AT LAST, TOGETHER

 

    This story is a completely fictional account and nothing of this sort has happened or will ever happen in reality. But, as human beings, we need some support to live at least till the days we have thought for ourselves to drag along in the battle of life. For that sole purpose and to save myself from depression attacks and as an effect of intense schizophrenia I am writing this story. If something like this happens in life, I will become a theist. But I know, that's not gonna happen any day.

     July, 2030. I was relaxing in my cottage in Shimla and enjoying the drizzle outside. With the precipitation the already chilling temperature had dropped few degrees and I have put on my pullover and sat beside the window. It was late evening and I had already completed my dinner. I took up the packet of cigarettes and pulling a fine one lit it and took a long puff. Gradually, I got emersed in the coils of the smoke, slowly rising and touching the ceiling. In my mind I was feeling the frolicking play of several emotions and old memories. The school days, the college years, the past job-life. I gently pushed my legs forward and leaned myself against the easy chair. The sky has already cleared up  and I could see the narrow moon smiling back at me. Slowly my body was losing power and I don't remember when but my eyelids closed their shutter and I dozed off. Suddenly I heard a noise and I was taken aback. I looked around and found my telephone was ringing. I was amazed. Who has so urgency to call me at such an ungodly hour? I however left my chair and extended my hand to pick up the phone when it stopped ringing. I understood it might have been ringing for a long time. I was about to come back to my chair when it rang again. Now you might have a question. Who keeps a telephone in the mid 21st century? There are such technologies that we can even wear a wrist band and a blue-tooth device to receive and make calls. So, why wasn't I using those? The reason was simple. I wanted solitude and technology is the killer of solitude. So, I rejected all the technology before I stepped into my final abode. Anyways, I picked up the call and heard a familiar voice. At first I wasn't able to recognize it but then I knew it was none but my friend. Agnik. I felt so good to talk to him and equally surprised. Although I didn't ask him about how he got my number because that might have bittered up the situation. Long lost friends have met somehow, so why not just enjoy the moment. Although I had guessed that Charan was responsible for this but had he come the next day I would have told him anything. Afterall for whatever he had done this was a boon for me. But, literally I was so pleased when we had a talk after five long years. In 2025 my mobile was stolen and from then on I kept limited contacts and in 2029 I shifted to Shimla. So, I didn't feel the need of any contact anymore. I was self sufficient and whatever extra things and favours I needed, I asked for those from Charan or Raghu, two local helpers. In a year I had received just 3 phone call and this was the fourth. I was so much pleased that we talked for an hour. Agnik had been promoted to the post of managing director of his company. He had basically called me to invite me to his wedding. Really, time passes so quick. Just a few years ago, four of us enjoyed at the Phoenix mall in Chennai, visited Edward Elliot's beach, played a memorable Holi, travelled back home in the same train and especially when Subhayan used to join us during the reviews, our happiness knew no bounds. Subhayan, one our four friends. He was the heart-throb of the group. Whenever he was among us, time flied. He has an exceptional skill of keeping people engaged. And his experiences and stories were all so attractive that we listened quietly to it and not to mention, enjoyed and got inspired in some cases. Well, in this context I think I should mention my other buddies too. Rhichik, an otherwise quiet guy but the most understanding and matured among us. He was one of the four members of our friends group. An inborn artist who has a great knowledge of music and an unending passion of composition. I can bet there would have been many musical geniuses around us in our college or school group or even in our acquaintances or contacts but none could match the expertise of Rhichik. However there were two more guys amongst us whom I should also mention in this context. Nikhil and Dwaipayan. Nikhil was a macho chad of the group. Flirting with girls was his hobby, and his targets were women not even girls. But Nikhil was indeed a brilliant kid. He was exceptionally well in his studies and perhaps the king of his branch in the college. The guy was very dedicated, I must say. He constantly tried to improve himself but at the same time his friendship was deeper than all the other virtues shown by him. And Dwaipayan. A PhD in crackhead. I don't know whether it is a symptom of genius people to be crack-head and flirts or not, but I found this same quality both in Dwaipayan and Nikhil.  But the level in which Dwaipayan was insane was unmatchable in the whole of SRM. He considered himself the God of Dogs and hence called himself Dogesh. No doubt he had deep feeling for dogs and really cared for them, not in sympathetic sense but in true empathetic terms. He was awesome with his studies and was genius in genetics. And also a chicken addict. Well however there were many more characters in the context but for now these five are enough.

