Timeless Love Story - Chapter 1

Radha was waiting tensely at the registrar's office. There was only an hour left before the office was to close, but Murari had not yet reached. It was not like Murari to be late. Radha always hated waiting, and Murari did not do anything Radha hated. Radha started to worry. She started doubting Murari, and more notably, she started doubting herself.

 

"No, erase the doubts. How can you doubt Murari? He

is the love of your life. We are made for each other". She thought to herself.

 

Radha had always been a person who liked certainty in her life. Waiting for someone meant there was no certainty. They could come the next second or next hour or never come. That made her anxious, which in turn made her hate the person who kept her waiting. She wanted a reassuring voice to say nothing wrong was going to happen. To her misfortune, she had only Gopika by her side. 

 

Gopika was the best friend of Radha and her crime partner. Radha and Gopika were to conquer the world together. But the moment Murari entered the life of Radha, Gopika was lost in the shadows. So. naturally Gopika hated Murari. To add to the vows, Murari wanted to get married even though Radha's parents did not accept him. 

"I told you many times. Never trust him", said Gopika.

"Please, not now", replied Radha.

"He told me he is a millionaire. But I never saw him spending a penny. He said his family agreed to the marriage. But, now he is nowhere to be seen", Gopika vented her frustration. 

Radha, in reply, said, "I am worried. Please don't bring up all this now."

Gopika ignored Radha's comment and continued venting, "If we go back home now, your father will kill us. I told you to wait, but you ignored my advice. I requested you to marry after convincing your father, no. I asked you to keep this a secret, but again no to my advice. As if she is Indra Gandhi writing to Nehru, wrote a letter confessing everything. Your father has a gun and a license for it. He will kill me first and then kill you."

Radha started to question herself. Was Gopika right? Should I have waited a little? What went wrong? That question brought her a few memories from the day before. 

A day earlier

That day was the day Radha waited for many days. Murari finally had the time to buy a dress for the marriage. Radha and Murari went to a big mall. As it was a working day afternoon, there were very few people in the mall. Radha and Murari entered a men's apparel store. The shop had only a guy on the billing counter. He asked Radha and Murari to select the dress for themselves. Murari hardly spent a few seconds and picked a dress. Radha was disappointed. She wanted to make the shopping a big thing. In her mind, Murari was to try every dress in the store, and she picked the one she liked. The way he was going, it was not going to happen. So, she took things into her own hands. She sent Murari to the fitting room with the dress he selected and picked ten more shirts and a few suits before he could finish trying the one. 

Murari came out from the fitting room wearing the shirt he selected. Radha did not even give the dress any attention. Instead, she handed all the dresses she picked and asked Murari to try. Murari acted like a kid who lost his play hour. Radha pointed him to the fitting room with a stern expression. Murari tried sincerely tried a few dresses. Radha liked one, but she insisted Murari try all. As he continued trying more dresses, she quickly selected a few more.

 

Murari opened the door, wearing another of the shirts Radha gave him. He was shocked to see more shirts in Radha's hand. 

"No, I am tired", said Murari.

"Please", Radha requested.

"No. Pick anyone you like. If you cannot select buy everything. I am trying anymore", replied Murari. 

Radha dropped all the dresses on the sofa and locked herself in the next fitting room. Murari got the message. Radha was not coming out until Murari did what she ordered him. But, Murari decided he did not want to accept Radha's tantrums that day. Murari billed one of the shirts Radha liked and sent the bill to Radha's mobile. He was waiting for an angry response from Radha. But there was not even a double blue ticket on the message. Every man who has ever been in a relationship knows what that means. He did not take time to run to the fitting room and started knocking.

"Please, Radha. I am very, very sorry". No response.

"I picked the shirt you liked. I will wear it again. Check it, you will like it". Still no response.

"Please, Radha. I am begging you. Please answer."

Pin drop silence.

"I could try more, but I am tired", said Murari.

There was a slight moment from inside the room.

"Please, bubbly darling. I am exhausted.", said Murari, calling Radha by her pet name to calm her down.

"I planned for this day for so long. You don't care for any of it", said Radha, staying locked inside.

"Tell me, what should I do?" requested Murari.

