Love only begins, never ends… by Raj Jayswal

‘So tell me the story’ I said.

‘Which story ?’, Manav uncle said.

Manav uncle lives in my neighbour-hood. He must be around 70. Very friendly, so I keep visiting him when I get time.

‘Your story’

‘There is no story.’ he said

‘You promised to tell me.’

He had promised to tell me his love story and now he was delaying it as much as possible.

‘…and promises are meant to be kept’. I added.

‘Okay’ he finally said.

‘I want with every detail’.

Both of us settled on sofas and he narrated.

‘It was 1971…’

‘arrey I want the story not when you were born’ I butted-in.

‘Will you shut up? And listen’

‘Okay sorry, continue’

‘So, it was 1971, I was in my last year of college and so was she. Rachna. She lived near my home only. We were in same college. I had a big crush on her, but always feared to tell her. This was my last year so I have to tell her anyhow. My last chance. I tried to talk to her to get close with her. Slowly, gradually we became friends. Few months passed and I couldn’t control it more. I have to tell her…at any cost.

‘Do you think she loved you then?’ I asked.

‘I think so’

‘Ok then what happened next’

‘I waited for the right time to propose her. It was middle of July, so it was heavily raining that evening. I reached bus-stop to catch my regular bus to home. I was completely drenched in water. She was also there waiting for the bus. A bus arrived and all the people jumped on it. It was not my regular bus, so I stayed behind. Everybody left only me and she were left alone’

‘Ohho, kya baat hai!!’ I again butted-in.

‘Shut up, nothing happened like what you are thinking’

‘Ya I know, then what?’

He continued.

‘Hi’ I said to her.

‘Hi’ she said with a smile.

I knew this was a perfect time to tell her. I wanted to say I love you instead I said ‘It’s a beautiful evening, isn’t it?’

‘hmm..ya’ she replied.

‘Shit do something say it to her idiot’ I told myself.

She was starring at the empty road ahead.

‘What happened?’ I asked.

‘Nothing, I thought you are here to say something to me’ she said and looked in my eyes.

She knows. Shit shit shit…I hate this, when you try to tell something special to someone and Boom! they already know it…this just makes you more nervous.

‘hm..I..I wanted..to tell you…’ I was trying to say it.

‘Tell me what?’ she asked still looking in my eyes.

‘Do it..now or never’ My inner genius said.

‘Rachna, I love you, do you love me?’

‘It took you so long to tell me these words?’ she demanded.

‘This isn’t the answer I was looking for’

‘Sorry, love you too Manav’ she said it finally.

And then she hugged me.

We both were smiling at each other. I loved that moment. We waited for the bus, after few minutes it arrived. We both sat together. I hold her hand and again said

‘I love you’

‘I love you too’ she said and rested her head on my shoulder.

‘Wow!! that was beautiful’ I said.

‘yeah it was’ he said with a big smile.

‘ok continue the story’ I said.

‘then we started spending time together as much as possible. We bunked classes, went to watch movies, used to spend time together. Few months later our college ended and we thought to tell our parents about us. I kept her photo in one of my book, so when mom cleans the shelf, she will see it. And it happened.

‘who is this girl?’ she asked.

‘who?’ I said faking as I didn’t knew.

‘This girl whose photo is in your book’ she said showing me the photo.

‘Mom…she is my friend’

‘Friend? Manav listen I don’t know what are you up to but tell me who is she’ she said and sat on bed.

‘Mom..she is my girlfriend and we both want to get…’

‘Your dad is never going to approve this’ she said and got up from bed.

‘Mom please I love her. I want to marry her only. We can convince dad. Isn’t she so beautiful?’

‘What’s her name?’ she asked cooling down.

‘Rachna’ I said suppressing my excitement.

‘hmm…and ya she is beautiful’

‘Is that a yes from you?’

‘ya but we will talk with your dad about this later’

‘yes, thank you mom’ I said and hugged her.

But situation at her house was different. She said that her dad got very angry when she told about me. He said to stay away from me. He warned to keep any contact with me. She started crying. I made her stop crying and said we will give your family some time to understand us.

‘I promise I will always be with you’ she said.

I smiled and hugged her.

Days passed and staying away from her started killing more and more. One month passed and still nothing was solved. But one day a letter arrived at my home. It was from her.

It said that her dad is fixing her marriage with some other guy and he is coming to see her today. She said she is very sorry that she couldn’t keep her promise and she will always love me’

‘What? This can’t happen’ I said.

‘This is what happened’ he replied.

‘Then what? You left her?’ I asked.

‘No, I tore the letter and just ran to her home. I reached there. She was there and her whole family. Her eyes widened as she saw me. She got scared.

‘Who are you?’ her dad asked.

‘I am Manav’

‘ohh you, how dare you to come here’ he got angry.

‘Sir, please I just need a few minutes with Rachna.’

Before he could say anything I hold her hand and I bent on my knees.

‘Don’t you love me? Just for a moment in your life didn’t you loved me? Just say it don’t fear from your dad’ I said.

She looked scared. She didn’t say anything. Just stood there.

‘I really love you Manav’ as she said this tears rolled from her eyes.

I got up and turned to her dad.

‘Sir, isn’t it enough for me to love your daughter? Isn’t it a enough reason to get married?’I very calmly said.

‘Dad, I really love him. I will be really happy with him’ she said.

Her dad didn’t said anything and he sat on sofa.

‘Dad please say something’

‘I am sorry. I thought he is just some other boy who will….’ He didn’t complete the sentence.

‘Sir, I assure you I will always be with your daughter to love her, to protect her, to make her happy’ I said.

‘Dad please’

‘I am glad that my daughter has found such a good person. My blessings are with both of you’ he said with a smile.

‘Yes, that is what I wanted to hear, so then what?’ I asked.

‘After a few months we got married. She kept her promise’ He said with a big smile.

‘Will you stop irritating Raj with that story’ she said.

‘It’s a lovely story, I wanted to hear that’ I said defending him.

‘You look beautiful’ he said.

‘I am old now, Raj you tell me do I look beautiful?’ she asked.

I looked at her and then at him.

‘Yes, you are beautiful’

‘See everybody knows you are beautiful’ he said.

‘okay, now stop it’ she said.

‘I won’t’

‘Fine then don’t talk with me’ she said looking away with fake anger on her face.

‘Ok ok don’t fight now’ I butted-in to stop them.

‘Raj now you should go home, it’s late’ she said.

‘Okay bye then’

Before I left I looked back at them, they were looking at each other smiling, not even a blink, eyes says a lot and their happiness could be seen.

‘I love you’ he said.

‘I love you too’

Somebody truly said, Love only begins, never ends…

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