   

 I and Agnik were discussing all these in the call. Oops! I left out to describe Agnik. He was the most genius kid in our batch. He had dissolved electrical engineering in himself and was exceptionally good at it. But at the same time he was a bit timid, a bit stubborn and a real "Mamma's boy". Every decision that good fellow had taken in life was influenced by the permission of his parents. However, this time he was a different guy altogether. Agnik was sounding like a grown up man. He was tying his knots in a week and he requested me to visit once. Well had that been anybody else I wouldn't have entertained but his request had really put me in dilemma. I had pledged to never return home but he is beaconing me to break my pledge. I couldn't reply him immediately but thought for few minutes and then I called back the number which I had already noted down from him and expressed my willingness to visit him. Afterall, this might be the last meet for me with all my old friends and I didn't want to lose this opportunity at any cost. I packed my bags and left for Kolkata within two days. I had to change a train at Kanpur Junction and reached home after a long travel. My parents were boundlessly happy and I was too. I shared the news of Agnik's marriage and they too were extremely happy. And you know the Indian moms. She had already chosen a girl for my marriage too. This I didn't like. Afterall I couldn't tell anyone about my suicidal plans as they would be heart-broken. And now please don't say this and that because I have well explain how important a suicide is in a person's life, especially in a person like me. But my mom and dad were after me. She showed me five pictures but I didn't look at any one of them. I wasn't anymore interested. I have lost the most precious asset of my life 12 years back. Ansuhmitaa. And I very well knew no other girl can take her place in my mind. Its not that I haven't tried. But the vibes between us never matched with any other girl. Perhaps that was evident from my behaviour towards them and so they too never inclined towards me. Well, I had one love called Physics and I was into it before I had even developed feelings for Anushmitaa. And Physics has given me the indication how useless life was. All the happiness are after death and I strongly started to believe that. Inf act I had made all the preparations to travel to the last point but little had I known that everything was going to be changed forever. 

    That day Subhayan and Rhichik wished to meet me and so I took a bus and set off. The bus was too crowded and it was very hard to even set foot on the stairs of it. But, the place where I live has a very low frequency of buses and I had no option but to jump in. Actually I needed to change buses to get to the destination and so I had got down at the intermediate stop. I found the bus to the place and boarded in. After I had travelled a stop, a girl came and sat next to me in the bus. Well, I had travelled in public transports a lot of times and there had been similar situations but that day I felt something different. As soon as the girl came and sat next to me something peculiar began to happen. My entire body was in a state of shock. I know not why. Somewhere my sixth sense was providing me an unanswered instinct. An instinct which was seeming very much familiar to me. Was it for the girl who was sitting next to me or was there some surprise or some old resurrections coming my way? I was engrossed in all these thoughts when the ticket collector broke the silence. I pulled out my wallet and was about to pay the fare when a gust of wind moved the loins of hair of the girl sitting next to me. And I don't know why something very familiar stuck me. Anyways, I paid my fare and was sitting idle looking out of the window. It was humid and the air from the window was the only source of relief in the overcrowded bus. After travelling for half an hour the girl's stop arrived and she deboarded the bus. I waited for some time for my stop and I too got down. And no sooner did I do that, than I was greeted by Rhichik and Subhayan. The gust of enjoyment swayed me away and I completely forgot about the girl in the bus. 

