Love Lasts Forever (9 page)

             
‘Oh, what’s that?’ I tried distracting him, pointing toward an old worn out diary on the table.

             
He picked the diary and ran his fingers poignantly through it. ‘That’s my personal diary,’ he replied wistfully.

             
‘It looks pretty old,’ I said quickly. It was in tatters, worn out from the edges, and had to be a dozen years old at least. ‘Why can’t you get a new one, we have plenty of them in the store.’

             
‘Oh no,’ he sighed. ‘I don’t want a new one.’

             
I nodded.

             
‘Oh sorry, I almost forgot,’ he said, keeping his diary aside. ‘What will you have, beer or whiskey?’

             
‘Whiskey, sir.’
Yes, I needed that.

             
‘Right away.’

He
rose to his feet and started for his living room lifting the two glasses from the table. I planned to leave after the first drink feigning a headache or something.

             
‘Soda or water?’ I heard his loud voice from inside his living room.

             
‘Soda sir,’ I called out, straightening up on my seat.

             
He returned a minute later with two glasses filled with golden liquid. We clank our glasses and drank in silence when he surprised me with his abrupt question.

             
‘So Ronit, what is bothering you?’ he asked, lowering his head.

             
I don’t like anyone probing in my life, especially a stranger. How much do I know him anyway? ‘Nothing sir,’ I replied, shrugging.

             
‘Look son,’ he continued, leaning forward and placing his glass on the table, ‘my hair didn’t become gray in the sun. I’ve been a Captain for more than twenty years, seen the entire world, worked with a lot of nationalities. I know exactly when something is wrong with someone.’

             
‘I understand sir, but really nothing is wrong,’ I pressed.

             
‘Alright,’ he said.

He picked up his
glass, took a sip, and settled back in his seat.

‘
You know,’ he continued slowly. ‘I lost my wife when I was somewhat your age, I mean in a divorce,’ he clarified instantly. ‘But even today when I feel depressed about it, I talk it out. It makes me feel better.’

             
I smiled weakly. ‘Actually even…um…my wife and I plan to get a divorce this time.’

             
‘Oh,’ he sighed, ‘I am sorry to hear that.’

             
‘No,’ I dismissed, ‘it’s alright. I want to be done away with it anyway.’

             
‘So, what was it, arranged marriage?’

             
‘No,’ I shook my head. ‘Actually love marriage.’

             
‘Oh…and how long have you guys been…married?’

             
‘I’ve known her for the past seven years, but um…’ I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. ‘…we’ve been married for just four months.’

             
‘Really!’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘And you guys plan to get a…divorce. Don’t you think these are still early days in your marriage?’

             
‘Yeah, I know...’ I looked down at the floor before facing him. ‘I know sir but…I think that’s the best for both of us. She is a bitch really, can’t stay with her anymore.’

             
‘Ha, ha!’ he laughed. ‘That’s what I used to think of my wife before the divorce.’

             
I looked up to face him. ‘Really, so why did
you
guys get a divorce?’

             
‘Ah,’ he shrugged, ‘that was a long time ago. You won’t be interested, it’s a long story.’

             
‘You can tell me sir; maybe I can learn something from it.’ I found myself opening to him now.

             
‘If you really want to learn from my mistakes, all I can advise you is never, ever turn your back on love.’ He removed his glasses and leaned forward. ‘Never do that,
never
. Have faith in the person you love and always be patient. Love has to be patient after all.’

             
I smiled. ‘So what’s your story, sir?’ His words piqued my curiosity.

             
‘You really want to know my story?’ he asked squeezing the bridge of his nose.

             
I offered a nod.

             
‘You know,’ his voice was a whisper. ‘It’ll make you smile initially, but later, you’ll cry.’

             
‘Okay sir, go for it then, I’m all ears.’ I was really drawn forward to this conversation and didn’t realize was almost at the edge of my seat.

             
‘Wait a minute!’ He threw his hands at me. ‘You haven’t told me anything about
your
story…’

             
‘Okay.’

For the next fifteen minutes I told him everything about
Aisha: the day we first met at our graduation day, my first date with her, our first kiss, about her brother, and the way I convinced everyone for the marriage. We found our self laughing when I completed my story.

             
‘You guys,’ he stroked his finger at me affectionately. ‘That sounds like a funny story to me, where’s the tragic part?’

             
‘Oh,’ I sighed, ‘it’s gonna come sir, it’s gonna come. Let the marriage begin and you’ll know.’

             
He caught my gaze and smiled. When he asked me for the second drink, I didn’t refuse. Surprising myself I felt comfortable in his presence now. When he returned, I looked at him intensely. It was his cue to begin. He placed his glass on the table and settled back in his seat.

‘Um…..let’s see, so where do I begin?’ 

1
3.  Captain’s story - 1

September
1969, Nagpur

I was eight years old when I first met Shikha. I still remember that day correctly. It was raining heavily and Baba had come early that day. He was accompanied by his old friend Mahesh and his daughter, Shikha. Baba was meeting him after five years and both the friends were very excited. Shikha was wearing a white frock with some floral carvings on it and a red border. Her hair was tied neatly in two pony tails on either side and little strands of hair lined her forehead. Her eyes were big and wide, flushed with innocence, and a shade of fear. A year younger to me, she was all of seven then. I took her in my room, gave her some of my clothes, and together we played for hours.

