Sit with a big box of tissues please!
NOT SO HAPPY ENDING: Shravan drove towards his home with a very heavy heart. Why was he so ill fated he thought. What had he done to deserve such misery. The past decade he tried his best to live, to love, to smile amongst tears. He did everything in his power to be unperturbed, to make the best out of what he had. He never wanted to come back to India, he had made truce with his past. Sure he loved Sumo, sure he would never be anyone else's but the magnitude of the pain would have been much lesser had he never returned.
Coming back home, getting a taste of being a part of a family, having a friend that would die for you, feeling what it felt like to be madly in love to have it all snatched away in the blink of an eye was virtually enough for his heart to stop, but surprisingly it beat just for her. And he never felt more disgusted. Not because his heart still yearned for her but because he fell as if there was no tomorrow. He could never face himself again for having said and done so much wrong. He looked at himself in the rear view mirror and he saw someone else looking back at him. Sure the guy in the mirror looked exactly like him but this wasn't him. He didn't know what he had become, but he hated it. His chain of thoughts was broken with the shrill sound of his phone. He decided not to answer cause he wanted to be left alone, he had no inclination to get into a conversation with anyone at this point. He thought it must be his dad, for he'd left a message on his phone regarding his departure early morning. "Sorry Papa, I can't stay not this time, it hurts too much. I need space and peace." Was what his message read. He knew his father would be distraught at the news but he just couldn't keep up the farce anymore. He couldn't deny himself the opportunity to mourn the demise of his love.
His phone kept ringing over and over again and he was now getting irritated with its constant buzzing. He took the phone in his hand and saw the call ID flashing Suman's name. Is she in trouble he thought? He parked the car at the side of the road and answered the phone. "Sumo? Tum theek ho?"
"Nahi Shravan, kuch bhi theek nahi hai.."
"Kya hua?"
"Shravan tum chale gaye toh aaisa laga ke dil tham gaya ho, jaise kuch bohot galat hone wala hai, bohot ghabrahat ho rahi hai mujhe.."
After long moments of silence Shravan spoke, "Mujhe bhi.. Same feeling.. But I guess its just the pain of having to leave everyone I love. Tumhe aaisa lag raha hai shayad kyunki tum ab bina wajhe kis le ladhogi na?"
Shravan heard her cry on the other side of the phone, he had set his heart on leaving but he would change his decision in a heartbeat if she so much as said the word. But she didn't. And the slight glimmer of hope that had made its way into his soul was extinguished. He felt horrid. Like there was something that was not right. How could anything be right when he was leaving his one true love forever.
"Shravan?"
"Haan?"
"Agar mai tum se kahoon mat jao, toh tum ruk jaoge?"
"Tum keh kar toh dekho.."
"Tum ruk jao jaate jaate, sajhde mai jhuk jaaon.." She pleaded.
"Ek baar keh do ruk jao, sau baar ruk jaoon.."
"Mat jao Shravan.."
"Theek hai.."
"Theek hai kya? Tum nahi ja rahe? Bas aaise hi?"
"Haan bas aaise hi.."
"Kaash pehle keh diya hota, toh itna dard hota hi nahi.." said Suman dejected.
"Hmm kaash, but it's never too late haina?"
"Shravan?"
"Hmm?" He asked smiling.
"I love you." she breathed out.
Shravan sighed in content. This was it. This was all he'd ever asked for. She acknowledged his importance in her life. Everything seemed brighter. This fleeting moment of bliss was enough for him to forget all the pains of his past. He felt peaceful. He felt complete. Life had suddenly turned and his fate seemed to smile at him. But then with some people a few moments of happiness is all they ever get. Sometimes some people are actually simply ill fated. And no matter how hard one tries, destiny catches up. Shravan's caught up.
He began, "Sumo... I..."
The next thing Suman heard was a massive crash. A horrific sound that made her smile falter. She felt a knot forming in her stomach. She heard a few more crash sounds along with breaking of glass. Fear coursed through her veins. "SHRAVAN? SHRAVAN SAY SOMETHING? WHAT WAS THAT? WHAT HAPPENED?" Getting absolutely no reply she yelled into the phone again, "SHRAVAN! DAMN IT SPEAK UP!!"