    Subhayan was married a couple of years ago. And as of Rhichik, his number was coming after Agnik. What I was the most glad to know was Rhichik had successfully set up his studio and has sold out 50 albums of his band. To be honest, I used to listen to his songs on the Spotify radio and I religiously followed his releases. Kolkata, the city of joy keeps on changing day by day. The metro till Rajarhat was completed, the greeneries were slowly replaced by the grey-concrete walls. I remember the last time I had visited Rajarhat was during the marriage of Rhichik's elder sister. And after that I was away from this for a long long time. The streets of Kolkata, the lovely dreams of the midnight and all the nostalgia dissolved all around me. However, we took a sit in the Japanese Garden inside Eco Park. After several years I had a really beautiful time spent. We had some plannings to do, regarding the gift, the complete marriage occasion and all. And how can pranks be out of the plan when we are planning something for our buddies. Especially, for Agnik. As the dusk was around the corner, Subhayan demanded us to visit his home. Although I was about to turn it down but his constant requesting prevented me from doing so. So, the three of us accompanied Subhayan to his home. I met with Subhangi, Subhayan's wife for the first time. Rhichik had met her before. I must say the couple had a polar opposite nature. Subhayan, who had tried all his skills through the racks of foreign and imported liquors and smokes but Subhangi was very pious and homely girl. Anyways, I hurried after finishing my tea and took the bus to my home. That night I had a quarrel with my parents. Their demand was to go and meet the girls whom they had chosen for me and I was not at all interested in my parent's choice. Well the next day I needed to meet with my buddies again as we all have planned to go to shopping and movies. 

    Next morning, I took the shower and having my breakfast went out. I was met by Agnik, Subhayan and Rhichik at Gariahat crossing. From there planned to got for some shopping. Although I wasn't sure what they were about to shop. Boys and shopping never go together. I thought this was true but Subhayan changed my mind when I saw the way he was shopping. I was tired looking at this and decided to get hold a seat and have some coke. I and Agnik sat near a shop and before we could take a sip of our cool drink, someone patted out back. We turned and another surpise. Pushpal and Uthsha. Wow! suprises after surprises. We ordered two more drinks and sat to chat when we were joined by Subhayan and Rhichik. It turned out that Pushpal was invited by Agnik to meet and he turned out to be real quick. But there were more surprises after an hour. We stepped into China Town, a leading restaurant of Chinese food in Gariahat. There was our full battalion ready. Agnik and his would be wife, Isha. Rhichik, Subhayan and Subhangi (who had met us on the way and was late because she was busy with the school), Pushpal and Uthsha and our most awaited guest and buddy, Dwaipayan and Sejuti. All present at once. And to add on, Rhichik received a call from his would be wife, Lagnajita. She wished to join us and we were overjoyed. It turned out that except me everyone was in pairs. For a time being I felt a bit left out but it was okay. I knew what my plans were. So, there it was folly to be upset or FOMO. That day I could literally see the rush in the stuffs delivering food for all the 11 people there. Well, everything was going quite well when Pushpal targeted me. "So, Mr. Chowdhury. When are you going to be mingled?" But before I can say anything, Subhayan added on, "He will be very soon, just let Agnik and Rhichik tie their knots and then we will find the best match for him. Agnik in his natural style said to me, "Bhai, shall I say something? Please don't mind but..." I fake smiled and said, "Carry on dear brother..." and he said, "Get married brother. You cannot live all the life alone. At first I and Rhichik too thought against it but now we are realizing that it is not that easy." I only found Rhichik sitting quiet amongst the chaos. But that Dogesh... That asshole cried in between, "Brother I will get girls for you, you just choose and select." I was really really pissed off. Sejuti too scolded Dwaipayan and said, "What the hell are you doing with him. Mainak da is already not liking the context and you guys are bent upon pulling his leg." Subhayan said, "No worries Sejuti, friends are born to get their legs pulled", and everyone laughed. But I was not feeling good from inside. Only I knew what my obstructions and compulsions were. Well, slowly their attention was dropped from me to their own talks and I excused myself and went downstairs after paying my bill. I took a cigarette from the nearby shop and lit it and took a long depressing puff. I was gazing here and there and suddenly, I saw the same girl whom I had met with in the bus the previous day. At a point I felt was she following me in any way? But then I saw two more ladies with her. Possibly her mother and aunt and they all had come for shopping. Great. I must be overthinking. I finished smoking and in the meanwhile the 5 couples have come down. Now it was time to return to our respective homes. There was five days left in the ceremony and we were all super excited. But I don't know why I couldn't be that excited this time. Something was stinging my mind. Well, I thought no more and returned home.

