True Love Never Ends

 The sun goes down in the horizon creating a beautiful sunset view in Pavanpur.

 Sunayana was alone at home and enjoyed the beautiful sunset at the terrace for just a minute. She was really disappointed to see the sky cloudy and drizzle followed by heavy rains and came downstairs. Suddenly, the power went off  and was restored after a couple of minutes. Her husband Deepak had gone to Bengaluru. This year she retired from the legal practice. Sunayana goes daily for a morning walk and does simple exercises. Her only daughter Surabhi is studying in final year MBBS at Bengaluru.

She was in the habit of  reading books. While turning pages in one book, she found a letter in the book. It was a love letter to Deepak.

Flashbacks of 25 years ago struck her mind.

Sunayana was happy to know that she cleared law degree in first class and contacted Mr. Jagadish Kumar, a senior advocate in Mumbai, to work as a junior. She was told to meet him after 3 months. She booked a train ticket one month before the date of going to Mumbai. The train was leaving at 6 p. m.  

On that day, there was a crowd on Pavanpur station.

The express train from Chennai to Mumbai halts just two minutes at Pavanpur station. She was in the railway station half an hour before. The train arrived at scheduled time. Her bogie no S20 was in front of the tea shop. Suddenly a group of unreserved  passengers rushed and tried to enter the bogie. They were not allowing her to get in.   When she was hurriedly entering the bogie and was about to put her right leg in the narrow space between the train and platform, a young man behind saved her. Anything was possible at that time. It was really a horrific scene. She thought God had saved her. Sunayana was shivering due to terrible fear.

 The young man helped her to enter the bogie. Her seat number was 39 and his was 45. She thanked him. Seeing her pitiable condition, he arranged seat number 44 just beside his seat.

 She appreciated his presence of mind. The trouble started from the unreserved passenger, who occupied her seat. There were heated arguments for some time. The situation was under control, when the Railway Ticket Examiner came and vacated him. The train started moving.  

During their conversation, he introduced himself as Deepak. She came to know that he was going to Mumbai to meet the same person with whom she had already got an appointment. It was a surprise for her. Sunayana told him that she too was going to Mumbai for the same purpose. Both became friends. They had spent a very good time cutting jokes, discussing their family. He too liked her.

The train reached Mumbai at the right time in the morning. Both went straight to the office of Mr. Jagadish Kumar. He was in the office. The introduction was over. Mr. Kumar asked them to wait. After half an hour, Mr. Kumar took the interview of both. At the end, Mr. Kumar asked them to commence the work from the next day.

 One day in the evening, Sunayana and Deepak visit a famous park in Mumbai. It was a romantic evening. Both were in the green park surrounded by tall trees. Varieties of flowers like Yellow Pond Lily, Pink Water Lily, Nilofar, Champa, Blue Water Lily were grown in this park. Small ponds and fountains added to the beauty of the park. Birds were busy making noise and moving from one end to another. Monkeys were jumping from one tree to another. She was very much astonished to see one monkey holding her baby firmly and jumping. If somebody throws eatables all the monkeys rush at a time to pick them up. The climate was enjoyable. On that day, there were few people in the park. The young lovers were engaged in the walk and talk. Deepak was affectionately calling her as Sannu instead of Sunayana.   She was calling him Deepu.  

"Sannu, you are beautiful and intelligent. Combination of both in one person is rare. Beauty without intelligence is a masterpiece painted on a napkin. " 

"Deepu, Along with beauty and intelligence one must have character and strength. "

 "I found all these things in you. " 

"If you praise me like this, I will become egoist. Please avoid praising me like a beautiful woman in the whole world. " she said smilingly 

"I know you are not only  beautiful woman but sensible," he said

" I Love you Deepu from the deep of my heart and want to spend my whole life with you,"  she said with emotion.  

"Sannu, Our minds are the same. Our hearts are coming very close. " 

"Deepu, a regular walk promotes a healthy mind, body and spirit. " 

"Yes! Sannu, you are right. "

"Deepu, do you think walking and talking is a distinctive storytelling exercise?"

"Yes! Sannu, our talk on each topic becomes a story. I don't feel bored if the topic is interesting. ” replied Deepak 

"Deepu, if both are involved vigorously then the purpose of walk and talk would be served. " she said in positive sense 

Their walk and talk was on various topics like romance, health, family, finance and future plan of wedding.

 After one year, both left Mumbai with a plan to start a legal profession at Pavanpur. In the meanwhile, Deepak's classmate Navin arrived at Pavanpur from Chennai. He wanted to join their team. All of them agreed to work together in one law firm.   The three partners entered into an agreement on all the issues concerning the law firm. Deepak was an expert in civil cases. Navin was famous in dealing with criminal cases. Sunayana was a successful juvenile lawyer.

