Chapter 2
It broke his heart every time to see her as someone else's. They said time was an excellent healer, he refused to believe such drivel. In fact his pain intensified everytime. The past two years had been nothing short of a hellish punishment. A reprieve from this came in the form of the commerce meet kept at the end of his last year of graduation, or so he thought. He won a scholarship in it, granting him an opportunity to continue further education abroad, in US. Accepting it had been bittersweet, he was getting a big opportunity, but going away from his loved ones. 'I have to get over her,' it was very easy to say, but distance made the heart fonder. So far from her, yet he fell in love a bit more everyday.....
She had already decided to pursue dance professionally. Barring the last couple of levels, all her Kathak exams had been completed. Additionally, she had started to learn more dance forms, to enlarge her scope of career. Already having Kathak as a base, she was a quick learner. The only downside to her life was her problematic home life, that had become only harsher after the passing of her grandmother-in-law. The previous two years had been very difficult. Though she had managed well, with professional help from the psychologist, of course. Life was uneventful. Partial freedom came when Vanraj announced that he was going to Canada for two years for a project. She knew, that she would be able to be independent by then. He would come back from there, only to be served a divorce notice - she decided, biding her time.
Anuj had started to build his business. He had nothing to lose, but his empire grew very large, very quickly. He had become a workaholic to escape his loneliness. Loneliness, that had formed in losing his family in an accident, in living alone in a foreign country, in his love for someone so far away - not only in distance. A few friends were all that he had left. He was a man who had everything, yet nothing at all.
When Anu had started working at the academy, she had become fast friends with her new colleague, Bani Mehta. A girl totally opposite to Anu, sporting shorts, piercings, her arms covered in tattoos, uncaring of society's opinion, yet so caring when it came to her loved ones. Anu admired her confidence, her personality. She taught Anu how to use the computer, helped her find classes to improve her english. She had practically forced her to at least try wearing skirts, jeans, etc, which turned out to be really convenient to carry, though she had to rebel against the family for this. She always enjoyed wearing salwar suits and sarees, but this was nice too. Bani had become her confidante. Their friendship was quite similar to that between her and Devika. Bani and Devika would definitely get along like a house on fire.....
Anuj had built a large empire, had become one of the most successful entrepreneur, merely in three years, after moving to US. It was a chance meeting, when he was dining at a restaurant, as he saw Devika.
"Hey bhai!! Kaisa hai??" (Hey bro, how are you??)
"Acchha hoon, aur tu?" (I am good, and you?)
"Bilkul thik!!" (Absolutely fine!!)
"Aur bataao, kya haal chaal?" (Do tell, how is life going?)
"Thik hi hai..... Divorce ho gaya, cheating case." (It is going alright... I got a divorce, cheating case.)
"Kya baat kar rahi ho?" (What are you saying?)
"Haan, kya batau ab main bhi.... jaane do..." (Yeah, what can I say.... anyways....)
"Maine toh shaadi hi nahi ki." (Huh, I didn't marry anyone.)
He raised his eyebrows at her, as she observed him with a knowing look in her eyes.
"Abhibhi uski yaadon mein jee raha hai? Itne samay baad?" (Still living in her memories? After all this time?)
"Main usse kabhi bhi bhool nahi paunga, bohot chaha hai maine usse. Maine koshish bohot ki, lekin..... Waise bhi, jinda hoon sirf, jee kahan raha hoon. Single hona hi shayad mere naseeb mein hai." (I will never be able to forget her, I coveted her too much. I tried hard to, but..... anyways, I am simply surviving, not living at all. Maybe, being single is written in my destiny.)
"Arre, aise kyu bolta hai?" (Ohh, why say such things?)
"Aur nahi toh kya?" (What should I say then?)
"Tum Anu se bina dekhe, bina mile, bina baat kiye, bina ummeed ke itna pyaar karte ho. Kabhi Kanhaji se usse nahi maanga, sirf uski khushi maangi hai..... Ek baar usse maang kar toh dekho, tumhari shiddat dekh ke Kanhaji bhi jhat se tumhari wish poori kar denge." (Without seeing her, without meeting her, without talking to her, without any hopes, you have loved Anu so much. You never asked Kanhaji for her, only her happiness, that's it...... Try asking Him for her, looking at your perseverance in her love, Kanhaji will surely grant your wish)
"Kaisi baatein kar rahi hai yaar.... Anu shaadishuda hai, woh bhi paanch saalon se." (What are you saying, my friend..... Anu is already married, since past five years.)
Devika contemplated silently, as though deciding between alternatives. She knew as good as the entire truth about Anu's life, which until now had been kept a secret between Anu and herself. Anu, her oldest, dearest and best friend, had shared it with her in utmost good faith. On the other hand, here was her brother in everything but blood, hopelessly in love with her, drowning himself in work to escape loneliness, not knowing that she was married, yet without a partner - she coudn't, in good conscience, let him go on like this, he had to know...
"Waise toh mujhe tumhe ye batana nahi chahiye, lekin nahi bola, toh mujhe hamesha chubega. Sun, Anu ki shaadi hui thi, lekin woh shaadi kabhi shaadi thi hi nahi...." (Actually, I should not be telling you this, but if I don't, I will forever regret it. Listen, Anu's marriage was not really a marriage in a true sense....)
She told him everything she knew - the way they tried to stop her from educating herself, from working, the taunts, the verbal abuse, her depression, everything. But she had risen up to face it all head on, she was a strong person.
His mind drifted to the day he had caught her trying to end herself. He couldn't bear to even think of it. He still had nightmares of it, his beloved Anu lying in a pool of her own blood, wrists slashed. It never failed to send him into a state of panic.
"Anyways, abhi mujhe chalna chahiye, meri kal flight hai. Chaar dinon ki office tour thi, toh..." (Anyways, now I should leave, I have a flight tomorrow. It was only an office tour of four days, so...)
"Ohh yes, of course. Happy Journey!"
"Thank you, bye!!"
"Accha sun, Anu ka divorce wala decision pakka hai kya?" (Listen, is Anu's decision of divorce confirmed?)
"Usne bataya nahi kisi aur ko, lekin haan, woh decision nahi badlegi." (She hasn't disclosed this to anyone else, but yes, she will not change her decision.)
"Ohh, ok. Thanks."
"Anytime. Now, bye!! See you later.."
"Of course, bye!!"
Devika had already finished her food and was going pay, before heading out, when she caught the sight of her old friend, sitting alone, having dinner. During the entire time, she had noticed, that he used his work as an escape route against desolation, and showed signs of depression. His mask of being well didn't fool her at all. He was not a person who would br happy to return to an empty home, devoid of people to come back to. Just like Anu, he needed emotional healing. She was confident, they would be the safe haven for each other. Yes, one day, definitely......
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