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She wasn't sure where she should start. All her jewellery was laid out in front of her on the vanity. Her red sari was spread out on the bed, waiting for her to drape it on.
Today was Karva Chauth. A day made to celebrate your spouse and wish for his long life. And Prem's long life was something she wanted to protect with her life.
"Meera! Tum tayar ho ke nahin?" Her devrani, Shabo called up.
Meera winced. "No."
Shabo wasn't just her devrani. They were more like friends who had gotten to live in the same house. Shabo had been married a year before Meera. Preet was kind of impatient when it came to his love life. He had taken one glance at Shabo and had decided she was the one he was meant to marry. This was Meera's first karva chauth and so she relied on Shabo to teach her the steps. They had both woken up early in the morning to have their sargi and then both their husbands had left for work leaving their two wives alone and starving.
Shabo bounced through the door and took one look at Meera and shook her head. "Why aren't you ready?"
"Prem ka phone nahin aaya," Meera sulked.
"Aa jayega," Shabo rolled her eyes. "Get ready quickly. Ma and Bauji already left for the function and Preet's already here so he's taking me to the hall. Prem bhaiyya aate hi honge,"
Meera sighed as Shabo left and she heard the car pull away from the driveway. Ab kya karu? She felt faint as she pulled on her sari and draped it over her shoulder. She glanced at her reflection and smiled.
Every time she got all dressed up in heavy clothes her only thought was what he would think when he saw her. Would his breathing stop? Would his heart race? Would he always feel the same thing she felt whenever she'd look at him?
She didn't know how she was so blessed to have him in her life. She hadn't done anything that had let her deserve him.
She watched her reflection as she slowly pulled on her sparkling bangles. There was the same sparkle being reflected in her eyes. She slipped on a pair of earrings while readjusting her mangulsutra at her neck.
She slowly picked up her small container of sindoor and held it protectively in her hands. Whenever he came to the door; he'd apply it to her forehead, it was his right and solely his.
A car pulled up in the driveway and Meera all but ran to see Prem's silver car down below but she couldn't see anything there since it was hidden under the balcony. She quickly applied some kajal to her eyes before rushing down the stairs still holding onto her sindoor and threw open the door smiling widely to see her husband.
"Excuse me?" She asked as she saw someone in a police uniform.
"Mrs. Juneja?"
"Yes?" she asked wearily. Her heart felt like it was sinking. She didn't know why but there was a congested feeling at her throat. She couldn't swallow her spit.
"Mrs. Prem Juneja?"
"Please aap aise mat poochiye, jo bhi kehna hai saaf saaf kahiye," Meera grasped her sindoor container her veins popping out of her right hand while the skin turned pale.
"Aapke pati ka accident hogaya hain," The policeman told her. "Aapko hospital aana hoga,"
"I—ji," Meera quickly got in the policman's jeep and he drove her to Lilavati Hospital.
Meera ran from side to side with her sari flowing behind her asking for her husband. This was not the day she expected something like this to happen. She was praying for his long life and here he was battling for his life.
"Right this way ma'am," A nurse led her to ICU ward.
"P—Prem?" Meera gasped as she walked in and saw cuts all over his face and his eyes closed with a oxygen mask attached.
His eyes fluttered open as he heard her call his name. "Me—" He used his left hand to pull the oxygen mask off his mouth.
"No Prem—leave it." Her tears ran down her face unabashedly.
"I need to tell you something and I don't know how much time I have," He whispered as he pulled her closer.
"Yeh kaise hua?" she held onto his hand and cried.
"Don't cry. I—" Prem glanced at the nurse and nodded.
The nurse walked over to them and pulled something out of the drawer. "Mrs. Juneja, Mr. Juneja was crossing the street when the truck hit him,"
"Where were you crossing the street from?" Meera asked furiously. "Kuch stupid hi lena gaye honge na?"
"Ma'am—yeh aapke liye hain." The nurse handed her a closed jewellery box.
Prem gave her a small smile as she took it in her hand and opened it slowly. She saw a small diamond pendant there, one that she had seen months ago at a shop in Switzerland during their honeymoon. "Prem—yeh?"
He nodded slowly. "Tumhare liye hain. Karva Chauth ka tofa," He gasped for air again.
"Prem—mujhe kuch nahin chaiye. Sirf tum!" She started weeping again. She brought her hand to her face and then realized the sindoor dabbi was still there.
"Ssh. Haath mein kya hain?" He asked softly.
"Woh sindoor," She whispered.
"Do mujhe," he smiled slowly at her.
She held out the sindoor in her hand and he slowly pinched a bit of it and touched her forehead. "Main tumse hamesha pyar karunga, but I want you to promise me that you'll be happy." Prem sighed. "Even if that means getting married to someone else."
Meera shook her head as she leaned her head down softly on his chest. "Prem—I love you,"
"I—"
She waited for him to continue but then she looked up and saw his shut eyes. He couldn't leave. He had taken saath phere with her. Promising to be with her forever. Death couldn't harm them. And how dare he make her promise something like this. He knew she'd never be able to disappoint him and now she was under his promise.
She leaned her head back down on his chest until the nurse came and pulled her away.
He had left her alone in this world. She had no one for herself now. The main reason for her life was gone. He was the reason she was breathing. Now that her reason was gone—why should she be still be here? It wasn't fair to him.
* * *
So, anyone guessed who wrote this? I didn't. This someone shall be REAL easy to guess😛 Who uses this font, this size and who writes this way? As much one-shots I have read, so far, only 2 people I know who write like this.😉 This person wants to be remained anonymous so for anyone who did figure it out, please remain silent.
~Shifs
Music Corner
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