Number of clients increased at the beginning of the second year. Visit to courts on the working days was their daily schedule. Their profession became lucrative.   She was moving with Deepak freely. But things were not moving in their favor. They reached the crucial point, where both had to break the relationship.  

Who created such adverse situations among the lovers? 

Navin was unhappy to know about Sunayana's acquaintance with Deepak. She was unaware of Navin's activities. Deepak had full faith in him. Navin was secretly planning to break their marriage by adopting foul means. Navin had developed love towards her. He never expressed this fact to her. He was waiting for an opportunity to express. Navin was handsome with an attractive personality, whereas  Deepak  was smart with noble qualities. Navin knew that breaking up with lovers was a dangerous endeavor. Creating a rift between the lovers was a difficult job. He was also aware that it was an immoral act. He knew that to indulge in such activity one must be prepared to face any eventuality including arrest. Knowing all these dangers well, he decided to go ahead. He wanted to create such a situation where the break up of her marriage with Deepak should take place.

His inner voice had cautioned him not to venture such an unholy attempt. A criminal lawyer had developed a criminal mind. He studied the past cases. His strategy was planting the seeds of doubt among the lovers through a person, who was most confident in Sunayana . He was thinking alone in a solitary place. Number of dangerous ideas struck his mind. His dangerous ideas were Deepak was suffering from an incurable disease, facing criminal charges due to frauds in various banks,  his professional and personal record was full of blemishes.  

 Navin searched for one suitable person, who can brainwash Sunayana. His name was Somesh. He was earlier working in their Law Firm as an attender. Somesh was removed from service by Deepak for an offense of stealing his costly imported wrist watch. She told Deepak not to sack him and give him an opportunity to reform.   Navin called Somesh to a bar  and offered him drinks and sumptuous food. He briefed Somesh about the work. He assured him to pay a hefty amount as a reward. Somesh was unhappy with Deepak.  

In the presence of Deepak, Somesh cannot execute his plan. Deepak was on a seven days tour programme and left for Bengaluru.   

Somesh met Sunayana on the very next day. She  had a. sympathy for Somesh. He bowed his head before her.

"What is the matter Somesh?"

"Madam, you know I always wish better for you. "

"Okay, tell me why you have come?

 He was weeping continuously.  

"Somesh, why are you weeping?"

 Whatever Navin told him, he repeated the same seriously.

"Who told you all this?"

"Everybody in the Pavanpur town talks about Deepak Sir. It is the talk of the town. "

Once again Somesh bowed his head and left weeping. His acting was perfect. She had no  doubt on Somesh.   It was a shocking revelation to her. She had already given consent to Deepak for marriage and was seriously thinking why Deepak had kept such serious matters secret. She could not sleep the whole night. She thought it would be better to wait till Deepak returns from the tour.  

Next morning she asked Navin about the charges leveled against Deepak. He played a trick to confuse.

"Madam, as per the public opinion the charges are one hundred percent true. But as a close friend of Deepak, I don't have an iota of doubt on him. "

Sunayana was puzzled, whether to believe the charges made against Deepak were true or false? While searching the files in the office, she found a number of legal notices issued to Deepak by the various banks for committing fraud. She  became quite confident that whatever Somesh told was true. She utterly failed to verify the genuineness of the letters. If she had applied her mind, the truth would have come out. At that juncture, she lost her mental equilibrium to proceed in the right direction. She became the most disappointed woman and decided to keep distance from Deepak. When Deepak returned, he observed a lot of changes in her attitude. He asked several times the reason for the change of her behavior.   She requested him not to ask any questions. Deepak was surprised and wanted to know the real cause for this. He realized somebody had played mischief. But he failed to doubt his friend Navin.  

Navin was happy to know about Sunayana's worry. He wanted to express his desire to her. The happy moment for him was temporary. Bad days started in his life. The private companies, where Navin invested huge amounts, declared bankruptcy. He miserably burnt his finger. He had a mild heart attack. The criminal cases handled by him failed in the court. He realized doing harm to others would definitely backfire. He left the place with a firm decision not to return. Nobody knows about his whereabouts.  

Deepak came to know that Navin was absconding. He lodged a complaint with the police to trace him. Sunayana  was also thinking seriously about the sudden development of Navin.  

Sudden disappearance of Navin created suspicion. She   called Somesh to meet her immediately. He did not turn up. He was also absconding. Her doubt on Navin was confirmed. She went to the office and searched his drawer and  found a letter written by Navin addressed to Deepak .  

My Dear Deepak, 

I am responsible for your troubles. I have committed sin by engaging Somesh to spread false news. I am apologizing for the heinous act. I also request not to trace me. I wish you a happy married life.

Your Loving Friend, 

Navin 

 Sunayana apologized to Deepak and married on an auspicious day. The couple proved that true love never ends. It is a caution for people like Navin.

She came out of her old memories, when there was a phone call from Deepak that he may return the day after  tomorrow.