Close Encounters of Two Hearts

Divya was a very practical girl. She had high aspirations in life and as a result, was very ambitious. She had completed her graduation in Electronical Engineering and now was doing a job with a software company. She was a no-nonsense type. At her age, many of the girls or ladies, rather are busy going to parties and cinemas, dating, etc. But Divya was of a different genre altogether. Not that she didn't like going to the movies or partying. But these did not fit into her priority list. She was friendly to one and all irrespective of sex without any special affinity for anyone particular. Most important that dating was off her list altogether.

During the college days, there was a boy named Kunal. He was of the same batch as Divya but he was in the Mechanical stream. The college had a set of buses to ferry students and professors to the college and back home. Kunal and Divya used to travel on the same bus. Sometimes they used to sit side by side. They both had their own friends and they gossiped among themselves. But during exam time when everyone was busy studying no one cared who sat where. During those days Kunal got a vacant seat beside Divya.

It all began innocuously at first. But an Engineering course completes in four years and this is a pretty long time for a friendship to grow. Many a time situation arose that they were sitting side by side. It first struck Kunal. He observed that by sitting beside Divya he got a strange feeling which he could not describe. He felt an attraction that Kunal could not avoid. He felt like talking to the lady beside him. But he could not sum up the courage. However common civilities they did exchange as co-passengers do normally. Kunal had marked all the traits of the lady beside him and was somewhat enchanted. There was something going on in his mind which later transmitted to the heart and he felt weak in his legs. The thought of the lady beside him was too overwhelming. But he became determined that he must break the ice. He had tried many a time to start a conversation but did not make much headway beyond a few syllables. In this way, they parted ways after the studies were over. Divya went her way by joining the software company and Kunal moved away to a different location altogether with his job.

Things had cooled off as separation had wiped away any closeness that may have grown. Then all of a sudden there was a development that none of them had expected. Probably destiny had scripted it this way.

Divya was working on a project that took her away to another city. There while having a meal at a restaurant she came face to face with Kunal. Divya was surprised and recognised Kunal immediately. Kunal was very happy in his mind to have found such a wonderful opportunity. He was blessing his stars. But Divya was made of sterner stuff and was not overcome by any emotion on seeing Kunal. However, she politely exchanged civilities with him recalling their college days. Kunal was looking for opportunities. He came to know that Divya would be in this city for a few more days for her project. Kunal was also now free as he was due to join a new job in a few days. Kunal took the opportunity and asked her for dinner the next day. Divya seeing herself being alone in this city and getting bored beyond office time thought it better to spend time with an old college acquaintance.

The dinner time went off superbly for Kunal. At last, he got the chance to break the ice and started making inroads to Divya's heart. For Divya, it was a good company although the one to one meeting she had with Kunal, she did not read too much to it. They exchanged their cell numbers and agreed to call each other when staying away.

In a few days, both of them went on their different ways. But they did not forget to call each other. It was first initiated by Kunal and later Divya took the cue. Now it was both ways conversation daily at night which slowly went on late till midnight. Divya, who was made of sterner stuff now found herself yielding herself into this new relationship consciously. She was now relishing it. Strange are the ways of the human heart. She realised that cupid had struck her and love was at work. However, she was enjoying the new experience. It was a wonderful feeling. Really, love can do wonders. It can melt even the strongest hearts. Even stone can be moved, love has so much power.

This distant relationship between Divya and Kunal continued reaching new milestones. Meanwhile, Kunal had joined an Indian MNC which was doing installation work abroad and Kunal was deputed at one of these sites. So it was not possible for Kunal to come home at his wish.

As a result, long distant love story continued. Divya and Kunal had now exchanged vows of marriage and living together as husband and wife. Kunal then would leave this job and return home and start a consultancy business to be able to stay with his beloved.

Then there was a twist in the story that changed their lives dramatically. The site where Kunal was working was all of a sudden besieged by a guerrilla war group who took control of the area and took the inmates as hostages. Then they demanded a hefty sum as ransom or release money.

The next day this news was all over the newspapers. Divya got to know of it and tried to contact Kunal but to no avail. All communication lines had been snapped. Personal mobile phones had been seized.

She was unable to contact Kunal and know about his whereabouts. She knew that his relatives were contacted through the diplomatic channel to establish a connection. But things looked bleak and dim.

Slowly time passed and there was no news of Kunal. Months passed no news. Almost a year now elapsed since the last news but no further development. Diplomatic channels were actively pursuing the safe release of the hostages. The employer was also negotiating with the guerilla group responsible for the kidnap regarding the ransom price. Periodically they used to release photos and videos of the hostages. But nothing positive was resulting. The United Nations was also using it's good offices for the safety of the hostages. But all these tug of war was testing Divya's patience. She had forgotten when she had last spoken to Kunal. A brave heart stoic soul like Divya was also crumbling under pressure.

Divya was feeling the full force of love. She had seen her friends behave this way, but she never did think that she would have to face the same music one day. How the power of love immobilizes rational judgments.

Now almost close to two years had passed since Kunal's disappearance. Divya was very forlorn and heartbroken. She thought about how she and Kunal had planned their life together. How enthusiastic Kunal was about their life together. He had promised a honeymoon in Switzerland or Kashmir to Divya. All looked so foolish and stupid now. Divya's parents were worried about her. They wanted that Divya should look for someone other than Kunal and settle down happily. But Divya was not so selfish and was prepared to wait if need be for the rest of her life.

Divya approached the Foreign Office and requested help to trace Kunal. The hideout where Kunal and his colleagues were held captive was raided by that country's police but there was no trace of them. They had been shifted to some other place. The captors were also had stopped all means of communication. Already two years had passed still no trace. Now their survival was being doubted in all the quarters.

Divya started penance to God for Kunal's safe return. She had total faith in their love. In these couple of years, she had visited countless temples and kept innumerable fasts for Kunal's safety. Her family increased their pressure on her to forget Kunal and begin life afresh. It was now looking bleak and hopeless for Kunal to return. Ultimately after exhausting all her efforts Divya finally gave in.

She consented to her family to look for another groom for her at last.

Divya's parents had in between this period had continued their search and had drawn a list of few suitable candidates

.

Then on one day, the impossible happened. Divya was in her house. A prospective groom's family had come to visit for negotiating the marriage. There was a knock on the door. Nobody was prepared to see when the door was opened. There like a ghost stood Kunal. Divya was mad with excitement. A person like her who was a very balanced person could not get the better of her emotions. She was not the one to display any PDA. But she charged out of the room and held Kunal in a tight embrace to ensure and believe that it was Kunal there in real flesh and blood.

Kunal then narrated his amazing story of escape facing life and death situations. Finally, the consulate had helped him come back as he had no documents of his own to prove his identity. He had lost all physical assets except the bank balance which his captors could not get hold of. Divya was beside her self with joy. Needless to say that other suitors were now canceled and it was now final that Divya and Kunal would soon tie the knot on an opportune day and time. Incidentally, the day of the meeting of the two hearts was on February 14th, Valentines day. It was a curious case of The Close Encounters of two hearts fully scripted by the love god, Cupid.