Withered Before Blooming

Rubina was a brick kiln labourer. She had to work in the kiln when it was the season and worked as a labourer on the government project where the bricks were supplied. Because brick production was a seasonal industry. The bricks were supplied to the area where the government project was on. A new engineer had been deputed two days ago at the project. His name was Rittik. This was the first project for Rittik after completing his civil engineering and securing this government job. His company did turnkey jobs related to rural infrastructure. 

On the very first day, Rittik had a run-in with Rubina. She was carrying a basket of bricks on her head and Rittik was walking unmindfully his concentration on the calculation sheet when suddenly they collided. The basket of bricks fell at a distance and luckily no one was hurt. But there was a comical scene enactment like we see in the movies. Rittik had fallen flat on his back and Rubina fell on Rittik 's chest her face in touch with his face. Momentarily time stopped and their gaze locked. Then breaking the reverie they got up and separated. This crazy scene had been observed by some but no one did give much thought to it. 

But something happened to both Rittik and Rubina. From then on Rubina when her eyes locked with Rittik she blushed and Rittik also missed a beat. But they both knew that it was just impulsiveness because they both were from different sections of society. 

Time passed and their silent relationship continued. Gazing at each other and locking their looks. They couldn't muster the courage to talk to each other for fear of being observed. This couldn't continue long. Rittik knew he had to leave soon when his part in the project was over and that was not too far away. Rubina also knew of this temporary impasse. She used to get lumps in her heart but couldn't let her feelings known. 

Then one day in the evening when the sun had just set they both met each other behind a high stack of bricks. Unfortunately, some of the other labourers had observed them chatting and laughing. This created a huge furore. Rubina's family got to know. Rubina was heavily chastised with dire warnings. 

Next day a group of male labourers met Rittik and gently cautioned him to stay away from Rubina or the situation could turn inflammable. 

After this incident, Rittik stayed on the project for only a few months. Silently he saw Rubina from a distance. She also looked at him with a melancholic gaze. It seemed that she wanted to say a whole lot of things but was held up. They both silently agreed at their own level that they had become too ambitious without measuring the tone of their surroundings. 

Then one-day Rittik had to leave. One last look and he found Rubina sobbing alone uncontrollably. Life moved on but Rittik did not forget Rubina. Her ever-smiling face came in front of his face like in a mirror. He only sighed with a deep breath and surrendered to his fate. 

A chance opportunity took him again to the same project a couple of years later. He was deputed for a few days to do an inspection on the progress of the work and report to the authorities. Rittik was very happy that he would get a chance to meet Rubina. But even after a couple of days, she was nowhere in sight. 

An old acquaintance, a labourer in that project who had known Rittik's longing for Rubina told him that after his departure Rubina had become very depressed. She had become sick and was away from work for quite some time. Seeing her sorry state her family married her away to an elderly man who took her on as his third wife. 

On the final day of his stay, Rittik ultimately did see Rubina. She had come there on purpose to have a glimpse of her ex-flame after hearing the news of his arrival. Rittik saw her from a distance. She was standing close to a stack of bricks when the sun was setting and she was cradling a small baby on her waist. She had become thin and looked pale as if she was suffering. 

Rittik stood there, a silent spectator, swallowing his emotions and unable to express his unsatisfied desire. The flowers, unfortunately, withered before blooming.