Sindhu was indeed serious about the matter. She couldn't bear or forget the negligence from her love, who according to her was the part of her heart.
One day, when Sindhu was getting off the bus to her college, a student named Chandu also was alighting. They collided with each other, as the duo was eager to be off the bus. The time to start the classes was on the forge. Apologising to each other, they literally, ran for the college.
But that incident turned out to be an event to bind both in the thread of love. Then gradually the college canteen, parks, seaside, theatres etc were able to witness their togetherness. The duo was decent enough to behave with decorum in the public. They were, we can say a type of tradition-sticking youngsters.
“I am not trying to know much about your family, and you too shouldn’t. We know each other and that is enough. If the families do not match, we’ll spoil our calm. Whatever it is, we will marry,” sure was Chandu about their wedlock. Chandu was able to read that his financial status was slightly lower than that of Sindhu. Chandu took a firm decision to meet her parents only on his being to a reasonable job.
The final year of Chandu dawned the date of adieu to Sindhu. Promising to meet the parents, once he got acceptably employed on the completion of all his courses, they bade bye.
At times, when Chandu arrived at the indigenous place from Indore, his higher study area, he never wasted the chance of meeting his sweet love, concealing from the parents of both sides. And Sindhu also was keeping the anvil of academics ready to shape well her future.
Of course, their mobiles kept their bondage live, though not too much, owing to their commitments towards studies. And social media were not lively as they are now.
In the meantime, on a Saturday, Sindhu with her parents went to watch a movie in a theatre in the city. Suddenly, she saw Chandu just walking out with a lovely female. He provided no intimacy sign to her when he saw her. They rushed to evict themselves from the venue. She was sure that he had seen her. She couldn't get to him as he disappeared as a flash of light.
“In the last call also, this visit to Kerala he did not mention. What may be the reason? Who is that girl? Some proposal, no chance. His studies are half the way only. Then what? I’ll call him and ask.” Slowly, her heart gained weight, throwing her into confusion and anguish. On arrival home, she threw herself on the bed, declaring that she was not hungry for food.
“Let her lie, don’t compel her for food, she may have some headache or other uneasiness, the movie was stunt-filled, no?” Achchan*.
For the next few days, both phones were silent. Chandu couldn’t call her on account of his busy state of ensuing exams. And Sindhu’s silence was no doubt tenacious. As he was freed from the burden of the exam, he dialled Sidhu, but Sindhu not only did not responded but extinguished his call also. Several calls from him went unavailable. His next visit to the native place carried him to Sindhu’s domicile, deciding to face the full consequences. He was unlucky as her house remained locked since they were at Sindhu’s grandparents.
Chandu inferred that Sindhu entered into some nuptial paths. So, he kept himself composed. Time experienced the completion of the duo’s studies and found them in their expected jobs in different places, of course far. And the youngsters were ignorant of the whereabouts of each other by then. As days passed by, Chandu had accompanied his mother on a package-health-checkup to the hospital, one day. He was waiting for his mother, who was in the checkup procedures. The hospital compound was well maintained with lush green grass loans and flowering flora around. When he looked through the window,got his eyes stuck on finely arranged potted plants. As he was enjoying the view, Sindhu’s profile suddenly fell into his eyes. She was standing there with her friend. He looked at her thoroughly and confirmed it was Sindhu. Oh! Within no time he was in front of Sindhu. At the pretence that she didn’t see him, she was about to leave the venue holding her friend’s hand, Chandu blocked her movement by standing in the direction.
Anyway, this time, Sindhu made up her mind to ask him, “Did you marry her or cheated her also?”
“Who, marry, her, what are you saying? Are you not in sense?”
“Yes, I had seen you in the theatre, some four years back, in February 2002, I remember well.”
“Um! February, it can’t be. In all the Februarys I had been much busy in my studies. Exams were in March.”He was in a dilemma, then something clicked him, “O! It may be my twin brother, Anandu. He had a girlfriend. Might be he. They got married. He looks exactly like me.”
Achchan* _Father
