The Fate Joined Us Together

PART 11 :: ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

Surya's POV

After calming down nana, I went to fetch Rajesh. I went to his room and knocked on the door. But there was no reply.. I knocked and called for him again and again, but he never opened.. What has he been doing for so long? Is he trying to become handsome in one day by bathing the whole day? I knocked and called again.. No reply.. I was slightly starting to panic by his behavior. I decided to open the door with the master key, which opens all rooms in our house. There are only two of those keys in our house. I have one and the other one is in the pooja room. I quickly went to my room, got the key and rushed to Rajesh's room. I opened his room and immediately went in. 

"Rajesh!!... Rajesh!!... Arey Ramachandra!! Where are you??", I yelled. But there was no response. 

I checked inside the bathroom, hoping he would be there.. but no..he wasn't..

I was having many thoughts like.. He might have pressed the lock button from inside and shut the door from outside or he might have.. jumped out from the window and ran away.. I wish he didn't do the latter. Clearing my unwanted thoughts, I was leaving his room to search for him. That's when I saw a paper pinned to his canvas board with some writings on it. It can be one of his project works.. he has an habit of writing down, describing his projects before working on it. Once he has written it, there is no going back from it. He will put all his efforts to bring whatever he has written on the paper to his canvas. Nothing more.. Nothing less.. So I thought of ignoring it. But somewhere in my mind, I just wanted to make sure it is what I thought it was. So I went to have a look and it was not what I thought it to be and moreover, it was letter addressed to.. me?? I took the letter from the canvas and started reading it.. 

Dear Surya Annaya,

Forgive me. I can't do this anymore. I know what I did was wrong and way too late. I know I have to have courage and face everything like you taught me but I can't do this. I know I am causing trouble and so much pain to everyone, but this one's for me and for Sowriya. Both of our lives will be ruined if this marriage happens. Think about this annaya, would you marry someone like me to any of our sisters? Someone who doesn't have a permanent job? Someone with no promising future? Someone who is still struggling to reach a good place in his career? Let him have a good heart and a pure soul or anything but would that be enough? Would that give them what they actually want? NOO!! I definitely would never want someone like me for my sisters. 

This is no cinema.. it is reality.. In which, I would like someone who gives everything our sisters deserve. Someone who will not let them go to their in laws for everything. Someone who makes them keep their heads high. Isn't Sowriya worth of all this? Doesn't she deserve everything in her life? She is also someone's sister, a friend and a daughter.. I don't want to ruin her life annaya. I know I should have at least told you but I didn't have the courage to open up annaya. I know my decision is way too late and my marriage is tomorrow morning.. but..  it's now or never. If I stay and take a step back today, I might ruin not only mine but also Sowriya's life and I will be regretting this decision my whole life. So.. I am leaving now..

I would definitely come back after few weeks when everything is over, if everyone would still accept me, but I am leaving now.. like a coward.. I am going to a very safe place and please don't search for me. I know Sowriya's family will be very furious and sad but please let them know that rather than spending her whole life crying and facing humiliation, she will have to handle only a few weeks of sadness.. and please tell her that I am extremely sorry and I am leaving for her own good and also tell her to never forgive me in her life...

Please don't search for me or try contacting me.. because no matter where you search for me.. you will never be able to find me. So, I beg you to go straight to Sowriya's family and inform this and stop this wedding annaya.. I know very well that I am wrong.. but I have no other choice.. Bye annaya.. I am leaving my phone in the house. Don't waste your time trying to contact me.. Please at least you try to understand me annaya... Bye...