"Try the last few I brought for you", replied Radha.

"But, I am tired", expressed Murari, his helplessness.

"I will help you", said Radha and brought the shirts and Murari with her into the fitting room.

Radha took off his shirt and helped him wear a shirt. As she was putting on his buttons, he slowly moved his hands to her back. She pushed the hands off. 

"Can't you wait one more day?" asked Radha.

"You are making me wait too long", replied Murari. Radha was busy checking the dress and had not noticed Murari's hand, which rested now firmly on the back of Radha. 

"This looks a little loose on you lets try another one", Radha said. 

"Let me try this", said Murari and kissed Radha's lips. 

Radha liked this side of Murari. But there are seventy-five-plus years for romance. That day was for her to dress up her future husband. 

Radha pushed him off and said, "Twenty-three hours, twenty-nine minutes."

"What?"

"Time left for me to be yours. After that, you have me forever. No one can stop us", replied Radha and started removing the buttons of Murari's shirt.

"How do you know exactly? Are you keeping tab?" Murari asked squinting his one eye.

Blushing a little, Radha replied, "Yes. I am counting the seconds. I am waiting for the clock to hit zero".

"I can't wait", announced loudly Murari. 

The shop guy knocked and said, "Sir, this is not acceptable".

Radha forcefully opened the door and said, "You can get lost. Nothing you assumed is happening here."

The shop guy was stunted by Radha's anger and just walked back to his counter.

Radha's words to Murari about being together for the next seventy-five years made the environment more romantic and comforting than sexual. Radha started putting the next shirt on Murari. As Radha got close to putting the buttons on, Murari put his hand back on the bottom of Radha. Radha did not push it away this time. It felt more affectionate than anything else. 

As Radha was finishing, putting on the last button, Murari bit her cheek and said, "You have changed".

"Where?" expecting him to say some exciting things that have changed in their relationship.

"Here", he replied and hit her on her bottom, hinting that she put on weight.

Radha angrily left the room that second, leaving Murari in the fitting room. Murari remembered that Radha was sensitive about her weight. He dropped everything and ran to catch up with Radha. In a hurry, he even dropped the shirt he paid for and left the store.

After running a few paces, he caught up with Radha.

"I am sorry. I did not mean it in a bad sense", said Murari.

Radha was wiping off her tears and had no response to Murari.

"Please, I am sorry, bubbly darling", Murari requested with a coy smile.

"You see only as a hippo. Even my name is bubbly", continued Radha crying.

"No. This is not fair. You like your pet's name. You are trying just to hurt me.", said Murari.

"I also did not mean it. I am joking", replied Radha in a sarcastic tone.

Murari knew it was not sincere."Don't be like that".

"You are a fool. You are an idiot. Wait, I did not mean it like that", Radha harshly said to hurt Murari.

"You are little more than an average weight. If I point that doesn't mean I am critiquing you", said Murari.

"Is it?"

"I love you for what you are and how you are", replied Murari.

"Let me tell you something then. You are not that handsome", asked Radha.

"I don't mind", replied Murari hesitantly.

"Ooh. Let me tell you something. When you were young, you looked good. Now, you changed. ", said Radha, with air quotes on the word changed.

"Also, I wanted someone who my father liked. You are not that. Did I ever tell you that? " asked Radha.

After that, Murari left the mall without Radha. 

Back to the current day

Is that why he did not show up for his marriage, Radha started thinking. She quickly picked up his mobile and browsed WhatsApp. It cannot be he cannot be angry for that. They messaged each other all night. He said his sorries. She accepted them. They settled. She sent him digital kisses. The last message she got was 11 hours 23 minutes. Murari kept the waiting clock counting down on his side, reminding Radha of the fitting room escapade. 

"Murari will come", Radha told to herself. Suddenly Gopika started dragging Radha's attention towards someone at the gate. Both Radha and Gopika kept staring at the gate with their mouth open. 

"Who is that?" asked Gopika.

Complete silence was the reply from Radha.

"Does Murari have a younger twin brother?", asked Gopika.

Radha nodded negatively.

Murari walked close to Radha and said, "12 minutes more".

Gopika fainted.