1949 - A Love Story ✅

Part 11

Author's note:

Imagine how desperate we become when we text someone and wait for their reply. We tend to check our phones again and again to see if it is delivered and received. If we are too desperate then we end up calling the person directly.

Now imagine how in 1954, he sent a letter via her friend. He didn't knew where she lived neither was it so easy for a man to drop into any girl's house whenever he needed. He had to wait for the same source to get a reply.
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It was yet another sleepless night for Sidharth as he was excited and waited for her reply desperately. In the morning, he went to college pretty early than the normal time. He occupied the bench at the entrance hoping to see her or atleast Indumati with a reply from her.

Sidharth: Indumati.. (calls her out)

Indumati: (disinterested) Yes Sir!

Sidharth: How is Shehnaaz? Did you give her the umbrella and the envelop?

Indumati: I don't know. I couldn't meet her today. But I've given her both the items you gave me.

Sidharth: Okay. Thank you.

He was restless but there was no way he could reach to her besides taking the help of Indumati. A day passed by and next day, he thought she might come to college but she didn't. He asked Indumati but she didn't give him any update as well.

The restlessness continued for 4th day as well with absolutely no news about her.

I think I am at fault writing that letter to her. Could it because of my letter she stopped coming to college? Or did someone else from her family read the letter? Or did her husband returned to her? How can she be ill for 4 days when Indumati had said that she just had common cold and light fever? She didn't even reply to my letter. 

May be she doesn't want to reply me. I sound so desperate just in two days. I am clueless about what to do.

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Going through the same roads once again. This time the village has been a bit more advanced just like his feelings. Last when he visited, he wished to see his bride as soon as possible, imagining about her and the ways to impress her. This time the purpose was different. He wished he didn't have to confront those eyes which might raise hundreds of questions. The answer for which was not known by him. He excitement was replaced by fear.

Last time, he wished to reach quickly, this time he found that he was approaching the destination at double the pace. He nervously got down from the cart and knocked at the door hesitantly.

Shakuntala Devi opens the door and her mouth was open agape looking at him. She took sometime to register it in her mind about his presence.

SD: Aap?.. Aayieye!! {You?.. Please come!!}

He goes behind silently as she escorts him inside.

Sidharth: Sasur.. aaa.. ummm.. aaa.. (he didn't know what to address Mahinder as) Where is Sir?

SD nods and she escorts him to the room. Sidharth was shocked to find Mahinder was lying in the bed, sick.

Sidharth: What happened to him? Is he alright?

SD: Jinki beti ka ghar basne se pehle hi ujad jata hai, aksar unke maa baap ka haal aisa hi hota hai.. {Those whose daughter's life is destroyed before beginning, their condition is often like this only.}

Sidharth was embarrassed and he put his head down.

SD: Sorry! If you felt hurt! My intentions were not to hurt you. Not today not 5 and a half years back. We really didn't have an option. Our elder daughter had eloped and if we let out the news, our younger daughter's marriage might have never happened.