Beautiful Mirage!

It is a calm, sunny evening. Lalitha sat with her favorite writer's novel in her bedroom. She is totally involved in it. Someone suddenly shut her eyes standing behind her.

"Why do you try to shock me? Only one person in this world play with me like this. And its you my sweetheart Anu." said Lalitha. "Aunty!" said Anjali and sat beside her."Hmm. Didnt even notice me. You must be seriously concentrating in that book. Whats so interesting?"

"Its fiction. I wonder how can a person's imagination reach these heights." Lalitha explained.

"Uff!! I wonder how can someone read hundreds of pages with patience.' Anjali added.

Lalitha smiled and asked "Hows your work going? Adjusted?"

"Too much. Its already one and half years" Anjali said with a smile.

"Yeah. I know. But at the same time I see Avinash still struggling to be a part of your Uncle's business." Lalitha said with a sigh. "Its not like that. He just wants to be upto Uncle's expectations and he is giving his best." Anjali explained.

"Hmm. May be you are right. You know him better than me"

"Dont embarrass me. I am his best friend but your his mother."

"So what? Anyways whats up with your office and colleagues?"

"Everything is going fine. I told you anout Kiran rite? He is really helpful in work. Nice company and reduces my stress with his humor. Other people are also quite friendly. How are Sushma and Anil? Me and Avi miss them a lot. They are not just his cousins. But our best friends."

"Yeah! They are fine. Sushma called last week. She asked for your number. She will call you soon."

"Hmm." Anjali kept quiet for sometime.

"So what about your future plans? When you are going to get married?" Lalitha asked.

"Ah! Dont start again. Mama and Mami also call me often regarding this. I told them that I didnt think about it yet. I feel its too early. Why dont they listen?" Anjali said in a bit loud voice.

"Why wont they be worried? They are not just your Mama and Mami. They are also your parents." Lalitha tried to convince her.

"I dont deny that. I want them to give me time." Anjali wanted to conclude it.

"You may think its early. But me and your Uncle started bride hunt for Avinash." Lalitha said

"Oh! Thats cool! I will be a part of the bench of judges." Anjali said in a joy.

"Why not the bride itself?" Lalitha expressed her thought.

"Aunty?" Anjali said in a confused way.

"Yeah! Why not? I feel no one else would be perfect for Avinash other than you"

Anjali is unable to reply anything for few minutes and Lalitha is waiting for her silence to break.

Both unaware of someone near the door listening to them. Its Avinash himself.

"Did you talk to Avinash about it? What did he say?" Anjali asked.

"Yeah. I did. He just told me to ask you first."Lalitha answered.

"I know he would answer so. If I say yes, he will also say yes, if its no, he will also say no. He never expresses what he wants. Totally gives importance to people around him" Anjali said.

"Anu! This is what makes me feel that you are best for him. You know him better than anyone else. I really mean it.You know him from the age of five. You are equally close to me like him and also our family. Why dont you become a part of it permanently?"

Anjali closed her eyes and lowered her head. Lalitha continued "Dont you think that Avinash is the one who takes care of you the most? So why dont you say yes?" Lalitha asked. No response from Anjali. "Anu! Its ok if you want some time or its just no. Reply whatever you feel like. Anu just look at me" Lalitha lifted her chin and saw Anjali crying. "I am sorry Aunty. I am not that lucky person." Anjali hardly completed her words. "Hey calm down dear. Its ok. Just calm down. Lalitha hugged her . Anjali wiped her tears. Lalitha released her. Anjali started "Aunty! If I wont give the reason now, I cant forgive myself. I cant allow anyone in my life now. When I was sixteen I had been to mom's village to visit grand mother as she wasnt well. Mama gotta be there for one month and so me and Mami. I met a guy there, Charan. He must be around eighteen. He was citizen of some other country. He came there for holidays to his grand father's house. I had a crush on him. I never spoke with him. I used to watch him and admire. He left after fifteen days. I couldnt bare it. I thought I would be normal again returning here. I didnt tell this to Avi because I thought he would laugh at me. As days passed instead of forgetting him, I made him part of my life. I dont know its love or something else. But I feel I need him around for me to survive. I went to the village to figure out where is he now. But his grand father died. I asked where do they live but they could only answer "foreign". They didnt mention any country's name. I was disappointed to the core. I am unable to come out. It doesnt mean I am going to be like this forever but I just dont know when I will be ok." Anjali broke into tears again. Lalitha held her hand and tried to console.

