Utopia

1

Tushar held the pair of yellow roses and smelled the fragrance that created a divine aroma. He was sitting alone in his room, gazing out of the windowpane, most probably lost in his mysterious world. The world where the pain is also happiness, where tears are more trusted than a smile, dreams serve as the best companion and memories our favourite game. He smiled, imagining her presence around, a beautiful face always keeps flashing in front of his eyes. The pair of blue eyes takes his breath away, making him mesmerized. He placed his hand on the windowpane and rested his head. The soft wind brushed his hair and touched his face, giving him a peculiar excitement. He closed his eyes and felt her near; the same pretty face that peeps into his dreams. He could feel her sitting very close to him, caressing him, kissing his forehead, and smiling. He moved his hand to embrace her, only to find no one there. He smiled and adored her beauty. He didn’t open his eyes as he didn’t want to wake up from the lovely dream. The harsh reality snatches away everything.

The thought of being in love gave him peculiar happiness; he felt as if on cloud nine. She lived in his thoughts and memories. The evening star and the soft breeze, the lovely night and the quiet surrounding reminded him of her. He missed her and found solace in gazing the moon, which somehow resembled the calm and serene beauty of his beloved, Mehek. The memories never left him alone. His day began with her name, and it ended with her thoughts. Mehek was a life-giving source for Tushar. So was his love, pure, transparent and divinely.

He had formed his beautiful abode where he could see himself with Mehek and the house being covered with the strong shield of dreams. The base is made of trust and understanding, the wall is made of affection and sincere love. The rooms are made of their wishes and protected by the divine blessing. Happiness had free entry, but the pain was strictly prohibited. Smile is a regular visitor where they spend the day and night in each other’s embrace. This is the most beautiful and ever desired world for Tushar. His world was the epitome of Love dynasty, where Aphrodite is the king, Cupid, the chief minister and the entire human race, their subjects. Tushar would have not left any single stone unturned to find all the happiness of the world for her angel. Yes, angel, this is what he used to call Mehek. She had miraculously changed his life and made a permanent place in his heart. He felt incomplete without her, and his world seemed barren without her. So is the magic of Love. But, Algea is always jealous of Aphrodite. Hence, loving hearts have to go through the painful thorny way to reach the paradise of love. Every time, he dreamt of the wonderful house of love in the protected world, he could also see a dark cloud hovering around as if making an evil plan to engulf happiness, devastating it mercilessly. He sometimes gathered all his courage to fight back with anything, how much powerful it maybe just to make his angel smile, but he knew it well that things are pre-destined. He can’t challenge that unseen, merciless, cruel dictator, i.e., destiny and its companion, powerful weapon termed ‘death.’ Even if he tries hard to fight back, just to protect Mehek’s happiness, he will fail. He would have to surrender in front of death. This thought disturbed Tushar, and he felt worried about Mehek’s happiness. Suddenly, he felt some pain in his head. He pressed his head with his hands on both sides and tried to bear with it. The pain went on increasing, and he yelled to get rid of it. There was a pain mixed with helplessness in his voice. He tried to reach his bed, but his vision became hazy, and he fell on his knees.

The nurse rushed in and found him struggling to reach his bed. He was on his knees, eyes turned blood red, his face wrinkled in severe pain. She managed to support him, help him lie on the bed and left to call on the doctor. He turned his head from one side to the other. Unable to bear the pain, he fell unconscious.

Dr Nidhi rushed in and gave him an injection. She knew this would only reduce his pain for a while.

“What else can we do for this poor guy!” exclaimed Dr Nidhi with a sigh and left the room with a disappointed look on her face.

2

Tushar gained consciousness after a long time. He didn’t know how long he was in the deep slumber. He opened his eyes, tried to sit up straight, and looked around. The same lonely room and lots of wired medical equipment. His head felt heavy still. He knew what it was; he is now used to these pains and death signals. Earlier that was in delayed intervals, but as his end is approaching near, the pain returns often. Doctors say something is wrong in his brain, which needs to be operated. Reports say it is not yet ready for operation. They hardly let him know the exact fact. But, Mehek probably knows everything.

