Just One Last Chance to Say…Sorry

“Where are we driving to?” Ria was getting a little impatient. It was their fifth wedding anniversary and Ravi had a surprise planned for her.

“Just few more minutes, Ria” Ravi replied smilingly taking a right turn. He had been planning for this since last year.

They stopped near a house.

“Whose house is this?” Ria asked as she accompanied Ravi into the house.

Ravi gently held her hand and took her inside.

The walls were recently done as the smell was as afresh as the flowers that decorated the entrance.

“Welcome to our house, my love”, Ravi declared enthusiastically.

Ria was stunned and left speechless. After living for five years in rented house, her biggest dream was to have their own house and today her husband had fulfilled that too. “Our?” she said with eyes wide open.

“So, did you like the gift?”

“Like it? I love it, Ravi”, with tears in eyes and excitement in voice, she hugged him tightly, “It’s the best gift ever” and she was overwhelmed with the emotion of having a house to call her own. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Although they had an arranged marriage but Ria had always been Ravi’s love since their college days when he was a year senior to her. Back then both were good friends but he could never muster courage to tell her about his feelings. When both parted ways to pursue their careers, Ravi wished to get just one chance to meet her and confess his love to her. The chance was finally awarded when at a common friend’s function, their parents met and put forward the idea of their marriage.

Five years down the line they were a happily married couple enjoying their married life though struggling to keep pace with their responsibilities. They worked in offices situated in opposite directions and thus got only weekend to spend some time with each other.

Next day was Ravi’s first day at the office after promotion and so did not want to be late, “Hurry up, Ria”.

Ria was getting ready for work and looked lost.

“What is it, Ria?”

“You do so much for me and I couldn’t get even a small gift for you”, Ria said with disappointment.

“Being with you is the biggest gift for me”, Ravi kissed her forehead.

“Can I ask you something?”, she asked with hesitation.

“What is it?”Ravi asked, “Ria, I have told you earlier too to be frank with me. You’re my wife. Feel free to ask questions”

“Alright. Umm…How did you manage to buy such a big house so early? I mean you’ve just been promoted”.

“Why? Don’t you think I am efficient enough to get what I want?” he said with a smirk on his face.

“No, no. I didn’t mean that. It’s just that it all seems like a dream.”

“Well dreams do come true, right?” Ravi asserted with a smile and left.

She wanted to pay him a visit for lunch but suppressed her wish, ‘It’s his big day today. I should not disturb him for at least a week’.

A week later Ria visited Ravi’s office but was informed that he had gone outside for an important work and would not return before evening.

Disappointed, she left. On her way home she decided to go for shopping as a way to save her day that she took off from her office. As she parked her car near a mall she saw Ravi coming out of the mall accompanied by a woman.

“Ravi?” Ria was surprised, “Who is he with?”

Before she could reach them, they left in Ravi’s car. She called up on his phone but it was switched off.

In the evening, Ravi arrived home late.

“Ria, you came to office today? Sorry I wasn’t there.”, saying this Ravi went inside.

“It’s okay. I wanted to surprise you but I guess I got surprised myself”, Ria tried to hide her disappointment. “So where had you gone?”

“With my colleagues for a meeting”, Ravi replied as if it wasn’t that important.

“Where?” Ria wanted him to be honest with her. But he calmly said, “You don’t know this place. And listen I have already had dinner…so you have it. I am tired” saying this he retired to room.

Ria was disturbed by his behaviour, ‘Why did he lie to me? I know that shopping mall’. She was uneasy and spent a sleepless night.

With time Ria started noticing change in Ravi’s behaviour as how he had become disinterested at home and would usually come home late and go off to sleep without dinner.

A few days later Ria again visited Ravi at his office without telling him. She found him having lunch with Aman who was their common college friend, and that same woman whom she had seen outside with Ravi.

“Ria, what a surprise!” Ravi hugged her, “Come. You know Aman. Do you remember Asha?”

“Asha?” Ria tried recalling.

“She was with us in college.”

“O yes…I remember”, she extended her hand but Asha hugged her instead. “You look even more beautiful, Ria”, she was surprisingly happy to see Ria.

“So Asha, what do you do?” Ria asked.

“Nothing much. Just try to live”, Asha replied shrugging her shoulders.

“What does that mean?” Ria asked.

“Well I have come here to relive moments with my friend whom you stole from me”, Asha winked. And everybody started laughing except Ria.

“Ria, do you know Asha liked Ravi but he married you so…” Aman joked.

“Really?” Ria was surprised, “I guess Ravi forgot to ever mention that”.

“That’s how our Ravi is”, Asha was visibly very happy with Ravi.

They all decided to meet again the coming weekend and relive their college days.

Next Saturday, they all met at a restaurant.

“Asha, you’re looking stunning”, Ravi exclaimed.

“Thanks Ravi but not as much as Ria”, Asha replied adjusting herself in chair.

Aman made a gesture to someone at a distance and a birthday song started playing in the background. Soon a cake was brought.

“What? Guys I told you not to…” Asha said clearly displaying how she hated celebrating her birthday.

“It’s your day, Asha. Happy birthday”, Ravi hugged her.

