It was 2 AM and Mahek’s mobile beeped, displaying a new sms. She bargained with her sleep to check. Her sleep lost its worth after she read the sms. It said- Need your help. All is going wrong 🙁
It was by someone very dear. He was close not just because he was staying in the same city where Mahek was residing but because he was the one whose name her heart was taking on every beat to pump the blood. Being so close, he was far-far away. About 2 years back he got married to someone else. Slowly and calmly, mahek (fragrance) of his presence in Mehek’s life evaporated. What remained were his memories.
But at present, after one and a half year, his mahek (fragrance) again became noticeable in her breaths. She got confused. She was not able to decide whether to be happy that she got this sms after such a looooooong time or to be worried that the person who was the real support to make her learn the true meaning of few of the feelings was in need of a support.
Worry won the contest and millions of negative thoughts started to haunt her. In microseconds, her drowsy brain began to run to its fastest speed. Was it because of his job? Was that he got fired? And if so, why? Or because of his married life? Was it because of his wife? Etc…etc.
Her worry made her restless. She thought of giving him a call but the fear that she might hear something bad didn’t supply adequate strength to go for it. But she was compelled to write back to him. She clicked the reply option of her mobile, still confused on what to reply. Typing-deleting-typing-deleting-typing-reading-editing-rereading and when she was convinced that the words were not displaying too much of negativity as an outcome of her fear and were sympathetic containing least but effective words, she messaged- I am always for your help. Don’t be sad and tell me the matter…waiting for your reply.
She saw the clock. It showed 2:30 AM. She was thirsty. She went to the kitchen and had a glass of water and being desperate of the reply, she quickly came to her bed, where her dear mobile gave a better reason of being dear. It had a fresh sms.
She immediately clicked to open it. It read- my relationship with my wife is suffering and it’s on a verge of separation. Tried everything but nothing is working. I am helpless. I love her and I don’t want to lose her… please help me to save my marriage.
Her worry lost its glory and for few next seconds she felt to pat her own back that out of the millions of reasons her brain had guessed, one was bang on target. She read the message again. She felt very angry on his wife. How could she do this??? What is the problem with his wife?
She wanted to make a call but her inner-self stopped her. Being angry she was prone to make any nasty remarks on his wife, which she realized would be wrong on her part. She replied back- that’s sad. But please don’t dishearten yourself. I will come to your office tomorrow afternoon, that time you tell me in detail. I will do my best to fix up the things. GN 😉
Perhaps, she knew that till that time she would get rid of her anger. In seconds a message retrieved, saying- thank you so much for your concern. I am so happy that you are coming to help me. Now, I can sleep in peace. TC. GN 🙂
She read the message 6 to 7 times which allowed her not only to overcome her anger but also to get a faint smile on her face. The contentment that she calmed him a bit was rich enough to buy her sleep, back.
Next afternoon, Mahek went to his office’s canteen. She messaged him that she was there. This place was not new to her. She chose her beloved corner where she used to sit earlier during the lunch time with him. But things changed after his marriage. It was a shock to Mahek’s life and she left her job, without giving him any hint of the reason. While sitting on her favorite place, her eyes were not ready to believe that what dreams she had seen about the future of having him in each and every frame of her life, went all in vain. Tears dribbled down her cheeks and she quickly wiped it off with her hanky as she didn’t wish to get noticed like this.
She called for some water and taking a sip, she tried to convince her heart to not to feel bad. And while she was busy doing that she saw him entering the canteen. His glimpse after such a long time was enough to soothe her heart against all the ill feelings.
His eyes in no time located Mahek. He came and had his chair, in front of her.
“Hi Mahek,” he said.
“Hi…You look just the same!!!” she replied with a smile.
“But you look quite change…new hair style???”
“Hmm…I was losing hair that’s why had to go for this style.”
“Hey… that’s not all…you have even started using lipstick…looking wow, with that!!! Is it because of someone special in life???”
“Come on, stop teasing me…I am still single,” she blushed.
“I am not teasing you but I am happy to see my best friend, Mahek, is now taking interest in these womanly things…its okay you are not engaged but earlier, you were like a Tomboy, I am glad to find you more, like a female. You remember, what you did, when I read a poem from a book about ‘First Kiss’…”
“Oh yes! I went so angry that how can people get time to think on such a useless thing and why were you reading and motivating them…”
“Right, that poem only. I don’t remember the words but what it wanted to say was that, for a person his/her first kiss is very precious and he/she gives it to someone very-very close to heart and it gets stored in the dearest part of the brain and stays there for the life time.”
“Yeah, such a lovely thought… but that time I took it as vulgar.”
“Ha Ha Ha Ha. Thank God! You understand it now.”
“Last night with your texts I could feel you were damn distressed. But I am happy to see you laugh.”
“All because of you and your company, Mahek.”
“Thanks, but what is the problem troubling your marriage life?”
“My wife, Avani. She wants to end up this relationship. We kept having number of fights with each other since our marriage and now she says she won’t be able to take it anymore. I want to give one try. I had explained her many a time but she remained unaltered. Now, she doesn’t wish to give importance even to my explanations or suggestions. According to her, she has lost all her love, care, respect, all feelings for me.”
