Different Meaning

Short Story of Husband and Wife – Different Meaning

# this is not a regular love story or a teenage romance story so reader discretion adviced

She was child-less. But she always took the pain bravely. At 32, all doctors had refused her to have any hopes now and any number of visits to the best specialists, gynaecs or clinics brought only 1 thing – more bills! Rahul, her husband had often discussed adoption procedures and various orphanages where they could possibly go, which to her meant that even he had given up any hopes of having a child of their own.

But Maaya was unfazed. She had not lost her hopes until today when 1 of her doctor-friend visited with their reports and broke the bad news, “Its not about him Maaya, its about you. Unfortunately, your body betrays you and it just cannot bear a child. Sorry but god didnt design it that way.”

Hearing this, her world shattered. She cried and cried, and cried more. Her friend tried to console, but couldn’t succeed and so she dutifully called Rahul to come home immediately.

Rahul, along with Maaya’s family tried a lot to cheer her up but she started getting worse from that day onwards. She started losing interest in life and used to remain lonely. Rahul who loved her very much tried bringing up the topic of adoption again to which she meekly responded, “I would feel worse if you have to live with an adopted child, especially after knowing that you are perfectly capable of having one!”

“How does it matter Maaya! Its not about me alone, its about us. If you cannot bear a child means I cannot have one. period. we must look ahead now.”

“Yes we have to look ahead. But adoption is not ‘the’ solution. My heart wont accept it. besides what will i tell your mother? what will my in-laws and everyone else think?” she retorted.

“You are being ridiculously orthodox! Let them think what they have to.”

“No Rahul. If you love me, you would not adopt a child.”

“Fine. we will do as you say. Please get back to a normal life now. I love you very much.” saying this, he assuringly hugged her. Maaya promised that she will try to think of a solution and also resume her professional life etc which was on a sabbatical. Rahul assumed this episode to be over.

However it couldnt. Even though Maaya resumed her work as an architect, she wasn’t her chirpy self anymore. She talked very less, including that to Rahul and her interest in activities subsided, except for reading in a far corner of the house. Rahul tried but eventually succumbed to her behavior, and hoped that time will be her healer.

Couple of months later, Rahul threw a party for his colleagues, as a celebration for his promotion. He was basically responsible for a new technology, a new product that their company had successfully launched. Many juniors and new recruits etc came to congratulate him in the banquet hall where the party was hosted. A pretty young girl who had joined their company just a month back walked upto him to congratulate. She noticed Maaya, standing sombrely with him so she asked her, “Is everything okay mam, you must be very proud of him”

However, Maaya curtly replied, “Proud, oh yes very. 6 years of our marriage and he couldnt give me a child. and in 3-years time, he already gave your company a new baby to show off! I am so proud of him indeed!”

The girl was embarrassed, and so was Rahul. He turned to her and said, “Maaya what’s wrong with you? Can we please not talk about all this here.”

She was still upset and just said, “I am leaving.”

“Maaya stop…” but she didnt listen to him and walked out.

“Listen ummm…”

“Pooja, sir.”

“Yes Pooja. Listen Pooja, I am very sorry about that. She is just not in the mood today..”

“I understand sir. I can totally understand her..her grief.” Pooja said smilingly. She was actually very cute too, Rahul observed.

“By the way sir, if you don’t mind me asking, why don’t you guys go for those test-tube babies and all.” she asked.

“We have explored all options. But it didn’t work out. The only option left was to adopt a child but Maaya doesnt agree.” and then he quickly switched the topic, “Which department are you with Pooja?”

“I am in product development sir. Infact i am supposed to be in your team only. Its just that you were keeping busy for last month or so because of which, we werent introduced!” she said smilingly.

“Very well then! I would like to know you more today.” And offered a drink. She agreed. They talked a lot for the rest of evening and developed a friendship of sorts.

Back home Rahul again tried to talk to Maaya. “Listen baby what you did today was very wrong. We all understand, we totally do. But you shouldnt have said this in front of my junior. this girl is totally new to the company. think about the gossips she could do!”

“Well, isnt that true Rahul?” Maaya asked.

“Not all of it my dear. Look I never say its your mistake or my mistake. Its god’s wish. We shall accept it.” He purposely said it diplomatically, not wanting to hurt her emotions.

“I dont know all this. All I know is i cannot have a child!” Maaya said angrily and went off to sleep.

Now Rahul was a very reasonable person but he felt that this is getting too much. The next day he called her mother and told everything, “Mummy-ji. please help Maaya understand. Its not that only she is childless. I am too. But if she behaves like this all the time, then even i can get hurt.” Her mother promised to talk to her and convince.

That day in office, his office mates were all over him and thanking for the party. Particularly Pooja who couldnt stop beaming ear-to-ear as she saw him enter. She got him a nice card which said Congratulations, and placed it on his table. When he saw it, he called her in.

“Thanks Pooja but you already congratulated me yesterday.” he smiled.

“Yes sir, but this 1 is for a different reason. You did a great thing yesterday too.” she remarked.

“What?”

