Last Love

Jai - A perfect Man.

Handsome & charming personality, educated from reputed engineering college and working as an IT professional with a decent salary. 

Always surrounded by friends and was good at heart. A person who can rely on and be always available for help. I knew him for more than 10 years & we had a very good equation as friends. We were so close friends that I often use to visit him & his family at his place.  

But apart from all good, there were two souls who were always angry with him, his parents. Whenever I visit his place, his parents used to complain that he is not getting married. I always took it lightly as I knew this factor is with most of the parents.

Being the youngest member of the family & his nature he was dearest to all. However, the idea of not getting married without any concrete reason was becoming the reason for conflicts in his family. Parents wished to settle him so they would become free of their responsibilities. But on the other hand, he always refused to marry and denied to give any reason. His parents, elder sister, and brother were tired of convincing him though. His siblings already gave up convincing but parents were not ready to step back & were continuously trying hard to convince him to marry. At least they wanted to find out any genuine reason for his incessant refusal. His parents were even ready for inter-caste, inter-religion or any other nationality, as well as Jai, who had earlier, spent a good time in foreign countries for his job-related works. But all efforts failed and Jai was militant bout his decision.

One fine day I received a call from Jai’s mother requesting me to visit them urgently & should not disclose it to Jai. I was perplexed, observing the criticality of the situation I took half day leave from the office to visit her absence of Jai. My mind was full of mixed thoughts during my ride. As I entered the house I saw the old couple ( parents) sitting on the couch silently. I was a little relieved to see them fit. They did not speak anything on my arrival. I rushed to the kitchen, gulped a glass of water and then I settled myself on the bean bag placed in front of them.

I asked “What is this aunty? You scared me, thank God you both are fine.” The old lady stared at me and tears fell from her eyes. I suddenly realized my mischievous attitude, felt guilt and quickly rushed to her and apologized to her for this behavior. 

She put her hand on my head and started sobbing “beta it is all fine, I am not angry with you. I am crying on my destiny. See Jai is always busy in office, his brother Vijay is settled in the US with his family, his sister also married & settled in Bangalore. We both are alone most of the time & we both are fed up with requesting Jai to get married so that we can be relaxed & also proceed for Teerth Yatra. Jai is an ideal & lovable son & takes care of us but we want him to get settled now. He should have someone in his life. See you all are settled and living your own life, till when friends will be there to support. Everyone has their own priorities.”

Her each word reflected pain and worry. I listened to her calmly & sat there on the floor in her front. I looked at the uncle who was silently looking outside the window deeply worried about the future of his son. Now, I have realized the reason for calling me there. I and Jai were very good friends for years & had good family relations too. Jai was always with me in thick and thins. So, his parents wanted me to help them & convince Jai to get settled. 

The task was really tuff but seeing the condition of old parents motivated me to support them. That day onwards I started my efforts to chase & convince him for marriage. One day Jai yelled on me loudly in a café. “What has happened to you, why you are behaving like my parents? You are married you stay happy in your life and please let me live peacefully”. This arrogant behavior of Jai made me cry in the café & I left.

For the next few days, we did not spoke & even did not respond to his calls and messages. After a week, I found him in my office during lunch hours and he requested me to meet him in a café outside. Though my anger did not allow me to meet him at the same time his parents plead echoed in my ears and I decided to follow him.

We went and sat on the window table in the café. I ordered my coffee & started sipping silently when he interrupted and apologized for his behavior. He asked me why I am after him for marriage. So, I narrated his entire situation, his parents worry.  And also I scolded him for this pitiful attitude towards his parents.

He remained silent for a few minutes and after a deep breath he opened up. His face was filled with emotions, drops of tears in his eyes and voice went low.

He stated: “I was in class 10th & she was in class 9th. I met her first time in a school quiz competition. We were partners in the final round &b I felt a connection with her in those couple of hours. We were the winner of that competition. We had a little formal conversation after the Award ceremony. After that day my eyes used to search her every morning during prayer time in school, every noon and every evening after school. On every encounter, we used to smile & exchange greetings with each other. Days & weeks passed by. One day I did not saw her and for the next 3 days, I couldn't see her. I was getting curious about it. 

I don’t know what made me so inquisitive to know about her that I went into her classroom and enquired about her. I learnt that she had met with an accident and admitted in hospital. I felt really bad and the whole night I was thinking about her and her face was stuck in front of my eyes. DISHA, fair complexion, chubby cheeks, big black eyes, long curly hairs and what an attractive girl she was.

