She had just got a new name- “Shweta”. Somewhere down the line she was happy. New name, new identity, new fortune but, OLD story.

Old was the new story. Deep inside, she knew her heart would beat till the last minute by reflecting in the past. “Coming” she declared to Adrian. He was a character of the past. He was her best friend. He was more than happy for her. He knew she would have a new happy identity.

“Times when you feel the earth sink?” Adrian asked Shweta. “Yea. Feeling jittery”, was her reply. She was learning to speak the new language, for Rahul’s brother had told that ‘only if the girl knew the language, in the least’ shall he agree for the marriage.

“Come fast ya, Ru. By the time you come, everything will be done by Rahul!”

“Coming! Mother was asking where we are going. I have so much to handle. You think I am free all the time?”

“Oh..! So you want to say I am free? We are going to roam mahn! The beach is so warm. Isn’t it amazing for a couple to roam?”

“Adri, yes it is!” Ruth calmly replied. Meanwhile, they noticed utter chaos at the bay. Adrian ran with his natural enthusiasm and Ruth, with her caring attitude.

Adrian was a tall guy. Fair as a snow, long nose, dark brown eyes and curly hair- everything a girl would die for. Adrian was one of a kind. Not only his looks but also his persona was far beyond imagination. He wasn’t like the calmest of person but surely the warmest. He was a bubbly guy. Smart, successful, handsome, intelligent and sharp! Yes sharp in thought and actions. He was very particular. He was a renowned journalist.

It was an accident for all that people knew. Ruth and Adrian had gone there for a friends wedding’s preparations along with other friends. Adrian was as curious to know how the accident occurred. As he was enquiring, Ruth called for medical aid and hospital so that people could be saved. Other friends continued working for their wedding preparations. Everything was fine before this fateful day. As a responsible journalist, Ruth wrote a feature article on her tab and sent to the media house. But…, Adrian saw it differently. While photographers were capturing the pictures of the truck and smashed car, Adrian stood still. He kept smattering something about the accident.

“Adri, are you okay” asked the concerned Ruth.

“Not exactly.”

“Why? For the accident? Whats new in this? We have seen this nearly hundred times.”

“No. Not the accident. I am worried about our indifference. You see the photographers? They kept clicking pictures of the body in fact of trying to help the strangled kid.”

“Adri, that’s their job. Rather this is our job.”

“Yes.”

In a world that craves for a tag, Ruth and Adrian were two different characters. Things did fall apart, hearts did break but in the end, they were both happy together. People say ‘you have to fall at someone’s feet’ to get your work done but here, both fell for each other. Adrian and Ruth were tagged to be together. Yes, as an onlooker I say tagged because I knew that’s what was true. Our neighbourhood was far beyond you could imagine. I had an exulting feeling when I knew them. I was always a friend of Adrian. And then through him, a friend of Ruth. He was the first to know about Ruth’s marriage. Ruth was the new SHWETA. All he wanted for her, was her happiness.

Ruth was beautiful. Exactly opposite of Adrian. She was the quietest of people you could ever know. Jet black hair, big expressive eyes, indubitable approach of words, she had an aura you would rejoice. She fit perfectly in her own eyes. In spite of being so quiet, her presence would make a lot of difference. Her words fell like clementine. She wasn’t a recluse, just reserved. She was bold at times, rather she was recklessly bold. Her imperviousness for people’s comments on their ‘tagged’ relationship made their relationship even stronger. People who knew them could never believe they were friends. There was a stark contrast in them. Their relation had a convoluted silhouette in the foreground.

Journalism had changed the way he could see things. In spite of both of them being journalists, she had an upper hand in the office. They were colleagues. The office had tagged them differently. For some, they were secret lovers, for some they were friends, for some a divorced couple, for some living-in partners, but nobody knew what was true. Heart that scolds often, loves! People in the shore would ogle at them intently.

Exactly, after the accident took place, Adrian walked with a letter in his hand to Ruth’s cabin. “What’s this Adri?”

“You know to read, don’t you?” Resorted Adrian.

“I do! But why a resignation?”

“Ru, this our job isn’t it? I can’t live with this. There is no ethics. I had gone to see the girl today. Her leg got stuck in the damaged car and hence, her leg had to be amputed. I feel guilty. It’s like I am the guilty one.”

“Adri, don’t be stupid. Don’t create a jamboree out of this. You’re getting hyper.”

