It’s Saturday, but I didn’t get to meet Pratik today, so I sent him a message saying "Hi." Within two
minutes, I got a reply: “Hello! I was just about to message you. Actually, I’ll be free tomorrow evening. If it works for you and your family is okay with it, how about we have lunch together?”
“Oh! I’ll have to ask. I’ll let you know,” I replied.
I was quite taken aback by Pratik’s offer but considering that everyone was going to a prayer ceremony tomorrow, and I wouldn’t be able to join them, I thought about it and asked Sandesh, my husband, about it. He immediately said, "Oh wow! That’s great! You’ll be home alone tomorrow anyway, and it’ll give you some company. Invite your friend over." This was probably the first time I’d heard Sandesh speak so kindly, and I felt somewhat relieved. I called Pratik and said, "Since we have a baby at home, would you mind coming over for lunch instead?" “Why not!” he responded, agreeing without hesitation. As I was preparing the menu for lunch, Sandesh came into the kitchen and teased, “Seems like someone
special is coming today! You’re going all out with the preparations.” “Oh no, he’s just my school friend. That’s all,” I replied. “Just a friend, huh?” Sandesh’s remark was a bit sarcastic, but I chose to remain silent. Then he smiled and said, “Just kidding!” before leaving. Sandesh is my love too—we had a love marriage, and I was his girlfriend… but only before we got married. “Once a girlfriend becomes a wife, it’s like everything’s over. The man starts to take you for granted. There’s no greater sorrow in the world than being taken for granted.” Anyway, my in-laws and Sandesh were heading out for the prayer, leaving just the two of us at home. Around 1 p.m. on Sunday, the doorbell rang. I quickly opened the door, and upon seeing Pratik, I felt like hugging him. But I controlled myself and invited him inside, offering him a glass of water. Pratik asked, "Oh, did everyone go to the prayer ceremony?" “Yes,” I answered. “Alright then… So, what does your husband do?” Pratik asked. “Oh, he’s a school teacher.” “That’s great! We would’ve had a good chat if he were here.” “Yeah, but the prayer was important,” I responded, trying to steer the conversation in another direction. “Anyway, let’s have lunch first and then chat.” “Ah! You always know what’s on my mind, don’t you? I’m hungry too,” Pratik said, smiling. “Well, whose friend am I?” I replied playfully. With a light laugh, Pratik put his finger to his lips as he used to do when we were kids and asked mischievously, “Whose friend, hmm?” We both laughed. As we started lunch, Pratik folded his hands in prayer and said, “Om Shanti Shanti Shanti…” before taking his first bite. “Wow! The bread and curry are both delicious. You’re a great cook!” It had been years since anyone had complimented me, and hearing those words, two small tears rolled down my cheeks. I was about to wipe them away when Pratik noticed and asked, “Why are you crying? What happened?” “No, no, I’m not crying,” I responded. “Come on, Anika, I know you. Tell me what’s wrong. I swear on me, tell me the truth.”
“Oh, it’s nothing much. It just felt nice to be appreciated after so long,” I said, trying to downplay it. “So… Sandesh doesn’t compliment you?” Pratik asked. “It’s not like that, really! Now, go ahead and finish your meal. How about some gulab jamun? Would you like some?” “No, first tell me what’s going on,” Pratik insisted. “I’ll tell you after you finish your meal,” I replied, trying to avoid the conversation. After finishing his meal, Pratik said, “By the way, you haven’t told me how the gulab jamun turned out?” “They’re amazing! Just like your mom used to make when we were kids,” he said, finishing up. When I asked if he’d prefer tea or coffee, he replied in his usual poetic manner: "Coffee toh bewafa hai, woh mooh band karwati hai, Hum toh aashiq hain chai ke, jo dil khulwati hai..." Smiling at his familiar flair, I went to the kitchen to make some ginger tea. Once it was ready, I placed the tray on the table and gestured for Pratik to take a cup, then sat down on the sofa. “Alright, enough small talk. Tell me what’s really going on,” Pratik asked again.
“I’ll tell you, it’s nothing serious. Let’s finish our tea first, okay?” I replied, still unsure how to start. I wondered why I should even tell Pratik, but at the same time, I felt the need to confide in someone. Unable to hold back anymore, I began to speak. “Sandesh and I met in college. He was so stylish, full of attitude, and his words were always sweet. His friendly nature made him so lovable that it was easy to fall for him. In fact, some of my friends and I would secretly compete for his attention, and whenever his eyes met mine, I felt weak. For about a year and a half, everything was going great, and we decided to get married. As you know, my family opposed
the idea, but I left everyone behind and eloped with Sandesh. Looking back, I realize that was the biggest mistake of my life. ‘When the waves grow stronger, a shore is needed to anchor oneself.’ But I had left everyone behind, so I had no support.
For the first year and a half, everything went well. Sandesh would go to work at school, and he took
such good care of me. My job was also going great. But after that, my mother-in-law came to live with us, and slowly everything started to fall apart. She began accusing me of things. Even if I went out to buy vegetables, she would tell Sandesh that I was standing around gossiping for hours with the vendor. Gradually, she poisoned his mind against me. He started seeing me through her eyes. One day, I confided in my friend Mayuri about what was going on. She reassured me that once we had a baby, everything would be fine. So, I gave up my job and started focusing on having a child. After much persuasion, my family and I were ready, and in the third year of our marriage, we welcomed a baby boy. We named him Anish, a combination of both our names. Everyone was so happy. Even my mother-in-law seemed pleased and spent all her time doting on Anish. After the doctor’s counseling sessions, there was a noticeable change in her behavior. It felt like everything was new and joyful. But just as Murphy’s Law says, ‘Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong,’ something was bound to happen. Sandesh suddenly became irritable at home. Ever since Anish had grown a little older, Sandesh had
stopped opening up to me or spending time with me. You won’t believe it, but in the last two years, I can’t even remember the last time he hugged me. A few months ago, one of his friends told me that Sandesh had grown very close to a girl in 12th grade. I trust Sandesh completely, but seeing how things were at home, I couldn’t help but feel suspicious. So, I began secretly reading his messages without him knowing. One day, a WhatsApp message popped up from someone named ‘Pramod,’ saying ‘Miss you.’ When I opened the chat, there was a lot more there than I had expected. I was still reading when Sandesh
suddenly appeared. He yelled, ‘Why are you touching my phone?!’ I explained why, but he wasn’t ready to listen. Eventually, I backed down, and we agreed to discuss it later.” Will Anika be able to talk to Sandesh? Will Pratik help her in any way? To find out the answers, let’s
continue in Friendship or Love? Part 3.
To be continued ….