Tushar reached for a diary placed at the side table and opened the page, where he met his angel. Moving down the memory lane, he loved to live those moments once again. It was seven years back...

“Place it in the middle, this is the one I believe is the masterpiece,” said the event manager at the city hall. He was arranging the gallery for the largest Art Exhibition of the year. He instructed to project the paintings as per their beauty and appeal. 

There was a rush in the hall since last two days. People swarmed across the building, moving from one corridor to the other, appreciating and interpreting various paintings. Amid, an artist in mid-twenties, placed a canvas at the end of the hallway, engrossed in giving a perfect last stoke to his masterpiece. People stood there gazing at the paintbrush, moving like a magic wand of a conjurer. With each stroke of the brush, the painting became lively and earned the appreciation of the onlookers. The artist seemed lost in his own world of colourful imagination, untouched and uninterrupted by the hustle-bustle. 

“Wow, this is just amazing! I am ready to spend even my last penny to buy this painting,” a voice came floating in the air. He stopped, placed his brush back on the table and turned to find a group of six girls standing in front of a painting. He moved near to them.

“I think this reveals the melancholic heart of a man in this modern world,” commented a girl, looking at one of the paintings.

“I don’t agree. See the shades of colour, adding a magical glow to the picture. How can a melancholic heart have such a colourful imagination?” said another girl.

“Just as the most beautiful songs are those that give us a sad feeling,” said the first girl. “This painting reveals the inner vacuum of a pained heart which attempts to find colourful shades in reality, but fails.”

He stood listening to their interpretations. They seemed to be students of some art college. Her sharp interpretation of each painting revealed her artistic perception. 

“Who might be the painter?” said the second girl, “I wonder he had magic in his fingers.”

“No. It’s not the magic of fingers that makes a painting beautiful, but the imagination, thoughts and perception of an artist does,” said someone from behind.

They turned and found a man, stood there with a smiling face. He noticed the confusion on their faces and said, “This is Tushar, the one who made this painting.”

“Do you mean that every painting has a different story to narrate? Or a different perspective to reflect on the artist?” asked the first girl.

The stranger smiled and said, “That depends on the onlookers. If the viewers find the hidden sentiments, then, of course, these paintings speak a lot,” he completed the statement, looking at the painting hanging on the wall.

Mehek was working on a project that needed to study the evolution of painting in the contemporary period. He sensed that Tushar could provide her lots of information in this regard. Later, she became his regular visitor. His residence was also not less than a beautiful photo gallery. Within the next six months, she learned about the origin and evolution of modern painting. Mehek always found him lost in his closed world, where no one could dare to step in. He seemed chasing his dreams in the lonely paths of life. The more she observed him, the more she admired. She sat silently and kept observing Tushar playing with the shades of colours that ultimately converge making a perfect stroke. His world was melancholic but colourful. Tushar had so far overlooked the demands of his heart and responded to his focussed destination. He was aware of his limitations and preferred to be aloof. Relations add responsibility that demands commitment. How could he fit into the frame when his own life is uncertain. He was not unaware of his ultimate end. So far, it was an easy compromise with life, a mutual agreement with death. But after meeting Mehek, a wish, a dream started peeping into his heart, making him realize his helplessness. He was determined not to fall for anyone, and marriage was next to unimaginable for him. But, silently, he had started thinking about Mehek. He tried to imagine his life with her; a paradise on the earth. Life had been a bed of thorns, but Mehek’s presence spread flowers and made the path smoother. Was it her serene beauty, innocent gossips, purity of heart dragged him closer to her? He had no expectations as he knew; life won’t permit him to live his dreams.

Mehek’s admiration for Tushar multiplied with the passing time and turned into curiosity to know more about him. She observed and understood Tushar’s loneliness and silent yearning, but she preferred not to respond. While a thick veil over some emotions restricted Mehek to peep deep into his heart; his eyes came to her rescue. She admired him as a man with a golden heart, a pure soul and above all, a renowned artist. Love had not been fair with her. Her search for true love made her confront with a mirage. A failed relationship had taught her a lesson that Love is the synonym of pain and tear. She was determined not to step into Cupid’s trap again. She wanted to drag him out of his confined world and make him see the real colourful world, which is more beautiful than his painting.

