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Second Innings of Life

Second Innings of Life

Not Everybody Blessed With it     By Sapna Jain

(published in "Women's Era" the leading magazine of Delhi Press in January 2014)

“Ms. Alka, Meet your new colleague Shreya” my boss voice taken me out from my work. I turned to the voice. A beautiful lady, around 29-30 years old, was standing just next to the boss. “She joined our organization by today itself” he introduced further.

“Hello…” she greeted with a soft but firm voice.

“Hi…Welcome to our organization” I reverted with a big smile.

As my boss turned to introduce her to Reema, one of my colleagues cum friend, I looked at her. She was slim personality, wearing the dress fully maintaining the high office decorum though ours was not much high but a small organization. Her personality was impressive.

After a while I continued with my work of research. I was a Research Analyst there and my work was to drag all the information about the colleges and institutions situated in abroad and tie up with them for the admissions. So was the work of Reema and since now of Shreya also.

At lunch time we asked her to join with us. She admitted happily.  As Reema was the king of chatter so how could she be silent now?  She started talking to Shreya and asked about all the ABCD of her. Then we got to know that she was living here in Delhi since her childhood with her parents but also had lived to Mumbai when pursuing her MBA. She was very jolly natured and mixed with us very soon. She also became our friend beyond the office as I and Reema was.

 Once we rested on Sunday at reema’s house after shopping.  We threes were gossiping. Reema said with a sigh while conversation “when would come that moment when I marry him…I can’t live without him yaar” as I knew already about reema’s love for one of her best friend. She loved him heartily but never dared to express her feelings not even gave any chance to be proposed out of nervousness.   

I smiled and consoled as usual, “very soon dear…don’t worry…you will get marry with him definitely”

“Can he live without you?” Shreya’s tone was changed while asking this. We both were amazed a little with that serious voice but Reema managed to say “no matters for me…but I can’t live without him…I know”

Her always simile face became firmed and rigid. “never do that dear… you will be hurt” she added in suggestive manner.”I really warn you not to get indulge yourself in this type of relationship…it never get a happy end.” her eyes filled with tears while saying all these.

We both, I and Reema were amazed to see that situation. A little we could guess of any love lost but not much as she never given any hint of any relationship or love. I always thought that 2-3 months were enough to understand anybody with whom you indulged so closely and we passed 7 to 8 months together but never understood that a deep pain could be residing inside her heart.

I touched her shoulder”Are you alright Shreya?”

She said nothing but a drop of tear rolled out from her deep black eyes filled with kajal. I consoled “Shreya, I will not pressurize u but if you think, you can share the things, made you cried today. Although we never thought of any wrong could be happened with you as you are already much confident and alert…”

“Alert!!!” she interrupted “ya… I should have been alert at that moment too”

We kept our mouth shut without any interruption and question. She continued…

“I was so excited while packing my belongings to be shifted in Mumbai and live independently. I had beaten one entrance exam of the very good college of management in Mumbai. My parents were happier than me as I was their one and only child. They did all their best in shaping my future and now the time was to celebrate as they knew it that after studying there I would grab a very good job in any multinational company and would be dependent as my dream was. Though they were a little disturb for my care as I never been alone but they nurtured me in a way that they believed I could handle the entire situation with confidence.

Finally I reached Mumbai. I shifted in my hostel and slept with the new dream of the 1^st class in new college. Next day I reached college. We all sat in the class room. Everybody was unaware to one another. All sat as they were placed in an office to perform their decency. All of sudden a guy stood up saying “hello to everybody… lets introduce ourselves with one another…so I am Sumit from Bangalore.” 2^nd guy stood up saying “hi…me ratnesh from Chandigarh. ” then 3^rd … 4^th… 5^th and so on. Everybody introduced oneself including me. Now there was no silence in the room but hi…hello… I was quite impressed with his initiative.

Day after day our classes started running and we got busy in our study and projects. I didn’t know what was happening to me. Most of the time I used to think about him and when in class my eyes always searched for him. Though he never gave any special attention to me, but I fell in love with him.

Once I was honored for the very good concept in a project competition and got certificate from the board members. Everybody was congratulating when he came to me and said, “Hey… u done very well … congrates” saying these he forwarded his hand to me.  Perhaps the certificate from the board members could not make me as happy as these few words made me energetic. We Shaken Hands and this was the moment our friendship started. But friendship could not be sustained so long because love was replaced on that. As new generation never get hesitated while being in living relation we were also not the exception. We shifted our living to a new apartment and started life together. I always counted every of his action as a part of love though it could be considered as attachment or anything else.