    Five days later. The record of the Shehnai has started to play in the courtyard of Agnik's house. Coloured clothes have decorated and filled the atmosphere with excitement. I arrived at his house at around  3 PM. I was a bit late, owing to the problem with the geyser in my house. The mechanic caused a delay. When I had reached Agnik's house, he was already ready in his groom attire. In his room, already Subhayan and Rhichik had taken control and the poor soul was sitting on the floor and they were lying on the bed. Hilarious people. When I entered the room from the hot scorching sun outside it was a real relief inside the air-conditioned and fragrant room. And a funny scene when Agnik was finding it difficult to manage his dress. Subhayan said, "Kaka... don't ditch your wife now. Because we friends had no issues but Isha will have." And all of us burst out laughing at this. Agnik was smiling his own peculiar way and was feeling pulled by them. I added some more spice to the show and we spent an hour like that. Really, Agnik was a "Mamma's Boy". The way he was sitting seriously plugging his ears with the songs of Nachiketa and Rupan Islam, gave us the vibes of the hostel days. The scenario used to be a next level of fun. Agnik learning and rotting the EEE sums and formulae by heart and getting ready to top the test. Subhayan stood next to him and said, "Kaka... are you memorizing the equations for the marriage?" And again the whole squad burst out laughing. As the clock stuck five we were ready for the departure. Agnik took blessings of his mom and asked her to accompany. Rhichik came and whispered in his years, "Bhai, in the marriage of the boys, their mother never accompanies them." Agnik nodded and we all left. The house of the bride was not far. In a place called Anandpur, near Ruby Crossing. I knew the place. We have a house there too. Not mine. But of my grandparents. Anyways, we reached our destination within 45 minutes and the ceremonies were yet an hour to start. So, as the boys do we went around searching for drinks. However I decided to stay back and accompany Agnik otherwise he would feel all alone and start to memorize equations. Gradually the time passed and it was time for the marriage. We accompanied our buddy. The ceremonies started and all the rituals, which I felt useless and boring. I was about to take a nap standing there but something caught my eyes which snatched my drowsiness. The girl whom I had seen in the bus. Holy shit! I later came to know that she was the maternal sister of Isha. My eyes stuck on her. And I didn't even notice that she too was looking at me. I only realized this when Subhayan accidently pushed against me. I looked away and she too. I felt embarrassed and my face was turning red from it. And I don't know how but Pushpal noticed it. To be more precise both Pushpal and Uthsha noticed it. And once they noticed I know its my trial now. Pushpal said, "We noticed you were looking at her and she too was doing the same. Do you know each other?" Well had it been anytime else I would have simply denied or charged them back but that day I was feeling guilty inside. I however could muster enough voice from inside to say, "No, but I had accidently met her in bus once". Pushpal was not convinced by my answer and so he had sent Uthsha to ask the same question to that girl. I simply didn't understand their point in doing so. Like, seriously. What you guys want? A triffle in a  good time? But I know Pushpal is like that. Luckily Uthsha came back with the same answer from her. I was feeling utter embarrassed and was about to leave the place when Pushpal held my hand and said, "Don't worry. Its quite natural..." and then smiling said, "So you too have fallen in someone's trap.. Hmm... hmm..." I shyly denied. But that they I came to know one thing. Friends are worse than a CCTV. They capture each and every moment but never delete anything from memory. Only to poke us and make fun. Well, I thought I was lucky as they didn't say anything to that girl but my fate is poor and I have no doubt in it. As I was having some snacks and strolling in the lawn, a blind idiot came from behind and pushed into me through the half eaten chicken lollipop and some chutney on the floor and scaring the shit out of me. I turned back and saw the same girl. Coincidence after coincidence. I doubt my friends are after this. However as a gentleman I began to apologize although I wasn't at all faulty but the girl was pissed off at me and began to argue. According to her I was the blindest fellow in the entire marriage function that day and everything was my fault. Well, cool. I was about to accept my fault, when she said, "Sorry doesn't work. Even my snack has been wasted. Now run and bring me more." This pissed me off. What does she think of herself? Do I look her servant or what? There are many stewards moving and serving can't she ask one for herself. I was thinking all those when she suddenly clapped in-front-of my face and said, "Hello Mister. What's wrong with you? At first you were staring at me during the ceremonies and now you are getting lost. Have you lost your screws??" I swear had that been someone else I would have taken the shit out of them. But firstly she was a girl. And I was in a way partially guilty of  wasting her snack. I thought it better not to argue and waste the good scene and bring her what she wants. I went to fetch some snacks and when I returned I found her waiting with a plate of snacks but wasn't eating from it. I was puzzled. That means, she fooled me. What's the point in all these nuisance then. I could feel that I was loosing my cool but kept silent. Why to waste the good day of Agnik. I will see her outside. But more amazingly as she turned towards me and made an eye contact, she made an angry expression and handed over her plate to me and snatched the plate I brought for her form my hands. I couldn't understand what was happening. I was about to return her the plate which she had handed over to me but she denied. She said, "I haven't eaten from it. Its for you." I was surprised and I asked, "For me?? But why?" She looked straight into my eyes as a tigress looks at her prey and said, "Don't want it? The keep it on the table someone will have it". Now the water has risen on top of my head and I asked her, "Excuse me. You are going on insulting me and doing weird stuffs since last ten minutes. And I haven't intentionally thrown your food. I was engrossed in my snacks. We both have bumped into each other unknowingly and for that why are you causing all these drama?" Now that girl who had already started to eat from the plate stopped and looked at me. She said, "What's your problem man?" I said, "I am sorry but if you could have fetched your own plate then why did you ask me to bring you one?" She kept her plate on the table, finished her food and looked at me. Then she came a step forward and said, "I guess you are devoid of manners, Mister. And more than that devoid of common sense. We both crashed into each other. So we both had mistakenly dropped each other's food, right? And I scolded you because you weren't looking in front while walking. You hit from my behind and so it was no possible for me to notice you. Now since it was an accident, both parties need to recover each other. You brought me a snack and I did the same." Damn!! No one in the world has explained me things so clearly before that day as was done by her. Amidst all my confusions and disgust, I saluted her explanation in my mind. For the first time someone has done something for me. And that too a stranger. I was shocked at kept looking at her with my mouth wide open. Suddenly she asked, "What happened? Have you got your answer, Mister? Now have your snacks and enjoy." But I was too awestruck to think about anything else. There are still good people in this world then. Well anyways the dinner batches started and I waited for my buddies. Finally, we completed our dinner at 11 and within a couple of hours our convoy was ready to return to Agnik's home. 