“Ru, I am human. I can’t continue. The kid lost her leg and parents because of me.”

“Oh come on! What can you do? It was fate.”

He just looked into her eyes once and left with a sigh. That was the last time she ever saw him like this.

There was this unmisted distance yet a very close knit soul in their relation. They were like mirrors for each other. Their thought had reflection but no depth. They decided on things but not necessarily did they follow. Adrian was deep in thoughts and words; Ruth was like a shallow water!

Their friend’s wedding was a lovely occasion. It was a grand wedding, a typical North-Indian one. Band, bajaa, baarat, dance and superb fun! While most of their friends were occasional drinkers, these two were teetotaler.

Ruth and Adrian met in this marriage after his resignation. He consciously tried to avoid her. She pulled his hands and asked, “What the hell is wrong Adrian?”

“Nothing Ruth.”

She felt shattered hearing this. He never called her Ruth.

“What did you just call me Adri?”

“Your name. Ruth”

“Oh! Ok.”

She went away, disappointed. While people started dancing for the bride and groom, Ruth saw a little girl dancing. What was new was she called Adrian as her dad. She felt she had seen the girl somewhere. Yes! This was the same girl. The one with amputed legs. She went up to the kid and asked her name,” Natasha”

“Hi, I am Ruth. May I know where is Adrian?”

“Papa is just there aunty. Am I looking pretty aunty?”

“Yes Natasha. You look the prettiest today.”

“That’s what papa also says. But he says, my momma Ru looked better.”

‘Ru?” she said startled.

Ruth failed to understand why he would call her the mother of the child when she didn’t even know about the girl. She called out to Adrian and asked him about the same.

“Ru, I am sorry but Natasha kept asking me who my mother was, so to keep her shut I uttered your name. I am sorry if you felt bad.” Adrian suddenly changed the topic,” Natasha is a Hindu kid. I didn’t want to change her identity. So, didn’t baptize her.”

“Are you mad Adrian? What are you answering?” She asked while looking away. She got her answer as Rahul was around.

Rahul was an amazing, Maharashtrian engineer with an ace career graph and friendly attitude. He loved Ruth and everyone around knew about them dating. Since, Rahul was around Adrian changed the subject!

Natasha enjoyed the wedding and so did everyone else. Adrian looked completely broken. Ruth kept asking him about this but he kept saying, ”Nothing Ruth”

Next morning, Ruth decided to go to meet Adrian. As she reached, she saw something very different at his door. A board saying-‘Natasha’s’. Why would he name his house after her? She was contemplating. “Convoluted!” She exclaimed to herself.

As she entered his apartment, Adrian bounced-“Ruth, Hi! How come you’re here? Didn’t you go to work today?”

Ruth looked straight into his eyes hugged him tight and simply asked, ‘TELL ME NOW. What’s happening? Now”

“Can’t hide Ru. I was the one who speeded my vehicle over which the car lost balance and simply then, the accident happened. I felt ashamed for the fact that my simple fault cost the world for the kid. So, I changed my path. I have started writing a novel on ‘Journalistic ethics.’”

Ru knew he was right. ‘To each, his own’ She said.

 

“Shweta”, called a friendly voice,” Did you know these things would happen?”. “Yes!” she said with a deep sigh! She was one of the top journalist who was dedicated to her work. She knew that Rahul wouldn’t let her work after marriage but she didn’t agree to this precondition. She was getting presentiments for some reason.

As days passed, and her day for marriage came closer she was thinking of the past. She had a dreaded past. Blood and stains were all over her memories. Her last status read- “Impure bloody mind”. There were thoughts that she had. Rahul was her guy. The guy she would die for. The one she loved so much so as to convert herself. Her faith and belief in the lord was such that nothing would go wrong, the lord wouldn’t let it happen!

That’s what life is all about, right!!!?! When you have that instinct in life, just do it! At some point, we all must come out of ‘our’ skin to live that instinct. May be the times and opportunities lost, will never come again! She realized that Adrian had got the point. He was following his passion. Natasha was his best companion. He loved what he was doing. Shweta too went upto Rahul and spoke about her job predicament.

He simply said- “As you wish. I wouldn’t support you for this, though.”

She looked at him and said,” Well then…. Rahul, I will still work.”

Sometimes, we must take that extra mile of courage to reach out to our instinct. I work in place of Adrian at the firm. The relation that Ruth Shweta stands unchanged. What we must still focus on is, Is journalism ethical?

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