Eligible Bachelor

Chapter 26


Aastha got back home and charged her phone. She messaged Samyak that she will call later as it was already quite late. By the time Samyak was already asleep thinking about Aastha and of course jet lag. They talked after that day but couldn’t discuss what was left in between. Samyak joined his office after the weekend and told his parents there is a client meeting in Mumbai and he has to go there. He will stay with Aditya and will be back in 2 days. Aastha also thought it would be better if they talk when Samyak is in front of him.


Samyak reached Mumbai and went to Aditya’s house first. They catch up with each other as they were meeting after very long time. Aditya felt a change in Samyak’s attitude. After his engagement broke he had kept himself away from everyone. But now he is back to normal again. Aditya can see he looks happy and cheerful.


“Samyak I am really happy to see you. Finally, our old Samyak is back. You got lost somewhere after whatever happened but now I can see the confident, cheerful and positive you. I must say this London trip has done magic.” Aditya said happily.


“Magic has surely done.” Samyak thought to himself and smiled thinking about Aastha.


“What Man?? Smiling silently. What is going on?” Aditya looked at him suspiciously.


Samyak instantly hides his excitement and replied to Aditya, “Arey Bhaiya… nothing going on. You are correct. This trip made me realize we should not close our life because of one unfortunate incident. I learned to move on and I am happy now. Also bhaiya I want to say sorry. I know my behavior must have hurt everyone. I didn’t talk to anybody properly.”


“Ahh, that’s all right. We all understood how difficult it would be for you. Anyways let bygones be bygones. So tell me what is your plan for today?” Aditya asked.


“In the evening, I have a meeting. So I will leave in some time and will back around night.” Samyak replied.


“Alright then you finish your meeting and we will plan something for tomorrow.” Aditya said.


Samyak and Aastha have decided to meet at Marine Drive. Aastha also wrapped up her work early and started from her office. She was equally excited to meet Samyak but she has something in her heart that she wanted to share with him. She was not sure how Samyak will react to it so a she is anxious as well.


Samyak was already reached at the place. He looked around and saw Aastha coming towards him. She was wearing a purple top and black palazzo. Her hair was flowing with the wind. She came near to Samyak and he smiled. He gave her the bouquet of daisies that he got for her on the way. She smelled it and smiled back.


“They are lovely.” She said.


“Less than you. Ahh, I can’t tell you how am I feeling to see you after so long.” Samyak hugged her. She hugged him back but it is not the same as it was before. Samyak felt little formal by her gesture but he ignored that thought.


“I am so relieved to see you as well.” Aastha also said softly.


“Come let’s sit.” Samyak holds her hand and they sat on the edge facing towards the sea. They looked at the waves, which are coming and going. The cool breeze was touching their faces. They sat there holding hands without uttering a word, just feeling each other’s presence and warmth. After a while, Samyak looked at Aastha closely and sensed there is something bothering her.


“Aastha will you tell me what is the matter or should I guess?” Samyak finally broke the silence.


“Means?” Aastha looked at him puzzled.


“I know you something is bothering you. What is it? Tell me.” Samyak asked.


Aastha felt bad for her behavior and tried to hide the fight going on between her mind and her heart.

“It’s nothing. I was just lost on some thoughts. Leave all this, tell me how is everyone at home. They must be very happy to see you back.”


Samyak is now confirmed there is something. But he gave her sometime before coming back to that so he replied casually, “Yes everyone is doing good. How is Jiya? Her exams must have over by now.”


“Yes, she is giving some interviews. She wanted to join office but I asked her not. I don’t want her to give up her dreams. She has studied this course of journalism with so much passion and I want her to work in that field. I am handling office with help of everyone else so I told her to not worry about it.” Aastha told.


“Yes, that’s right. She should not worry when she has you as her elder sister. You know Aastha, you have handled everything so perfectly. Just one problem is there…” Samyak left it in the middle.


“Problem?? What happened? Did I do anything wrong?” Aastha asked worriedly.


“Yes… you are not taking care of my girl. Look how weak you have become. But now I am back and will take care of you. I think its time we should let our parents know about us.” Samyak said.


Aastha looked at Samyak and said, “Samyak, I am thinking about this for some time. I don’t know how should I say but this is bothering me a lot.”


“What is it Aastha? That day on call also, you want to say something but it couldn’t be completed. Tell me now whatever it is.” Samyak asked in a serious tone.


“Actually it is about us, our relationship, our future. I don’t know how will it be?” Aastha couldn’t express her feelings clearly.