    The next day. Agnik was fast asleep on his bed, Subhayan, Rhichik and I was half awake. For Rhichik let's say asleep. Dwaipayan was nowhere to be seen. We celebrated till 4 o' clock. Although the procession came back by 2:30 but all the things got over late night. I got up from the bed at around 10 and got myself refreshed. Then I went to breakfast and went to the local shop for a cigarette with Subhayan who had woken by then. Well, everyone was awake by 12 and amongst all the preparations and arrangements I completely forgot about the young lady with whom I had met the last night. And with that I had also forgot one more thing which I came to notice later. My handkerchief. I found it everywhere in my pockets but it wasn't available. Then I remembered that it might had fallen when we collided and I was too silly to have forgotten it. Anyways, I will have to buy another one. The day went not much eventful because the boys and the girls were in separate rooms, owing to the Kalratri ritual where the bride and groom shouldn't see each other's face. Girls were playing Antakshari and enjoying. But the boys are boys. What could have we done? Just lay like vegetables on the mattresses, smoking and drinking coke. Obviously, liquor would have been the worst option as this wasn't meant to harm the decency. But smoking was chill. Many smoke. So no worries. That night passed somehow and the next day was the reception. Guest poured in from the day and we acted as managers who helped to manage the crowd on behalf of Agnik and his family. Well on that day many families were invited in which mine was also there. As soon as the dusk fell and the lightings went on, many people flocked. Five couples were already there and to add to it other friends too came. I mean the local friends of Agnik and common friends, like Maharnab and many more. And obviously, that girl. Isha's maternal sister. And today, she was looking for me, I don't know why. Later I got another surprise. My handkerchief was kept by her and she came to return it to me. I thanked her and she urged to have a talk. I knew I was in the radar of my buddies but I couldn't somehow resist what she said. Just after a quick photo session and receiving my parents and introducing them with the parents of my friends there, I followed her. We sat in a less populated area, near one end of the banquet. I didn't literally know what to say and why to say. I felt weird. We just met a day ago. And she behaves as if she knows me for years. Well, there can be another angle to it. May be she is very frank and likes to make new connections. But then, why me? Anyways, she broke the ice. "What do you think, why do people marry?" I wasn't attentive as I was emersed in my own thoughts. I said, "Sorry?" She repeated herself again. I was not at all prepared for this. All the lame answers were coming in my mind. Still I made a calm mind and said, "Maybe because they cannot live alone". She looked at me and smiled. And then said, "Not for that. Marriage is like an attraction when the molecules further don't hunt any more but settle... you know the chemistry should work fine." She went on explaining but I didn't understand a bit of it. But one word echoed in my mind. Chemistry. It sounded so familiar. In my entire life I had seen just one person who was so incredibly inclined to Chemistry. But I know we aren't on any good terms anymore. But the way this girl sees everything in the vision of Chemistry amazed me. Well, anyways we kept on talking. From this topic to that topic. Finally someone came to call us to dinner but before that she was telling a story to me about her school days which you won't believe seemed to me as if I was the part of it. I mean this might be a coincidence but a same incident happened with me when I was class 9. Well, thanks to my poor memory I forgot about the incident but it was something that included putting stones under the wheel of the pool car so that the driver had to put burn a lot of diesel to overcome it and then hanging bottles with a long thread which would then sway left to right on the road and draw everyone's attention. I felt as if she knows my past. But before I could ask her how we were called and we had to leave and I forgot about it.