Life was running good. our last semester remained.  We decided to get marry just after completing our education. One day I discussed with my father about Sumit. He was willing to meet him. He and mom immediately taken a flight and landed in Mumbai just to meet him. They also liked Sumit and asked him for taking the consent of his parents too. He assured. I came with my parents to my home for 3-4 days as there was leave in college. He also moved to his home committing to talk with his family.

I was taking dinner with my parents and was feeling myself on seventh heaven because already blessed with my loving parents I was going to be totally dependent after completing my studies as I was selected in campus interview.  Secondly I was also going to be blessed with one common dream of all girls of my age to be a bridal of a groom of their dream and Sumit was that dream groom for me. I was startled with the mobile ring. I jumped from the dining chair seeing his name on my mobile phone. Leaving dinner and my parents I walked away to talk to him.

I said in excitement “O hi sumit … I was expecting your call…I knew you were  missing me … I was missing you too…but now we are going to be each other’s forever…so only few days left ….”

I was talking and talking but there was a silence on other side. All of sudden I felt it. I asked,”hello … sumit…are you there!?”

“ya” he responded.

 “Then why are you so silent???...anyways…so you discussed with your family? When are they coming to see me haan…” I giggled

“Actually Shreya” he timidly said

“What shreya…I m so excited and you are talking in a tone so low … come on yaar… so tell when am I meeting to your family”

after a pause he said “shreya…I didn’t discuss with my family”

“why” she asked

“shreya…I know we love each other… “ he was speaking with pauses “and you always were interested in marriage”

“I was only interested?  not  you?”  she asked in doubt.

he cleared  “ya…I was also interested … I accept… and we committed to get marry but….”

“but? but what ?” she interrupted

“can’t it be happened that we live in a same way we were living” he came to the point.

Now her all excitements got vanished and she curiously asked “but what the changes will happen. We will live in a same way after marriage too”

“that’s what I want to say…we will be in the same way….then what the need of marriage…” he added “look shreya…we both are modern then why should we apply the old customs upon us like marriage n all…we will always be in need of space…and after marriage that’s not possible… if any problem arises between us then at least we can leave each other happily…no boundation of marriage”

I was shocked hearing all these from his mouth. I never thought that he would ever talk like that. Then also I collected courage to speak “Marriage is a boundation for you? ….you can leave me anytime? …how could you think that? ” I started crying and said almost shouting “how the hell are you talking about … you didn’t think at least once about our love…if our love could be converted in marriage then u considering it as a boundation?”

“look shreya…listen to me “ he interrupted

“what else you want to make me listen to… what else remained now sumit…if you were not interested in these kind of things then why didn’t you let me know before enjoying and use me”

“shreya” he interrupted with rigid voice “don’t talk like that…you can’t blame me alone….I was not the only to make you do that but you were interested too” he became again soft “and I am not going backward yaar … I am just saying not to get marry but I am not leaving you…I still have feelings for you but don’t want to be burdened with the responsibilities and expectations … I promise I will continue our relation in those manner  it was running…”

sumit was continuing but his words started becoming slower to me as I got fainted and couldn’t hear his words. I was likely to fall down if my parents were not there to hold me as they already came listening to my shouting voice. They took me to the hospital. I was totally shattered and not willing to talk anybody except keeping me mum totally. My parents never blamed me for anything not even they asked about what has happened. They just supported me and wanted me not to be broken. It has taken around two years to be out from that situation. My semester could not be completed. My studies were interrupted. All my dreams were shattered. Anybody could take the decision of suicide in that type of situation but my parents dragged me from those depression. They again nurtured me as a child and put the seed of zeal to blossom again. I am really thankful to god for giving me such a parents. “

As she finished her story I and reema were wet with tears though she was not. She again became firm as she used to be.

She added, “and now when I got a second inning of my life, I will never let anybody spoil it. and I will be the role model of those girls who had  to be indulged in mismatched marriage just for the sake of marriage…I will prove that marriage is not the only destination for girls…”

Her voice was much firmed that we couldn’t speak any word except appreciating her zeal in her new life.