“How will it mean? I am not able to understand what are you saying.” Samyak looked at her puzzled.

“I mean, it is all very complicated. Look Samyak as soon we will tell our parents about us, next thing they want us to get married.” Aastha was continuing but Samyak interrupted her.


“So don’t we want that too?” Samyak asked.


“Don’t take me wrong Samyak. It’s not that I don’t want to marry you but Marriage is a huge step. You know how things are currently going on. I can’t leave my Papa and sister at this point. I am also handling the office. Getting married is not just about us. It involves our families. We need to think and decide a lot of things before.” Aastha did not want to hurt Samyak but saying all this is not easy for her as well.


“Of course we need to think a lot and as long as we are together we will manage everything.” Samyak consoled her.


“It is not that simple Samyak. Situations have changed a lot.” Aastha said with disappointment.


“But our love hasn’t Aastha. We promised for always being there for each other and we will keep it. And every problem has a solution.” Samyak is thinking the problem is not that big.


“I know Samyak we promised and I also want a solution but there are so many questions that I am not sure how we will find it.” Aastha said worriedly.


Samyak took her hands and said, “I know you have a huge responsibility here. You can’t leave everything. But I can move here. You need not leave anything and I can take a transfer or maybe look for another opportunity. See problem solved.” Samyak suggested and smiled.



“No Samyak… It’s not just about me or my family. What about Uncle and Aunty? They also have some expectation from their daughter-in-law. I don’t know if I will able to meet it with all these responsibilities. Staying here with my family doesn’t mean that I make you leave your family. That would not be correct. Even before I become a part of your family it would look like I take you away from them. And you know how social norms are, if my Papa will come to know about us, he will surely force me to leave everything here. He will never accept this that he stays with us after our marriage and I don’t stay with my in-laws. Jiya is there with him now but after her marriage, he will be all alone. He is not able to handle himself now when we are here, what will he do afterward. If he comes to know, I am sure he will show he is strong and capable but I know he is not.” Tears rolled down from her eyes and she couldn’t control herself.


Samyak was looking at her without blinking his eyes. It seems like someone wakes him up from a beautiful dream and showed him reality. He never thought about it all this. But thinking about Aastha, not with him shook his soul and he started, “Aastha nothing like that happen. We will think about something. Please don’t give up like this. We will do something to sort it out. I can’t even imagine myself without you. We will figure out.”


“Samyak, saying all this is not easy for me as well. I am going through such a pain thinking about all this for so many days. I never thought such a turn would come to our relationship. You have always been my support throughout and I don’t want to lose you either. Without you and your love, I don’t know what would I have done and thought about you not being there makes me restless. But when I think about our families, I don’t know what is right or wrong. Will it or not be selfish just to think about us at this point? I don’t know… I don’t know anything….” Aastha covered her face.


Samyak understood what Aastha is talking about but he is not getting convinced. The conflict between practicality and emotions, mind and heart, responsibility and love are continuously going on. They both looked at each other clueless that who is going to win and what would be their future.

 

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Chapter 27


Aastha looked at her watch.


“It is quite late now. I think we should leave now.” She said to Samyak after a long silent pause.


Samyak also looked around. It was dark and the crowd is also less now.


“Hmm… let’s go.” Samyak replied as they have nothing in their mind as of now to say or console each other. The feeling of losing each other is overpowering everything else.


“I will come to the airport tomorrow.” Aastha said sitting in her car.


“I will wait for you.” Samyak said as his cab has also arrived.


Samyak reached back to Aditya’s house after some time.


“Samyak… where were you?” Aditya asked as he entered.

“I am sorry bhaiya. The meeting went quite long. And my phone’s network is not proper so couldn’t inform you.” Samyak said with a dull voice.


“What happened? You look very tired. Come let’s eat something.” Aditya asked him worriedly looking at his sad face.


“Ohh nothing bhaiya… not used to Mumbai’s traffic so got little tired. I had something outside. I want to rest for sometime.” Samyak said as he is in no mood to talk or eat anything.


“Ok, no problem. You go and take rest. We will talk tomorrow.” Aditya also doesn’t pressurize him much and let him go.


Samyak lied on the bed and closed his eyes. Everything Aastha said is running into his head. He is trying hard to think about a solution but all in vain. He was feeling helpless as his love is getting distant from him.


