My Love, beyond expectations

"What do you mean by just in love?" shouted Kanchan when Meera was talking about her love.

Meera did not realize that she was falling for Vinu, even though she knew, he was married and have two kids aged 7 and 5.

Kanchan and Meera were sitting in a restaurant, celebrating friendship day. They parted with an argument.

Kanchan might be right, Meera thought with teary eyes. She was all alone in her life and felt lonely. Her thoughts wandered.

"It is a norm imposed by the society, stick to your marriage, be loyal and take an oath of being together for next seven life.

It is very common in India. What about the emotions of a man who is no longer happy in his marriage?

What about a woman who is ditched and a victim of an abusive marriage, what if she found her love in a married man? 

Meera was married to an impotent man, years back. She had faced the turmoil of an abusive marriage. She never had any lust or attraction towards any man after her divorce. She was forced into this marriage by her father and she never loved that mentally deranged man who entered her life like lightning. She always thanked God that she was safe after and before divorce, though this man had hit her many times and it stopped only after she punched him back.

 She always gulped her tears in silence and luck by chance in lockdown, during the pandemic, she joined a singing app. She made many friends there and all asked about her married identity, education and kids. The more she revealed her truth, the world judged her. This time, she decided she will not reveal any truth about her.

The singing app, 'star,' was her solace. Her male friends thought she was happily married and she kept cooking stories when people had a personal chat with her. 

 She enjoyed singing duets with her virtual singing buddies and one day while she was singing in a party room, she saw a picture of a guy commenting in her mother tongue and chatting to girls in the party room set up. She was irritated but charmed by his looks. 

She felt, she knew him and was attracted towards him. 

Unfortunately, being born and brought up in Mumbai, she could not read her mother tongue. She was curious what this guy is writing, chatting and commenting? 

"He is a big flirt," she made her own notions in mind. She did not know that he was watching over her, though virtually in that app party room. 

 She kept commenting - 'Lovely,' on each song, she heard. She understood her mother tongue and could speak fluently but she could not read or write it. She attempted a few songs in her language but people could make out that she is an outsider with her accent. Some gave her nice comments and some trolled her.

She waited eagerly to read a comment from Vinu. Vinu's name was written in her language and she had copy-pasted it in a translation app and read it. A few songs played and even Vinu sang romantic songs. Vinu did not compliment her and she was now angry. She decided not to be upset as expectations hurt.

She kept on commenting- Lovely and suddenly Vinu replied to one of her comments- Fair and Lovely. 

Her joy knew no bounds when she saw his comment. She blushed but did not respond. He sent her a message request and she never chatted with men. This time her heart asked her to chat with him. He wrote something in their language and she revealed, she can't read their language. She knows Hindi and English, though she can speak in their language.

 Every day at 9 pm she would follow Vinu to a party room and both appreciated each other on each other songs. They started sending star gifts and commented on each of their posts too.

Meera had insomnia and she would spend the night singing in a Bollywood room. Vinu followed her and impressed the audience with his half-baked Hindi songs. He did not know much Hindi, being born in South- India and hailing from there. The party room would wind up by 2 am and Vinu would chat with Meera till 4 am.

One fine day Vinu sent Meera some romantic message. Meera felt like the real Meera who admired Lord Krishna. 

Her dreams bloomed while she imagined a second marriage with Vinu, she did not know he was married until one night he revealed it to her. He was under the impression that she too is married but their talks and friendship in few days was taking a new turn. 

 Meera was falling in love with him and they chatted over the phone about books, songs and poetry. Vinu would speak erotic and Meera would chide him. She never intended to break his family and often lied that she was happily married. Good things end on a short note and Vinu got busy with his work. He had left the star app but he had sung the last song- " Kabhi Alvida na kehna," with Meera. 

Meera was sad, Vinu had blocked her on WhatsApp. He gave a reason that his wife is troublesome. Meera shared her plight with Kanchan, she would sing the praise of Vinu, as Meera would sing for Krishna. Kanchan always got irritated with her friend, according to her, Meera was just fascinated with Vinu.

 Meera knew, her love was not fascination or obsession. She never had lust or vested interest in him.

 She missed him a lot and he never replied to her messages on the star app. 

One fine day, Meera was upset. She prayed to Krishna and sent Vinu a message. 

She did not expect a reply but like Krishna Leela, he suddenly responded. 

" Hi, Meera do you miss me?" This question was beyond any Math problem that Meera found difficult to solve.

She blushed and sent a thinking emoji.

Vinu wished her a good night and he again was lost like a wind. Meera tried to concentrate on work and cherish his memories until Universe showered with an unexpected plan.

It was Meera's birthday after the friendship day week. A message had popped up on her star app.

" Meera, I am coming to Mumbai and booked a room in Taj Hotel. I want to meet you. Please don't call me as my wife might check my mobile. I will call you and keep updated."

Meera felt like a second woman, Vinu always had this dialogue ready with him. She had picked up a fight with him stating that it is he who misbehaves with her in an erotic way and she has never tried breaking his family. She is just a friend. He should take care of his wife's tantrum, who is insecure and not trusting her husband.

This time too Meera's blood boiled but she just wanted to see him. 

He had told her that he will call her when he lands in Mumbai. She needed to be calm. 

She had bought some chocolate and perfume for him. 

Soon her day arrived. It was her birthday, a beautiful Saturday.

"She did not fantasise about love in bed but her friend Kanchan always made her guilty."

She had gone to meet Kanchan to seek a piece of advice on whether she should meet Vinu on friendship? Kanchan's words were pinching while felt she is a whore. Kanchan looked very modern but her thoughts are at times conservative she thought.

" I will never be interested in married men," Kanchan would say and Meera often felt her friendship with Vinu was wrong.

She erased thoughts of Kanchan it was time to ask her heart and take some decision.

She asked her heart, should I meet him? 

Her heart replied: " Nothing is right or wrong until you label it, right, wrong, true, false, good or bad, Meera. "

She wore a new saree while she looked into the mirror. Vinu was reaching in few minutes.

Her doppelganger jumped out of the mirror and said:

" Meera, dress up like a bride. It is your day, bother not what the world says! Love is beyond expectations. Don't lose your heart or feel like a vamp, until you aim to break his family. This meeting is just for the sake of friendship and gratitude. If he crosses his line, it is up to you to control it. Your angels are with you. Go, meet him, girl."