Words Count- 3970
Attached Song- Rozana
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[ Neha Mehra]

"Amarjit?" I engulfed my childhood buddy in a quick speed. Vaani, Amarjit and I were inseparable from childhood, but our different streams made us apart.

"How are you?" we both asked at the same time.

"Awesome as always." He bubbled up in joy.

"I am fine too." I replied, no where matching his excitement.

"Man, I am so glad. You became a surgeon, at last." He glowed as he smiled. I smiled at his excitement. He and Vaani were the only witness and nurturer of my dreams alongside Dad and Arjun. They were the ones, who saw me studying hard, sceptically sketching myself as a surgeon and keep rambling about what I would do, when I become a doctor.

"What are doing now?" I asked as I ushered him inside my cabin.

"Managing same boring NGOs." He slumped on the couch.

"That's nice. You've always been inclined towards social work. I heard, you are contesting in the mayor elections this time?" I asked as he nodded.

"Yes, Let's hope for the best."

"I know, you will win." I patted his shoulder as we laughed without any reason.

"I know that too. But, I am angry with you." He paused, glaring at me.

"You didn't even invite me in your wedding, neither did Vaani. You are so lucky, buddy. Got your dream job and dream girl." He pouted.

"From our childhood, I've been Vaani and your's love mediater but, I didn't even invited to two of your wedding. By the way, how's Vaani?" His eyes expressed every bit of his happiness. But, I was stunned at his assumptions.

"No. We aren't married to each other. I-I and Vaani aren't married." I phrased as her face again fluttered in my brain.

"But, I saw her in the regional musuem yesterday. She was dressed like a married woman and had a little girl by her side. I thought, Debjani is your daughter." Amarjit expressed.

"No. Vaani is the daughter-in-law of Rawal's now. Debjani is her and Deepak's child." I detailed him, as my fist clenched involuntarily.

"But, she looks so much like you. I still can't believe, she isn't your daughter." He exclaimed, shaking his head.

"I felt the same, the first time I saw her." I murmured as I revived the sensation, I felt when she rubbed her nose on mine.

"What about your family?" I diverted the topic of discussion as I was in a trance at the impact of Vaani on me, still today. Can I ever get over her?

"I married her." He mused with a shy smile as I was detached off my stupor.

"I can't believe it. You married Sakshi. We never thought you would have guts to express your feelings for her."I laughed as he nodded.

"I was such a coward. But, on the farewell day, I proposed her without thinking about anything. I knew, it was now or never. I expected her heels to slap on my cheek but she kissed me unexpectedly." He smiled fondly, maybe, reminiscing those memories.

"You know, I still couldn't get habituated of going to bed and waking up next to her even after we have been married for the last five years and have our cute little twins." He grinned. I was happy for him. He and Sakshi were really a good couple together.

"Now, that is what, we call being lucky." I smiled as he grinned, agreeing.

"What about your kids?" He questioned me.

"We don't have any children yet." He nodded, understanding me.

"You know, I'm eager to meet your wife." He rubbed his palms in excitement as he got a video call.

"It's my daughters." He told me as he received the video call.

"Pa-pa", I heard his 3-years old twins shouting through the phone.

"Is everything okay at home?" He asked. They shook their heads in negative.

"Asiya, tell me." Amarjit seemed worried.

"Signal Red." The tall one between the twins shouted as we heard the breaking sound of a crockery.

"Ariya, Is mommy angry?" He asked to which the little one pouted, on the verge of spilling tears. They were so cute.

"Pa, Mommy told you to reach home by 12:00 pm for get together tonight. You didn't come." Asiya said loudly.

"Babies, tell mommy that Pa is in hospital for a check up, alright." He said. In messaged Neha to come to my cabin.

"Tell Mommy, Papa is sick. Okay. Take care of yourself, bye." He softly cooed as he declined the call.

"All sorted now." I heard him mutter under his breath.

"Are you not feeling fine?" I asked, concern.

"I had severe chest pain in the late morning so, I came here to get checked." He said.