He started thinking that whatever Aastha said is right, it's not just about us. One side is love and another side is our families, our duties, and responsibilities towards them. We cannot just ignore everyone for our sake. We have to think about them first. But how will I live without her? Just thinking about it is breaking my heart. I would be shattered if she will go away from me. Tears start coming from his eyes without his knowledge and he doesn’t stop them.


Aastha reached home with heavy heart. She opened the door with the keys as it was already late so her father and sister must be asleep. She went to drink water and someone came from behind.


“Didi… where were you? You got very late today.” Jiya was standing behind her.


“Ohh Jiya… you are still awake. Actually, meeting took long.” Aastha drank water and tried to look normal.


“Ohh… you must be very tired. Let me serve dinner for you.” Jiya went to get a plate.


“No Jiya… I am not hungry. I will take some rest now. You also go and sleep. Has Papa slept?” Aastha asked.


“Papa is sleeping. I gave him dinner and medicines.” Jiya replied.


“That’s good. Ok, Jiya… good night.” Aastha wants to run in her room as she is not able to control her emotions and she doesn’t want Jiya to feel anything is wrong.


“Good Night didi… Didi…” Jiya called her from back.


“Yes, Jiya…” Aastha turned and looked at her.


“Are you okay Didi?” Jiya asked as she felt something looking at her.


“Yes, Jiya… It just that the day was quite hectic.” Aastha tried to say normally.


Jiya smiled getting assurance from her sister and Aastha went to her room. She closed the door and sat on the floor. She started sobbing thinking about the conversation she had with Samyak.

They both are feeling helpless. They were reliving all the moments they have spent together. Both of them couldn’t sleep that night. The only thing in their eyes were tears.


Next morning Samyak got up and freshen up. He has to catch an evening flight so he packed his stuff. Aditya came to his room.


“Hey, how are you feeling now?” Aditya asked.


“Good Morning bhaiya. Feeling better.” Samyak plainly lied.


“Doesn’t look like. I guess you couldn’t sleep the whole night. Is it because of the place change?” Aditya looked at his eyes.


“Ahh… ya maybe because of that but I am fine.” Samyak rubbed his eyes.


“Cool then its brother’s time. You have evening flight also so you can have lunch and then I will drop you.” Aditya instructed.


“Ok bhaiya. Lets go.” Samyak is in no mood of going anywhere but he cannot refuse Aditya. They went out for a stroll and lunch. He tried to act normal. Samyak was physically present there but his heart and mind were only thinking about Aastha and their conversation. After lunch, Aditya dropped him at the airport.

After Aditya left, Samyak was standing in the waiting area as there is still time for the check-in. Aastha came after 5 minutes.

She was looking dull same as Samyak. They looked at each other sadly. Aastha broke the silence after few minutes.


“Are you upset with me? Do you think I am wrong? Please say something. I am feeling guilty that I hurt you.” Aastha couldn’t bear his silence.

Samyak looked at her and smiled, “You know Aastha, you can never hurt me. I am not angry with you. Whatever you said yesterday, it needs compassion and strength to say all that and after listening to your views, my love and respect for you have increased. You thought about our families and I completely agree with you. So you need not feel guilty for anything. I guess that’s what destiny has planned for us.”


Aastha’s eyes turned wet and she said with a heavy heart, “I can’t thank enough to God for sending you into my life. No one can ever understand me better than you but I couldn’t make your life happy and beautiful the way you deserved. Please don’t get sad and move on in your life, that’s the last thing I am asking you.”


Samyak looked at her in disbelief, “You are asking me to forget myself. I am not anything without you. If I have to forget you and move on, maybe I need to forget myself first. Look Aastha, I understand we cannot be together but don’t ask me to do something which is impossible for me. Getting married and living together don’t complete our love. My love for you remains forever and that’s the only thing left with me. Please don’t ask me to give up that and that’s the last thing I am asking you.


Aastha couldn’t utter a word and her heart is filled with emotions. She can’t control and hugged Samyak. Samyak hugged her gently and they both felt the warmth and love of each other.


Samyak’s flight is announced. He wiped her tears and said, “So I guess that’s it. I should get going now. You take care of yourself.”


“Hmm… you also take care. See y…” Aastha couldn’t complete her sentence and realized that it might be the last time they are seeing each other. Talking and meeting each other will make things more difficult for them. So they have to stop doing all that.


Samyak waved at her and she waved back. Samyak turned with a wrench as this is it for their story. He showed himself strong and positive in front of Aastha but he is shattered from inside.

Aastha remained standing there until Samyak disappeared in the crowd.