One shot- connecting hearts
Beyond the veil, a pale figure stood, holding out her hand towards the unseen prescence of the one man she loved. The man she had dreamt of her entire life. He was there, in front of her, holding out his hand for her to take. She walked forth to the man she loved. He was there, wearing a cloak over his head, a beautiful smile pasted on his manly face.
They stood far apart. Yet the thoughts of distance seemed so naive. She slowly walked to him allowing the magic to take control. The beauty and magnicity railing over the clouds above. And suddenly- suddenly he started fading, as though someone was erasing him down her history.
The girl started running towards him, she didn't want him to go. As she started running, she felt her love fading faster. Until-
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
A drenched and panting nupur woke up at the wake of dawn screaming, and panting, remembering the long-forgotten night that wove out her life into an unsymmetrical pattern nearly 26 years ago.
She slowly got up from her seat and walked towards her closet where she had kept that last memory.
It still lay there, unopened and undisturbed for the last 5 years.
It was the last letter that mayank had sent her, after which she never heard from him ever again, and never will ever again.
She slowly pulled the letter out of the envelope and felt a gush of tears rush into her eyes, as she recognized the same lean patent hand writting.
Why does someone come into your life?
Why do they make you feel home and consite.
And when you get used to the love and warmth
Then why do they go far far astride?
She felt tears roll down her cheeks as she felt the memories fade in.
***
(nupur thinks of the past, of the night 26 years ago when-)
It had been a beautiful night, almost like a dream come true. A silent park, falling night, and mayank.
She slowly rested her head on his shoulder as they walked down the park, enjoying the silence and comfort they felt with each other.
That was when mayank had broken the news to her. Her head had been still resting on his shoulder, his hand in hers.
Mayank- nupur...
Nupur- haan mayank.
Mayank- nupur main tumse kuch baat karna chahta hoon.
Nupur- kaho na mayank. Main sunrahi hoon.
She said coming in front of him.
Mayank looked at her a little a tensed and a little tired when he said- nupur main....meri... maa meri shaadi karwa rahi hai!
And a strange unfamiliar silence followed the sentence, as nupur suddenly stood straight, her hands tugged behind her.
Mayank-nupur aaj us ladki ke dad aaye hue the and unne rishta pakka kar diya.
He said turning his back to her.
Mayank- mujhe samaj hi nahi aa raha tha ki main kya karoo. Phir maa kehne lagi ki shaadi ki date aaj pandit ji aake fix karke gaye hai. Aur mujhe kuch bolne bhi nahi diya. Par nupur main waada karta hoon. main maa se baat karoonga. Okay?
Saying this he turned to find himself standing there alone in the deserted park. Nupur was nowhere in sight.
***
That night nupur not only left the park, but also left her entire life behind and shifted to new York, where her sister lived, gunjan , who was doing her scholarship there with her husband samrat who was in the nba.
Many a times she got mayanks mails after that. But somehow her ego refused to give up and go back to see him.
And then nearly 1 month later a package arrived for her.
She had opened it to find a wedding card inside which said-
MAYANK SHARMA WEDS NAINA JAIN.
***
And finally nupurs ego had broken down completely. She went back, went back to india for the last time in her life.
She went to india to attend mayanks marriage, and congratulate him, and to face the pain in his eyes as his eyes looked at the girl of his dreams congratulating him at his wedding. But nupur was determined to break off from him.
That night she returned back to new york and packed off every memory she had off mayank into the store room.
***
Nearly 10 years passed and she would get occasional letters from mayanks mom asking her to come back, or asking her about when she planned to get married. After a while she got a letter from naina inviting her to come and bless their newly born son, sarthak.
She had consolently denied.
***
Almost everyday nupur had to face the angry wrath of her sister gunjan, who kept pestering her to get married.
And finally sick and tired of nupurs stubbornness she shifted to Chicago with samrat.
For nupur, giving herself up to anyone else but mayank was something she couldn't even think of. The only man who she could be with was mayank. Mayank was the only guy who had the right to touch her. And she wont allow anyone else to that right.
Never.
***
Nearly 10 years later mayanks mom had given her a call.