“Sir you made a great friend, a friend for life. and her name is Pooja!”

Rahul smiled again and said, “Lets have lunch together. I have got paranthas. Maaya cooks them well.” Sure she said and promised to join for lunch.

In evening however as he returned home, Maaya was ready to pick up a fight again.

“Did you call mom?”

“Yes i did! I thought she could also try to counsel you.”

“What counsel? And why? Listen this is about you and me. this is between you and me. You have no right to drag my mother into this! Besides she had warned me not to marry you, i only was ‘the fool’ in this relationship!”

“Now thats too much Maaya. You must remember the doctor’s reports! My sperm is doing fine! Its only you who cannot conceive! But did i ever complained about it? NO. Because it doesnt matter to me who can do what. I love you, but looks like you only love yourself!” he shouted back.

In a husband-wife fight, normally 1 person fights while the other one stays calm. However when both shout, things usually get out of control as it happened between them. One thing led to another and the very next day, Maaya left the house leaving a curt note behind – ‘i am going to my mother’s place. not sure if i’d be returning soon. go impress your juniors’

Rahul’s ego was also hurt this time. He decided not to pursue her to come back till she herself realizes her mistakes here. Maaya on her part was adamant not to return either.

Meanwhile in office his closeness with Pooja grew. Very soon, he was promoting her with out-of-the-way assignments etc and hey closeness to the boss was becoming evident. they used to have lunch together almost everyday, while in evening, sometimes went out for movies or dinners or even pubbing; something Rahul had quit long ago. He started enjoying this freshness in his life once again to a point where he didnt quite miss Maaya anymore. Yes he still loved her, but then he was also irritated of her behavior.

6-months had passed since Maaya left home. A couple of times, their parents tried to reconcile their differences by talking to each one of them individually, but neither of them budged from their position. Eventually, Rahul’s closeness to the young & vibrant girl, Pooja came to a level where one day she came to his house and cooked a meal for him. During their meal, she told him, “Sir, can i tell you something. I love you.” Rahul smiled and kissed her. They made love that night on the bed which Maaya used to rule…

Two days later, Maaya’s mother called up. Rahul picked the phone. She sounded tense but just called him home. As he reached there, he saw a lot of people gathered outside. Somehow he made his way to the main door where there was an ambulance parked and from its back-door, 4 men took out a body on a stretcher and placed it there. Rahul was puzzled. Just then, his mother-in-law came out running and crying, “Maaaya!!!!!”

Rahul was rudely shocked. He went ahead and slightly removed the cloth from that body. It was indeed Maaya’s. Her eyes were shut and it looked like she was sleeping. He said, “Kya hua isko??” nobody replied. He grabbed the collar of a guy from the ambulance, “I said what happened to her?”

He said, “We are very sorry sir. She died in an accident this morning….”

Rahul stood there, dumbfounded. After a minute’s shock, his knees sank to the floor. He couldnt believe it, neither could he cry. Rest of the events that followed didn’t occur to him as he eventually fainted. The cremation was carried out by Maaya’s family and Rahul couldn’t be a part of it as he lied on a bed at her house for next 3-days straight, without eating or drinking. He could never imagine Maaya could die like this. Yes he now had a new girl in his life, but Maaya’s space was irreplaceable.

When he finally got up, his mother-in-law was sitting besides him. She was sobbing very lightly still. Rahul didnt know what to say to her. He just started getting up, to go back to his home. Yet, he told her, “Mummy-ji, my biggest regret in life will be – that i didnt come to make-up to her this time. So many times we had fought before and every time, i came to get her except for this time. And look what happened” and he started crying too, for the first time since her death’s news.

But she said, “Dont worry son, thats life. But dont be stuck to your biggest regret now, just like my stupid daughter did – her biggest regret being that she couldnt give you a child…” and added, “else life will be meaningless. Go on. Move on. You need to. Your Maaya also wanted it.”

Rahul looked at her with questionable eyes. She handed him a diary and said, “Maaya used to write this diary since last few months that she stayed away from you. This morning only i found it and read it. As i said, your Maaya also wanted you to move on.”

He started reading, “Day 24 (without you) – my dear love, i feel so alone living away from you. Today only i realized that the biggest joy to me will not be the child that we did not have. But my greatest joy was to be with the person that i love the most – you Rahul. I know you also feel the same for me. But trust me; fighting with you and then living away from you is perhaps the only way that I could think of, which will give you a chance to forget me. And find someone else. Who can complete you. In this lifetime unfortunately, i know that its not me. But i pray that in all my lives to come, i get you and only you.”

He turned on the page.

“Day 26 (without you) – my dear love, i called your office and found out that you had gone out with your colleague Pooja. On enquiring more, i have come to know that she is the same pretty girl from that party. I sincerely hope something happens between the two of you. i will feel jealous, but nevertheless happy for you. I know if you will ever come to know, then you feel upset about why i did so. but really i love you a lot and thats why i am doing this, just that my love has a different meaning.”

Rahul understood everything. He got up and went home. the same day he proposed marriage to Pooja and she agreed. 2 years later, they had their first child born.

__END__