"I was afraid if it might be a silent heart attack. I don't want to die so soon, leaving my love and my kids." I asked him to lie down on the couch and checked his ECG and Chest X-Ray reports, that he brought with him.

"There is nothing wrong with your heart. Did you do any other tests?" He denied.

"When did the chest pain start?" I inquired.

"A month ago."

"No need to fear. It's not a heart attack." I assured him.

"But, did you have any other unusual things happening to you lately?" I questioned.

"No" He curtly replied. His face showed clearly, he was lying.

"Amarjit, you need to tell me honestly then only we can find what's wrong with you." I scolded him.

"Last week, I saw blood in my urine. I had nausea too, along with cramps." He told me.

"Most probably, your chest pain is induced by any kidney related issues. Do a urine test, blood test, CT scan, and ultrasound. Give me your reports then." I told him.

"I guess it to be nephrolithialis or kidney stones. But, let's wait for your reports. After confirmation, we need to see if medication would suffice or a surgery is needed for you. I'll introduce you to one of my friends, who is the best nephrologist here." I assured him as he looked a bit stressed.

"Relax. You would be fine. Submit your samples and do the imaging tests. Then, go home and rest. Come in the evening or tomorrow morning again to take your reports." I advised him. At the same time, Neha entered my cabin.

"Did you call me?" She asked.

"Yes. My friend wanted to meet you." I informed her as she nodded.

"Your wife?" Amarjit piped in, excitedly. As I nodded, he stood up and pinched her cheeks gently, making me cough.

"You are so lovely." He sang, still pinching her cheeks as Neha looked aghast.

"Neha, he is my crazy childhood friend Amarjit. He becomes abnormal quite frequently, so don't mind." I told her.

"You do not need to introduce her to me. She is my distant cousin. I met her day before yesterday too at Daksh's haldi with my brother." He informed me as Neha nodded.

"Such a small world." I exclaimed and they laughed.

"Bhai, you didn't tell me you were coming to meet us." Neha asked him as she held my hand tenderly.

"You didn't even tell me, the idiot you loved from your teenage was my bestfriend." He asked her, pointing me as I awkwardly stood there.

"I am not the one, she loved. We got married for our families." I instantly retorted as my hand slipped off her hold.

"Oh. Still if you both are happy together, that is what matters. I heard Neha talking with Tushar last night about you. So, I thought your's was a love marriage." He expressed his thoughts as I looked at Neha.

"Well, you both look happy with this marriage." He said with a smile again as I had this urge to clear his misconceptions.

"Bhai, you must be getting late to home." She interrupted me as she framed her words, bidding him a goodbye with a smile.

"I need your help." Neha pulled me towards the couch as she opened the files in her hand, in a hurry.

"There's a case of neonatal heart transplant. Can you please look through his file and suggest me if we can do something except heart transplant?" She inquired. I held the file in my hand as I read the file of bed number 06.

"We can-" I paused as we saw Bhavna dashing into my cabin. Her floral fuschia kurti was soaked in her blood as 2 days old wound profusely leaked red blood cells.

"Shay" She called out as she seemed to have been shocked for some reason.

I stood up as I hugged her to cajole her disturbed mind. I called a nurse to dress her wound carefully and make her wear any spare dress.

"Why were you so stressed?" Bhavna sat beside me as she looked at me. Thereafter, her eyes wandered hesitantly towards Neha.

"Neha, can you please excuse us? We want to have a few words alone." I directed Neha as she awkwardly moved out of my room.

"Tell me."

"Do you know Ali Chacha? The one prepares food at our hospital canteen. My shift was at 3:00 pm. I was driving near the parking no. 3 when my car ran into him. He was riding a cycle and I don't know how my car collided with him. I was responsible for his accident. Papa is operating him now and he is critical. I heard Papa say that he has diabetes and he is anaemic, so he would have major complications in wound healing even if the surgery gets successful. I don't know what to do. If papa comes to know that I am the one, who did the accident, he would be super angry." She was trembling in fright as her hand in my hand felt cold and sweaty. Her face devoid of her usual enthusiasm.