A drunk truck driver had misjudged Shravan's car parked at the side of the street and rammed head on into his car. The impact was so strong the car skid off the road, tumbled a few times and stopped inverted. Shravan was semi conscious and was loosing blood fast, it was spurting out of his wounds. He tried to get out but couldn't. His seat belt was jammed, his right leg was squeezed in the metal of what remained of the car. He knew he had a bad head injury and a lot many more. "Sumo..." He whispered in pain. The accident had caused his phone to fling out of his hand and rest somewhere on the roof of the car which was now the base. He searched frantically with his free hand. If destiny was being cruel, she did give Shravan one last moment of respite. He found his phone, which was still working. He put on the loud speaker and heard Suman yelling senselessly in fear. "Sumo.." He managed.
"Shravan! Thank God tum theek ho! Mai kitna darr gayi thi, kya hua tha? Tum theek ho na?"
"Sumo, promise..." He took in painful gulps of air. "Promise you'll be strong."
"Shravan kya bol rahe ho tum?"
"Sabr karogi tum.."
"Shravan? Kyun aaisi baaten kar rahe ho?"
"Accident hua hai mera.."
"Kahan ho tum abhi I'll come.."
"Utna time nahi hai Sumo.."
"I'll send an ambulance damn it!"
"Sumo... ple...ahh..please meri baat suno. Utna time nahi hai mere paas." He said weeping. He knew the rate at which he was loosing blood, the excruciating pain he felt and the terrible unsettling in the pit of his stomach, he wasn't going to make it and that any breath he'd take could be his last. He had so much to say. So much to mend. A life to live, but he had no time. "Sumo... I'm so sorry... I'm.." He broke into painful sobs.
Suman knew the worst had happened. The ghabrahat she felt wasn't for nothing. It was divine intervention, but she was too late. "Shravan.. shh... shh... it's okay. Tum ne jaan kar kuch nahi kia."
"I have hurt you a lot Sumo.." he hissed in pain.
"You could never truly hurt me Shravan. You can never hurt a person you love. And tum toh mujh se bohot pyaar karte ho na?"
"Itna ke mai tumhe kabhi bata nahi paaonga. Bohot pyaar kia tumse Sumo, bas keh nahi saka. Ab ahh. ab sochta hoon keh hi deta. Kam se kam tumhare chehre ki khushi toh dekhna naseeb hota mujhe.."
"Mehsoos karo Shravan, mai paas hi toh hoon tumhare.." Whispered Suman tearing up.
"Kuch mehsoos nahi ho raha hai Sumo, ab toh dard bhi nahi.."
Suman now knew the time they had was getting lesser. It was in the very end when the sensations of pain left the body.
"Shravan, mai wahin hoon tumhare saath.."
"Aur mai tumhare, hamesha. *hiss* Jab bhi thandi hawa tumhare baalon ko sehlaye, samjh lena mai hoon. Jab bhi barish ki boon tumhe chooaye, ah.. samjh lena mai hoon. Jab dhoop kuch zyada tez ho, samjh lena mai hoon. Jab mujhe mehsoos karna chaho, apne dil par haath rakhna, dhadkano mai mai hi miloonga." He completed with a lot of difficulty. Suman sat on the floor clutching her heart weeping at their states. Why was life so cruel she could not fathom. His breathing had gotten much more laboured.
"Shravan mat jao na..."
Tum hi socho zara kyoon naa roke tumhe
Jaan jaati hai jab utth ke jaate ho tum
Jaan jaati hai jab utth ke jaate ho tum
Tum ko apni qasam jaane jaan
Baat itni meri maan lo
Aaj jaane ki zid na karo
"Kaash ruk pata Sumo, I don't want to go. Mujhe bohot darr lag raha hai.. Par shayad humari kismat mai yehi tha." He took in a few sighs. "Kismat ko mat rona Sumo, woh jo dikha jaye, usko bata dena tum meri Sumo ho. Kismat can't break you. You're stronger than that.."
"I promise I won't break.."
"Ek aur waada karo.."
"Tum jo maango woh.."
"Hamesha khush rehna, mujhe yaad karke hasna, rona mat. Tumko mere hisse ki bhi zindagi jeeni hai. Have a complete life..."
