Love that stays
Love that stays


The stars were shining like diamonds studded on a jade blue velvet dress. The cool breeze kissed my skin, gently. And there he was, waiting for me. It is strange the way my heart skips a beat every time I see him. He looks at me with his twinkling honey eyes and charismatic dimpled smile. Standing 6 feet tall with a red rose in his hand in this beautiful evening along the lake side. I walk up to him, each step taking me closer to the much awaited embrace. And he hugs me, and with that bursts a sea of emotions. “My love, I am so happy to see you. But why are there tears in your eyes? Is everything okay?”, he asks me carefully examining my facial expressions. With a light peck on his cheek I tell him, “It is like my dream has come true. I have loved you whole-heartedly even when you had to step out of the house and go back to work the day following our marriage. We have been in a long distance relationship for 5 years before we got married. My temptation has always been spending quality time with you and today for the 1st time after our marriage I get what I want. You. With me, right here, right now. Not on video call or phone call like always. Also today we complete 1 month of our marriage. Oh, how much I have missed you!” He was carefully listening to the words pouring out of my heart, with a smile.
“My darling, you are a blessing to me. I know I have not been able to be with you or spend time with you the way any other women would expect her man to. Thank you for respecting my decisions towards my w
ork. I definitely love you, I always will. But my work is my worship and my supreme commitment.”, he explains to me while tucking the rose in my hair and holding my hand. We hold hands and walk down the shore. His touch is electrifying. I love him so deeply I can’t imagine my life without him. He tells me, “Darling, please wait here. I am getting a call, its urgent. I will just attend to it and be right back.” I nod and tell him, “Come soon, I am waiting.” I see him walking towards the stretch of the shore, he keeps walking and soon is out of sight.
I sit there waiting, endlessly.
Now tensed, I start running in the direction I saw him walking, calling out his name. The silence is ruthless. Suddenly I feel someone’s hand on my shoulder. Frightened, I lose my consciousness only to gain it back in a few seconds. I open my eyes and see my mother sitting at my bedside worried. “My dear, have you been dreaming about him again. You have to be strong, I know it’s tough but the truth is that he is no more. I am really worried for you; you haven’t been eating or sleeping well.” Reality slaps me in the face, hard. I come to my senses, my sweet dreams shattered. The love of my life was martyred 10 days back. He and his fellow CRPF members were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar, when the bomb blast occurred on the way in Phulwama.
I may have lost him but his love for me and our motherland will always stay. His love and sacrifice is immortal.