I dediacte this chapter to Ria_borde.
As this is the last chapter, i would want each one you to share your experience about reading this novella. Please, I'd love to hear from each one of you, one last time, about this story. So, enjoy reading and please voice your opinions too.
Now, can I please ask you guys to give my other on-going story, "Vanakkam Japan"? If you love my writing, then you should definitely give it a try. This has been a very ambitious project of mine. Please go show it some love :D
Ria's P.O.V:-
My b'day is fast approaching. Okay, I might look like I'm exaggerated but I am not. It's because it's practically tomorrow. Every time, when it's approaching my b'day, my minds starts its own Power Point Presentation, where it goes through the timeline as how I've celebrated my b'day till now.
I've never had any elaborate b'day parties or functions, till date and when I say it, I mean it. My parents had always been ones who loved privacy, than pomp-fairs. So, no elaborate first b'day party, or any extravagant parties of that kind. But that never means we didn't enjoy our b'days properly. B'days and anniversaries(their marriage anniversary) generally called for a cosy family time. It was the one of those time, when all three would have sit down, had a proper dinner and conversation together. Otherwise, we all three are busy in our world. Dad talks about the day I was born, I was born in Mumbai at midnight and how he stayed with mom during the labour. Why mom wanted a boy? Well, because she thought people would run to her and congratulate her. As if? Is that even an achievement? But well, she just a funny person. The way, dad finds mom's features in me and the way mom finds dad's attitude in me. We discuss everything and anything and that's the day when I know that I'm in a family that is overflowing with love. So, naturally I was a born romantic, as you can see.
After the talk that I had with Sid, I have started to realize that there exits a world outside the world that I live and that the world of realism isn't that harsh at you, if you've people like Sid, our family( my parents and in-laws), and supportive friends. I realized how blessed and loved am I. I have started to accept people's love and admiration without thinking about what if I don't be able to fulfil it or deserve it, even. The role-play that we, started is really helping me from over-thinking things and let things be as it is.Things have started to look better now, from this perspective. I think I am really doing well, and not just I, but everyone around me are coping up and doing well.
Can you even believe this that Megha and Nivin are planning for a October wedding?
When, Megha confessed her undying love for Nivin, I was feeling bad that she was heading towards a heartbreak. But when Nivin did the same, I knew that all happened for good. Everything, from the start. Recently, I met Dr. Dev Mehra. He really is a gem of a person. He felt so bad that he had to miss our camp, but was happy when I told him that his wife did a great job. The love was evident between them and seeing them happy, made me happy.
About, Raj well in the camp, there happened a big scene with him and Swe, Seema's sister. It was then learnt that on the day of the mishap that Swe underwent, it was Vignesh's misdoings than Raj's. They reconciled and today are really great friends. possibly, even lovers, but Raj hasn't discussed anything on that line.
Seema is really doing a great job under Dr. Sengupta. Deepali has become Seema's apple of the eye and vice versa. I always find them both together. There had been many days when She and Dr. Sengupta take turns in taking care of Deepali and I heard that Deepali has spent so many nights at Seema's place that Dr. Sengupta feels very indebted to her. As far as I know, all are happy and that's what we need to know.
Abhay, Megha's ex has become a super hit in his office now that he is single. He is still swoorned by many women of the office but claims that he's waiting for his one. There's a very bossy, straight-forward journalist, Ishikha Singhania of the editorial column, who claims that she hates Abhay for his play-boy ways. She believes that he is a bug of the office and that once he isn't near the office there is peace found in office and everyone does their work properly. Ishikha is Megha's best friend and now since Abhay hangs a lot with Megha, Ishikha is finally getting tired of his ways and whining a lot. She even accuses that had Megha been with him, the office would have been much better place. Megha suspects that there's love behind all this. While, Abhay does the same about Ishikha.
Now, can there love be brewing well, my curious, romantic heart is working on three love stories, one for Seema, one for Raj and another for Abhay. But Sid says that I must concentrate on mine, than trying to fix others. Morever, he wants them to find their own story, rather than I forcing mine on them. So, I let them create their story, while I just observe them from outside.
So, back to my plans for celebrating my b'day, I was thinking if I should recreate those family dinners or if I should plan for a vacation for us? No, a vacation should wait, Sid is busy with his work and I can't disturb him. So, yeah, for now, I have planned for an eloborate dinner where all of our family member will go to restaurant and I'll bear the bill as my b'day gift.
I had my dress, make up look and everything that I want to do and just like every night before my b'day, my stomach knotted due to anxiety and I could hardly, sleep. So, I cuddled with my favourite book and went to lay on my bed with my cosy pj's on. Well, I was planning for cuddling Sid, but as you can see, he has a night shift today, so all I have left is my book. So, back to book cuddling.
