Walking alone in the road at the mid night. He would stop, or bends clutching his knees or continue to walk. Or either sit at some corner or looks at the sky or punish himself while punching on himself.

Yes, people would consider him to be mental patient if anyone witnessed him do this. But fortunately,there was none.
He was the third generation son to one of the highest grossing family in Rajasthan and in India.
Probably for him, it did not change whether he belongs to royal family or a shoemakers family. He did not mind wheather if he was rich or poor. He was the kindest man in all the generations of his entire family. Where other men in his family treats women as the least interested you, while he respected women in every aspect of his life.
Where as his cousin brothers fought for the chairman post of their family business. He did not even mind to even have the authority of a board member,let alone the chairman post. If logically looks into the family business, it was his deceased father developed a business but once his father lost the life, his brother was given the position. Now as a family tree, it was his time to take up the post but he did not wanted it.
He was majored in English literature at Harvard University.
His interests were writing.aftwr his comeback to India, he only practiced writing. He had several published books under his name. And his books mainly contributed on women. The book publishers are highly anticipated to get his next book. The copy of his books were widely read in some parts of the world too. Widely he had female fans for his thoughts which he penned down in his every books.

But some of his characteristics were spoiled after the love of his life is married to someone else.
The book "Meri Anamika" which was entirely dedicated for the girl he admired and wanted to have future with was just struck with 10 pages.
This night she had been written on someone else's fate..

Today the Karanveer, whom everyone knowns as a kind, soft and a calm person. But now he was broken. He definitely hated his lady love Mrunalini, at his point of his life. Who some days back informed about her family choosing a prospective groom for her and she would be marrying him through a letter.

******************************

Clad in a beautiful red saree and some minimal jewelry. She was waiting for her groom where her family informs her of groom running away rejecting her. She fails to believe it. She still waited for him at the midnight.
Her Deity couldn't be so cruel to her, to suddenly snatch the love of her life.
Belonging to the rich family. She fell in love with the social woker, who used to spend his every penny on the needy. She loved him from the bottom of her heart. When the feelings were mutual they decided to marry eachother.
Yes, initially her family opposed since her sister ranaway at her wedding day and married her lover. And they did not wanted their youngest daughter to follow the same footsteps. So they agreed!!!

With passing time. The faith on Sanskar,whom she loved crossing the boundaries her family set for her. Left her alone at such a point of life where giving up on her life was only choice!!!

She stood from the mandap and walked inside her room.
"Tejasswi"her mother called out her name
But she did not stop. But closed herself inside the 4 walls of her room.

********************************

"Karan, aise nahi karte beta" his mamu, Anil spoke in a calm voice.as Karan was burning each pages of his half written "Meri Anamika" book.

"I can't do it anymore. I can't continue with writing" Karan muttered. His playful eyes turned baggy and tired with dark circles. The warm smile on his face had turned into frustration. The glow on his face had faded.
If someone back from 6 months would suddenly watch him would fail to recognise him.
"It's been 6 months now" Anil stopped
Karan smiles a bit and walked away but stops finding a women there.
His good old friend from school. Garima.
His book publisher.
She never thought there would be a day that she would be watching Karan like this.

He walked passing by her.
"Stop investing your life on something which is not meant to you" Anil spoke out louder.
Karan turns with a smile, which didn't reach his eyes: I am invested. No turning back even if I want to...
Anil:but please don't do....
Karan interrupts him:I have my conscious. Don't worry!!!
Anil just nods his head:okay!

*****************************

She was again clad with beautiful yellow saree. But this time to meet her family's choice.
But the fate played a game with her as she was rejected again as the family who was supposed to visit her, did not come!

****************************

"Aapne bulaya. Dada ji"Karan muttered standing in front of his dada ji who was reading a newspaper
His dada ji smiled:Yes. Finally you got sometime. That too you had to wait for my me to send you some person to ask you to meet me.
Karan:I was quite messed up with work.
Dada ji: don't do that. Why don't you join our family. Why don't you join your brothers in family business?
Karan smiles. Which continued with small laugh.
Dada ji: are you laughing at my request?
Karan:of course not. I am grateful that you asked me to... But do you think the 4th sword is necessary?
Dada ji looks at him for a moment.
Karan:living under the same roof doesn't mean everything is in flow. I do not want to trap myself into a war more than brotherhood. Which you know better than me.
Dada ji was disappointed listening him.

