CHAPTER-45
PERFECT PARTNER
Meanwhile, Sandhya and Usha sat together inside the spacious prayer hall. Sandhya’s voice echoed within the four corners of the empty hall as Usha moved her fingers on the pages of the holy Bhagavad Gita. Sandhya was engrossed in chanting a few slogans as Usha moved her lips and nodded.
“Mom! Usha aunty!”, squealed Nisha, entering inside, along with Dr.Alok; his eyes still remained closed.
Nisha taking Usha’s name: “Usha aunty! Usha aunty! Usha aunty!” echoed over and over within Dr.Alok’s mind. He struggled to witness through the dark black cloth, but all in vain.
Scenes of his father, back during his college days, sitting on the couch at the entrance and reading the newspaper, flashed in his mind. His strict dad wore his spectacles as he spread out the paper. As the bright sun rays of Kanpur shined on his newspaper, he ordered, “Usha, get me a cup of morning tea.”
Dr.Alok also recollected himself sitting on the couch beside his father and revising his notes. “Good beta, study well. It's only your career that can be your eternal companion no matter who’s there and who isn’t there in your life.”
Presently, Sandhya waved at Nisha while Usha shrugged. She chuckled at the man concealing his eyes. “Arey Nisha beta, who is he? Why is he closing his eyes and walking with you? Hahaha!”
“Mom!”, called Dr.Alok, in his gentle voice, recognizing her voice at once. The very word echoed in Usha’s heart. Nisha released Alok’s hand. With no further delay, he untied the cloth over his eyes, by himself. Nisha was startled at the goosebumps on Alok’s hands.
“Alok!”, called Usha. Tears accumulated in her eyes too. Her son hurried towards her while she recollected herself feeding him a plate of lunch back during his college days before he left their lives.
“Mom, I am sorry. Please forgive me”, he cried, catching hold of her legs as she sobbed along. He rested his head on her legs. His ocean of tears soaked her sari. Usha smiled as she brought her hand closer to massage her son’s head.
“According to me, he is dead. None from this family will dare to meet him ever again. In case you stay in touch with the arrogant man or his cruel wife, the door is still open. You too can leave my house ”, uttered Dr.Alok’s father, twenty years ago, when Dr.Alok had married Payal and brought her along who demanded a share in the property followed by her father-in-law’s words of wrath. The very scene flashed in Usha’s mind. She shook her head.
“Go away”, ordered she, frowning and taking her hand away. She wiped her tears. She bent her face to hide her red eyes. She was about to walk away when Dr.Alok blocked her way.
“Mom, you screw me, beat me up but don’t break ties with me once again. Please! I beg you!”, trembled Alok. He caught her hand only to slap himself.
“Stop it!”, said she, withdrawing her hand.
“I have realized my big blunder. I didn’t have a clue about her cunningness when I loved her. I thought she too loved me truly but no, I was wrong. I have suffered all these years for having chosen a bad girl over my loving family. I have learned my lessons in a way, as bitter as possible. I believe that the heavens have already punished me for disrespecting my family’s words and going against their wishes which you meant only for my well-being”, he justified.
He joined his hands, closed and bowed his eyes to face down. He trembled, “I badly need you, mom. Please don’t ditch me again. I lived alone all these years until I met Nisha recently.”
He broke down. As he squatted down, Nisha hurried beside him. She pressed his shoulders, weeping along, as he continued, “I miss my family. I miss you, mom. I miss dad, Bhai, and bhabhi. For the sin I committed by dumping my family and leaving Kanpur for a heartless donkey, I have had enough. She cheated on me. We separated years ago. I never had my own happy family. My pile of frustration upon her made me…”
He wiped his tears. He looked at Nisha. He turned back at his mother, completing, “I lost my son in a mela. I don’t know where he lives. Above all, I don’t even know if he is alive now…”
“You lost your son?”, interrogated Usha, swallowing her tears. Alok looked up and nodded. He continued weeping bitterly.
“Sinner Payal. Wherever she is, she won’t be happy after ruining my son’s life”, cursed Usha. Sandhya patted her shoulder.