Both of them understood the soft corner growing in their hearts for each other but were reluctant to admit or accept. Neither of the two ever said each other the three magical words. Every relation demands a name followed by some expectations which loosen its base. Mehek and Tushar shared a relationship which was based on their understanding. Their silent affection reflected dedication, selfless care for each other was their promise, and their understanding served as strength. So was the depth of a pure bonding between the two. Let them be in a secret corner of each other’s heart forever; let their relation be unnamed.

3

That day he showed Mehek a beautiful painting that resembled a dream house in a beautiful setting. Mehek kept gazing at the painting for long and asked, “Wow! Your dream house! But, why this thick dark line in the middle of the house as if the dream is shattered! Are you scared of dreams?” asked Mehek innocently.

“It is just a painting,” said Tushar with a low voice. He knew Mehek’s observation was right. Some people in this world can paint their dreams but cannot demand to fulfil those. He playfully touched Mehek’s nose and said, “No, my dear, this is not my home. You are currently standing in my home.”

Mehek gazed at the painting, moved closer to it and said, “I wish these colours to make your life colourful, and drag you out of this barren island of yours, filling it with a touch of colourful dreams and unending love.”

Tushar smiled and preferred to be silent. He realized his helplessness; he knew how desperately he longed to reveal his feelings for Mehek. He uttered thoughtfully, “It may so happen, that love would take me away from my life, i.e. Painting, colours, canvas.” He engaged in filling colours to the greenery on the canvas. He continued, “Most of the times, some pain is poured out in the form of colourful images.”

Mehek gazed at him as if trying to sense between the lines and critically interpreting the essence of his words. “Can you deny that you feel the absence of love? See, each of your painting reveals some untold story; a kind of emptiness. You never know, love may fill in the gap,” said Mehek. “I wish you to find your dream girl who would complete your world.”

Tushar looked at her and attempted to lighten the discussion, “I am deeply in love with my barren Island. I feel like a king here. Don’t you think it is better to be alone than to dance in other’s tune.”

Mehek smiled and said, “You are very poor at hiding your emotions, as your eyes secretly reveal your heart.” Saying this, she moved closer to him and looked into his eyes and said, “how is it so that you are so humble and generous, that nothing in this world could measure it? How is it so that your heart is so transparent and pure, which gets reflected through your eyes?”

Tushar smiled and said, “It is the purity of your heart, the innocence of your thoughts which makes you feel so about me.” Saying this, he held his head with one hand and closed his eyes for a while. Suddenly, Mehek noticed a sign of discomfort mixed with pain on his face. He held his head with both hands, placed the brush aside and tried to settle on the chair.

“Are you ok,” asked Mehek with a tone mixed with anxiousness. She got a glass of water for him. He took a sip and placed it aside. His face revealed some acute pain. Mehek felt concerned.

“I am fine. It’s just a headache. It felt as if my head was reeling for a while,” said Tushar. He looked stable. “It is too late now. Let me drop you home,” he said in a calm voice.

She cut him in the middle and said, “No, you need rest. I would take a cab but are you sure, you are fine?”

“Yeah, I’m,” his pitch was low but confident.

Mehek left the place unwillingly and walked down the lane to reach the main road. Tushar’s pain and helpless face pestered her. She decided to get some medicine for him. Could it be migraine! She wondered. He never discussed anything similar ever. A person so introvert like him is difficult to handle. Tushar sat on the chair for a while, feeling restless. He was mentally prepared to surrender himself to the ultimate reality, i.e. Death, but now he wanted to live for her, with her. He couldn’t express his desire and dreams as he never intended to complicate Mehek’s life. He knew what he was living with; it would not let him live his dream. Tears rolled down his cheeks, helplessness stabbing him within. The pain revived. He never wanted Mehek to know about this, expecting no sympathy and seeking for no assistance. He was contended that his absence might not affect anyone. No one should shed tears; no one would lose or gain anything. Let his presence be forgotten by the world around him, or only be remembered through his paintings. He has to confront it someday, alone. Let it engulf him. It seemed the nerves within his head were tearing apart.