    Although I don't believe these things much but there is a concept of Gautam Buddha's Red Circle. It says that if two persons ever fall in this imaginary red circle then they would never be separated for long. I think we had somehow fallen in it. Even after the reception of Agnik and all these functions getting over she kept in touch. But every time I forgot to ask her name. I felt to shy to tell about the thing to Agnik but one day I had to confess all. Isha must have known her name and she said her name was Jinia. Well I saved her contact details with that name. We had long chats late night. Yes, this time I took my mobile with me because I don't know something tickled me to do that. I shifted to Bangalore finding a new job as if new life was instilled in me. But one day, I was called by my mom to return home with a leave because they needed to get me married. "Come on Riju, you are already 29. And okay you didn't see the photo of the girl whom we have chosen but we can't wait too long. So come quick you need to get married. Your grandparents are looking your way." Well this was an emotional blackmail to me. I who had planned a nice afterlife bucket list would now have to drag it with someone I don't even know. I made up mind. No more bowing to what the world wants and I will do what I want. I will have a talk with a lawyer and in a month of getting married I will file a divorce and leave all these. I was done with it. Anushmitaa might have been married to someone else and I can't be happy with her memories and not her.  But then something happened so weird and surprising that I was totally unaware of. My friends have flocked. Everyone seemed happy except me. I avoided the crowd most of the time and thought a lot of past and future. But gradually the day of my marriage came. I was getting pissed off. In a conversation with Jinia I had told her about it and she congratulated me. And everything was kept hidden from me and I too wasn't at all interested in knowing anything that was going on. I was chain smoking. You can understand how much disgusted I was with the entire thing that I didn't even looked into my own marriage card. On the wedding day, on the wedding platform, I and the unknown lady beside me sat and I didn't even looked at the face of her. The Pandit started to chant the Mantras. "Kalyanio Mainak Chaudhuri Kashyap Gotra..." and then what I heard gave be the biggest shock of my life. "Kalyaniya Anushmitaa Ghosh Aliman Gotra..." and I looked straight to her and in the place of the bride Jinia smiled back I haven't even noticed her face after Subhadristhi. I was ignoring all traces as if to get myself deliberately shocked. I mean whatt!!!!! Anushmitaa.... Did I hear it properly? Well I was shocked but somehow controlled myself till the end and when the ceremonies got over I rushed to her and said, "What's going on?" Jinia laughed and she asked Isha to get her purse and from it extened her Aadhar card to me. It was indeed Anushmitaa Ghosh. Yes, it was Anushmitaa. The one whom I had lost 13 years ago!! I was unprepared and I saw all the others smiling and laughing including Ansuhmitaa or Jinia or whatever herself. "Do you want more proof? Saying that she extended a piece of paper which was her resume. It had the information about her. Anushmitaa Ghosh. Alma Matter: Vision International School, Makhla. Taking it from my hand she said, "Any more proof, Mainak?" I looked into her eyes and was utter baffled. It took me a minute to react and then I hugged her. The tightest hug for "the_cupcake_hug". Really, I never expected life can have such a turning point.  I was boundlessly happy and with that sank amongst several questions. But the happiness graph of mine sky-rocketed at that point. Finally, I and Anushmitaa had tied knots. I couldn't even believe. Well, we spent that night enjoying and returned home next morning. And then I came to know that everyone was involved in the plan. So my parents were forcing me to meet her which I couldn't understand. I checked the marriage invitation card and found Anushmitaa weds Mainak. I can't express how happy I was. Agnik, Subhayan, Rhichik, Dwaipayan, Pushpal, Maharnab and their respective wives were all in the plan. Apart from that there was one more sorry two more people involved. Shreya and Riddho. In fact a lot of credit goes to Shreya who had taken all the pain to collect the data and personally talk with Anushmitaa and her family to get things sorted out. Shreya had also told her how much I loved Anushmitaa and have written lot of stories and poems. Shreya said, there were tears in Anuhsmitaa's eyes when she read all. She took a lot of time but later changed her mind. Then came my parents. And finally my friends who had planned and changed my life. Really it was the greatest gift of my life. Greater than what I could have even imagined in my dreams. Although that day was Kalratri but I couldn't control the urge meet her. So we chatted the whole night in video call. 

