Four years later...

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or otherwise, is entirely coincidental.

 
dei have you taken your credit card and ticket ?

Yes.

And don't forget your watch and toothbrush.

I have taken everything ma , now stop treating me like I am in nursery , I am 26 years old now!

Dinesh was leaving for Mumbai to get expert opinion on certain spare parts of the Rennault -Nissan brand as suggested by his boss . He had been with the company for four years now and had risen to the post of Executive Engineer.

Anna central station poganum , said Dinesh to the autowaala and got into it. On the way he was going through the papers that his boss had asked him to review. He reached Chennai Central Station  at 6:45 pm. His train was scheduled at 7:30 . He got into the station and looked at the board.

Chennai Central -Mumbai BCT Express - Platform 9   -  Delayed by 1 Hour 

Ahhh crap , he had to spend  around 2 hours at the station . He went to the Nescafe stall nearby to get a cup of coffee. The shopkeeper placed the coffee on table. Dinesh reached out to pick the coffee up when one more hand picked the coffee up. He looked up and all the memories came flooding back. Sandhya stood by his side. The same Sandhya who had filled his dreams for four years in college,the same Sandhya who made him smile like a new born baby everytime he saw her , the same Sandhya who taught him the meaning of love,the same Sandhya in whose arms he could lay curled up all day as if there was no tomorrow,the same Sandhya with whom he had  made plans for his future,the same Sandhya who had disappeared after the college was over and never got in touch with him again ,the same Sandhya who had him in a state of depression for two years, that same Sandhya was standing right next to him. She held a big suitcase in one hand and a coffee on the other. Although she looked a wee bit matured than the last time he saw her,she still had those dimples and the overexpressive eyes.

Dinesh didn't react. He just stood there lifelessly and looked at Sandhya. Sandhya lips did not move. Her eyes did all the talking ,motioning to him to move somewhere else .They both moved inside the waiting room.

How are you deepu? asked Sandhya

I am okay..surviving.. What about you ,haven't changed much ,have you ?

Maybe .. don't you want to ask me anything ?
 

Where are you going  ? Waiting for your husband ?

Whattt ? I am not married.. do you think I would get married to someone else after all those things that happened between us ? 

Don't pretend like i am at fault here. You left me high and dry! After what you did to me ,anything is possible .

Stop reacting  this way  deepu . I have repented enough for what I did to you. These four years were as difficult for me as they were for you. You know I love you and you know I wouldn't leave you for anything
  

Then why did you disappear for four long years ?You knew I was not that strong to cope up with your loss. I never knew you could be so selfish.

My parents wanted to get me married , family astrologer had told them if I didn't get married by 22 ,I wouldn't get married at all, I knew I couldn't thrust my parents' decision on you . You were 21 for gods sake , you think you would have reacted sanely if I told you my parents want to get me married ? That's why I decided it was in our best interest if I wasn't a part of your life anymore. I know it sounds stupid to you but I knew how passionate you were about making it big in auto and a marriage at 21 would have spilled water all over your future. I have been working in Sapient ,Gurgaon for four years now . I visit home very rarely. Mom fell sick now, that why I am here in Chennai .

So , you just made all the decisions yourself and  thought he will be alright in a few months ? Sandhya If I had known in the train back home from college that it was the last time i am kissing you, I would have never stopped kissing. Why did you want to be Mother Teresa all of a sudden ? Couldn't you just tell me like other girls ? I tried everything to get in touch with you.It's like you went out of your way to not let me know where you are. And now when I have given up all hope , you appear out of nowhere.

Try to understand me deepu , if you were in my place you would have done the same thing.Think about it. I have always wanted you to be happy,even if it is not with me.

If I was in your place , I would have told my parents that  I know you people have done a lot for me and I mean the world to you but this is MY life and I know what makes me happy and I am not going to spend my life pretending to be happy. This is not 1920 anymore where the bride and groom see each other face to face for the first time after marriage. Life is short, why waste it with the wrong person .

All this sounds good in movies and novels. Doesn't work in real life. I'l tell you what . At that point I thought let me not spoil his life by imposing myself on him. I thought I could live without you. How stupid I was. Now I know I couldn't live without you. All that career and family is secondary. What can be better than finding someone who knows all your faults and still thinks you are amazing. I am still the same Sandhya who was crazily in love with you.

Just then Dinesh waved at a girl who stood outside the waiting room. She was dressed in a simple saree which fluttered with the breeze and looked around the same age as Sandhya.She looked very similar to how Sandhya looked when she was in college. Dinesh asked Sandhya to wait inside and went out to meet the girl. Sandhya looked through the glass. Dinesh and the girl outside seemed to be having an animated conversation . After around three minutes ,the girl took out her handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Dinesh's face. Then she waved goodbye and planted a kiss on his forehead.

It was only then it dawned to Sandhya that the girl outside was his wife. The world seemed to be collapsing on her.It seemed to her that  her heartbeat was so loud that people outside could hear it.

After a certain while Dinesh walked inside. He looked all around the waiting room . Sandhya was nowhere to be seen. She had left him . Again !

Adapted from a short film in Tamil , Kaanal Neer.Inspiring stuff from these amateur directors.