~0~0~0~
I had woken up to the sound my alarm, sharp at four. Yes, now that's my routine and I had Sid's familiar arms around me. So, it's finally my b'day and see, mom you've been so successful that you have got me to share my bed on my 24th b'day. Yes, thanks to Sid, I would never have lonely days or nights. A man who loves me unconditionally, and who I have started falling slowly but steadily for. Imaging a life devoid of him, is something that is not upto my capabilities.
I pushed his arms and got about to do my work as I always do. I am so excited, just as always. hey, it's my b'day, anyaway. I just wanted to twirl and shout to the world on the top of the world that it's my b'day today. B'day always get me worked up. I went about to hall, which has recently become our exercise area. I met mummyji and bhabhi there and they didn't even wish me. But well, who can blame them. Mom, taught me that everyone is not a freak like me to remember people's b'day from any past conversations. So, I went about and told them specifically, that's its my b'day. They wished me nonchalantly. This just continue till breakfast. I made them all my favourite choco-bannana muffin which they enjoyed along with breakfast. I was planning for baking a cake, but somehow, bhabhi said that muffin was all enough. Too much sweet is not good. She joked ,like we all are getting old afterall and I had to give in. During breakfast, I specifically told Sid that it's my b'day and he teased me saying so the elephant was born today. I had to storm away from him. I had weight issuses during my teen. I took after dad and so I blew up in size. Well, none had call me fat even then. I was called this just right, or slightly overweight size. So, from then I hated people who tease me by my size, colour or looks. Well, I have this curly-wavy hair and people call it noodles. I hate it. I don't know if Sid did that on purpose or just like that. But I remember telling him the above. Anyway, leave you are not supposed to get angry on your b'day, it might affect the whole year. So, I cooled myself down. By the time, I arrived back to dinning table, I noticed that almost everyone had left saying one work or other. Sid was standing their and waiting for me.
"Ri, Dr. Kapoor wants to meet you about the formalities for the camp. He along with seniors from Delhi management team are waiting for us in hotel. Come, with me, fast."
"K. Sid. But the camp got over weeks back. Why meet now?"
"Do you remember Ri, that we Dr.'s were given permission they want to talk regarding that. now come fast. I have work after that. K? I don't have time for all your inquestive questions."
"Okay, Sid, but atleast give me time for fixing my hair and saree."
"Ria, you look great just like that. Now come let me do it."
Sid, just adjusted my saree and hair like I was a five year old and it didn't feel foriegn anymore. It felt just right. Perfect, even!! I could visualize us twenty years down the lane doing the same gestures. It was that time that it hit me that this time, it wasn't a casual crush that I generaly lost interest in month's time. I was seriously falling for him and that, this is going to be constant and the thought really did pacify my heart.
After he finsihed fixing my look, he took me to the car, while I followed him in an entranced state with swirls of emotions going through me. Within time, we were in the hotel's foyer.
Sid took me to their conference room. As he pushed the room open, he slowly moved in the crowd of familiar faces detaching his fingers from my palm. It was my family and friends, who were presently shouting, " Happy B'day!!" But everythings blurred from my vision and audio as tears fell not just because of my awe-struck state, but also because I realize how much I need Sid and he understands me. He knew that I always wanted this. I loved parties, makeup, fashion unlike my simple minded parents who despise all these. Sid, was where I belonged. Sid was what I needed.
In my whole life, he is the only one that has understood how much I love suprises. He is the only one who has given me this suprise party which I have always secretly wanted.
Sid slowly, moved from back, while bring amma, appa and Raj to front. He even values the people close to me. I felt fulfilled finally!!
I hugged amma, while appa patted my back and Raj was beaming. They moved me to the table where the cake, my favourite white forest had been placed and there while I was blowing the candles I wished that may my prince, Sid and I live happily ever after. I saw Sid in his simple striped blue shirt and black slacks, while my mind was imaging him in a prince coustume.
I cut the cake and pulled Sid to my side. I fed the cake in his mouth, while I whispered, " I love you, Sid. I finally found it in you. I mean it." He pulled away and stared me. Within, seconds, he eneveloped me in a hug and lift me slightly.
"Did she just say did she's pregnant Sid?" someone from the crowd whisper yelled.
" No, but she'll tell that soon." and with that the crowd burst into laughter.
When he put me down, he produced an envelope in my hand. Two plane tickets to Paris, the city thaty I always wanted to visit.
"This is for our honeymoon and your b'day, gift."
Now, it was my turn to hug him. I whispered, " So, you'll get your gift, soon for waiting paitently, my lover boy." His eyes twinkled in delight and sheer happiness. While the crowd, cheered, " So, she our lover-birds are in their own world."
Indeed, we were. I finally learnt to allow Sid into my world. Or should I say Sid forced himself down to my world. It was then and there, that I learnt one thing.
Love is an infectious disease that no doctor can cure. With it's subtle symptoms it corrupts you entirely. It makes you realize only after you've been finally captured by it.