"What did you do after the accident?" Her eyes bowed down, hearing my question.

"I ran away." She confessed, her eyes showing guilt.

"Do you know, Bhav? Sometimes our biggest bravery is to accept our mistakes and mend the problems caused by us. I know, you were frightened. But, now you should take up the blame and take care of him because his present condition is caused by you, even though unintentional. Show him that you are guilty of your careless act. Be brave, alright." She nodded as I kissed her forehead softly, gently patting her hair.

"What do you have to do now?" I asked her.

"I'll wait for his surgery to get over and beg pardon for my mistake." She replied as I nodded.

"See, it was so simple. Now, get back to work." I probed her. She walked away with a smile. I saw the time, it was already the end of my break time. I went to the door to see Neha still standing outside.

"We can discuss at home, if you don't mind. My break got over. I need to go for rounds of patients." I told her as she stood silent. She hugged me tightly.

"What's wrong?" I asked as I hugged her closer, inhaling her scent.

"I just needed a hug." She murmured as she ducked her head to face me. Then, she did the unexpected.

Standing on her toes, rounding her arms around my neck, she rubbed her nose slowly on mine. It felt calming and I felt her relax in my arms.

"See you at home." She chirped as she walked away.

[ Surfraaz Mehta ]

I have never believed in magic. But, life is indeed an enigmatic magic. It stirs liveliness in your dead soul and gives you grace to grow. Each atom of my body breathed in the lap of nature as I quivered in the drizzling rain, exhaled stress, and bathed in pleasure under the open night sky, bursting at its seam with the twinkling stars.

The pink paper flowers curved the green patch of grassy land, I laid on. Pink in the glory of the neon fairy lights on the black backdrop was genuinely soothing.

I love July. The relief, freedom and sense of belonging, you feel under the drizzles after the harsh summer is exhilarating. Perhaps, also because I am a July born.

I got to my feet and stepped in to reach back home, strolling leisurely from the garden. To and fro, the wind played with my hair and erected my body hair as if wishing me a happy birthday. On my birthdays, I was nothing sort of a mature adult but, just a tender child craving attention and gifts.

It was a few minutes to hit the golden hour of midnight, the onset of my day of birth. As always the first one to wish me would be Vaani. She has always been the first one to wish me over the last 26 years of my life. But for the first time, I wanted someone else to break this tradition tonight. I wished Neha to wish me first, like I've been doing since the last 2 years of our marriage.

Just 2 more minutes.

"Happy Birthday Srav." I read, wishing myself as I received a text from Vaani.
That girl! Never let's anyone break her record.

I smiled, as I unlocked my bedroom to see Neha sitting on the couch already. Her rambunctious hair was loose, covering her naked back as the three-fourths of her back was open for my sore eyes on that backless cream coloured blouse. A light shade of pink, painting her plump lips, from where I reaped pleasure. The hue of her saree was those of newly sprouted foliages, the lightest of green with prominent embroideries in cream-coloured threads here and there as her pearl jewels matched her attire. I recapitulated her form in my eyes.

But, what was so special for her to dress this resplendently?

Does she remember my birthday this time?

I patted her shoulder as she retrieved off her reverie.

"I was waiting for you." She mumbled as I eagerly looked forward to her wish.

"Why are you dressed?" She looked at me and sighed.

"After my duty hours, I went to meet my parents'place. I came back just now." She answered.

"Oh" I exclaimed and the inflated balloon of eagerness got pricked with a sharp needle.

"I'm exhausted." She pouted.

She leaned forward to hug me, resting her head on my chest as we heard the door bell. I quickly walked down to open the door. I pushed the main door to see a red rose and white lilies bouquet.

"Happy Birthday, Shay." Bhavna screamed as I saw her head popping out from behind the bouquet.

"Thank you so much. But, you could even call me to wish. I know, you had a hard day today and the cut on your back must be hurting a lot." I worded everything as she hugged me closely.