Mehek collected some medicines and fruits for him. She would make sure he takes medicine before she leaves for home. She asked the driver to turn the cab and in the next ten minutes, reached Tushar’s residence. She found the main door kept wide open. Moving straight into his room, she found no one around. What she saw there, left her perplexed. The colour smitten floor with the brushes scattered in the room. The painting was left incomplete. He is not so disorganized, she thought to herself. Moreover, she had left just ten minutes back. Within this shorter span, it is weird to imagine that any storm would have hit his room and devastated it. She anxiously looked for Tushar and called out his name but heard no response. She turned around to leave and check at the terrace, her eyes fell on a door leading to the adjacent room. She thought of checking there. She stepped into the room and found it darker than night. Mehek tried to look for the switchboard but stumbled against something. She pressed her palms against the wall for support, accidentally, her fingers touched the switch, and the room got lighted. She screamed aloud in fear to find Tushar lying unconscious on the floor. His body was sweating profusely. Without a second thought, she rushed out and requested the cab driver to help her take Tushar to the hospital. Both managed to support him and get into the cab. Mehek had to hold him to make him sit. His head rested on her shoulder. He was unconscious.

“Take me to the BM Hospital,” instructed Mehek to the driver.

4

Within the next few minutes, she rushed into the hospital and went to the reception.

“I need to see Dr Nidhi. I have a serious patient to be attended,” said Mehek

“She is in the OT. You would have to wait,” came the reply.

“Could you please make some arrangements to admit the patient?” inquired Mehek.

“Sure,” confirmed the receptionist, “Bring him in.”

In the next five minutes, the nurse and the ward boy carried him on a stretcher. The nurse checked for his BP and pulse rate, noted those on the writing pad. She said to Mehek, “Dr Nishant would attend to him soon.”

“No,” came a straight reply from Mehek, “No one else except Dr Nidhi. Can you tell me how long it will take?

“I am not sure, madam,” replied the nurse and left the room.

Mehek anxiously went near to the bed, looked at Tushar’s face. He lied motionless. Tushar looked like having the most peaceful sleep that he ever had. He was still sweating. She looked at him helplessly, rushed out the room in haste and went towards the OT. She walked to and fro in the corridor, waiting anxiously for the red light to turn off. The passing moments increased her anxiety. After half an hour, she noticed Dr Nidhi moving out of the OT.

“I never expected the patient to respond. Check those reports and send me a copy,” said Dr Nidhi to one of the other doctors.

“Congratulations Dr Nidhi, a patient in your hand, always receives second life,” said the doctor.

“It was a critical operation,” She replied, “We need to wait for at least twenty-four hours to celebrate our success. Meanwhile, we need to...”

Before she could complete the sentence; Mehek rushed to her, held her hand and almost dragged her through the corridor to a cabin. The other medical staffs stared with utter confusion, trying hard to understand what was happening.

 Mehek stopped in front of the cabin where Tushar lied unconscious and said, “Check him, please.” She was almost out of breath. Dr Nidhi didn’t even get time to take off her green robe. She stood at the entrance and looked at the young guy. She didn’t step in. Mehek went inside and turned at Dr Nidhi, pleading her to check him.

“Please check him, he is unconscious for a couple of hours.” Saying this, she rushed to Dr Nidhi, held her hand and requested, “Please, Doctor.”

“First you calm down,” replied Dr Nidhi in her usual calm composure. “I shall not enter the room without getting off this robe. Give me ten minutes, I shall check him.” She patted Mehek and left the room.

After checking Tushar, Dr Nidhi instructed the nurse to give an injection.

“Get the reports to my chamber.” Saying this, she moved out of the room and found Mehek sitting outside on a bench. There were shades of anxiousness on her face. She walked to her but remained unnoticed by Mehek.

