Love Came After Memories

Chapter 6 - The Real Ending

The following day, around 5 p.m., Leena had just four hours left until her boarding time. The evening sky was quite delusional, with both the sun and moon visible. Similarly, Leena was in a delusional state, questioning whether her decision was right or wrong. Her memory loss had made her life difficult, leaving her without memories of the past or an understanding of the present.

In this state of confusion, she was packing her bags in her room when Prabhakaran walked in. His usually cherished, blooming face was quite dull, like the sun. He slowly called out to her in a sad tone, "Mom." Hearing his voice, Leena felt a sharp pain, knowing she was about to walk away from his life in a few hours. Yet, she turned around with a fake smile.

With that smile, she welcomed him, "What happened, Prabha?" Prabhakaran, with an innocent face, asked, "Mom, are you going to India?" Leena responded with a lie in a sweet tone, "Yes, it's just a few days' trip. I'll be back soon." Tears started to fall from Prabhakaran's eyes. "Why are you leaving me alone? I want to come with you."

Leena was shaken by his words. She tried to console him with sweet words, "Prabha, Mommy has important work in India. I'll be busy with paperwork, which is why I'm not taking you. Your dad will take care of you until I get back." "Mom, please take me with you," Prabhakaran said, crying.

Leena held his face with her hands. "Prabha, don't you love your dad?" Prabhakaran responded, "I love both of you." She continued, "Then what's the problem, Prabha? I'll be back in 3 to 4 days. Be a good boy and don't trouble your dad. I'll return with lots of gifts and sweets." Prabhakaran hugged her and said, "I'll miss you." His hug made her emotional. "I'll miss you too," she responded, hiding the truth. Deep down, she knew what was really happening.

Later, Vijay was loading Leena's luggage into his car. He was quiet, showing no emotion. But Leena didn't notice; her focus was entirely on Prabhakaran. She knew this would be their last meeting, so she tried to hide her emotions and give him the best sendoff possible. After kissing him on the forehead, she left for her new life, accompanying her son to Lalita until Vijay arrived.

Vijay and Leena set off for the airport. Leena was emotional, knowing she wouldn't see her son's face again. Her memory loss had turned her life upside down. The wind seemed directionless, much like her own life. In this emotional state, her mind drifted to Vijay's silence.

His volcanic silence, with tense eyes, indicated he had something to say. Leena knew Vijay loved her, but she didn't want to face any trouble, which was why she made her decision. Seeing his silence, she realized something was off.

She tried to start a conversation, "Vijay, how much time until we reach the airport?" Without looking at her, Vijay responded, "Forty minutes." His tone made it clear he had something to say.

She pushed further, "Also, take care of Prabha." Vijay responded in the same tone, "I will." She continued, "I know you're angry with me about the decision. If you have something to say, spit it out."

Vijay replied, "No, I don't have anything to say." Leena pressured him, "No, Vijay, you have something to say." Vijay gave the same response. Leena made one final attempt to break the silence. At last, Vijay spoke.

With a heavy breath, he began. "You don't know what that decision does." His anger fumed. Leena responded softly, "I know, but I made that decision so that you both remain happy and safe." Vijay retorted, "Oh great! Just tell me one thing. After you leave, do you think we'll be happy? I can manage the lie that Mom will be back in two days, but after that, he'll know the truth."

Leena tried to calm him, but Vijay continued. "I don't understand. When I need you, you go away, and when I try to avoid you, you hold on tight. When I thought everything was over in 10th grade, you came into my life. I thought it would be friendship, but you pushed it to the next level. I tried to hide my love to keep you happy and comfortable, but you broke that. If leaving is the only choice, then why did you come into my life?"

His words hung in the air. Leena tried to respond, "Vijay, I understand it's my mistake."

Vijay interrupted, "Leena, I'm not blaming you. I'm blaming fate. If our separation is final, why did fate allow us to meet? With fate, you're also lending a hand by making harsh decisions over small things. Don't you think we can solve problems together?"

His words hurt her deeply. Tears began to flow. Seeing her in tears, Vijay realized he'd lost control. His emotions shifted from anger to sadness. He tried to calm her. "Leena, I'm sorry. I lost myself in anger. I should have controlled myself. I know what you're going through. The decision you made must have considered everything. I blame myself. Leena, it's better if I drive us to the airport."

Vijay started driving again. After a few moments, Leena stopped crying. Silence filled the car. From the outside, they were quiet, but inside, they were fighting emotional battles. Twenty-five minutes later, they reached the airport.

Vijay helped with the luggage, and they walked to the boarding pass counter. Each step weighed heavily on them. Leena's mind echoed with her last recording and Vijay's words. On the other side, Vijay couldn't shake the feeling of their impending separation. Suddenly, Vijay realized he left the plane ticket in the car.

He said, "Leena, stay here. I'll get the plane ticket from the car." He quickly went to retrieve it. As he left, Leena became emotional. She couldn't control it anymore. She was at a crossroads: accept her current path or restart her life by forgiving herself. At that crucial moment, she remembered her recording and her own words.

"Will you be happier after being separated from Vijay?" That question made her realize something. Meanwhile, Vijay opened the car door, found the ticket, and tried to hold it. His hands trembled. But he hardened his heart and took the ticket to Leena. As he closed the car door, he saw her standing beside the car with the luggage.

Seeing her, he was tense. "Leena, what are you doing here?" Leena hesitated, "Will you cancel today's ticket?" Vijay was perplexed, "Why?" Leena, without a second thought, hugged him. "Vijay, I was totally wrong. I thought we'd all be happy if I walked away. But in reality, we'll be happier together. Let's restart our life from today. Let's go back home. Prabha is waiting for us."

Vijay felt the ground shift beneath him. He asked excitedly, "Are you sure?" Leena nodded and placed herself on Vijay's chest. "Let's continue our love story," she resonated from the depths of her heart. And so, they lived happily ever after.

The story must have ended like this, but it didn't. I, the narrator, hoped for a similar ending in my real love life. But love isn't always two-sided; it can be one-sided too. That's what happened in reality. The story you've read is fictional, but the characters are real.

Leena and I didn't get the fate I expected. I thought we'd lead a happy, cheerful life together. I thought she was my ideal partner, but to her, I was just another guy who loved her. As in the story, I proposed and faced rejection, but I never got another chance.

That rejection led me to become a writer. It made me who I am. It's been years since I last saw her. Over time, I lost hope of her returning, and my love faded. But in the beginning and end, I daydreamed about many possibilities, and this story was one of them. My daydreams didn't turn into reality, but they became stories.

Today, I feel we wouldn't have been a great couple. That's okay because not all love stories end with people uniting and enjoying their love. Sometimes, they lead us to discover hidden talents. If I met her again, I'd thank her for rejecting me. I wouldn't start a relationship with her even if I got the chance because I've grown beyond what she expected. For me, she was my past love, and from that love, I gained something precious.