A beautiful day had just begun.
He was jogging as usual. He felt that the day looked more beautiful than yesterday, but he couldn’t quite point a finger at what was different. Is it Sunday? I usually feel like this on Sundays. But it was not. He took a different route in the park in the middle, finished his fifth round when he saw the bench. Old memories came down flying. Memories of him and his girlfriend. This used to be their bench. The bench they’ll sit on whenever they snuck out of college.
Our bench! He thought and went to the place. It’s been so long.
But wait, someone was sitting on it. Could it be her? Indeed it was her. What is she doing here? She was looking straight, seemingly not at anything in particular. Her face was blank. As he stopped in front of her she lifted her head, looked at him and smiled.
“Hi”
“Hey”
“Beautiful day isn’t it?”
“Umm, I guess” It was awkward talking to her in this place, after so long. And what’s up with the day? She noticed it too?
She looked disappointed with his answer, “Remember this bench?”
“How can I forget?”
“Hmm, I didn’t know you’d come this way. You always go the other way. It’s been long time. Sit down”
He sat down and looked at her. It felt like he hadn’t seen her for ages. She kept looking straight.
“World has not changed much. The view is still the same.”
“Yeah, I feel nostalgic”
“But people changed”
“I guess it’s inevitable. We forget things. Like we forgot this bench.”
“Really?” now she turned to look at him, with those almond coloured eyes, “Even promises?”
“Huh?” he was still lost in those eyes. Oh, how much he loved those. He just realised he had somehow been missing them.
“Remember? on this very bench you promised you’ll love me forever”
“I didn’t forget that”, replied he, snapping out of her eyes, “I still love you.”
“Really?” She turned straight again and looked straight, at nothing.
“Of course. It’s just that life is different now. I have a busy job”
“So have I”
“And other stuffs too. But I’m still the same guy that I was three years ago. What do think has changed?”
“You got married!”, she blamed without turning.
He was shocked. The difference was apparent now. They were not the 'love jodi' they used to be three years ago.
“Hey, don’t blame me. So did you. You can get married and I can’t?”
She turned and looked directly at him as if that had offended her, “At least I haven’t changed after marriage. Even the busy job and married life hasn’t stopped me from loving you. You said you’d love me no matter what happened.”
“Come on. What makes you think I’ve stopped loving you? I still do. I just don’t get time to express it.”
“Huh! Tell that to someone stupid… like… like your wife, who was stupid enough to marry you” she said grumpily.
“Haha, I don’t think she’ll understand” he smirked.
“So mister family man, I never asked you, how’s married life treating you?”
“No problem, all is fine” he said flatly, and then gave it a little thought, “Except I feel this tremendous pressure from both the families. It’s like I have a huge mission to fulfil. I thought marriage was just between two people. It turns out to be a union of two big families, two communities in this case. I can’t give more attention to either of them or the other will get offended. I feel overwhelmed by this duty. And then there’s this demanding job. Don't even get me started with the wife.”
“Hey you don’t have to be so worked up about marriage, honey. What is marriage anyway? Just a socially acceptable way to be with a woman.”
Only you can put things so clearly and simply, he thought, “You think so? But what about all the relatives? I don’t even remember half of their names.”
“To hell with them all”
It took him some time to comprehend her words, except he didn’t want to go to hell ‘with’ them.
“I guess you’re right.”
Neither of them spoke for a long time. She was looking straight again. Is she trying to avoid eye contact? Then he broke the silence.
“So how’s your married life going?” He smiled at her, expectantly.
“Truth be told, not so good.” She looked at him. He could see a twinkle in her eyes, a film of moisture a tad more than usual. It was a sign of sorrow. She wasn’t lying, apparently.
This concerned him. He always thought she was happy with her life.
“Why? What happened?”
“Nothing much.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“That’s it. Nothing much has happened since our marriage. Hubby used to shower love during the first few months of the marriage. It was heaven. I almost forgot my college life you know", she looked at him to see if that makes him angry, "After a year in, all faded away. He comes from work, eats, sleeps. Sometimes not even a word before sleeping.”
“I’m so sorry dear”, He said “I thought you were happy”
“Hmm that’s okay. You were always against this marriage. You said you'll marry me after getting strong in the industry. My parents wanted to hurry, you know how they are. I couldn't say no to them. I’m sorry it ended up like this.”
