8th January - One True Love
The whole M-parivaar are sitting downstairs in the living room. Bapuji is reading a paper, whilst baa is doing some sewing. Hiten and Shanky are playing a game of chess whilst Toral and Khemi are reading magazines. Suraj and Birwa are watching t.v as Santu sits nearby joining in occasionally with the goings-on around her.
An advert appears on the t.v. "Everyone's one true love is only a phone call away" It was an ad for a dating service. Toral laughed.
T - What nonsense!
Hiten looked up and enquired what was nonsense.
T - This (Toral pointed to the ad on tv.) The idea that everyone only has one true love.
H - (Hiten laughed.) Accha toh how many do you have?
T - (Toral winked) So far only you. But picture abhi baki hai yaar!
Hiten glared at her unamused. Shashank and Kaddu piped in with their thoughts. Shashank believed that Toral, despite her jokes, was right. There was no such thing as 'One True Love'. Kaddu, disagreed completely.
K - Arre, love happens only once you know. I really believe that there is only one person out there for you.
No-one asked her whether she was referring to her ex, or her current. Kaddu wasn't the most consistent of people.
Baa put down her sewing and added her two pence worths.
B - It is foolish to say there is only one person out there for you. What about people who get divorced or widowed and re-marry again? They can be just as happy and fulfilled the second time as the first, assuming they were fulfilled the first time. Love means many different things to many different people, and can be different with different people. Kyun Santu teek kahan na?
Santu shrugged her shoulders. Kaddu prompted her for an opinion reminding her that their papa had found love a second time after all.
S - Haan. But no matter what malik feels for me, we all know that Subhadra malkin will always be his true love. And that's the way it should be.
She smiled and allowed the others to carry on. DM watched and listened to the talk of the youngsters. Kaddu with her romantic notiions, and Toral with her naughty banter. And then there was Santu. He felt a pang of remorse when he remembered what she had said. How easily she had accepted the idea that Subhi was his true love. She neither appeared jealous nor hurt by this. And perhaps this is what caused him pain. If she had made an issue of it, he would have undertood. But Santu, as always was far too good for her own good. He would have to remedy this immediately.
The phone rang, and Santu who was sitting nearby answered.
S - Hello.
DM - Ah, toh they were right. Everyone's true love is just a phone call away.
Santu looked confused, then surprised, then embarassed. She looked around and eventually spotted DM standing behind a pillar on the terrace, talking into his mobile. Their eyes met and locked. Despite the distance Santu felt as if she could see right into his.
S - Lekin...
DM - I know what you're going to say. I always said Subhi was my one true love. She is. But Subhi is my past. And whilst her love remains with me, she has to share mine with someone else now. Subhi was my first love. You are my last. Looks like Dharamraj Mahyavanshi ka dil was made only for two women in the world. And as luck would have it they both it turns out are his true loves. As he loves them both with the same heart and the same faith.
Santu put down the phone and continued looking into the partially hidden face of her husband. DM smiled and making a little nod walked away.
CID
Cricket
