AS PER THE WISH

AS PER THE WISH

My car rushed towards my house and my mind rushed into the memories of my college days. The silent travel was disrupted by my phone’s ringtone. Yes it would be Maran. I decided not to pick the call. After some subsequent ignored calls Prathyugna asked me who that was. I turned my phone off. Laid my head on the head rest and closed my eyes.

Parkavi! The sound of my professor echoed the whole class room. “Listen to the class without sleeping” he said and turned towards the board. I continued my sleep, this time on the lap of Thamizh. The next disturbing voice entered “Sir let me call Thamizh outside classroom a moment”. When I opened my eyes I saw Maran. The professor glared at Thamizh and half slept me. She moved slowly towards the entrance and got out of the class. My sleep was vanished as my brain thought about what a Mechanical guy have to discuss with an ECE girl. Thamizh returned within minutes but with a shocked face. She then told that Maran had proposed her. The bell rang for the next period and I continued my sleep.

“Mom we reached home” Prathyugna woke me up. Before getting out of the car I said “we are leaving India, get ready” to my son. He doesn’t made any excuses as my statement was little commanding. I have contacted my lawyer and told him to make arrangements for property selling and visa arrangements to France as soon as possible. I also called the Principal of the college and told about the withdrawal of TC. I had no other thoughts than vanishing from India.

He came home so late that day. He was drunk after long years. His wobbled steps made me catch him before he fell. He avoided me and gone into his study room and locked from inside. I didn’t have other option than crying for my beloved husband, Maran. He was my cousin, my Love. Yes, I loved him from my childhood. I was unaware of his personal thought on me. I had many dreams on my life with Maran. A day in our graduation period he told me about his love on Thamizh. I found that funny that a guy like Maran would fall in love. As days passed by he got more and more instance in his love with Thamizh.

He rebuffed my parents when they approached for our marriage and also forced his parents to accept his love. Out of family pressure he got out of home for Thamizh. After that we didn’t get any information about him. One day my father found him unconscious due to alcohol. My uncle and aunt had thawed my heart by their tears. My love catalyst made the process so easy for them. I also foresee to change him and plank out his loss with my presence. The post marriage life showed me that was empty. He didn’t change for a year. Then one day he came home with Venba. After that his life made some meaning and he also became successful in his career. Though his search for something have not ended.

Thamizh was in stunned confusion about the proposal by Maran. I made it clear to Thamizh that he was too rough guy to handle and also suggested her to reject his proposal than any further actions. She made her mind to avoid him and got ready to reject him in the next meeting. I was waiting outside the thermodynamics lab while she was in with Maran, expecting for a positive result. Thamizh came out after a 10 minute conversation. She was blushing. When I neared her, she hugged me and said she said OK to Maran.

“This is not going to work out”, I warned her. She blurred her vision on others and focused only on Maran. The things happened were different than I expected. It happened to me to accompany them for their safety and in my view is for safety of Thamizh. I had seen a different face of Maran when he was with Thamizh. He was so soft to her. He made me feel later that he would love her like no one can. My days lasted no longer with them. My father had fallen sick with a minor angina pectoris. Fate forced me to quit my studies and to get married. Despite of all my fate things I was happy for Thamizh and Maran.

The next day Maran left the house early before I wake up. My search for the reason for his search started. I called on to Maran’s mom and asked for his college days photographs. I got ideas on his friend circle with some repeated faces. After analysing all the pics I had called on to his college and got details of Thamizh, Parkavi, Vino, Madhu and Vaani. By the records from college I could only trace out Vaani. I’ve called her and pleased for a meeting next day.

That was an unknown number flashed on my phone calling. The male voice said, “Please don’t disconnect the call. It’s me Maran. I’ve found you after a long search. I just want to meet you once. I know you are leaving India soon”. NO I replied interrupting his statements and disconnected the call. My phone buzzed 5 more times. I have attended the call to drive out words of rejection. This time it is Venba. My ears stopped my tongue hearing my Venba’s voice. She asked “Is this Parkavi?” after my confirmation she continued “Mom, my father said me to invite you for a meeting at our home tomorrow. Please do come with your family for lunch Mom”. I heard mom from Venba for the first time and it made my heart pump some tears out. That night stretched so long without sleep. The mom word in Venba voice stole my sleep letting only tears. I assured myself not to go the next day.

Vaani came on time to the restaurant. After formal discussions on family and friends I asked for the days of their college. She said that Maran had taken all the efforts to get Thamizh but everything failed. In the mean time Parkavi also got married due to family issues and shifted to France. She led a happy life there till she gets to know about the death of Thamizh and its reflection on Maran. She could not take up the fate of her friends. She landed to India with her twin babies. When Vaani and Parkavi met Maran he laid alcoholic near a local bar. Parkavi could not control her running tears. They tried to make him recognize them but he didn’t. At last she gave her 4 months girl baby to him and told him to live for her atleast.

My love on Maran just hiked a level. His love on Thamizh made him live single till date. The friendship on Parkavi made him brought up Venba. His love on Venba made him to live single father and a successful writer. The wish of his parents made me to survive with him all these days. He never loved me I know, but he also didn’t hate me either.

My car entered the gate of Venba’s house. Maran stood next to Venba who was curious to welcome us. Me prathunyna and my daughter Thamizh entered to their living room. Starting minutes were speechless and very formal welcomes. At the lunch table I found the recipes tasted like my cooking. Maran said the lunch was prepared by Venba especially for me. After hand wash me and Maran sat on the couch and the others started playing outside.

Bitter silence made the atmosphere weird. Before he started to talk I said that I was not going to take Venba with me. He smiled and started “I also not going to let her with you. She is my child”. My amused haze forgot to blink. “My search on you was started to return your kid to you but as days rolled off my objective of the search was different.” He noted my confusion in from my eyes and continued. “Yes, if at all Venba not entered my life, it would be ended up so early. She made me to find my life worth living.” I asked why then he didn’t stop the search. He paused for a second and looked at Venba playing with and cuddling Thamizh. Her actions and reactions resembled more like me. He said “Even I thought she was my own daughter until I see you in her like this.” I couldn’t react for him at the time I saw me in Venba. “We can’t really forget a thing till it is reminded by many things.” I could not take my eyes away from my children playing together. My deep heart rasped inside and made my eyes bleed tears.

Vaani said that she had met Parkavi after long years and got to know that after she gone back to Paris letting Venba with Maran she had a child and named it as Thamizh. Soon the fate assailed her with her husband’s death and she returned to India. She concealed herself from Maran. Vaani didn’t have Parkavi’s number as she changed her number frequently. I had recalled the days after he came with Venba. He took that child to an orphanage and returned her after some days.

I couldn’t be there after the incident so I asked Maran for the actual reason for the invitation. He said “This life I lead, the books I wrote, the fame I got was given by my Venba and you are the one who gave me her. My entire search for you is to say Thank you for Venba and to say that I had done my best as per the wish of you.”

Maran and Venba waved a big bye to me and my family. The checking inspector asked for my boarding pass. My flight for France was ready and I am leaving India forever. Venba, the soul that made us see each other. I promised Maran to be in contact as per his wish and he promised me to never disclose the reality to Venba as per my wish.