A week later Anjali is on her way back home in two wheeler stand. As she started the scooty she heard a shout "Anjali! Anjali!" She turned back and its Kiran. She stopped. He came infront of her and said "I gotta talk to you. Can you come for a coffee?". "Yeah! Sure." she said with a smile.

Both sat over a table. He ordered Cappuccino for both. Anjali asked him "What do you wanna talk to me? Any problem?". He nodded and drank water and started "Anjali" but he couldn't Continue. Anjali in daze asked "Are you fine?". He said "Yeah! I am alright." quickly.

"Then go ahead. What's the matter?" she asked. He took a long breathe and said "Will you marry me?" looking into her eyes for response. She kept silent for few seconds and started "Look Kiran. You are really

a nice guy. But I don't think this will work out."

"I can't allow you to answer now. Just think about it. I don't think its a bad idea." he said confidently.

She replied "You know very little about me and my ..." He interrupted and said "I don't think so. I know your dedication, sincerity, temper, care. I don't care about your past. I just want you to be my Future and me yours.". Anjali looked at him impressed.

"Do you think you can wait?" she asked.

"Yes" he said firmly.

"If it is weeks,"

"Yes"

"Months?"

"Fine if it is years also. Because I love you."

She looked at her watch and said "I have to leave now". She got up and started walking towards entrance. He stood up and said "OK. But you have to think about it". She stopped and turned her head and replied "Hmm" and moved again.

Twelve years later… In a luxurious flat. Anjali is dressing up a 6 year old boy. The boy said "Mom. Fast. It's getting late." Anjali said "Yeah Ashu. I know." She turned towards bedroom and said "How much time you going to take still?". A man came out and said "I am done". Its Charan Anjali said "OK! Let's sit down for breakfast."

Three of them came out of the flat. A lady came across staring at them. Anjali said "Good Morning Mrs. Sharma". She smiled. As they reached ground floor, Charan said "Oh my god! I have an urgent appointment now. You take the car. I have to go the opposite way. I will go by taxi." Anjali said "Take care.". Charan kissed Ashu on forehead and left.

Anjali drove the car towards a big bungalow. Guard said Namaste and allowed car inside. She got down with Ashu and entered the hall. A servant maid saw her and said "Sir is in his room". Anjali is climbing the steps. The servant maid gazed at her till she disappeared.

"May I come in?" Anjali asked standing outside the room. Avinash looked at her and said "Hey idiot! Get in." Anjali smiled and turned towards Ashu and said "Say Hi". Ashu said Hi to Avinash.

Anjali asked "Where is Prashanth?" "He is late as usual." Avinash replied. A lady entered the room and said "He is coming. Five minutes. Hey hi Anu." Turning towards Anjali. "Hi Sushma" Anjali said with a smile. A ten year old entered the room and said "Hi aunty! Hi Ashu!" quickly. Avinash looked seriously at him. "Dad! Sorry for being late" Said the boy. "It's ok Prashanth. Ok Avi. I will drop both at school. Bye" Anjali said and moved. Sushma said "Take care" to her son. They left and Sushma looked at Avinash and said "You OK?" He replied "Yeah. Just thinking why life is so cruel with Anu."

"Yeah! I understand."

"Few months after mom asked her for marriage she started telling us that she met Charan and spoke with him. But when we checked she was alone at home that time. We tried to convince her that nothing happened like that. She used to listen for sometime but later she refused whatever we say"

"Yeah almost eleven years. After our engagement we tried to take her to a psychiatrist but she ran away. We were urged to postpone the ceremony for searching for her." Sushma recalled things.

"We found her at last in that village. When we brought her back we have no other go but have to accept whatever she said. "Avinash sighed.

"She told that she got married to Charan and two years after that when she came and asked me how her child is, I could only cry seeing her empty arms raised." Sushma said in a creaky voice.

"Where is Kiran now?" Sushma asked. "He called me last month asking how Anu is. I replied that she is happy and safe." Avinash said. "Did he get married?" Sushma asked again. "I couldn't ask him anything. May be because of the guilt that I was just a spectator when Anu insulted him that he was after a married woman and he left the city. "

"May be Anu felt only that way she could compel him to move on in his life"

"She is happy this way. And we are with her to save if she gets into trouble because of this."

"Yeah"