The 14th Of February
I went upstairs. I found her sleeping. I sat on the couch. Such an angel she was! She looked so cute while sleeping. I blushed. I decided to talk to her next morning.
She was never loyal to me. Marriage was just a formality to me but to her it was a source of money.
During the first year of our marriage we moved into a new apartment. My mom and dad chose to live in our ancestral house. I was happy with her. The moment I caught a glimpse of her, I felt very peaceful. Even though sometimes I was away for business trips, I bought her gifts. She never spoke rudely to me or perhaps I was in love with her mistaking her rudeness to be latent love.
During the summers of 2004, I had gone on a business trip to Mahabaleswar in order to crack a business deal. Real estate stuff!! But the deal couldn’t be cut though as the buying party needed a high bargain. So, the deal was called off & I returned home that particular evening.
She & I used to have duplicate keys to our flat. She used to return from work late at night. But that evening she was at home. I was happy because it would a surprise to her. I rang the doorbell. She opened the door. I could still remember her face. She was nervous seeing me. I asked her, “What happened?? Are you ok?”. But she stood there like a lifeless object.
A manly voice suddenly emerged from her behind , “Hey baby! Who is there??”
Within a fraction of second everything was clear.
There was no misunderstanding, no misinterpretation.
I was praying it to be a nightmare but alas! It was true.
The man in my house was my wife’s ex-boyfriend. She was cheating on me. I couldn’t accept the fact that my wife was sleeping with another man. It wasn’t an indication of ego; it was an indication of mistrust.
That night, I didn’t speak to her or to anyone else. I was being eaten up from inside. Several thoughts were eating up my brain cells.
‘Should I kill her?’
‘Are you crazy? ’
‘Should I give her a divorce?’
‘No, I should not’
‘What should I do?’
‘I should talk to her’
I went upstairs. I found her sleeping. I sat on the couch. Such an angel she was! She looked so cute while sleeping. I blushed. I decided to talk to her next morning.
Next morning, when I approached her to talk, she rightly told me ‘I want a divorce!’
I was taken back. How mean she was! Having a divorce was never my choice but she was cold & calculative.
That noon, we informed our respective parents of our decision without citing the cause. They were shocked but didn’t say a ‘no’. Perhaps they knew this was going to happen.
We got divorced on the 26th of July.
And now after 35 years, I saw her in a park near to my house. I usually go there at morning for walk but that day I went out for a walk in evening. As I was walking on the concrete path, I saw her sitting on a bench talking to a young lady who was sitting with her. I sat on an adjacent bench. Suddenly she looked at me & smiled. I waved my hand & smiled. She called out for me & asked me to sit with her.
I went to her & sat with her. She introduced me to her daughter whom she had adopted.
She looked very gloomy. Wrinkles were her new friends.
She told me how she remarried again but her new husband cheated on her. She left him long before.
She said that she wanted to return to me for saying sorry but out of guilt & shame, she didn’t.
All this time I was silent and then I broke my silence and said “I love you. I never wanted a divorce. I was thinking of tackling the problem by mutual understanding but it’s ok. I always wish to be with you”.
She smiled & without any hesitation she hugged me.
Old age is such a crap yet a boon. You understand life with a high clarity.
After all it wasn’t a bad 14thof the February evening for a 67 years old guy!!
__END__