“It’s your birthday?” Ria asked feeling bad that her husband did not take her into planning this party.

“We know how much you loved celebrating your birthday in college”, Aman said hugging Asha.

“Happy birthday, Asha”, Ria greeted sitting down.

“Thank you, guys”.

Ria was feeling jealous of unusual closeness between her husband and Asha. She was feeling like an outsider in between them and wanted to leave.

Later that night at home, Ria tried asking Ravi about Asha but he responded with the same reply, “I am tired. Can we talk tomorrow?”

The next morning, Ria felt a little unwell, “I am not feeling good. I may have to miss going to office today”, Ria told Ravi.

“Should I call doctor, dear?” Ria liked when Ravi showed that he cared for her.

“No, I’ll be fine”.

After Ravi left, Ria felt lonely and depressed. To get out of her bad mood, she decided to go to office for a few hours. On her way, the doubt in her mind about her husband’s infidelity reached its highest level when she saw him with Ria again. Laughing and enjoying, they looked happy in each other’s company, eating at a roadside stall. She called Ravi but his phone was again switched off. ‘He is not in meeting, then why is his phone off?’

Late that night she waited for Ravi but like before, he was not ready for any talks and soon fell asleep.

Tired of being kept in dark and her husband’s reluctance to tell anything, she decided to take matters in her own hand and called Asha on her phone the next morning.

“Hello, Ria. How are you?” Asha answered in a happy tone.

“What are you doing with my husband?”

“What?” Asha sounded confused.

“Don’t think that I don’t know what’s going on between you and Ravi”, Ria was losing her calmness.

“Ria, it’s nothing. Believe me”.

“Listen. College days are over and so must be your infatuation. I know why you have come back after all these years”, Ria shouted.

“Ria, listen…” Asha could not complete and the call got cut.

Late that night, Ria called up Ravi expecting the same reply for being late.

“Hello, Ria. I’ll be late. Asha is not feeling well. I have to take her to the hospital”, he hurriedly said.

“Why you…? Isn’t there anybody else?” Ria asked but Ravi had already cut the call.

It was morning and he had still not returned.

In a fit of rage, Asha called up Aman and asked him to come over to her place.

“Is everything alright, Ria?” Aman asked.

“I need to ask you something. Please.”

At her home, Ria impatiently waited for Aman.

“What happened, Ria?” asked Aman immediately as he entered the house.

“Aman, what is it about Asha?”

“What about her?”

“What the hell is going on between my husband and her?” Ria was impatient and ready to burst.

Aman knew that she was serious. “Look, Ria. There is nothing going on between them”

She rolled her eyes in disgust. She got up and started muttering something to herself. Suddenly she stopped, looked at Aman and asked, ‘You are his friend. Did he ever tell you anything about it?”

“Oh God…Ria. Please”, Aman said in disgust, “Why would you think that? Okay…I had promised Asha that I would not tell this to anyone but today you have left me with no choice.”

Ria looked at him.

“Ria, Asha is trying hard to live”

“What do you mean?”

“Asha has only a few months left. She has terminal illness.”

“What?” Ria said in disbelief.

“Yes. Meeting me and Ravi is on her wish list”, Aman continued, “Asha really liked Ravi in college but he loved you and still does. After college when he told her about this, it was she only who suggested his parents about you. After your marriage, she left India for a job in Canada. A few years back she came to know about her illness. Always a fighter she decided to live her last days doing what she always wanted to. For this she came to India to be with me, her best friend and Ravi, her love. She wanted just one last chance to be happy”.

Ria’s heart sank. Crying she asked, “When did Ravi come to know about this?”

“I told him. Asha herself never mentioned about her illness to anyone here in India because she does not want to be mere sympathy-raising issue in people’s eyes. I myself came to know when she suddenly collapsed while talking to me. Yesterday she again fainted. I was with Ravi while we took her to hospital. He stayed with her while I went to her house to get her parents because doctors have already…” he stopped to control his emotion.

“Trust me, Ria, not once did she say anything to degrade you in Ravi’s eyes.”

Ria started sobbing hard, “Oh God! What a horrible person I am!”.

A little later Ravi arrived. Ria rushed to hug him. Seeing Aman and his teary eyes, Ravi understood and calmly hugged Ria.

“I am sorry, Ravi. I am so sorry”, Ria was difficult to console.

“No, the mistake is mine. I should have told you earlier. While taking care of her, I forgot to think about you.”

“I was jealous. How could I be?” Ria said sobbing hard.

“How is Ria?” Aman asked.

“Still critical. Her parents have arrived to take her with them to the US. Doctors have suggested that she can get well after treatment there though the chances are grim”.

“When does she leave?”

“In half an hour”.

“I want to apologise to her. Please take me to her”, Ria pleaded.

“There’s no point. Plane would have left by the time we reach the airport.” Aman said, “I am leaving tomorrow to be with her. She does not want anyone else to come”.

“Aman, I have to apologize to Asha. Please ask her to talk to me. Please”, Ria pleaded.

Next day, Ria eagerly waited for a call from Asha and prayed, “Just one last chance…” The phone rang. It was Asha.

–END–