"I promise.."
"I love kids! Have at least three..."
"Shravan please..." she whispered. between sobs.
"Arey! Ab mere toh ho nahi sakte." He let out a pained laugh. "Toh tumhare sahi.. 2 bete aur ek beti, beti meri favourite hogi haan. Aman, Ammar and Ammara. Bolo na Sumo, okay na?"
"Haan, teen bacche, Aman, Ammar and Ammara.."
"Perfect. Sumo Papa ko bolna I love him, Nanu ko bolna I'll see him soon and Pushkar ko kehna I'm proud of him.."
"Keh doongi..."
"Sumo, I can't see... Mujhe kuch dikhaye nahi de raha..."
And their time was up. "Shravan aankhen band kar lo, mai wahin hoon, darna mat. Ab koi dard koi takleef tumko nahi chooegi. We will have three kids, we will be happy, you will be with us, and jab mai thak jaaon mujhe apne paas bula lena please. Bulaoge na?"
"Haan.." he said shutting his eyes letting his tears stop, a smile gracing his face. "Mai khud aaonga tumhe lene.."
"Promise?"
"Pro..."
She heard his breathing stopped but stayed that way, one hand clutching her heart and another the phone. Many moments passed. She felt a void. She knew he was gone, but then soon after a cool breeze flowed through her window and she felt him all over again. In his embrace she wept at his demise.
-------------------------
Suman sat writing poems on the bench of the park as she saw their three beautiful children playing and squealing in happiness. Aman, Ammar and Ammara just as he had wanted it.
Aman was 8, Ammar and Ammara were twins of 6. She had adopted Aman a year after Shravan's death and Ammar and Ammara 2 years later. They were happy. They were getting through life. PCT was doing way beyond her expectations. Pushkar had taken the reins of both Malhotra and Associates and Shravan's firm and was doing a marvellous job at both. Him and Preeti had an adorable daughter, Priya. Vandy and Varun were living in the States and were blessed with a son, Vivaan. Ramnath was miserable. Even though it had been 7 years Shravan was gone, he never forgave himself for all he inflicted on his son. He still believed life would have been different had he not meddled. He felt his son payed for his sins and that made living a terrible punishment. Nanu had passed 3 years after Shravan. She knew they were in a happy place smiling down at them. "Kya dekh rahe ho?" She asked looking at Shravan's photo. She had made it a habit to speak with him or his photos at least, it gave her peace. She and their kids shared everything with Papa. Spoke to him everyday. "Kya tumhe lagta hai mujhe pata nahi tum dekh rahe ho? Mujhe sab pata hai! Dhoop itni tez hai, aj bohot zyada hi shiddat se dekh rahe ho na! Nahi sudhroge tum! Don't you know it's rude to stare!" She stated caressing his smile.
"Ma! Mumma! Come to play na!" Exclaimed Ammara.
"Yes Daddy's princess! I'll be there in a moment." She told Ammara who ran off to play with her brothers.
"Aapki beti ka hukum hai, mai chalti hoon.." She said placing Shravan's photo in the book. "Baaki updates raat ko aur ho sake toh tum bhi aa jao na khelne.." Saying she shut the book and carefully placed it in her bag.
In a moment the weather changed. The sun hid behind the clouds. Cool winds brought in with them gentle rains. "Tum aa gaye.." whispered Suman clutching her heart.
"Mumma!! Mumma!!" screamed the kids happily, "Papa is here!!!"
"Yes he is my darlings. He always is..."
Yoonhi pahlu mein baithe raho
Yoonhi pahlu mein baithe raho
Aaj jaane ki zidd na karo
---------------------------------------
Well!
That was emotionally draining! But I just had to see this through, this was after all the original vision for this OS. I know Shravan didn't deserve to die. But life isn't fair. It's just life. We all come with our days numbered, we never know next is what. Toh live it full fledged, if you love someone say it. If you don't don't fake it either. Life is too short for pretences, it's too short to spend it waiting. Seize the day.
Funda zyada ho gaya na?
Anyway do tell me how it was?
I can't wait to hear from you guys...
Edited by orion23 - 8 years ago
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