“It’s forgotten. Don’t bring that up.”
“You always forget things. You got a wife and you even forgot your girlfriend”
“Hey don’t say that? I didn’t forget anything. Life’s like that. I’m trying to make sense of it. What do you want me to do?”
Her eyes brightened “I want you to be my boyfriend again”
“What?” he was taken aback. This wasn’t an expected twist.
She persuaded, “Come on. Neither of us is happy with our marriage. What’s the point of having such a thing? I’m craving for your love!” There was a hint of desperation in her voice.
“And how would that work out?”
“It’s easy. Talk more to me, your girlfriend, not your wife. I know the job is tiring to you. Talk to me on phone during the lunch break. I’m sure you have plenty of free time. Let’s do this for starters.”
“And?”
“A movie every Friday evening. Then we have wild party, privately, like old days. What say?”
“You make it sound so simple”
“It is simple. Just you and me, like the couple we used to be. God, I want to get away from those stupid saris that the marriage warrants me to wear. And you! don’t wear anything uncle-ish like you do now. You’re not an oldie. Wear something hip, like you used to. Take out your bike and nobody will know we’re married people.”
He tried to make sense of it, and then nodded feebly. Sounds like a good plan. Deep down, he knew he wanted it too.
“Sure” He smiled then after a long awkward silence he finally finished “I think you should go home now. It’s getting late. Go and do whatever it is you do, make breakfast for your husband or whatever. I have to finish two more rounds”
“Okie dokie, lover boy” she gave him a smirk and took off.
He sat there, thinking about what had just happened. It’s all my mistake, he thought, and I should correct it. He stood up breathed out and ran two more rounds. He then took the other direction, opposite to his usual exit. He had to buy things. While walking, he took out his phone and used a mobile app to book two tickets to some random movie. It didn’t matter what movie it was. He then went to the grocery store, bought some eggs, bread and milk for breakfast. The counter boy noticed him grinning widely and said “Great day isn’t it sir?”
“Beautiful day!” Why do I keep thinking of the day? Maybe it’s a sign.
He reached home, opened the door with his key and entered. It was still dark inside, the lights were still off and the atmosphere little dry and definitely warmer than outside. He kept the groceries in the kitchen. Just one final thing to do, he told himself, get rid of the wife. He came to the bed room. His wife was curled up in bed. Slept Again? He slowly slithered into bed, pulled over the bed sheet and hugged her from behind.
“Mmh. Got the things?” she murmured. He could almost hear her smile.
“Yup, and guess what? I met an old college friend in the park.”
“Oh really? What a surprise!”
“Hehe, yeah. It made me realise things haven’t changed a bit from back then.”
She chuckled without turning, “What are you? Old man? Talking of things back then”
“Hmm, I thought I was. All this work, marriage and stuffs, made me think I’m some old guy already. It’s time I dropped all the pretentious duties I had imagined for myself.”
“Oh! Don’t forget your responsibilities towards me as a husband, okay?”
“That’s what I want to talk about. I don’t want to be your husband anymore” tightening his grip on her.
She giggled again. “What are you, proposing divorce now?”
“Kind of like that. A different kind of proposal” He grabbed her and turned her to look into her eyes, his favourite almond coloured eyes. “Will you be my girlfriend again?”
There was a twinkle in her eyes. A thin film of moisture built up. This time it showed a different emotion. It was ecstasy.
“I was a fool. In the pursuit of happiness I forgot it was with me all along.” He said, feeling himself pulled into those eyes again.
“It’s not your fault. Your intentions were honest. You worked hard to make me happy but forgot that you are my happiness.”
They kept looking into each other’s eyes for a few seconds, and then burst into laughter.
“Look at us, talking like old couples already” she said still chuckling.
“Haha! Oh and I bought two tickets for a movie. It’s Friday, remember?”
“Great! What movie?”
“I don’t know!”
“Awesome!”
He slowly loosened his hands over her and got up saying “I better go get a shower; I’ll be late for work”
She pulled him back saying “There’s still time, you don’t work on Fridays anyway.” He fell back without much effort from her side. The bed has such gravity.
“And by the way, happy second anniversary! That’s what I was thinking of, sitting on the bench after my three rounds.”
“Oh!” he smacked his face.
A beautiful day had just begun.