“Anyway, bye Sandhya Ji. I need to leave now”, said Usha. She was about to leave when Nisha blocked her way.
“Aunty, please don’t do this. Can’t you see? Dr.Alok needs your affection. He can’t miss his family anymore. It's not fair, aunty. Don’t tell me that you don’t have a single word to utter to your son whom you are meeting now, after two decades”, sobbed Nisha, catching Usha’s hands and pleading. She shrank her eyes, shedding tears over tears.
May it be a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a couple of years, or even throughout one's life, relishing the most beautiful feeling on Earth-the love, it still matters.
While most couples are almost near the silver jubilee of their wedding anniversary, Alok and Nisha are just about to begin their love life!
Love at any age is love. Why not a middle-aged love story?!
“Why are you crying for someone else, beta?”, asked Usha, patting Nisha’s cheeks. “Why should you care? Why are you concerned for my son? Anyways, you have your mom with you. What's the issue then? Is this your problem? You don’t cry, Nisha…”
“I love Dr.Alok!”, confessed Nisha. Usha smiled at it. She faced Alok.
She shrugged, questioning him, “Had your brains gone to graze back then? Who would ever miss such a caring girl? You were blessed with such a loving partner yet fate ruined your life."
"Instead of Payal, if you had brought this girl back then, although it was love, your father and I would have agreed. Even if your father had opposed it, I would have supported your love because she is right for you. Pity the fact that one’s eyes go blind in love so were yours when you fell for that evil woman. I never saw love in her eyes for you. She was materialistic which I caught the very first time you invited her to your bhaai’s wedding. But, you just couldn’t accept the harsh reality.”
“Why can’t we start over again, mom? I am slowly fixing my life”, began Dr.Alok. He pointed at Nisha. “And my togetherness with Nisha is the first step.”
Sandhya added, “Usha Ji, please talk to your son. I am equally shocked as you. How did you investigate the truth, Nishoo?”
All eyes were on Nisha. She explained, wiping her tears along, “When I visited his house, I saw the family photo in his hall. I couldn’t recognize Usha aunty at first because it was her younger version but I figured it out. I wanted to surprise Dr.Alok at the right time so I kept my secret...”
Usha hugged Nisha. She wept her heart out. Her eyes then went over Alok’s and Nisha’s hands. She placed her son’s palm in her future daughter-in-law's.
“Beta no doubt she is your perfect partner. She is indeed your soulmate. She is your true lover”, concluded Usha, patting Nisha’s cheeks as the two sobbed along. “Don’t leave her”, advised she.
Dr.Alok shook his head, highlighting, “No, not even when I die.”
“She is such a sweet girl. In the era where ladies of her age refuse to look after their husband's family, she is ready. The fact of her arranging our meeting is beyond a mother's expectations. You are very lucky, son”, she concluded, massaging Dr.Alok’s head. Dr.Alok and Nisha smiled with tears at each other. Sandhya too smiled at their family bonding.
“Mom, now it's your turn to answer me. How could you forget me? Why do you never pick up my call every morning?”, Dr.Alok questioned Usha.
Usha frowned and pulled her son’s cheek. “Mind your words. Can you estimate the pain of the mother’s heart who didn’t see her son for a long time? I pray that no other mother suffers from the same pain as mine. Separation from one’s blood is the most painful curse ever. Don’t you miss that son of yours whom you lost?”
“Of course, I do. I regret every day and night”, Dr.Alok opened up.
Usha nodded, returning to his question, “Your father is still angry with you. He cuts your call.”
Dr.Alok sighed, swallowing his tears.
“Do you think this is the first time I’m seeing you in Delhi?”, chuckled Usha. As Dr.Alok and Nisha shared puzzled faces at each other, Sandhya shrank her eyes and tapped her forehead.
“It's so bizarre. Why did Usha Ji feel so happy for a random stranger? Hahaha!”, she recollected her words, at Nisha.
