Life with(out) him

Chapter 12

Mira

I was surprised to find myself in the similar surroundings once again. I smiled inwardly as I started reminiscing those carefree days of sheer happiness. Before I knew it I was at the front porch of Vikram's house, and I thought to myself, 'why couldn't I be the one to unexpectedly surprise him for once?!'
'Mira! Welcome dear! It's so good to finally see you here.' I hugged Reema aunty, 'I'm so happy to be here after so many years!' And I indeed was, though I wished things wouldn't have had been so bad for her and Anay uncle. The place seemed empty without him. And then I realised what everyone said about my face, it mirrored my thoughts very easily, and today I didn't want to talk about anything related to the past. Especially when the past was connected to the woman in front of me. And as abruptly as it might sound I hastily asked if Vikram was awake. It did indeed sound quite abrupt because Reema aunty eyed me quite curiously but then I guess she eventually figured out the reason behind this weird behaviour herself. As soon as Reema aunty mentioned that Vikram was most likely to be still asleep, I ran off from there into Vikram's room quite hurriedly.

That was close. I heaved a sigh of relief when I found myself in.. not so familiar surroundings of Vikram's room. I frowned, my brows together as I tried to recollect the room ten years ago, and I was sure it definitely wasn't this dull. Well to start with the entire room was like a nomad's house with just bare necessities like a cupboard, a desk and a bed. I smirked at that, plus the colour of the room was a dull pastel cream, which seemed lifeless. I closed my eyes in disbelief. I moved on towards the desk to find a framed photograph and the picture in it caught my eye. It was us on a see-saw about eighteen years ago. I remembered quite vividly. Reema aunty had captured the moment quite precisely. 'You know its bad manners to intrude one's privacy.' A very groggy voice made me turn around. I started laughing at the sight in front of me, Vikram with totally dishevelled hair, sleepy eyes and who was now looking questioningly at me, 'What?'
'I thought you said you were an insomniac, I just came in to check that part out. Guess you lied.' He started focusing elsewhere clearly quite disinterested to have an argument early in the morning. 'Vikram?' he focused back on me again with his eyebrows raised prodding me to continue, 'Why have you turned your room so dull? I mean the only lively thing in here is probably that picture on your desk!' I wanted to say that out so badly, and I did. I know it sounded a bit self-obsessive but hey, that picture had memories and it was something to do with happiness. 'Well, life is dull Mira, it is a reality.' I eyed him suspiciously, 'No! It is not, you're making it dull, life happens the way we shape it.'
'Ya! Easy for you to say. It does not happen like that in my world.' This was taking a bad turn. I wanted to get rid of all the poison he had stored in him probably as an after-effect of his father abandoning him. But I realised that it would take time. I agree, what Anay uncle did was not acceptable but maybe if I were in his position, I would've done the same thing. I would've run from any part of the world to be with Vikram. I mean I wouldn't have got married in the first place. Abandoning a child is horrendous.

Lost in these thoughts Vikram snapped his fingers in my face, raising his eyebrows, 'Where did you get lost this time?' I shook my head, 'Nowhere. So what am I getting first, the letter or the inside joke on Shergill, whoever he is.'
'Neither. We're going to meet your friend Radha.' I heard him say right before he got up to freshen up, 'And if you don't mind could you wait for me outside. We've grown up now.' I narrowed my eyes to look at him angrily, at least I tried to do it. I stomped out from the room muttering 'Going' quite angrily.

Vikram did not take longer than ten minutes, and boy! He did look smart in his white t-shirt that gave away his toned biceps and his completely fit body. The white t-shirt was perfectly complemented with a classy regular black jeans. He smiled at me as he approached the living area. 'If we weren't here I would've whistled at you!' I whispered in his ear aware of Reema aunty's presence. 'So you finally figured out a way to whistle!'
'Ahem!' Our eye contact was broken by Reema aunty who was making sure we knew about her presence. 'We were just leaving Ma!' the conversation came to a stop when Vikram's phone started ringing and this time I did not get a chance to eye the caller from the screen.
'Yes sir!' 'Sure sir!' 'We'll report in two days sir!' I don't know who it was but Vikram suddenly stood quite stiff next to me, and if it was anything serious as I had been thinking, he sure did hide it well. 'Just give me a minute Mira.' He addressed me ever so gently.
'Anuj, it was the Commander.' 'Yes!' 'In two days.' 'Hmm.' 'So now it's going to be a registered one?' 'Is Natasha okay with that?' 'True!' 'I'll call Shravan!' 'See you!' I was looking at Vikram from the corner of my eye, quite clueless to the happenings around.
'This is their life you know. They have to leave immediately even during their holidays if there is an emergency.' Reema aunty broke my train of thoughts. I nodded aimlessly at her while Vikram continued with a similar conversation with Shravan. 'Okay Ma! All set! I'll have to leave in two days. Will you be staying here or back at the academy?' I looked at the duo, again quite clueless.
'I haven't decided yet.'
'Okay! Mira, shall we leave?' I looked at him with the same expressionless face and I guess my face depicted quite clearly that I was scared, because as soon as we were out of the house Vikram hugged me, consoling that it was all going to be okay. 'This is how it is Mira. My country needs me, I have to go.'
'Well it was you who wanted to prove to the entire world that you were brave, not me!' I muttered as I tried putting distance between us. He smiled at my childish logic and held on to me, his arm on my shoulder, 'But you're with me now! You have to be brave you know.' I twitched my lips at that and changed the subject completely. 'So let's go meet Radha.'
'Okay, and I'll tell you about Lieutenant Shravan Shergill as we walk.'