             
My mother had died on my birth but Baba never felt the need to get married again. He’d toil hard, had unrelenting spirit, and made sure I wasn’t denied of any worldly pleasures. My Baba was both my father and mother. His life revolved around me and my proper upbringing was his sole aim. We didn’t have any other relatives, but with so much love and support I never felt the need. We were poor but had a decent roof over our head and everything else in between.

             
Mahesh uncle’s wife had also died three years ago, battling cancer, so one day Baba asked him to move in with us.

‘
We won’t have to pay rent for two separate flats so why don’ we live together, we’ll have good company and the kids would get someone to play with.’

             
Mahesh uncle refused initially but with Baba’s constant importuning, he finally gave in. I was very happy as I was getting a permanent friend in the house.

In the mornings both friends after serving us breakfast and dropping us to the nearby government school went to their respective offices and returned late in the evening.
Since I was the elder one I was told to take care of Shikha. In the afternoon we’d saunter back to our flat, school bags slung over our shoulders, and held each other’s tiny hands. Baba would give us some money and on the way back we daily ate ice cream. Shikha was very fond of them; I’d just give her company. After the ice cream we’d hop and skip and jump our way back to our house. It was time for the toys.

             
Over dinner both Baba and Mahesh uncle had long conversations about politics, current affairs, business, and other times about their own lives. They enjoyed each other’s company just like me and Shikha. They often laughed over the fact that they were happy as they didn’t have a wife to pester them.

‘
No woman, no trouble.’ Mahesh uncle would remark facetiously.

Baba
would only smile back. But I was sure he never smiled from within. If he did, he would never slide the drawer open in his cupboard every night to look woefully at my mother’s picture through teary eyes running his fingers on her face before he went to sleep. I loved Baba for that, he never got married again. I learnt the lesson of true and everlasting love from him.

Baba always emphasized the power of knowledge and education. He exhorted me to study hard and become wise; to get a good, respectable job
, and earn enough money. He never wanted me to become a labourer like him. I promised I would make him proud some day.

Life went on.
We had a good time those days – oodles of laughter of playing and running under the sun, having long juvenile chats, singing old Hindi songs, and the ilk. Soon, Shikha and I became best friends. We’d fight regularly though, but seldom, they lasted for more than a few hours. We’d become so used to each other’s company that being angry with each other was so unnatural, as if that emotion never existed. With her around I never felt the need of any other friend. In fact, we never even had any other friends. Not by chance, but I guess, by choice.

Few months later,
one day over breakfast as they were talking about business something hit them. They were both working as labourers in a textile mill and thought of starting their own venture. They knew they had the brains, right attitude, and both were hard working and driven. Moreover after working in the same industry they had a fair amount of an idea of how it worked.

Over the
next few days, they did their research while working in their respective companies. They would toil late into the night analyzing and organizing their thoughts. They had very little savings which they would have to put at risk if they were to start a business. That got them thinking. Eventually they decided in favour of it and one day I saw Baba transferring his clothes from the cupboard to an empty suitcase.

‘
Are you going somewhere Baba?’ I asked him hurriedly. I was playing with Shikha outside and came in to grab a bottle of water as she was thirsty.

Baba smiled and stopped
packing. He beckoned me toward him and I sat in his laps.

‘
Yes, we are going to Bombay for a few days to meet some people.’

I flinched
. ‘But Baba, why? How will I live without you?’ I felt the warmth of tears on my face. I’d never been away from him.

Baba gave me a reassuring smile.
‘It’s only a few days, it’s not like we are going forever, and then when we’ll be back we’ll start our own business. We’ll have more money, a better house, and I’ll send you and Shikha to a better school. We’ll have a much better life Shekhar.’

I nodded meekly.
‘But why can’t we come with you if it’s only for a few days.’

‘
No,’ he said quickly, ‘I don’t want to you to be missing your studies.’

I made a face
. ‘But Baba why do you want to do business, we have a decent life,’ I asked, my mind wandering outside.
Shikha would be waiting for me, she was thirsty.

‘
Oh Shekhar, you are too young to understand this. Now go and call Shikha, Mahesh wants to speak to her.’

I
heard Shikha’s wails in the next room, the moment she tottered inside excitedly. She thought she’d be getting a chocolate.

‘Okay Baba, but please be back soon, we don’t know anybody else here.’ I begged him when I returned back in my room. Baba was done with his packing and was holding his suitcase in his hands. He gave me a reassuring wink.

An hour later
both were at the door with their bags giving us their final assurances and advise. Just before leaving, Mahesh uncle bent down on his knees and held my shoulders firmly looking me in my eyes.

‘
You are a brave boy Shekhar, promise me you’ll take good care of my daughter and never let her cry.’

‘
Of course, Mahesh uncle, I’ll take care of her.’ I gave him my word.