I'm Madhavi, Madhavi Sharma. And you are?
The train was crossing an over bridge, making conversation impossible over the next few minutes.
"I am Niyati, and this is my fiancé Neel. Aren't you that famous writer, whose written 'is it you, is it me, is it Love?'
(Smiling) So you have read that little creation of mine? Yeah I am the one, I am a little honored that you recognized me.
'Humility! And such a big award winning author! Man it's like rarer tan a
"Hush...Shut up! So Mam, when's your next book coming? Do you know Mam, this is my most favourite book, no not kidding, because this book rings true somewhere for each of us. It's not a pro-woman love story, or a book from a feminist point of view, or a Chick-lit, it's a book that makes us look at our relations with a new light. Even Neel read the book. Didn't you Neel?" (Nudging Neel with his elbow, Niyati glares at him.)
'Ya ya that's true, Aa Mam, I mean apart from the other racy action or suspense thrillers, which men surreptitiously read, this book stuck a chord, I mean I could identify with your character Andreas, it's there some where in every man, and all of us want to have a partner like Rhea, the inexpressibility of Rishi, the ego's, the inability to handle a woman in the lows of her emotion, the complexity of understanding her needs, yet tiding over all to just let the light shine, is just so powerful, because everyone gives up at the onset of troubles.'
Thank You, I am really glad you liked it so much.
"But I really need to ask you something? Why was it that it was always Rhea who adjusted, changed, bended or whatever you term it, I'd call why was it she who only compromised to keep the relation working? Why did she never demand things? I mean I respect her situation and why she handled it, I get that, but the point is she was always left dissatisfied, because even if she didn't say, you could understand the pain she was going through, it jumped out of the lines..." asked Neel
What will you have Madam, Tea or Coffee? And you Sir and Madam
Black Tea, without sugar, make it extra strong please.
"2 cups of Tea for us. Chini kam dijeyega."
'Rhea even had extra strong black coffee.' teased Niyati
(Smiling) I don't know I personally believed that Rhea was someone who wanted a lot, or needed a lot to be satisfied, she was a very deep person, so her love was extremely deep. And that somewhere made things difficult for her. She loved Rishi deeply, but it was impossible for someone else to love as intensely as she loved, hence the dissatisfaction. It was a pain she was inflicting upon herself and she had to handle it herself, deal with it, that's why probably you felt her agony, answered Madhavi.
'But it wasn't fair, when Rishi loved Rhea, he should have understood her little wants and desires. It wasn't as if she wanted elaborate things, she just wanted togetherness, contentment and to feel safe, which was justified. Rhea had seen a lot of broken relations, her own parents were divorced, so she had to be always unsure of herself, doubting the thing, she may not be that demanding, but come on man, as a man I can say Rishi was wrong.' said Neel.
"But Neel look at it from Rishi's point of view, at that point he had just been promoted to a new position, he was working as a head of a group, his work was all over his head, even you were so involved in your work, you even forgot our anniversary, and I was fine with it, because you were busy working. It's not as if you didn't care about my emotions, it's because you had things involved. Same with Rishi, it was his way to look at life, it was his second relation and he loved her deeply, but the point remained was that he didn't understand Rhea's needs and lets forgive for that."
'No Niyati no, it's an excuse; all these are excuses to cover one's insensitivity. Even you were busy in office, even you had to attend your sisters’ marriage, yet you remembered everything, you made time for everything. You never forgot my little needs or wants; you never failed to reason out my insensitivity or my lack of care for you. Men are insensitive, says all those who want to hide their mistakes to satisfy there ego. If we have progressed then why does the woman be dissatisfied? Why are you lonely when we are engaged to be married, why was Rhea lonely? Why don't you not forget to wake me up every morning, however busy you are, but how conveniently I leave you sleeping on the bed and leave for office. Don't you feel cold waking up alone? It’s just an excuse.' burst out Neel, his face was a mirage of different emotions. Each one rawer than the pother, it was as if he felt more pain for Rhea than Niyati had.
"Neel Honey I Love You and it's okay whatever is okay, we take it a part of our relation, I will Love you till the end, so this why you were behaving so strangely, you felt hurt for your actions, you hated yourself for what you did. Don't do that again. I had thought you stopped loving me..." Niyati starts crying
Neel hugs Niyati and they are crying for a long while, it's only when Madhavi says that they really were exceptionally in love, did they remember her presence? They thanked her profusely, for which she was thoroughly confused.
The train reached Dhanbad, where someone boarded the train and kissed Madhavi, Neel asked him, a little unashamed and clearly curiously, disregarding any privacy.
Surprised, the man answers, "I am Rishi, Rishi Sharma, Madhavi's husband, hello, and you are?"
You are Rishi!!! Gaped Neel and Niyati from Madhavi to Rishi, and Rishi shared amused glances, for which Madhavi only smiled, well she knew the reason of the surprise.
They had been through to this before also, the only difference was; Madhavi got her new story...
