Loving Her.

Randhir had at times wish that Aryan had never crossed their path, that way he would never have the need to leave town and Sanyukta. But the truth still remained the same. He had never left Sanyukta. It was she who left him but he would never complain. Her happiness was probably not supposed to reside with him. Randhir gulped down the remaining contents of his latte, smacking his lips and embedding it in his memory. As he finished writing the letter, his phone rang. "Are you coming?" Aryan asked in a hoarse voice. "I'm leaving town. I can't make it." Randhir replied. "I wish she had never met you!" Aryan spat bitterly. Randhir smiled sadly. 'I wish she hadn't. It would've saved me from a heartbreak. But I'm glad I did because it made me realise what love was...', he said in his mind. Aryan hung up on him and Randhir exhaled sharply. He ran his hands through his hair and smiled. "I love you, Sanyukta. And I'll always love you because love isn't slave to time, space or situations..." He murmured dreamily out into the open. Randhir looked on either sides of the bridge and onto the river for the last time. He sighed...he would probably never set foot back into this town. He walked down the road remembering the time when Sanyukta broke the news about Aryan and her.

"You...cheated on me?" His voice shattered like a thousand glass shards. "I swear I never intended to. I'm so sorry, Randhir. I truly am. It just happened. It wasn't planned. I just fell for him." Randhir couldn't help but smile at the sincerity in her voice. She loved Aryan just the way he loved her. "You could've told me before...I never really wanted to find it out this...this way." His voice clearly shaken; his spirit broken. "I'm sorry you caught us kiss but..." "It's not your love that hurts me, Sanyukta. It's the fact that maybe my love failed cause you couldn't own up to your love for him. I've failed you. I've failed at loving you..." "What?" She replied astonished. "Don't you say that, Randhir. You've loved me with all your heart. I'm the one who failed at loving you. I'm hopeless. You shouldn't love me." Her voice dropped. "Sanyukta...ever since I saw you kiss him I wished I hadn't loved you...But I can't stop loving you. What sort of a love do I hold for you if it can't withstand turbulences?" "Don't be such a good man, Randhir. I'm a sinner. I've broken your heart." Sanyukta sobbed. "Don't cry, Sanyukta. You've only loved. It's just that you've loved someone else." Randhir had smiled. "Randhir, please...I want to make it up to you..." Sanyukta pleaded desperately. "Alright. Promise me that you'll love Aryan with all of you...you'll love him with such intensity that nothing and no one can break or part you away from him. Can you promise me that?" "I will, Randhir! I promise to love him and hold him dear till the end of time." Sanyukta swore. Randhir smiled at her. This was all that he wanted. "I guess this is it then...", he said. When he was about to open the door, Sanyukta's voice stopped him. "I wish I can love the way you love me. I can only imagine how hard it is for you to walk away from me and..." "I sincerely hope that you never come across any such situation where you have to part from the one you love, Sanyukta because only death seems less painful than it." Randhir spoke in a hushed tone. "I know I possess no rights to ask a favour but please stop loving me, Randhir." Randhir had turned to face her. His eyes staring at her face with such passion that his gaze was trying to burn down each feature of hers in his memory. "I can never do that. You wouldn't understand it now but maybe one day you'll know what I mean..." Randhir said and walked out of her house. That was the last time Randhir had consciously made and effort to meet Sanyukta until two days ago. It had been three years since the confrontation and with every passing day he could see her love for Aryan get stronger from afar. Every day for the last three years he had only one name inscribed on his heart; the one name that he breathed for...Sanyukta.
The town where they had lived was small and almost every other day Randhir would bump into either Aryan or Sanyukta. He would see her from afar. Maybe that was the least of rights his love for her had bestowed upon him. He would see her smile when Aryan would whisper in her ears and strangely there wasn't any pang of jealousy. It was only love. Love that made his heart soar sky high. He would see her sip her tea and imagined how marvellous it would feel if his lips would get a single taste of hers or atleast the spot on the cup where hers were seconds ago. Randhir knew that Sanyukta and his love for her would drive him insane so a few months into the incident he had started to explore cities abroad. He stayed over at friends who weren't in town, took trips to exotic destinations and travel for work. Randhir would return to his hometown once every four months but wouldn't stay back for longer than a fortnight. It was just that innate need he had which made him want to come back and check up on her. Over the months her would be so fascinated to spot those minute changes in her features if he every saw her. At times she lost weight; on others she gained some. She would experiment with her hairdo; colour it, cut it or grow it. Randhir knew that his heart would never be satisfied from admiring Sanyukta but once his mind decided that he had enough of her that would keep him going for the next few months; he'd take to his heels. However it was only on his last trip when he realised that Sanyukta had gained a few extra pounds than usual and had that distinctive glow on her face. On enquiring, he found out that she was expecting a child. Randhir didn't know how was he to react. From what he remembered, Sanyukta had absolutely adored children. So he was supposed to be happy...why was it that he could feel his heart ache. He stayed indoors from then on. He wouldn't receive calls nor step outside. It was like he was dealing with his inner demons. One night, a week later, he walked into a local pub. He decided that the only way he could escape from his sorrow was to get drunk. Randhir was astonished to find Aryan sitting on a high stool at the bar, gulping down shots. Randhir sat down besides him and ordered a drink. Aryan hicupped and laughed. "Hey..." He acknowledged and Randhir raised his beer mug. "To your family," Randhir toasted. "Family..." Aryan scoffed and before he knew it Aryan had tears in his eyes. Randhir frowned. What was with him? "Family is where they stick with me...they don't part away..." "What do you mean?" Randhir asked disappointed. Had Sanyukta broken her promise? "S...a..Sanyukta...she's going to die." Aryan whispered and Randhir felt like his soul left his body. "What?" He asked. Aryan had to be joking. A rather disgusting joke. Sanyukta wasn't dying. She was staying alive and healthy...with that beautiful pregnant glow. "Her heart is weak, Randhir. The doctors say that she wouldn't make it through if she delivers the baby." Aryan said. "THEN TELL HER TO ABORT DAMMIT! HOW CAN YOU PUT HER LIFE AT STAKE!" NO! THIS WASN'T HAPPENING! Randhir hadn't left Sanyukta so that she would die! NO! He had parted ways so that she would live a long & happy life with the one SHE loved. "I did Randhir...I told her to abort. She just doesn't listen. She says that she loves me too much & she knows how much I love our child. She isn't ready to give up on it. I've told her that she's the only thing that matters...her health is of prime importance but she's adamant." Randhir was in a fix. Sanyukta was keeping her promise. She was going to love Aryan like crazy. But Randhir couldn't let her die. No harm was to reach her atleast until when he was alive. "The doctors say that they are looking for a donor cause only a heart transplant would keep her alive but there isn't much success." Aryan cried. Randhir stood up silently and had walked away. That night sleep was far away from his mind. He had to find a donor and help her. The next morning, Randhir went to the hospital and contacted the doctor who was attending Sanyukta's case.
On convincing, the doctor agreed that he would operate Sanyukta as Randhir had found her a donor. He also asked the doctor to neither inform Sanyukta not Aryan as he didn't want them to contact the donor. The donor was a private man. When Randhir was back home, he left his mother a voicemail saying that he was going to go on a trip. A trip which was far away from town and that he wasn't sure when he'd return back. He asked her to take care of herself and that he wasn't a loving son to leave her all alone. His mother had been on a trip with her husband; his step father. His step father was a good husband and a loving gaurdian and Randhir had always held immense respect for him. The operation was scheduled in the next week and Randhir decided that he had to meet Sanyukta before he'd leave. At least just once.