Meant To Be

Chapter 18. The Divorce

Sam sat on the wooden bench, outside Ranvir's lawyer's office, three days later, with her heavy shoulder bag and her wheel suitcase (which contained her belongings) kept beside her on the bench and between her legs respectively. She had never been to a lawyer's office before. It was her first time and she hoped that it would be her last too.
  The building in which the office was situated, was a big building with many small offices and coaching classes running their businesses.
She saw around her, men and women walking on the corridor, some coming out of a room, while some entering some other room and some going down using the elevator or stairs.  Some people were walking quickly, as if late for their work. The crowd made her feel more anxious.
    She turned her head to see Ranvir pacing back and forth, as if waiting eagerly to sign the divorce paper, his arms crossed on his slightly broad chest, the rays of the morning sun, which made its way through the grill windows, resting on his torso.
Looking at him, all she could do was go back in memories. Three days before. How her father had pushed her and had locked the door of her bedroom on her face. How no one had come to see her, talk to her, for three whole days. Only her mother would come to give her food. She'd spend her time, looking out of the window, for long hours, dying to step out into the open. At night, when she could not get sleep, she'd again lay awake, looking at the rotating blades of the fan, thinking all that had happened to her in the last two years. The haunting memories would make her cry. She'd cry for hours and hours and that is how she'd drift off to sleep.
She remembered how on the second night, her mother had informed her that Ranvir was going to come to take her to the advocate's office, the next day, how her father had stormed into the room the next morning to inform her about the arrival of Ranvir. Her father's expression, at that moment, was still etched in her mind. He had looked older than ever before, his eyes tired and red. But his voice did not match with his old age looks. His voice was still firm, like it had been two years ago.
Ranvir had taken her to his house to get her belongings. Sam had seen the change in Ranvir's looks too. Ranvir too looked tired and had dark circles under his eyes.
When she was done with the packing, she had seen Ranvir's parents standing at the doorway of Ranvir's bedroom, looking at her, a disgusted look on their faces. And that was when she knew (looking at their night dress, which they had worn) that they would not accompany them to the court.
    While leaving Sam had turned back, to take a last look at the lavish house, in which she'd never be able to live again, never be able to see again.

She placed a hand on shoulder bag and squeezed it a bit. The bag didn't move as if stuck to the bench. Now was the most important time to think on the question: Where would she go from here?
The question was answered without giving a thought. The question on which she'd spent long hours, trying to think of where she'd go, was answered today, without any thought. It was as if the corridor, of the advocate's office was the place where she'd get the answer. She'd go to Nish's house. Ask her for help. Tell her everything. Nish had always called Sam her saviour. Now it was her turn to become Sam's saviour.
But where would she be? What if she's not in Khimsar? She might've left for further studies.
But her intuition was not ready to believe that Nish would have left Khimsar. She might be still there.
And this was it. She would be going back to her best friend.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Ranvir, who snapped his fingers in front of her eyes (which she found rather rude) and motioned her towards his advocate's office.
She got up, put the bag on her shoulders and wheeled the suitcase, behind Ranvir.
The advocate, a short and stout man, with horn rimmed glasses and a shiny bald head, was sitting in a comfortable chair behind his desk, which was full of papers and files. Excessive stress and extra working hours had made the middle aged man look more aged.
He pulled his head up from the pile of papers, looked at them, nodded his head and motioned them to sit on the two chairs which were placed in front of his desk. Ranvir looked at Sam and she too looked at him. They both went and sat on the chairs. Sam looked at the name plate in front of her - Mr. Ajith Singhania, Divorce Attorney. Sam gulped.
    They waited for the advocate to finally give them full attention after he was done with his work. During this time, Ranvir kept stealing glances at his wrist watch. He even started shaking his legs. Sam looked at him, blood boiling inside her like raging fire. Acting as if he's bored. Hmph. Sam looked at the wall clock. It was half past ten. They had arrived at half past eight. She was surprised at how she managed to spend to two hours outside the advocate's office by just sitting at one place. Her patience level had improved. But now she was again starting to lose her patience.
After staring blankly at the wall clock and losing count of how many times the second hand had completed its rotation and how many seconds/ minutes had passed, when she finally heard the advocate clear his throat and pull out a paper from a file. He looked at them, from behind his glasses, his expression serious.
"Are you sure that you both want this  divorce?" he asked.
The tone in which the question was asked made Sam's stomach churn. This heavy weight question was being asked to her. Never had she actually imagined in her entire life that someone would ask her this question.
Ranvir nodded. Sam looked at him. His expression was stern. Of surety. It was as if he did that every single day. The advocate looked at Sam. She hesitated but nodded, forcefully.
"Do you both need some cooling time...to maybe...sort out things between the both of y'all?"
Sam kept looking at the advocate fearing that if she kept looking at Ranvir again and again, the advocate would assume that she wasn't sure of the questions which were being asked.
"No." she heard Ranvir say. The advocate again looked at her. Sam shook her head.
The advocate sighed. "See, this is no joke. Many couples file for divorce and then end up destroying their lives. Y'all are young and...naive" he shrugged "if you need time, you can take as much time as you want."
Exactly.
Unknowingly, she again turned her head to look at Ranvir. All decisions were being taken by him. Let him answer.
Ranvir shook his head slightly but firmly. "It's final. We don't need time."
The advocate again sighed. "Fine then." he muttered. He pushed the paper towards them and pointed his index finger to where Ranvir had to sign.
Ranvir pulled the paper towards himself and began signing after staring at it for merely five seconds. The confidence with which he was signing the paper had made it all clear to Sam that he was determined to be separated from her. To get divorce.
After he had finished signing, he sat up straight, pushed the paper towards Sam and offered her the pen. She took the pen and kept looking at Ranvir. But Ranvir avoided her gaze.
She turned to now sign the paper. Her hands were shaking slightly and her palms were sweaty. She could feel a drop of sweat flowing down from her forehead to her right cheek.
She brought the pen close to the paper, but before the tip of the pen could touch the paper, the advocate interrupted, "Wait a minute, madam."
Sam looked up.
"Before you sign this... I want you to know that all the assets and property are his as of now." he pointed a finger towards Ranvir. "Do you want to have a right on any of his asset or assets?
Sam was pretty clear about this one. "No." she shook her head. "I don't want anything."
The advocate nodded and motioned her to sign the paper.
Signing the divorce paper was far more dreadful than signing the marriage certificate for Sam.

