He was so scared; even his worst nightmare would be less scary. He glanced inside; she was resting unconsciously on the bed. She was breathing with the help of an oxygen cylinder extension. Doctors were busy fixing her broken leg with bandages. White tapes surrounded her cute nose and scars on her face. His sweetheart, his Suman, was going through a lot.
“Get out from here; she doesn’t need you,” those were words from her dad. He was coming towards ICU with some medicine in his hand. Her dad hated him. According to her dad, he was not perfect for her daughter because he was earning less than her daughter. He did not know if there was any other reason for her dad’s hatred for him. One year ago, he and Suman broke up because her family was forcing her to get married. He needed some time to be a perfect one in front of her father. They had the option to run away to get married and live together, but it wasn’t on their to-do list. They wouldn’t marry against their family at all. After break up, she filled her life with drinks and office work until late at night. He was not aware of this. He had tried to contact her to talk with her, but life wasn’t that simple. Not anymore.
Before her dad could attack him with more humiliating words, another family was coming to talk with Suman’s family, her fiancé’s parents. They were not here for sympathy, but to end the relationship that they had shaped just a month before. Her fiancé’s parents could not let their son marry a girl who was raped. Yeah, Suman was raped while returning from her office and met with a dreadful accident while escaping.
No one helped her that night. Few people passed from there, but they just watched her begging for help on the road. Her fiancé’s father was explaining to Suman’s family why they could not go ahead with this relationship. How can anyone do something like this? His son could not live with a girl who was raped. What would people think? Those were words of her fiancé’s parents. Those monsters gave her one scar, and because of that one scar, people were giving her another scar which was so far bigger than the first one. Was that fair? What was her fault? Why was she suffering? He was out of his control by thinking all those stuff. He found the courage and raised his voice against her fiancé’s parents, “how can you do this?” Before her fiancé’s dad could say anything to him, Suman’s dad slapped him.
Suddenly he woke up. That slap kicked him out from that horrible dream. He put his hands on his face and wiped his tears. He thanked God that was only a dream. He dialled Suman’s number. It was just four in the morning. She cut the call. He tried again, but maybe she wasn’t awake yet, or she wasn’t in the state of picking up his call. The whole day he was engrossed in work.
Sometimes dreams aren’t just dreams. They are an alert alarm. What he had seen was not only a dream, because that’s what exactly happened very next day.
After getting slapped, he sat next to her father in the hospital. Her fiancé’s parents were gone. Her mother was sobbing and asking herself, “Who will marry my girl now?” “What will happen?” she cried out on each of her thought. He went to her and gave her shoulder for support. “I will,” he said, wiping his tears. “I will,” he repeated. Her dad was not angry with him anymore; his heart was broken from inside. That was the worst day for her dad, for Suman’s mom, and for him. Through his eyes, he asked for permission to meet Suman. Her dad couldn’t speak anything, but his wet eyes replied. He went into the room. She was resting in bed unconsciously. He took her hand in his hand.
“Hey, dear, I am so sorry. I know, I am late. You have to fight. I know you can do it. I know because I love you, and I want you to get well soon. You do not deserve this, and you will be fine soon I know, you are my heartbeat and I don’t want to see you going away from me. Time made us drift apart, but I was always thinking about you. I just cannot imagine life without you, and how can I? Let’s spend the rest of life together. I will make you happiest woman alive. Please come back soon. Your Udgam is waiting for you…”