Shilpa- nupur? Nupur beta?
Her voice was quivering as though she had just been crying.
Nupur- shilpa aunty? Aunty kya hua? Sab thik to hai na!
Shilpas voice was shaking as she said- nupur? Nupur beta. Tumne mujhe kabhi bataya kyu nahi?
Nupur- kya hua aunty? Kya nahi bataya?
Shilpa- yahi kit um aur mayank ek dusre se pyaar karte ho?
She said her voice breaking down completely now. She started crying on the phone.
Nupur- anuty main-
Shilpa- mujhe maaf kardo beta. Maine tumhe aur mayank ko hamesha ke liye alag kar diya.i am so sorry beta. Mujhe kabhi pata hi nahi chala ki-
And nupur heard mayanks voice from behind- maa? Maa kahaan ho?
And the line was engaged.
***
and today she sat on her bed clutching the letter in her hands as she felt the tears rolling down.
'nupur calm down.aur letter pad. Just relax!'
She told herself and began reading the letter-
13th march 2004
Dearest nupur,
How have you been nupur. Ive missed you like hell. I hope things are going fine for you. For me well..i don't even know where to begin.
nupur Do you remember those thousands of mails that i used to send to you? Well im guessing you never read them, did you? Or you would definitely have replied. Right? Well i don't know if its right to say nupur, but I feel disappointed. But well who am i to blame you after what i did to you? And anyways i might have done the same had i been you nupur. After all i lost your good graces a long time back. And for that nupur im the only one to blame.
I know nupur, that ive given you so much pain in life that i don't even know from where to begin!
But please this once nupur, plase read the whole letter before you decide whether you should reply.
Nupur i don't know if youve heard of it from anyone. But well, this guy you used to know, called mayank Sharma, has lost everything and everyone i ever had. On sarthaks birthday last month mom, sarthak and naina went for shopping. When they were coming back, they had an accident. I never gotto see sarthak and nainas body. After seeing moms body, im happy i didn't hav to see those lifeless bodies. I don't know if you have a husband and kids of your own nupur, but if you do, i just hope god looks after them, long after you are gone.
You know i keep thinking of you nupur.and i miss you terribly. I miss that laughter, that glint in your eyes, that kiddish ness, that love, and those beautiful summer days we spent together!
You know even today when i think of you nupur, i can only feel remorse and shame. Oceans of it. Only if i had stopped you from going, only if i could have told my mom the truth.. only if you knew nupur, that you always were, are and will be the only one in my heart.
I so hope that after reading this you would feel a little pity for me and would come back and let me hold you in my arms again. But well i guess its too late isn't it?
Will wait for you nupur...
Will wait today, tomorrow and forever.
Love mayank
As she finished reading it nupur slowly crouched on her knees trying to control the tears.
She could feel her knees going weak and her hands and legs shrivelling and tainting as she walked down the hall, slowly towards the room where she had 26 years ago dumped every memory of mayank in desperation.
She opened the door and walked in into the room of cobwebs and dead wounds, towards the huge photo of mayank hanging on the wall.
She slowly stood in front of the picture admiring it as she said- you moved on mayank. And you had every right to do so. But me? I never moved on mayank. I never could. How could i mayank? You wereTHE ONE. But i don't think i have any job here any more. Do i? Now that you are gone. Now that.. that.. you fancied heaven over earth.
She said as she sniffled a sob and continued talking- you know mayank, mom always used to tell me, she used to say that- that as we grow up, we'll understand that.. that the person who wasn't supposed to give up on us.. probably will. She told me that we get our hearts broken. Broken more than once. And everytime its harder. But she told me mayank, she told me that time heals. That time always heals. There would be a day when old wounds will seem like a joke, just a fumbled memory. But us? Mayank what about us? How much time more will time take to heal these wounds which are still fresh?
And as she said this she broke down and started crying on the floor.
She cried, she cried till there were no more tears left, she cried till her pain wasn't gone, she cried till she was exhausted. And when she was done. She closed her eyes, and fell asleep hoping that when sge gets up tomorrow, this will all just be a bad dream.
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Luv sindhya
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