Leo sighed. He’d the time of his lifetime. Those fifteen minutes, the onus was on him to make them interesting, joyous and what not.

“Whims of a confounded brat at midnight! Why do you ….” Momma’s voice faded as he hurried back to the girl.

“I’m back!” Leo was excited.

Suddenly, the face vanished into thin air, Leo could see her giggling and moving away, he ran hard to get near her, she’d continuously move away, to the stars. He could see so many faces all of a sudden, staring at him. His mind went blank again, and mouth agape when he found himself on the hospital bed.

“Leo, don’t worry, this injection will make you alright,” the doctor sounded very reassuring, but what he didn’t understand was Leo’s current state of mind.