It's Love That Matters

"Nandini"

Nandini unwillingly raised her head from the stack of examination papers piled on her desk to look into the glinting eyes of Jeevan.

"I'm taking part in the music concert that's scheduled to be held next week." The glint in his eyes became brighter as her eyes met his. "Would you like to come? I have some extra passes for the concert."

"I would love to, Jeevan," Nandini let out a silent groan as she realized that the glint in his eyes was undoubtedly that of love, "but I have an old and ailing mother at home and there is nobody to take care of her. I hope you can understand."

"That's okay, Nandini." Jeevan gulped down his dejection and pasted a smile on his face. "Maybe, some other time. Take good care of your mother."

Nandini sighed out of relief and shook her head as her eyed turned back to the pile of papers on her desk. Jeevan had started wooing her barely a week after she took the job of a teacher at the school where Jeevan worked as an accountant. At first, she was repugnant towards Jeevan's advancements as she was still mourning the loss of her husband Mihir. He was a Major in the Indian Army. A week after their marriage, he was beckoned back to his post of duty to defend his country. He lost his life during action and Nandini's world came crumbling down. The entire nation celebrated his martyrdom but Nandini neither felt proud nor happy. It was a vacuum that filled her up as she had lost the man who was her childhood sweetheart and her best friend-cum-husband. Nandini buried her head in her hands as she confessed that she still loved Mihir and will do so all her life. No man can ever wipe out Mihir's love from her heart.

* * *

"Who is going to keep our family name alive if both of you remain stubborn on your stance?" Janaki Devi complained.

Nandini remained silent and kept chopping the vegetables as if she hadn't heard a word of what her mother had said.

"Are you deaf?" Janaki shouted.

"What do you want, Ma?" Nandini kept her voice low as she didn't want to get into yet another argument with her mother.

"Why don't you get married?" Janaki was almost on the verge of tears.

"Marriage is meant to happen only once in a lifetime." Nandini stopped chopping and lifted her head to face her mother. "Why don't you ask Nikhil to get married?"

"Your brother is even worse than you." Janaki's face flushed at the thought of her son. "He has made his mind to marry that Madhu. If that happens then I am definitely going to jump into the well and end my life."

Janaki burst out sobbing bitterly and Nandini's heart went out for her.

"Don't worry, Ma." Nandini sat beside her mother and hugged her lovingly. "I will convince him to stay away from Madhu. Let him come back from work, I will talk to him for sure. And believe me, you are soon going to have a beautiful girl as your daughter-in-law."

"Beautiful or not," Janaki wiped her tears, "I just want a wife for my son who is capable of giving us an heir."

"Of course, Ma," Nandini patted on Janaki's shoulder, "everything is going to be fine."

* * *

"Stop fooling around, Nik." Nandini looked straight into her brother's eyes, "It's high time to get settled down."

"What do you mean?" Nikhil turned his gaze away because he was well aware of what she meant by saying so.

"Find some nice girl for yourself or else marry the girl Ma has chosen for you."

"You know I can't." Nikhil said curtly.

"But why?"

"Exactly for the reason that makes you stay away from a marriage," Nikhil finally turned to look at her, "love, Nandy."

"But how can you even think of getting married to Madhu?" Nandini yelled at him.

"It's only love that matters, Nandy." Nikhil's handsome face turned pale as a sharp stab of pain shot through him, "and nothing else."

"But Nik, what you going to get from this marriage?" Nandini was agitated by her brother's cold attitude. "Madhu can't even bear you children!"

"Excuse me," Nikhil's phone rang and he walked out of the room to answer it.

Nandini snorted and thumped down on his bed. Nikhil's laptop was placed on the table by the side of his bed. Disgust filled her mind as she looked at the picture of Nikhil with his beloved Madhu on the laptop's screen. Madhu alias Madhusudhan Paswan was a man in his late forties - bald and ugly.

"Why don't you meet him, Nandy?" Nikhil was back in the room, "he is a wonderful guy and I am sure you are going to like him."

"No way!" Nandini glared at him.

"Just once, Nandy." Nikhil folded his hands and implored, "for my sake."

Nandini took time to consider the opportunity Nikhil has offered her. Her protective and possessive mind began thinking of ways to exorcise out Madhu from Nikhil's life.

"Fine," Nandini nodded as she stumbled upon a plan, "arrange for a meeting with him, tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, Nandy!" Nikhil hugged his sister while brimming with joy.

* * *

Nandini couldn't help smirking as she shook hands with Madhu.

'How could Nikhil fall in love with a horrible creature like him when there are so many gorgeous girls around?" Nandini wondered as she saw her brother embracing the ugly old man lovingly within his arms.

"I will get us some coffee," Nikhil said as he moved to the counter of the cafeteria.

Nandini turned to look at Nikhil to assure that he was at a safe distance and was not going to listen to their conversation. Without wasting a second, she decided to put her plans to action.

"Look, Madhu..."

"I know what you are going to say," Madhu cut her off before she could finish, "and why have agreed to meet you. If you want me to step out of Nik's life I will readily do that. But let me warn you, that you are going to lose your brother by doing so. If you love your brother selflessly, then it's his happiness that should outweigh your own expectations and dreams. Just have a look at him, Nandy. How happy he is when he is with me! Do you want to snatch his happiness and turn him into a broken man?"

"But how are we going to face the society?"

"Nandy," Madhu placed a hand on hers, "it's only love that matters."

"The coffee is here, guys." Nikhil said placing the coffee cups on the table.

As Nandini took sips from her coffee cup, she realized that Madhu was right and how wrongly she had interpreted their relationship. She smiled as she saw Nikhil laughing hilariously at Madhu's naughty jokes. Her eyes filled up as she saw Nikhil' s eyes glinting with the light of love just the way her own eyes used to do whenever she was with Mihir. Finally, she felt as if a burden was lifted from her soul when she realized that it was only love that matters and not the man-made and forcefully imposed rules of the society. Nandini smilingly held out a hand of friendship to the beautiful soul Madhu who was showering true and selfless love on her brother exactly the way Mihir once did to her. A little later, Nikhil went out on a long-drive with Madhu. Nandini was on cloud nine as she watched them leave. A feeling of serenity enveloped her and she closed her eyes. But the very next moment, she opened her eyes with a start as Jeevan's face flashed in front of her for no particular reason.

* * *

"Good morning, Jeevan,"

Jeevan couldn't believe his ears as he recognized the voice. He raised his astonished eyes to see Nandini smiling at him. Nandini had never cared to greet him during all these days. And that too, with such a sweet smile was far beyond his wildest of fancies. He wondered whether those rosy dreams of winning Nandini's love that were his constant companions during his sleepless nights were chasing him in broad daylight too. Jeevan stood up from his chair as his jaw fell and kept silently staring at the beautiful apparition that stood right in front of him. He wanted to touch her to assure himself that she was really there.

"What happened, Jeevan?" Nandini flashed an amused smiled at the man who was staring at her like an awe-struck doe.

"No," Jeevan came to his senses, "nothing, Nandini. I haven't seen you for quite some days. Where have you been?"

"Well!" Nandini smiled, "I was in Goa for my brother's wedding."

"That's great!" Jeevan rubbed his trembling hands. "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Nandini and Jeevan exchanged nervous smiles unable to decide how to open their heart to each other. A heavy veil of silence hung in the air that seemed to stretch for ever as the coy couple stole furtive glances.

"Do you still have the pass for the concert, Jeevan?" Nandini couldn't think of a better way to hint him.

"Yes, I do." Jeevan smiled as he realized that he had finally won her love.