The next day after school I went to visit her in hospital, she was looking pale and sad.

She was surprised to see me. I sat there for an hour talked with her and relieved my excitement. She acknowledged my visit and thanks me for visiting her. I was elated to hear that from her. When she stared into my eyes to say bye, something happened at that moment. I left the place & left my heart too their with her. That was the start of our Love Story.

That was a time when mobile phones & the internet were a dream . We exchanged our landline numbers though it was not easy to talk. If her parents are not at home then she used to call me and in case my parents pick the phone she used to disconnect. In school, we hardly communicated with fear of friends who would start pulling our legs. Once I met her in the library where she showed her concern of week in mathematics. So, I used to help to teach maths during free time in the library. 

Two years passed, we both were in deep love with each other. However, we never confronted it but there were a strong bond and connection within. The bond of love, care and concern. We never missed a chance to talk over the phone & spend a good time whenever possible. 

One day I requested her for lunch out somewhere with me. We planned for next day and met for lunch. We were scared too if anyone would see us together so we chose a restaurant which was a little distance from our place. She rode her bicycle, I managed to get my father’s scooter to impress her. I was in a white shirt and blue jeans and she was in a pink top and black jeans. She was looking beautiful as always. 

I gathered all courage during lunch asked “Disha, I know it’s too early & we both are too young. However, I’m pretty sure I will do something good in my career. Will you be my partner in this journey of life, I don’t know how and when I fall in love with you and can't live without you, even if you will say no I will never be able to replace you. Please feel free to take your decision.”

Her cheeks turned red, she started gazing her dessert plate. After a minute of silence I touched her cold hand and added my apologies if she did not like it, but she interrupted in-between “Jai I also feel the same however I am scared if you will leave me.”

I further added that I will never ever leave you even if you leave me. She smiled.

From that day onwards, I was in a different world. I started listening to romantic songs, I used to stay near the landline phone always waiting for her call, during the night I used to reduce the volume of landline phone and once parents sleep we used to talk.  

It was her 11th and she was preparing for engineering exams so she requested me to guide her. I was in 12th, busy in my pre-board exams & I committed her to help after a week once pre boards are over.

One day in school I conveyed her to meet me on Sunday in the book shop. On Saturday I had last paper for my pre boards. I was happy and excited finishing of pre-board exams and of course meeting Disha.

Before leaving on Sunday morning at the breakfast table, I found my father being furious and upset while reading the newspaper. On a lighter note, I mockingly told him not to get worried about the whole world as we three siblings are enough to bother him. He did not smile at my joke and told about an incident last night about was a robbery & murder of a family in a posh colony It was really sad news. Those were the days when these incidents were on the peak. My father instructed us to be more vigilant, keep checking the landline if it is working and lock the doors before sleeping. 

After breakfast, I quickly rushed to the bookshop where I promised to Disha to meet. I picked a few books for myself and a few books I shortlisted for her. Time passed but Disha did not turn up. I waited for more than 2 hours but she didn’t come. With a heavy heart I went back. I was worried about her health. At night I tried to call her but nobody picked the phone, then I was sure that she is not well. The next day I decide to visit her. I reached her house and saw an entirely different atmosphere there. There was a chaos outside her house. I even saw few policemen there with silence all around. I asked one of the old men about the same. He said didn't I know one day before one family was robbed and murdered. Those devils did not have mercy on the kids, they killed both kids too.

His words shattered me & I fell down. He called a few others and they dragged me to the nearby house, gave me water & I was totally lost. I couldn’t realize what is happening, I recalled my father’s anger yesterday morning on the news. That moment devastated me and changed my life completely.

I remained lost for many days, I fell ill-got admitted to hospital, dropped my board exams that year. It took almost a year to recover physically but mentally I am still bearing the same pain. I had promised Disha that nobody can replace her cant give that space to anyone else in my life. There is no point in playing with the sentiments of any other girl and betray her.

There was a long silence. I did not know he has locked so much pain within himself. I was clueless about how to console him & even I was in shock hearing this throbbing story. 

Jai stood up and left, I couldn’t get the courage to stop him. There were three painful souls, in one direction was Jai and in other his Parents.

I moved towards the office in deep aching thoughts that whom to console and how.

Staring at my computer screen without blinking my eyes for moments, I just prayed for Jai and Disha and requested God to reunite them in another world..