Now, my fear for falling in love self spoke that, but from a romantics angle, love is like a flower, that blooms and blossoms everyday. All we need to do is nuture and support it through our actions. Mainly, wait for it to bloom, without predicting the future, its colour or shape. Let it blossom at it's own pace. Enjoy the blossoming period and after it had enjoy the end result_ that life long love that all yearn for.
After all seeing, each and everyone of us settled I also learnt one that love blossoms anywhere and anywhere. You can meet him accidently, like Megha had met Nivin or you might have known them for years, like Raj and Swe did, or you could be bound by the love for the common person, like Seema and Sengupta are for Depali, or be each other healer, like Dev and Geet, or found yourself attracted to a person despite thinking that you hate him, like Abhay and Ishikha is, or finally be bound by an arranged marriage like me and Sid is. Love happens and blossoms anywhere and everywhere. All you need to do is choose the right person and keep your eyes open to that love. Once the right person along with love comes to your life, everything would just fall in place. Now that's how love blossoms.
So, as I knew this is the beginning of the end for all of us.!!
<<0>>
I closed my laptop where I had been writing all the above into. I immediately sent it as a mail to Megha. She is working on her first draft but this is more like a guiding line. So,this was the first draft that I wrote for Megha. Afterall, she needs a vivid description about all our lives to make it into a fiction. As soon as I closed my laptop, I heard Sid, sigh from my behind. It has been a month from my b'day and now we're living in Mumbai. Sid has joined the Indian Cancer Institute as a surgeon. He says he wants to take my dreams ahead. Well, let's see where it goes. When I heard this news of us shifting our base to Mumbai, I was very depressed. I heard it right on our arrival from Paris. I paid for accomadation and other expenses. I made him accept that. I wasn't ready to go back to the nuclear setup. But Bhaiyaa promised me that he'd soon shift base to Mumbai and thus, we can countinue living together. Now, that made me accept to this idea.
He quickly came to my behind and started to massage my aching neck and back. Afterall, I had been typing back to back, to finsih this fast. Megha will be ready to publish by this October and she's planning to publish it under her psuedoneymn, Megha Rao. Her dream is finally going to come true. So, is mine. I have a true love, who take care of me, love me and life is far more better than what I had imagained. So, things are turning from good to better.
I pulled Sid to my side made him sit and there we started talking about our days. So, there goes our day and life.
<<0>>
Now, that's the end of this novel as per the plan. I am using the iceburg theory of Earnest Hemmingway and leaving you with various things that you can imagine about their life.
I gave that last paragraph just to give it a proper closure. So, that's it. What do you all feel after reading it?
So, do you like it? Please comment and send in your suggestions.
By the way, you can take a look into my other works.
"Tales Of Life"- a collection of short stories.
I am next going to start publishing the second updated version of this story. But I'll give this a good rest, before starting the second edition.
I am planning to start, " Seasons," a story which is also a romance but it'll have more drama to it. So, here's the storyline.
Sonal on her wedding day, accidentally comes across two identical diaries dated back to 2005. She picks them up and starts going through them to fulfil her curiosity. She learns that Ishikha Iyer, Aditya's( her fiance) secretary and the one she considers her sister is the one that Aditya has been pinning for all these years. Sonal had been Aditya's business partner's friend who befriended him, pestered him to get married to her, because she fell in love for him. Now, that she knows the truth will she able to give up Aditya to Ishikha?
How will Aditya react if he knows that Ishikha Iyer is his brother's sister Ishikha Kapoor who is on an identity undercover trying to start her life afresh?
How will things unfold?
( So, what say about the new storyline? Give it a try too. Atleast there I would trying updating in regular intervals. i finally learnt to write in tight deadlines. I am doing an unpaid internship and thanks to that I am learning to write faster and is quite motivated and inspired thanks to you guys. i wish I could write forever to you. But all good things come to an end. So, here is it. Bye and I'll miss you heaps.)
P.s. : I'll send broadcast a message to my followers as when I'll start updating the second version of Love Blossoms. So, please be in touch. Adios.
Update: 2-04-15: "Our Story", spin off this story is updated. http://www.wattpad.com/myworks/36338613-our-story. here's the link, so, go and check it out too. Share, comment and vote generously. Okay? Your ideas and constructive criticisms are allowed. Okay? Take care and enjoy reading.
Update: 1-01-2016: I'm planning to take down "Our Story" and instead of that just rewrite"Love Blossoms, properly in a more elaborate and descriptive manner, so that I can give you guys a proper manuscript instead of a discovery draft to read on. But until, I post the newly edited version of this story, I want you guys to check out my two other stories-"Seasons" and "His Indian Fiancée" . In both of these stories, I've tried different narrative and story telling techniques. I'd be estactic if you guys wish to give my other works the same kind of love that you gave to this story. Thank you:)
-Anuradha.S, a.k.a. dianapenty18