He did the latter.. I.. I didn't know what to do.. Should I get angry on what he has done? or Should I be panicking that he has eloped on his wedding or Should I be proud that he thought so much  about some other girl's future.. or Should I be worried that he had had all this going inside of his head for the past few months.. he has been thinking so low of  him and thought he isn't worth of marrying her.. that this is the reason he has not spoken to me properly.. Should I have asked him one more time about this alliance before all this had happened?.. What do I do now?? Has he really thought through this from every perspective? What will my family do now? It is the first wedding in the family in our generation and what will happen to them if they come to know that it is not going to happen.. What will happen to the bride and her family.. Both the family's reputation.. pride.. happiness!!.. everything will be gone.. Why did he do this at the very last moment?? What was he doing all this time?? Did not he have a phone?? Or does he not know my contact details?? Why was he waiting?? WHAT DO I DO NOW???

Thud..thud..   thud..thud..

The knock on the door caught my attention and brought me back to reality. "Rajesh!!... Rajesh!!" called Sai. I went and opened the door to let him in. He came in yelling for Rajesh. Poor lad.. He doesn't know Rajesh isn't here. He searched the whole room and came back to me asking for him. 

"Annaya, Where's this guy?? I haven't seen him from last night.. Where did he go?? Pedanana (uncle) asked me to go pick up the bride's family at the railway station.. I came here to ask if he wants to come with me.. but he is no where to be seen.." complained Sai

Should I tell him now? NO.. He is going to pick up the Bride and her family.. Something might happen if he knows the truth now.. Let him bring them to the venue first.. I have to think something and find Rajesh before that..

"Ledu(no) ra.. You go pick them up.. Nana said I along with Nana and Rajesh will be going to the venue to get room keys for them.. And anyways he is not here.. he has gone to saloon as he missed the appointment yesterday evening.. Thank God.. Chandu told me this yesterday and was making fun of him.. thought Surya."

"Oh!! Pellikoduku(groom) is getting ready to meet Pellikoothuru(bride) ah??" joked Sai and went on his way.

Now again.. What do I do now? First I must find where Rajesh might have gone? What are the places he would go? Who are the people that could help him? Since he did not have his phone with him.. how would have he contacted others?? Perhaps, is he hiding inside the house?? Because he knows very well that we will be searching for him everywhere except our home.. Our home is one of the many possible places he could hide. Coming again to the communication.. has he taken his laptop with him? Yes.. his bag is no where to be found.. So he could have mailed anybody to help him out.. Hence, the person who might have helped him is well educated.. we can exclude many people who he knows from this perspective.. and what else.. where else.. Arghh!! I feel like my head's exploding..

It's been a while since I came to fetch Rajesh. Nana will be waiting for us down to go to the venue.. I must go now.. I have to let someone know about the situation and seek their help in finding him out. Chandu!! If I tell him and he might help me.. and all the other kids except Sanjeev and chinni can help us out. I went running to chandhu to explain him the situation. 

After I explained Chandhu and Ramya about Rajesh, they were scared.. but were getting ready to find him by any chance. I also asked them to inform Swetha and Paru and  strictly keep Vinay, Rans(Ranjini), Sanjeev and Chinni out of this as they are still kids and I started to leave. Soon after I took few steps.. I came back to them again and said..

"Never let the elders know anything yet.. until I tell you to do so.. Understand??".. both of them nodded their head.. "Good..", with that I left looking for Nana. I lied to him that Rajesh went to saloon for his missed appointment. Even though he did not buy this, he said ok as he had his pellli sandhadi (marriage bustle) face..

Nana and I reached at the Venue, got the keys and was waiting for Sai and the Bride's family. I was keeping a safe distance from Nana and was checking on my siblings who were in mission of finding Rajesh. That's when a car arrived and Sai came out, with a mini van following his car. I got a call from Chandhu and went as far as possible from nana, using the office call excuse. Sai waved to me to come but I asked him to carry on and turned to my phone, but the call hung up. When  I turned back, I could see everyone getting out of the van and going in happily..so much laughter and joy surrounded the place.. Even though I could not make their faces from here.. I could sense everyone's happiness.. How will they react if we did not find Rajesh on time?? What will happen to their smiles and happiness??  

"Ramachandraa!!!.. all because you!!", Surya sighed with frustration..