His Solace

His only Solace

The rain was pouring down the night sky . The road was deserted except for a single car recklessly being driven.

The man inside the car was driving crazily. He didn't seem to care about the possible accident he might get into. His mind was only stuck on one thing, the thing that was the most important to him - to find his wife.

Arjun reached the cliff from where Nandini fell. He got out of the car approaching the edge of the cliff. He stared down at the river.

Without hesitation, he jumped into the river. The water level had exceeded due to continuous downpour but he didn't seem to care.

He searched the river crazily as if his life depended on it. Well, of course, his life depended on it. He was searching for the reason of his heartbeat, his breathing.

"Nandini!.......Nandini!" He shouted hoping that she would come out after hearing his voice.

It's already been five days since Nandini fell into the river. The idea of finding her in the river now, seemed absurd. But Arjun was in no condition to understand anything.

He continuously searched the river for two hours but couldn't find her anywhere.

Feeling defeated, he screamed as loud as he could, venting out his frustration.

He wanted to see her again. His eyes craved to see her, his ears craved to her voice, his hands craved to touch her once again.

He stood in the river for a long time, staring at nothingness. His clothes were drenched. Standing in the rain that too in the river for such a prolonged period wasn't good for his health right now but he didn't seem to care.

He quickly made his way to his car, driving recklessly again.

His eyes were bloodshot, knuckles turned white due to his tight grip on the steering wheel.

The car halted infront of a temple. It was Lord Krishna's temple, the God whom Nandini worshipped.

Arjun got out of the car, ascending the stairs of the temple. The temple was deserted due to the weather.

He stood infront of the idol of Lord Krishna silently, staring at the idol with a blank expression.

Arjun fell on his knees while his gaze remained glued to the idol infront of him. He joined his palms, a gesture that he never thought he would repeat after his mother's death.

"I don't believe you but my wife believes you. She believes you more than anything and I believe her more than anything." Arjun started with a heavy voice.

"After my mother's death, I stopped believing in you. I was disappointed and  devastated by her death. You didn't help me that day. But...." He choked on his words as tears welled up in his reddish hazel eyes.

"But I beg you don't disappoint me this time. The man who never bowed in front of anyone, never kneeled in front of anyone, is sitting on his knees in front of you, begging for his wife's life. Please, don't let anything happen to her." He stopped as his breathe laboured due to the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"I know I failed to protect her. I know I failed to save my love. But please, I beg you to save her. I don't care why the hell she pointed the gun at me and then at herself. I don't know why she appeared on that cliff at the first place. And right now, none of it matters. What only matters is her life, her safety. If you want then take my life but please save her." Arjun said as finally he broke down. His shattered heart expressed itself in the form of his flowing tears.

Abhimanyu who just arrived at the temple saw his friend's vulnerable condition. He stood a few steps away from Arjun whose back was facing him.

He saw his friend in this condition for the first time. He didn't know what to do. Arjun seemed inconsolable at this moment.

He knew how much Arjun hated God. And today, the same Arjun was sitting on his knees in front of God begging for his wife's life. How could someone change this much for the sake of love?

"Just give me a hint that she is alive. A hint that will give me a hope to live further. Because I am not joking. If anything..." His voice wavered, a lump formed in his throat. He gulped mustering up the courage to complete the sentence. "If anything happens to her, I don't want to live anymore. I will kill myself too. Dying is better than living without her." Arjun's was was low yet firm and laced with determination.

Arjun closed his eyes and her smiling face appeared in front of him. He could smell her familiar scent. His heart raced as if his heart will jump out of his chest.

"What if I go away from you someday? Will you miss me?" She asked in a sweet, curious voice.

Arjun gripped her nape in a firm but gentle grip pulling her face closer. Their faces were inches apart, his hot breath making her skin tingle.

"I dare you to repeat that ever again. No matter what happens, I won't let you go away. And if you somehow manage to go away, then your Arjun will either bring you back or embrace death. Because embracing death is easier than  breathing without you, my lady." He declared with an intensity that made her heart race wildly.

"Never ever talk about dying again." She whispered cupping his face between her soft palms.

"Then don't talk about going away." He said looking straight in her eyes. She closed her eyes, leaning her forehead against his.

"I won't go away from you. And if I did, just close your eyes and let your heart lead your way towards me. Only your heart will find me. Your heart will always sense my presence even if I am miles away from you." She whispered. He pulled her in his embrace to calm his racing heart.

Her memories hit him like a wave. Yes, true to her words, he could still sense her presence. It meant she didn't die. His heart knew that she was alive.

His lips curled into a blissful smile, a stark contrast to the anguish his heart was feeling.

Abhimanyu approached Arjun who was smiling crazily despite the tears flowing down his closed eyes. He kneeled down beside Arjun, holding his shoulders.

Arjun opened his eyes, looking at him. "She is alive." He whispered.

Abhimanyu looked at his friend with concerned eyes. "Arjun, pull yourself together. She is not here anymore. She....she is no more. We couldn't find her body...."

Before he could complete, Arjun interrupted him. "You couldn't find her because she is alive. She told me that no matter where she is, no matter how far she is, my heart will always feel her presence. She was right. My heart knows that she is alive. Even though she is not here, I can still feel her. My heart feels her presence in this world. I know she is alive."

"He gave me the assurance that my heart is telling the truth. He told me that she is alive." Arjun said, pointing a finger towards Lord Krishna's idol.

"I will find her. I will bring her back." Arjun declared with hope in his voice. His eyes sparkled with determination.

Abhimanyu didn't say anything, just stared at his friend. He couldn't recognize the man infront of him anymore. The heartless man he once knew was replaced by a man who was crazily in love with his wife.

"How will you find her?" Abhimanyu asked, his voice barely audible.

"My heart will find her. My heart will lead the way to her." Arjun declared with a smile, his eyes glistened with intensity.

Abhimanyu didn't say anything, just stared at his friend. He couldn't recognize the man infront of him nymore. The heartless man he once knew was now replaced by a man who was crazily in love with his wife.

Is this the same man who never showed his emotions in front of anyone? Is this the same man who built a wall around himself, preventing anyone from stepping into the territory of his heart?

What Abhimanyu didn't know was he was not the Arjun who was deprived of love anymore. He was the Arjun who knew the sweet taste of love, who knew how it feels like to be cherished.

She saw him at his worst. She witnessed a side of him that no one else did. She saw through his cold exterior and found the vulnerable man beneath the surface. She broke the walls and made her way to his heart. She healed something she didn't break. She became the cure of his wounds. She became his solace, his only solace.