“Can you come to my chamber?” asked Dr Nidhi.

It startled Mehek. She got up and followed her.

“Do you know him?” asked Dr Nidhi while entering her chamber.

“Yes!” replied Mehek, “he is Tushar.”

“The renowned artist! I guess he was the same person who guided you in the project you were working recently,” she wanted to confirm. Mehek only nodded.

Dr Nidhi sighed deeply and said, “Look! Bringing in serious patients and asking me to treat them is your regular habit. I never saw this anxiousness on your face, earlier for any other patient! This makes me worried...”

Mehek cut her in the middle and said, “What is in the report?”

“You are avoiding my question,” Said Dr Nidhi in a serious tone.

“Can we discuss this later, Mom?” replied Mehek in a low voice.

She sighed and replied, “He is living with a brain tumour. It needs to be operated.”

“What?” Mehek was taken aback. She looked straight into her eyes and asked, “He will be fine post-operation, right? Please, mom, say yes.”

Dr Nidhi went to her, placed her hand on her head and said, “Being a doctor, I wish to cure all the patients, but I am not God. I am not quite hopeful in this case, Mehek. If it is not operated, the pain will keep increasing and ultimately pushing him to death. If it is operated, it may lead to partial Amnesia.”

Mehek fell on the chair, covered her face with her hand. Providence can’t be so cruel to him. She asked, “Mom, can’t you really do anything to give him a new life? An excellent artist like him does not deserve such a pathetic death.”

Dr Nidhi noticed her eyes were heavy, and the edges were filled with tears. She went near to her, caressed her back and said, “Mehek, Amnesia is the result of abnormalities in the brain function. It hardly has any cure. Tushar has two options. Either to embrace death or live with partial memory loss for the entire life.”

Mehek tried hard to control her tears. She got up and left the chamber instantly. Dr Nidhi sensed her emotion. Being a neurosurgeon, she is associated with people’s hopes and disappointments. Every successful operation is a celebration, whereas one unsuccessful operation brings a nightmare for the next few days. It’s not easy to see patients dying on the operation table, leaving an impression of failure in mind. Sometimes, knowingly they have to take the risk. In Tushar’s case, she needs to talk to Mehek before taking any decision.

Later in the evening, Mehek learned that he had got back to sense, but she could not gather enough courage to meet him. He would lose his life in either way. She was reminded of Tushar’s words- It is better that I am married to my loneliness. I don’t want anyone to bear the uncertainty that I am living with. It was the longest and darkest night of the year. The silence of the night created floods of emotions in her mind. She wanted to be alone to peep into her inner being and feel the silence around. Every silent heart and every smiling face hides a pain. She needs to find the answers to the questions never asked, understand the emotions never expressed and break through the silence to find her inner self.

5

Next day morning, Mehek was alone in the porch, leaning against the wall with her eyes fixed at the distant horizon. The reddened shine in the eastern sky was about to announce a new day. It was almost one day, Tushar had been hospitalized. Words of Dr Nidhi reeled over her mind. An artist like him, who finds beauty in the cruel realities of this world, is worth living. She sat there on a chair, outside the hospital. She had stumbled against something that she was desperately running away. Relations have always been complicated for her. She was unaware of the mysterious world of love until she met Subh. She experienced the colourful shades of happiness in his presence which not only beautified her life but also made it vibrant and jovial. But destiny had some different plan. Circumstances went wrong. Series of unpleasant happenings, followed by broken promises, shattered dreams, stabbed expectations made her lose faith in relations, and the fatal disease called love. Her life was barren when she met Tushar, for whom life was beautiful in every odd way. He said her once, “Life itself is beautiful, and it’s we who make it complicated. We forget, there are people who have dreams, but they are denied of life.” Mehek now understood what he intended to say. She should have understood that a person who says- I am happily married to my loneliness. There are lots of constraints which doesn’t permit me to go for it, is surely hiding lots of pain in the core of his heart. She felt a tear rolling down her cheeks that questioned her- What was that suddenly made her feel half-dead? Why was she hurt to imagine that she would lose Tushar forever? Why was she feeling herself helpless for being unable to do anything for him to heal his pain? Was it the growing soft-corner for Tushar or just a moderated sympathy for a pure soul like him? A sudden realization stirred her from within, was that the indication of love?