"I had to come to wish. Birthdays don't come everyday. You turned 30." She pouted as she tightened her hold on my torso.

"Okay, drama queen. Come inside." I pulled her inside as she placed a big box on the table.

"What's this?" I raised my brow at her.

"Cake." She grinned.

"Even if you can't finish it, don't worry. You just slice it. I will empty it." She proposed, quite gleefully and she jumped on the sofa.

"Where's ma'am?" She asked me, as her eyes wandered all around the house.

"She is tired. She must've slept by now." I wildly guessed as this drama queen marched upwards.

"I'm going to call her. We will cut your birthday cake together." She chirped as she unbolted her door.

We saw her sleeping. I knew, she was pretending to be asleep because she couldn't sleep with the lights on. She is more recondite, the more you understand her.

"Ma'am is asleep." Bhavna pouted.

"I told you, she was tired." I mumbled to her.

Coming down, we recommenced her halted plans. I sliced the red velvet cake with choco bricks all over it. Bhavna plopped candles on the surface of the cake as I blew the lit up candle, making a wish. She kept singing birthday songs for me as I cut the cake.

"Now eat as much as you want." I said, seeing her eager self to feast on the cake.

"I was waiting to eat it only." She told me as she sat to start eating the cake.

"None can even say you were the one, who got injured the day before yesterday seeing you now." I laughed.

"You know, whenever you feel pain, just forget and forgive. Forget what got you the pain and forgive yourself for letting that pain hurt you. Holding onto pain weakens you and revamps your agony, so why not leave it behind?" She rambled as she gobbled down the last piece of the cake.

"What if you can't detach yourself from your source of pain?" I asked, my insides curbing at the thought of letting her go.

"Detachment doesn't mean letting go of something purely. Detachment means not letting the pain, they inflict affect you anymore. Just prioritize your happiness and don't hold onto something that doesn't make you feel like you anymore." She blabbered again.

"But, how to detach?"

"Try to stop interactions with something that gives you pain. Stopping interactions helps you understand if you direly need it in your life or not. If not, then cut them off permanently."

"Permanently?" My breath hitched at the very thought.

"You know, we tend to remember things more when we see them frequently. It only aggregates your pain, so it's better to stay away." She suggested, solemnly.

"Can something be done to not let them affect you anymore?"

"That certainly depends upon how close was the thing was to you. But, you know you can test once maybe letting go makes the other realise your worth or yearn for you. But, don't keep your hopes high and leave it on destiny because it knows what's the best for you." She encapsulated all her advice in a single thread of thoughts to me.

"It's late. I need to go. Bye." She waved at me as she walked off.

I locked the door and hopped up the stairs to reach her bedroom. Maybe, on this year's birthday, I can give myself a gift. The best birthday gift.

"Neha" I called out as I entered my dimly lit room. She was still pretending to be asleep.

"Stop pretending. I know, you are not asleep." I tossed her as her back touched the mattress.

"What do you want?" She was strangely aggressive. But, I could see a subtle vulnerability in her.

"I've something to say." I confessed, mustering up all my courage. Palming my palms together to stop them from shaking.

"I want to quit now. I am ready." I hushed, more to myself.

"Why?" She wanted to confirm, her breaths seemed to have seized. Her eyes were shadowing a new kind of softness or fear as her gaze met mine.

Her hand encapsulated my both palms in a gentle grip. I was so accustomed to her reckless and childish behaviour with me that this new version felt queer, yet good.

"I am sorry for being a jerk to you, Neha. I can never forgive myself for whatever I did. I was so immersed in avenging your doings that I never realised, I was wrong. I had no right to touch you yet I manipulated you with that offer. So, please let's do it. Let's separate. It would be the best option for us." I confessed.

"Trust me, we will be happy without each other." I whispered as she smiled, her eyes tearing up fervently.

I created distance between us. Sitting on the bed, I signed all the legal papers.