"Thank you." the advocate said, taking the paper back. "Your divorce will be approved by the judge. It will take a few days. I will inform you." he said turning his head towards Ranvir.
Ranvir nodded gravely. They shook hands and Ranvir got up. Sam took it as a cue to leave and she too got up.

"Well I assume it's time to leave now." Ranvir said, as they stood at the entrance of the buiding, under the sun, whose intensity was growing with each passing minute.
Sam nodded.
"Where are you going to go now?"
It doesn't matter anymore.
   "Kh-khimsar. To my friend."
    "Do you have money?"
No. She didn't. How could she forget? From where would she get money now?
Sam shook her head, fear building inside her.
Ranvir sighed, took out his wallet from his back pocket, took out some money and stretched his hand (in which he was holding the money) towards Sam.
    This was not expected. Without giving any thought, she shook her head, not because her parents had always taught her to say no when someone offers something, but because she didn't want to take anything from him. Really. She didn't deserve it. She didn't want anything more from him. She knew that she had broken his heart. And now, his kindness, his good heart, was killing her from inside.
"Take it. You'll need it." he thrusted the notes in her hands. Sam counted it. One thousand rupees. Sam could feel a lump in her throat now. She tried to push down that lump. She wanted to hand the notes back to Ranvir and run away. Away from him. Away to Nish. She would somehow arrange for the cash. Maybe by selling something from her belongings. But what did she have, that she could sell? Nothing. And even if she did have, she won't get as much money, as she was now holding in her hands.
"Th-thank you." she said avoiding his gaze.
Ranvir didn't say anything. There was silence between them for a few seconds when Sam finally spoke up.
     "What did you say to others or what will you..." her voice trailed away. She was asking about his friends, his relatives. Hearing the news about his divorce, his relatives would surely gossip about them, some would click their tongues while some would show false sympathy. 
       "We'll...manage." he said, avoiding her gaze. But Sam knew, that this news was not going to remain a secret for too long. She imagined herself in place of Ranvir. Surely, she would have slapped him hard for betraying her, for lying to her. She would have demanded some amount from him and also would have blamed him for their divorce. But Ranvir didn't do any of it.  Why? She failed to understand.
       "I guess, this is it then." Ranvir said after a few minutes. "Six months of togetherness." He laughed. Sam didn't. There was something in that laugh. A kind of mock. "I assume we were never meant to be together." The words hit Sam like daggers on the chest.
         Ranvir extended his hand. Sam shook it slightly. She realised that Ranvir's grip was not tight. It was loose. Loose like their relationship.
      Ranvir kept looking at her as if trying to read her eyes. Sam avoided his gaze. It was an addictive gaze. A gaze with which a guy looks at his girl.
      She realised that they were still holding hands. Sam flinched a bit and took her hand back. Ranvir simply put his hands back in his pocket.
       "Oh! Wait a minute." Ranvir removed a small piece of folded paper from his breast pocket.
       "My phone number." he handed her the paper. "Do keep in touch."
         Sam took the paper, unsure of why Ranvir would want to be in touch with her. Sam didn't know if she'd ever have the courage to face him again or talk to him again after this.
       "Bye then." he waved his hand slightly. Sam too waved her hand slightly, finding it difficult to say 'bye'. Her throat was dry and again she felt a lump inside her throat.
       Ranvir turned and walked towards his car. Sam's eyes starting brimming with tears. And eventually the tears starting flowing down her cheeks. Ranvir drove away without a backward glance.
       Sam looked around her. People walking, talking, doing their own work. No one bothered to even look at her. She felt all alone, standing in the  midst of them. No one was with her. She was all alone.  And she had to decide her journey from here on. All by herself.
      She turned back towards the road going to the bus station. (she knew where it was) She put the money and the piece of paper in her bag pocket, ready for the journey.
I am coming, Nish.

What will happen next? Will she be able reach Khimsar? And if so, how will Nish react when she will see her after so long? Will Sam be able to meet Boby? How will he react?