Dada ji:can I request one more thing from you?
Karan:of course.
Dada ji:Promise me that you won't deny.
Karan looks at him for a moment and smiles: I am into this except the concept of family business.
His dada ji had a good laugh listening him.
Karan just opens the box of kachori which he got with him. Which his dada ji loves a lot
Dada ji: vinay got a proposal of my friend's grand daughter.
Karan:wow I must congratulate him today if I happened to meet him.
Dada ji smiles a bit: but he rejected even before going to watch her. As someone told that she is not pretty.
Karan:what nonsense stuff is this. This vinay needs a good slap for sure.
Dada ji:I agree.
Karan looks at him for a minute, if to be said truth then his dada ji is the most cunning person he ever saw but just that he doesn't react or his dada ji acts really good doesn't mean that he would start believing his dada ji. And he knows his dada ji had some sort of plan where he wants to use him for the business benefits.

Dada ji:I have read all of your books on women.
Karan nods.
Dada ji:I respect your thoughts.
Karan: Thank you... Dada ji.
Dada ji:I wanted to say that.. that the girl who is rejected by vinay. I have promised to marry her with my grand son.
He knew it.

*****************************

Sitting inside Anil's cabin.
Karan just closed his eyes.
Anil was a doctor by profession and was unmarried. He was in his late 60's.

Anil opens a tiffin box where his cook,Raju got him.
Anil smiles:what did you reply?
Karan:I did not yet.
Anil:I know you won't listen but I will still suggest that no matter what deals your dada ji have behind, if the girl is nice you can...
He stops as he was scared to continue..
Karan:no...I can't
Anil:can I tell you about my life experiences?
Karan nods.
Anil:you know I was also in love many years back.
Karan nods:you always say that if not her illness you would have been together now.
Anil:yeah... It's been 35 years now. You know I had many opportunities to move on. But the guilt inside me of moving on from my love did not let me move on. But after many years. When I see people around my age or my friends and their family. I am jealous!!!
Karan looks on.
Anil:may be if I tried I would have married. I could have hade my kids. I could have had many reasons to forget about my guilt. I don't know if there is next life or not. But this is my one life where I could have lived better. But now it's too late now. Sometimes loneliness in me continues me with insomnia. You regret this when even slightest fever hits. There's no one even to ask about your health. Sometimes I am so scared that.. if I breath my last at night. Nobody would even know that I am no more. Living alone is very difficult. I am the example in front of you. Don't repeat my mistake Karan.
Karan didn't respond. He was bit shocked listening his uncle's thoughts.

*****************************

He was driving. When he suddenly stops the car.
As he noticed Mrunalini.
He got down the car and moved.
All he could see was the guy beside her who was sliding bangles in her hand.
She was much prettier than before.
And he noticed her small baby bump.
He just moved closer and closer to have a good look on her.
She was nothing like him. Her face stated that she was happy in her married life.
The man beside her looked very simple,he would be some lower middle class man. The cotton cloth bag which had some old electric motors. His extremely worn out slippers told him who he was. He was the one Who would earn day and night to make his ends meet and maintain family, though not for himself.
Mrunalini noticed him.
She points to the small sweet shop and asks her husband that she is craving for jalebi.
While just gladly accepts and asks her to wait for him and he would get it soon.
While he moves to shop.
Mrunalini looks at Karan.
He could sense that she was panicked. May be she thought he followed her or he want to disclose their relationship to her husband.

Mrunalini moved near him:please Karan ...
Karan was still on the turmoil that how fast she moved on.
Mrunalini:please don't tell him anything.
Something definitely pierced his heart.
Before he had lot of questions to ask her but suddenly he had nothing.
All the things came clear in front of his eyes that, whenever she told the financial difference between them, she told him many times that she can't handle it,their families can't handle it. For this can he call her selfish or selfless. He don't really understand, he was demeaning her husband but why did she reject him? And he had no courage to even ask her this.

He just turns from there. The time when people looked after someone's financial condition. Why did she chose her husband over him?
He could never ask her this!!!

And her husband returned : in 5 minutes bus would arrive..wait tumhare liye ghajre Lena tho bhool hi Gaya.
He just turns while her husband moved to the flower vendor.
Where the group of people who recognised Karan to be a third generation of the particular richest family, gathered around him.
While his eyes was fixed at Mrunalini's husband who was smiling and laughing with a flower vendor.

This was the year 1982.
He had everything,in his early 30's. He was a writer. He had status. He had a good family background. Though he did not consider himself good looking but he wasn't bad either. What could be the reason?

To be continued .....

Why do you think Mrunalini chose her husband over Karan?
Can you decode it?