"Here, I hand over all my shares to you along with this house. I'll stay here for the next five days till I leave." I uttered, clamping the papers on her cold hand.

As she glanced at the papers in her hand, I took my time to please my heart with the last picture of her sitting before me, being my estranged wife. Because, my heart said, this was it. This time, the man, who held onto this marriage with his every effort has freed it.

"Neha," I sat on my knees before her as her face still stared at the papers.

My left palm rested gently on her knees as the fingers of my other hand lifted her face up to match her eyes to mine.

"Did you ever fall in love with me, Neha? Anyday, anytime or even for a single day of our marriage?" My heart thudded as the question left my lips.

"Did you, Neha?" I asked again, my heart anticipating just a simple yes, to let me live the rest of my life peacefully.

Her glossy eyes, which were down-casted all the time earlier, left me stunned with the tenderness they held as she stared back at me. It was as if I resided in those oceans of warmth and love in her orbs.

My heart was bursting in happiness as I found the paradise of love, I had been looking for and also scattered simultaneously as the situation spawned itself on my brain.

"Say," I held her by her arms as my heart rose again at the slight hope, her eyes filled in me.

"Surfraaz," She whispered as I braced myself for her upcoming words.

"Raaz, I-I-" She fumbled as her nails dug into the skin of my forearm.

"Neha, is it a yes?" I could hear no more from her. Her tears flooded down her eyes as my fingers clutched my shirt in a tight grip. My eyes teared up as my shoulders slouched, defeated.

What else did you expect, Shay?

"Neha, like I said, I will hold nothing against you. Not a single thing. But, don't expect me to forgive you. Stay happy." I loosened her grip on my shirt as I distanced myself from me.

Shay, never bridge this gap again. It's done.

"I will drop you at your home." I suggested as she blankly looked at me. Even barely blinking.

She hadn't changed her saree, so I just slipped into my formal pants and shirt. It was 4:30 am as I commenced, riding back to her house. I saw her giving our place a final look. I glanced at her trolley bag rolling smoothly against the ground as she briskly walked to the main gate and I stood there cold and still as a statue.

The three hours in the car felt the hardest. We had nothing to talk about. Smiles were dead, and there was obviously no reason to cry because she wanted a divorce from the beginning and I had already stoned myself to not cry like a weakling.

Tumultuous three hours of awry flew down as I turned off the engine near her house's gate at 7:30 sharp. We got down from the car and stood in silence.

"Raaz?" Her refined tone expressed in anguish for a reason unknown to me as her palm glided impeccably over my cheek and the other hand caressed my back as her body pressed against me. She felt different this time. She felt and smelt mine now, when she wasn't. But, wasn't she the one who wanted this all this while?

"Bye" I murmured more like a question as I missed the warmth immediately after she withdrew.

"It's over," I told myself to sink it in as quickly as I could and nodded. She looked over at me once again as she gazed at me. I just turned around, not having an ounce of strength left in me after the futile trials of our redress. I recluse.

Bye. I was again left alone. I looked around to see her dispersing into the boundaries. I could feel the world spinning as my head was whirling. I recoiled and staggered a few steps in dismay.

I sat in the driver's seat, I was sitting earlier. But, my gaze still didn't waver from the main gate and a whimper left my lips as my heart wrenched after I couldn't trace her anymore. I dashed the car door and gazed at her pictures. I captured her pictures only day before yesterday as she looked so mesmerising in that red gown. My heart winced as I was reminded of the emotion swirling in her eyes.

I dashed out of the car to search for my phone. I fumbled as I grabbed the phone in my pocket. My fingers trembled as I typed her phone number on the dial pad, but as soon as I was going to dial her, our circumstances rewinded in my brain urging me to relent. I just can't.

But, I know, she loves me too. Because I can never see a woman, let alone hold her in my arms every night when she doesn't feel the same for me. She has no idea how her lack of courage has ruined us. With thoughts swirling in my brain, I reached back to an empty house.

Neha, This man can only hope to see you broken like me, yearning for my love!

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