Well to say that Radha was thrilled to see us together would be an understatement. She hugged Vikram as if she'd known him her entire life. Wait! That's just me. She winked at me which went unnoticed by Vikram of course and I winked back. 'He's leaving in two days.' I had to get it out of my system. Vikram looked at me quite understandingly but Radha couldn't figure out the problem. 'So?' I looked at her as if she had lost her nuts but she continued oblivious to the fact, 'You could either accept him the way he is and be brave about it or simply let go!'
'Hey hello!' Vikram couldn't stand by watching Radha advising me to let him go. Radha continued her talk as if I wasn't present there, 'She's a chicken. She's been wanting to be with you ever since you left. She'd never leave you. She just needs some good spanking at times.' He nodded half-heartedly at that. It was true, I just had to accept the fact that for him his nation would always come first. And I had to be brave about it the way he was. I looked at him, I could clearly see concern written all over his face. I assured him that I would be just fine.
'By the way I'll see you at the registrar tomorrow.' I knew Radha was hiding something the moment she'd winked at me, but I couldn't conclude anything.
'The registrar?'
'Anuj and Natasha. Didn't Vikram tell you?' I looked at Vikram. 'Well, Anuj told me like ten minutes ago. So unless Radha knows Natasha, which is highly impossible....' He left it incomplete and we faced Radha.
'Spill the beans.' She looked at us, especially Vikram when she said the next words, rather shyly I noticed. 'Shravan kind of...' 'Stop! Right there.' Vikram didn't even let her finish the sentence. What was going on, I had to know. I pushed myself into the conversation and asked him, 'Vikram?' 'Mira, she's talking about the same Shravan that I just told you about while coming here. The playboy Shravan. Shravan Shergill.' I looked at Radha, my eyes suddenly quite wide open. 'Radha?' 'He's changed you know. Plus we're taking it slow.' I didn't know what to say. I was scared, what if he hurt her? Broke her heart? As if voicing my concerns Vikram spelled them out loud, 'I won't let him hurt you, trust me on that.'

The next day, I clambered alongside Vikram to the registrar's office. Anuj and Natasha's marriage was quite low key to what I would've expected, but then again when I had asked Natasha about it she'd simply said, 'I just want to be Mrs. Anuj Sharma before he leaves tomorrow you know.' I smiled as the two vowed to stand by each other through thick and thin.
My thoughts came to a standstill, and my heart accelerated its speed when I heard a small voice near my ear, 'Do you want to be Mrs. Vikram Singh Shekhawat before I leave tomorrow?' I looked at Vikram shocked to hear the words out. 'Vikram are you proposing to me?'
'Well, I'm just mirroring your thoughts.'
'Well, I would've answered if it were actually a proposal.'
'Then it is.'
He pulled out a small box from his jacket pocket and held it out so that only I could see it. I looked in his eye to see pure sincerity in them, 'I've always wanted to be with you since the day I've known you Mira. It hasn't been easy for me these past few years and I'm sure it had been hard on you as well. I haven't been a perfect man. I know. But the years that I've spent away from you have made me realise how worthless they were and I'd like to make amends to that. I know I'd be gone most of the time in the year, but it would feel home if it meant that I'd be coming back to you every time. Will you promise to make me smile and walk this path of life together?'
I had tears in my eyes by the time he'd finished. He wiped those tears away lightly with his fingers. And as I nodded a silent yes, he opened the box and slipped the ring onto my finger. 'But I do not want a hurried ceremony like they had. I've waited for us longer than you could've imagined and a few more months would be nothing in front of that. Come back to me and we will get married in front of all our loved ones.'
'You have my word sweetheart.' And we sealed the vow with a light kiss.