Tushar regained consciousness to find him in the hospital. This was not new. Why does death escape and gives him another chance to live? Why can’t things end all of a sudden, instead of making him live with the pain? He opened the dairy placed at the side table and opened the first page. It made him recall his childhood. A simple village lad, with outstanding intelligence and gifted with the seeds of multiple talents, which was nourished by his dad, who was his ideal. His efforts and constant guidance of his father made him bloom as the most fragrant flower in the mysterious world of knowledge and talent. Since childhood, he was a lover of tranquillity and loved to spend the leisure hours with colours. Life is like a race, chasing our expectations and desires. The more we move ahead, the gap between us and our destination keeps on increasing. The race sometimes becomes exhausting, making us feel distressed, deceptive about our thoughts. Tushar was serious about constructing his dream world, but what on earth comes without patience and constant perseverance. But destiny was not fair with Tushar. It landed him into lots of uncertain paths that lead to a silent wilderness in the crowd of known strangers. He needs a break. 

Dr Nidhi checked his reports and was disappointed to notice that the chance of success in the operation was nil. But Mehek. She needs to talk to her. She knew where she was. She walked to the porch and found her sitting there lost in her thoughts.

“Want some coffee?” asked Dr Nidhi.

“No, Mom. I was supposed to see you within a while,” said Mehek, placing her head on her mother’s shoulder. She caressed her head and replied, “I know. Tell me, what is that disturbing my darling daughter?”

“Mom, go for his operation,” she said in a single breathe.

Dr Nidhi looked at her, held her face in her hand and said, “Mehek, try to understand the complicacy. There is no chance of his recovery. Even though he is operated, what kind of life would he get in return? A half-world where he would forget his own identity in every few minutes! He would have to struggle every moment to remember the people around him. The passing memory will give him flashes of his past but will fade away soon. It will make his life confusing and pathetic.” She sighed and continued, “I think it is better to let him get relief of this pain forever.”

“You can’t say this being a doctor, mom,” opposed Mehek, “I will take care of him. I can’t let him die with all his dreams unfulfilled.”

“What!” exclaimed Dr Nidhi. “Are you nuts? Do you even understand what are you saying? Mehek, look at me, do you....” She stopped in the middle.

“I don’t know, mom,” replied Mehek, “He is a man with a golden heart. Can’t I keep his dreams alive? Maybe in the fractions of his memory, he would feel that he is living his dreams. His memory may not support him, but his feelings will. He won’t be heartless. Why can’t it be a new beginning?”

Dr Nidhi stared at her flabbergasted. She could not find exact words to convince or console her. She moved to her, caressed her head, planted a kiss on her forehead and said, “Come, meet him once. He had asked several times about the person who had brought him to the hospital. Probably, he doesn’t know, it is you.”

They went together to his cabin and found him sitting near to the windowpane, resting his head on his hand with his eyes closed.

“How are you feeling today?”

The voice broke his meditation. He turned to find Dr Nidhi.

“I am absolutely fine,” Said Tushar, “When did you come? I was just...”

“It’s ok. I wanted you to meet the person who brought you here. Here she is,” saying this Dr Nidhi asked Mehek to walk in and left for around check-up.

Mehek went to him and sat by his side. He looked fine.

“How did you know that...?” asked Tushar with a hesitation in his voice and did not complete the sentence.

Mehek narrated the entire episode. Listening to her words, Tushar said, “You are not only beautiful, Mehek; you are as affectionate as a kid and as lovely as a freshly bloomed flower.”

Mehek smiled and replied, “I don’t think so. The fact is, you have a beautiful perception; the vision of an artist always beholds the beauty within everything.”

Saying this, she moved closer and planted a soft kiss on his forehead and said, “I shall never leave you alone and never let you bear with the pain anymore.”