“Usha Ji!”, she exclaimed. Usha gestured for her to stop. She spilled the beans, “A mother’s eyes are always on her son’s although he dumps her. Parents especially a mother can never hate their child.”
“Yes, I saw you the very first time you met Nisha recently. I saw you taking a stand for her in the middle of the road. People were stunned seeing Ashitha threaten Nisha but my son spoke for the good in public. I was happy to see you save someone in trouble. The next day, I heard from Sandhya Ji that you are a great researcher. In fact, I was happier that day…happier than how I was when I carried you in my hands for the very first time. Proud of you, beta!”, she praised him.
She turned back at Sandhya, concluding, “I was happy about your-a stranger’s success and Sandhya Ji found me acting weird.” Sandhya and Usha chuckled and nodded at each other.
“Mom, how are Bhai, bhabhi, and dad?”, enquired Dr.Alok.
“All good yet missing you. Your nephew is a surgeon in Mumbai. Whatever there isn't a moment that passes without discussing you. Your father screws us yet we can’t help but relish your memories. You were an integral part of our lives...”, responded Usha.
“No, aunty”, Nisha interrupted her. She corrected, “Dr.Alok wasn’t but instead is still an integral part of your lives.”
Usha smiled, patted Nisha’s cheeks, and nodded. “Agreed, daughter-in-law!”
“Sexy! Nisha medam impressed her mother-in-law!”, commented Alok, chuckling along.
“Medam?”, asked Usha. Nisha blushed as Dr.Alok winked at her.
“Usha Ji, they call each other saar and medam. Looks like they always used to address each other that way”, informed Sandhya.
“Beta, it looks like you address the girl whom you like as ‘medam’. Wasn’t it with Payal too?”, asked Usha.
Nisha's smile narrowed at the very name. She tightened her fists and raised her eyebrows. She pressed the nail protruding from the wall beside her. She tightened her fist further and enlarged her eyeballs filled with wrath. ‘Payal’ was the only name echoing over and over within her.
Dr.Alok observed her reaction. He released her hand from the wall. He caught her hand. “Mom let's not talk about it. Payal’s chapter was the worst part of my life. I don’t even want to recollect anything after all that has happened. I hope you understand.”
He felt drops of her blood flowing beneath his hand. He shook his head at Nisha. "You have to control this behavior. Payal belongs to our disturbing pasts, I understand yet you ought to overcome your heights of hatred for the bitch."
“It's hard, saar”, she whispered. “Especially controlling my hatred for that cunning girl is beyond my abilities. I hate that very name…”
“Try at least for me, your saar and I’m sure it will work. Will you?”, he asked her.
She smiled and nodded. “I will work on it.”
“Good medam!”, he complimented. They chuckled at each other.
“I never thought of talking like this to you, beta. Thank you for making my dreams come true”, Usha thanked Nisha. She held Sandhya’s hands and thanked her too. “I didn’t know why I sat next to you in my first bhajan class. But, I have now realized the play by the great heavens.”
“Aunty, please bless us!”, said Nisha, blushing and gesturing for Dr.Alok to fall at her feet.
As Dr.Alok and Nisha bowed to touch Usha’s feet, the latter massaged their heads.
“Alok and Nisha, live a happy married life always and forever.”
A sudden breeze made its way inside the hall through the open windows. It was strong enough to drop the basket of red roses that a lady carried. The roses flew towards Alok and Nisha. They teamed up to shower Alisha. Nisha and Dr.Alok blushed, at each other, as roses fell down when they shook their heads slowly.
“Aww! You are such a blessed couple made for each other”, commented the lady. She headed towards them, smiling and decoding, “Those were flowers brought after special worship. The almighty just blessed both of you.” Alok’s eyes went over to Nisha who looked down and blushed.
“Thenks god!”, expressed Dr.Alok, joining his hands and looking up at the ceiling.
He neared her to whisper in her ears. "Thenk you, medam!"
Will Nisha ever control her psychic wrath towards Payal?
Dear readers,
Thank you for following my series and reading the episode. Rate it and write your review, give it a heart and share it in your circle whenever you are free. Your voice matters a lot to me.