“It can’t be… I don’t believe your wife”
“How you can say that???”
“I am a female… I know female’s mentality. Your repeated fight with each other has drawn a negative curtain over the positive feelings she holds for you.”
“Really”
“Well, it may or may not be true, but what’s wrong in trying??? We need to work up with something so that your worth…her positive feelings towards you…should get visible penetrating through her negative curtain.”
“Yes, we can try but she hardly pays heed to what I speak.”
- Ravi Kumar
“That means we need to try something different… but what it could be? Something which shows that you are of great value… something which hits her directly in her heart… Something which hit her possessiveness… Yes, possessiveness is the key feeling. We need to molest her, this feeling.”
“Sounds like a plan. But for that I need to give a practical performance… how this would be possible.”
“I will help you…Aw, let’s do it this way… Today, you go back home and with a cheerful mood tell her that you are ready for the divorce… In the night, at around… let say… 2 o’clock I will send you a very romantic message, revealing that I am desperate to meet you at Bandstand the next day at 5pm… see to it that u keep your mobile beep loud and she even checks your message.”
“Bandstand- sea, rocks banking it, cool breeze… a true romantic destination. Wow!!! Mahek you are a genius. I think, this would work. I will make sure that Avani follows me to Bandstand. And let me further add on to it. When we will meet on Bandstand, if you don’t mind, we will sit together, holding our hands.”
“No, I will not mind. You can hold my hand.”
The two friends continued with their other casual talks with the lunch. At the end of it, they both were quite optimistic and encouraged each other that this would work and as this would be a last and final try. They promised each other to give their best and even had their plan B ready to bring Avani to Bandstand. Bidding best wishes, they went to their routine life motivating their brains to give a flawless performance.
As decided, he went home and told his wife cheerfully that he was ready for the divorce. But it turned into a subject to cheer for her too which was disappointing. He made all the adjustments as decided and many on time adjustments so that she may get to see the late night sms. His plan was successful in making her see his sms. Avani, after checking her husband’s mobile was in distress rather got angry. This was what he could make out from his concealed open eyes. But she didn’t wake him up to have a chat on this. This was again going a negative way. The last part of the plan was only remaining and he was worried that if that would fail, his marriage would also fail.
Next day at 5 o’clock, he went to the Bandstand much aware that his wife was following him. Mahek was already at the venue. They chose to sit on the rock from where they are visible even from far.
“Mahek, I think it’s not going to work…”
“Hey, why you are saying this way.”
“Because I had seen in Avani…learning about my affair, she was full of anger. I think this anger would add as a still better reason for her to leave me,” he said with wet eyes.
“No…nothing will happen as such,” she held his face and came a little closer. She continued, “There is step difference between anger and possessiveness. We need to push more on her possessiveness ground so that she may step over from her anger and realize the pull of possessiveness.”
“I am not able to understand anything.”
“Don’t worry… just believe me…I can see her, watching us. Now, relax and allow me to do what I am doing,” she said and in a second, she, like a first timer, touched his lips with her lips. She started to kiss him in a raw manner. He was shocked for an instance but soon realized what she was doing. He saw her eyes. They were closed. She was in a different passion as if she wanted to get everything from her first kiss.
His own words which he spoke a day before became audible to him, ‘ for a person his/her first kiss is very precious and he/she gives it to someone very-very close to heart and it gets stored in the dearest part of the brain and stays there for the life time.’
He realized what he meant to Mahek. Since last so many years they were together but he had never seen what was there in her eyes but today, her closed eyes revealed what he was for Mahek. He was much experienced and was aware how to make a kiss, a beautiful one. Looking at her affection he held her face with both his hands and directing her face gave her the kiss she wanted. Her first one…naïve one…delicate one…from lips to lips, then tongue to tongue, followed by mouth to mouth.
While he was drawn along with Mahek to a heavenly blissful world, someone grabbed his shirt from the back. He turned back, and was slapped.
6 months later-
Avani left the idea of divorce with her husband. They became a happily settled couple. Regularly, they went out for dinner together. They were even planning their first child. Things changed and all was happening well for Avni, except one thing which often troubled her husband. Thoughts about Mahek.
Mahek just vanished out of his life. He wanted to talk to her at least for the one time after the incident. Maybe, Mahek knew that there was hardly any need and she was convinced that the motive was achieved. So she didn’t check about the ongoing by making any contact.
Still, he wanted just one contact so as to thank her and to say sorry that he never saw her existing love. But the only contact detail he had about Mahek was her number, which now said- ‘Sorry, the number you have dialed does not exist.’
About the Author:
By profession a physiotherapist, Dr. Ravi Kumar made a scintillating entry into the world of writing with his excellent debut novel “The Guy Next Door”. He has won several hearts with this simple yet excellent debut novel. Ravi was born in Allahabad, did his 10th and 12th in Pune, and studied in Nagpur for his medical degree. He loves to watch cricket and movies.
You can check his book:
http://www.infibeam.com/Books/info/ravi-kumar/guy-next-door/9788190866408
Tags: Ravi Kumar Short story Short story of Ravi Kumar The Guy Next Door