Saying this she left the room.

Some words are unsaid; some feelings are unexpressed. Still, they are felt and valued. That is the magic of love, which touches only the pure hearts and transparent souls. Time may fly, but this eternal bonding remains unforgettable until eternity.

6

Dr Nidhi decided to operate him after a month of medication which may cause less damage to his brain. Tushar was not scared anymore. He felt an assuring voice, a soothing touch and a lovely feeling that surrounded him like a strong shield. Yes, it was Mehek. Finally, the day arrived. Dr Nidhi, for the first time in her career of thirty years, felt nervous. She kept checking for the time. Dr Nishant rushed in with a few papers and asked, “Who would sign the consent letter?” Dr Nidhi was not ready with the answer.

“I shall sign there,” a voice interrupted. They turned to find Mehek.

Dr Nidhi and Dr Nishant exchanged glances.

“Are you sure?” asked Dr Nidhi.

“Very sure, mom,” replied Mehek. She took the pen and signed the papers and noticed a box which needs to mention the relationship of the undersigned with the patient. She mentioned ‘Wife.’ She turned to Dr Nidhi and said, “Mom, please ensure that you can allow his memory to leave him but not his soul.” Dr Nidhi nodded.

After a prolonged surgery for three hours, Dr Nidhi was successful in removing the tumour.

“Is it a new life for him, Dr Nidhi?” asked Dr Nishant.

“Yes. For them,” saying this, she walked out of the OT and asked to keep him on observation for the next two days.

Tushar was not allowed to wake up or interact with anybody for the next week. When he gained his consciousness, he found himself in the hospital. He looked around and saw a girl standing in front of him dressed as a bride.

He turned his face and said, “Have we met earlier? I think I know you. But...”

He closed his eyes as if in some pain. Dr Nidhi went to him and said, “Don’t give much stress to your mind, Tushar. It may cause you pain. You are perfectly fine now, and she is your bride.”

Partial Amnesia made him as innocent as a kid who hardly remembers things that he does and the people he meets. He speaks normally and continued to paint as he did earlier. He remembers Mehek but sometimes fails to recognize others. Dr Nidhi explained her reason behind such abnormality, “He remembered something that was very close to him as painting. His mind is not ready to accept or store anything that is not important.” Same is in the case of Mehek. His mind remembers her because he accepts her but has forgotten how and where they met first.

Love and Destiny when mingle together to unite two souls, every power on earth fails to stop it. Their love for each other even though, silent but was very strong and determined that made way towards their unification. The circumstances were odd, the situations difficult, problems critical, but still they stood by each other’s side. There was no route to move back, no path to depart, so they held each other, almost clinging to each other to let the storm pass and a shinny day to come. But time was jealous. It still wanted to test them. Finally, there was a compromise. The passing time snatched away the luxury, zeal and grandeur but allowed them to get into a conjugal knot. There was no lightning, no music, no crackers, no fun, no shout, no smell of strong perfume filled in the air, but a beautifully decorated temple, just outside the hospital periphery, a small gathering of the well-wishers to bless the couple and two loving hearts finally feeling satisfied to win over the harsh battle against misfortune and cruelty of time.

They too got united with unending wishes to fulfil, but with no expectations, they knew, life would automatically move on when they start walking together.

On the fourth-night of their marriage, they meet each other face-to-face. Tushar went close to her, looked deep into her eyes and said, “Are you a dream or reality? You are a beautiful gift in my life, Mehek.”

She enclosed him in her arms and whispered in his ear, “You are my guardian Angel and my complete world.”

The dim light gradually faded away. No, the story doesn’t end here. Rather, it was the beginning. Such love stories do never end. It was a new life for Tushar and Mehek. They now boarded on the way towards their Utopia; the beautiful castle with the fragrance of love in the air, making their life amazing in their dreamland. Happiness peeps into their room through the small window as sunshine and pain! Struggle! Yes, they co-exist in their loving abode. Happiness and pain reside there peacefully as their world is ruled by Love.