    The next morning, with the first ray of sun preparations began to be made. There was a lot to do and I was not allowed at anything. Still I tried to help them. And while I was busy in the works I once turned my head to a side and I was stuck there. Anushmitaa in a bright yellow saree was helping in some works. I kept looking at her for a long time when finally she held my hand and brought me back to reality. I was looking all around with my friends surrounding me and they had a shy smile for me. Subhayan popped in an said, "Kaka... I said one day that if its in your destiny to get married, you will definitely get married. Now how are you feeling?" I was speechless and so I smiled. Well in all the works and enjoyments the day passed and as the sun started to set people flocked in. I had many invitees mostly my friends and faculties and colleagues and some of the office colleagues of my father. The best part was the photo session. I in my favourite sky blue Kurta and white pajama and Anushmitaa in her Parrot green Saree. That day we clicked photos for an hour and my friends were tired waiting for us and the mocktails. We enjoyed a lot!

    A month later. I and Anushmitaa in Darjeeling, standing at the tiger hills sunrise point when we are ready to envisage the natural Anushmitaa touching the natural Mainak. Yes, the rays of sun touching the mountains. That day, I felt complete. With her head on my shoulder and her hands around my neck. The feeling was celestial. I had waited for this for a decade. The sipping of tea from the same cup, the sharing of maggi, the cuddling and the long kiss. Suddenly I could hear sound of some bell. It sounded the bell of any clock. It kept on sounding and the sound kept on increasing. I couldn't see any clock though. I turned back to check and when I turned in front I couldn't see Anushmitaa. I panicked. I was literally screaming to look for her. I looked everywhere. Suddenly the roads the trees and all the things began to collapse and I fell in a trap and finally...

    I woke up and found myself sitting in the same chair of the cottage in Shimla. I looked here and there. The clock has struck 4 in the dawn. "So was it all a dream? I said to myself" Still to be sure I called Anushmitaa's name twice or thrice, who knows if she comes out from the next room. But none came. I checked the calendar and the date was 6th July, 2030. I was bewildered. I was four hours late. I hastily scattered through everything and couldn't find my sleeping pills. I sat down. Then I decided to pen down the entire thing. It took me two hours to do so. And finally, I found a blade on the table. And I saw my wrist. I took up the blade and that was my last entry in the almanack of life. The rest would be recovered after autopsy from mortuary.

At the end, I and Physics are at last together... After death, as I planned.