Does Love Transcend Rverything

‘Does Love transcend everything?’ The question resonated in Hamsa’s mind as she entered the opulent foyer at her workplace to tender her resignation.

Her mind was in turmoil. Nothing had prepared her for the happenings of the recent past. Hamsa had married Saurabh in the face of heavy opposition from her parents. Though inter-caste marriages were taking place everywhere, Hamsa’s father, a high-level IAS officer, could not bear the thought of his beloved daughter going against his wishes and marrying Saurabh, her classmate during her management school days. Saurabh, at first resisted her plea to elope and get married, as his parents also did not approve of their match. But they were deeply in love and after his efforts to placate his parents and bring them around to accept their pleas failed, he gave in to Hamsa’s plea.

They got married at the Registrar’s office with two college mates as witnesses and took a one BHK flat on rent in Parel. Both their parents cut off relations with them. They started their life’s journey with a little moral support from their friends. Wrapped in the cozy comfort of their love, things went on very smoothly in the beginning. Hamsa’s office was in Parel within walking distance. Saurabh was employed with a multinational firm with their head office in Nariman Point. But the commute was not a big hassle as he had the weekends free to himself and could devote time to her.

Hamsa’s firm flourished. She was a hard and sincere worker and her employer rewarded her with a promotion. She was put in charge of marketing in the Western Region. Her hours at the office got prolonged. Saurabh used to come back to an empty home and slowly started getting irritable. He wanted her to leave her job or change it.

“I am making enough money to support us both. Why should you go to work?” he asked.

They had heated arguments. Tiffs became a daily affair. Hamsa felt the absence of parental support now. Many a time, she would lift up the phone to speak to her mother, but her mind held her back. It had been her decision to run away from home and get married. How could she ask for even moral support from her parents? She was faced with a dilemma. 

‘Why was he acting like this?’ she wondered. ‘Was it that he was becoming insecure? That could not be so, as he was highly respected in his field. What could it be?’

There, Saurabh was handling a separate dilemma of his own. His aunt had phoned informing him that his father had suddenly taken ill, and had been admitted in a hospital. He knew his father. His ego would not allow him to contact his son and he would have persuaded his mother also to not contact him. But being an only son, his conscience would not permit him to keep silent. He had to go and meet them. He wanted to speak to Hamsa, but her late hours and irritability prevented him from discussing this with her. ‘Why did she not understand that he loved her to distraction?’ The daily tiffs were getting on his nerves in addition to the stress of his father’s illness. Saurabh decided that he could not go like this. This was not the time for false egos. He took up the phone and rang his mother.

His mother was overjoyed to hear her beloved son’s voice.

“How are you, beta?” she asked.

“Ma, I heard about Papa not being well. How is he? Do you need me to come there immediately?”

“No Beta,” she replied. “He is much better now. He had a mild heart attack and had an angioplasty done. He is recovering well, don’t worry.”

“Ma, do you think my coming there will affect his recovery? Please, tell me the truth. I so want to see him. But I am scared. Not of his shouting or his displeasure, I am scared that it should not affect his health adversely.”

“Beta, there is nothing like that. You can come whenever you feel like. I know well that you are in his mind always. But you men are so egoistic. It will be difficult for him to make the first move. I am sure, if you come over, he will accept things as they are.”

“Thank you Ma,” said a relieved Saurabh.

“Bring your wife also. Maybe we can get to know and understand each other,” said his mother.

“Ma, I will bring her later. Let me come and see Papa first.”

Saurabh went to the hospital.

Since then Saurabh started coming home late. His evenings were spent with his father at the hospital. Hamsa was not aware of all this. It was she who started coming back to an empty home. Then it struck her how Saurabh must have been feeling waiting for her to reach home every day. She knew she had to make a decision.

‘Should she pander to his wishes and leave her job to bring their relations back to normal?’ she wondered. Her health, which had been perfectly fine till then, was getting affected. One look at the mirror showed that sleepless nights had caused dark circles around her eyes. She was tired. She wanted the joie de vivre to come back in her life. She decided to quit.

And now she was going to her office to tender her resignation. She had anticipated the questioning look on her boss’s face, but she stuck to her decision.

Saurabh came home late that night. Hamsa had been waiting for him to come to share her decision but fell asleep on the sofa. Seeing her sleeping, Saurabh did not have the heart to wake her up. But sensing him close to her, Hamsa opened her eyes.

“Sorry dear,” said Saurabh. “I did not feel like waking you up. You were looking so tired and fatigued.”

Hamsa at once got up.

“Saurabh, I want to tell you something very important,” she said clutching his arm. “I have quit my job.”

  “Why?” asked Saurabh.

“I think I have been giving more importance to my job rather than us, our relationship and our home,” she replied.

Then she suddenly burst into tears. Saurabh was startled. But he held her close comfortingly.

“Saurabh, I want us to be happy. Ever since I got the promotion, our life has not been the same. We left our families to lead a life of love and joy. And look now, how we are.”

Saurabh took her in his arms and comforted her.

He then shared his anxiety about his sick father and why he had been coming late the past few days.

“When I spent time with my parents at the hospital, I realized how much they loved me, their own little son, whom they had so lovingly brought up. My father’s ego would not let him make the first move, even when he was ill. But when I reached out, he welcomed me, though with initial hiccups.”

He then insisted that she too contact her parents and vowed to help her in every way possible to reconnect.

“We have to try, darling,” he said. “They are old. They are set in their ways and thoughts. But the innate love for their daughter will make them accept you back into their fold.”

“Me and you,” said Hamsa as she curled up on the bed. "But first you have to take me along to meet your parents."

"Sure I will," said Saurabh.

For the first time in so many weeks, Hamsa slept peacefully through the night, secure in the thought that their love was once again set to bloom.