'Hey kav's what's up ?' said R, who had just entered the hostel room, throwing her clutch onto the corner table. Kavita had been looking out of the window for quite a time. Romi bent down in front of her, face to face, trying to capture the expressions. Not able to find any, she thundered,' Cummon K. Enough brooding. Either you need him for your life or you don't. Decide. Now.'
It was a strange story. Kavita had met Neel while she was pursuing her career in Medicine. Both went steady. Marriage was the obvious choice but both of them had delayed it on purpose. Both were too independent, had contemplated 'live in' but had decided against it. Instead why not let go a few more years before they could have each other 24/7...Somehow the idea of being together all the time didn't look all that appealing. Well finally the day arrived when both mutually agreed to tie the knot. Neel's mother preferred looking at the horoscope and to his horror, Kavita's horoscope didn't match at all. Not only that, the family pundit said that if Neel were to marry her, he would meet with an accident within an year of the marriage and would be no more. Neel wasn't convinced of course but after showing Kavita's horoscope to a dozen of astrologers, and all repeating the same fate, Neel was perturbed. Days had passed and Kavita sensed something was wrong but he wouldn't tell her. Once when they were having coffee at the Barista, he said calmly,' Kavita we can't get married'. She had been shattered of course. Her mind was covered with all kinds of 'why's'. She wasn't very good looking she knew but Neel knew it too. It was a connection that went beyond face or for that matter anything physical. How could Neel..her Neel- a software guy believe in such absurdities ? No no this can't be happening to her. She had lived in denial for quite a long time. But when Neel got married to another girl of his caste, the world had come to an end.
She was no longer herself. Bouts of depression, sickness had followed and she had slowly recovered with Romi's help. Romi had come into her life like fresh air and soaked up all the traces of gloom out of her life. Kavita had sprung back to her usual self, immersing herself in her work, patients, college, clinic. She never forgot Neel. Somewhere deep inside she knew she would have him. Five years had passed without Neel physically in her life. She came to know from a common friend that Neel's wife hadn't conceived. Well, though she listened anything even remotely connected to Neel, she managed to be composed and continued with life nevertheless, having forgiven him. She could never hate him. She would often quote the old song by Sudha Malhotra (Tum mujhey bhool bhi jao, tho ye hak hai tumko, meri baat aur hai mainey tho mohobbat ki hai) whenever Romi fumed. Life was strange indeed. It could go on without certain people whom the heart gets obsessed with.
One day at her clinic, she got a call and you might have guessed from who that was. It was Neel. While he spoke to her, she listened as if she was in a trance. He apologised for his stupid fear about the horoscope, said he repented everyday for the decision he had taken. Romi warned Kavita. But K wouldn't listen. Her Neel needed her. She had to know his story. She had to help him. And so phone calls continued and they started meeting too. He wouldn't leave his wife too. Romi's heart went out to her friend. She started praying thinking something divine could take care of this relationship. She even advised Kavita to ask Neel to get a divorce if at all he wanted to be with her again. Kavita wouldn't do that and so the 'staring out of the window sessions' continued. Romil thought, 'Today this has to end'. ' K, will you ask him to get a divorce?' 'No' said Kavita. Romil asked why and Kavita said she was o.k. being the support that Neel needed. What was wrong with that ? She could wait...till Fate decided something phenomenal otherwise life was o.k. as it was. She didn't believe marriage was the end of deep rooted relationship between a man and a woman. Things were fine. She pacified Romi
It was a strange story. Kavita had met Neel while she was pursuing her career in Medicine. Both went steady. Marriage was the obvious choice but both of them had delayed it on purpose. Both were too independent, had contemplated 'live in' but had decided against it. Instead why not let go a few more years before they could have each other 24/7...Somehow the idea of being together all the time didn't look all that appealing. Well finally the day arrived when both mutually agreed to tie the knot. Neel's mother preferred looking at the horoscope and to his horror, Kavita's horoscope didn't match at all. Not only that, the family pundit said that if Neel were to marry her, he would meet with an accident within an year of the marriage and would be no more. Neel wasn't convinced of course but after showing Kavita's horoscope to a dozen of astrologers, and all repeating the same fate, Neel was perturbed. Days had passed and Kavita sensed something was wrong but he wouldn't tell her. Once when they were having coffee at the Barista, he said calmly,' Kavita we can't get married'. She had been shattered of course. Her mind was covered with all kinds of 'why's'. She wasn't very good looking she knew but Neel knew it too. It was a connection that went beyond face or for that matter anything physical. How could Neel..her Neel- a software guy believe in such absurdities ? No no this can't be happening to her. She had lived in denial for quite a long time. But when Neel got married to another girl of his caste, the world had come to an end.
She was no longer herself. Bouts of depression, sickness had followed and she had slowly recovered with Romi's help. Romi had come into her life like fresh air and soaked up all the traces of gloom out of her life. Kavita had sprung back to her usual self, immersing herself in her work, patients, college, clinic. She never forgot Neel. Somewhere deep inside she knew she would have him. Five years had passed without Neel physically in her life. She came to know from a common friend that Neel's wife hadn't conceived. Well, though she listened anything even remotely connected to Neel, she managed to be composed and continued with life nevertheless, having forgiven him. She could never hate him. She would often quote the old song by Sudha Malhotra (Tum mujhey bhool bhi jao, tho ye hak hai tumko, meri baat aur hai mainey tho mohobbat ki hai) whenever Romi fumed. Life was strange indeed. It could go on without certain people whom the heart gets obsessed with.
One day at her clinic, she got a call and you might have guessed from who that was. It was Neel. While he spoke to her, she listened as if she was in a trance. He apologised for his stupid fear about the horoscope, said he repented everyday for the decision he had taken. Romi warned Kavita. But K wouldn't listen. Her Neel needed her. She had to know his story. She had to help him. And so phone calls continued and they started meeting too. He wouldn't leave his wife too. Romi's heart went out to her friend. She started praying thinking something divine could take care of this relationship. She even advised Kavita to ask Neel to get a divorce if at all he wanted to be with her again. Kavita wouldn't do that and so the 'staring out of the window sessions' continued. Romil thought, 'Today this has to end'. ' K, will you ask him to get a divorce?' 'No' said Kavita. Romil asked why and Kavita said she was o.k. being the support that Neel needed. What was wrong with that ? She could wait...till Fate decided something phenomenal otherwise life was o.k. as it was. She didn't believe marriage was the end of deep rooted relationship between a man and a woman. Things were fine. She pacified Romi
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