A DIFFERENT STORY

I

“Mom, please stop it. I don’t want to get married. Why didn’t you ask me before inviting a boy’s family? I have already told you that I am not interested in getting married.” Reena said.

“Please for my sake meet the guy and his family. You might like him. What’s wrong in meeting with a guy?” Reena’s mother said.

“Please, mom will you stop it?” Reena said angrily. 

“You have to meet the guy and his family tomorrow in the evening. They are coming to see you tomorrow. I don’t want to listen to anything." Reena’s mother said in the commanding tone and she left the room.

Reena, on the other hand, was disappointed.  She didn’t want to meet any guys.  She doesn’t want to marry. Furthermore, she wanted to tell her family about her truth but she was alarmed. She started thinking whole night whether she should meet the guy or not.

It was Saturday and the time was 4:30 pm, she was getting ready. A guy with his family was supposed to arrive at Reena’s home at 5:00 pm.  On the one hand, Reena was feeling anxious and awkward. On the other hand, she wanted to express her feelings towards her parents but something stooped her.  Furthermore, she hates to cook food; she was focused to prepare food.   As told by her mother, she made most of the food items were of meat.

The clock showed the 4:50 pm. The closer the time, there was a heartbeat of Reena. At the time of 5:00 pm, the doorbell rang. Reena’s mother went to open the door. She smiled and joined her hands. She welcomed them. Guy’s family too greeted her. They were altogether 4 people.

Reena’s mother and guy’s family started to have a conversation. After 10 minutes, Reena was called in the living room and she came in the room. To describe Reena, she was tall with the height of 5 feet 4 inch; she was fairly white with a smiley face; she was neither slim nor fat. On this day, she wore a blue saree and had made her hair in braids which suited her. She didn’t prefer wearing saree in her life. But on this day, she was forced to wear.

On the other hand, with the guy, his parents and sister came to see her. The guy was also tall. He might be 5 feet 9 inch. H had worn a blue shirt with black pant. He was a good looking guy. It seemed he had shaved today. He had long hair which suited him.

Guy’s mother said, “Reena, what are you doing in your life?”

“I have completed Master’s Degree in Conflict Management just a few months ago. I am now in search of a job."

“Sushant, do you want to ask anything?” Sushant’s mother said.

“If Reena doesn’t mind, can we talk alone?”

“Sure, she doesn’t mind.” Reena’s mother said.

They both went in the balcony and sat on the chair. The environment was silent for a while. They both were looking surrounding. Initially, Sushant said, “So, what do you do in the free time?”

“I love reading fiction and biographies books.” She said.

“And do you watch movies?”

“I watch movies but not in the regularity terms. And what do you do?”

“I watch movies and sometimes I hang out with my friends. Besides that, I love traveling.”

“Are you studying or working?”

“I am working in IT organization.”

After a short conversation, they were back to the living room. Two families were talking when they were back to the living room. When they were back, Reena’s mother said, “Reena had cook food. She makes food delicious. So, can we go for the food?” 

They agreed and went for the food. Sushant’s family loved the food and was praising the food and Reena too.

At 8:00 pm, Sushant, and his family left the place. When Sushant's family left the place, Reena’s mother went into the room of Reena and said, “Reena, Did you like Sushant and his family? I liked them.” 

Reena was changing her clothes. She was silent for a while.  Her mother said, “Hey, Reena, where are you lost? I am asking you something.“

“If you like the guy, then why don’t you marry him?”

“What rubbish are you talking about?”

After two weeks, Reena and Sushant got married. Although she was unhappy with the marriage, she got married for the sake of her family. She was despondent of living two lives.

At the beginning of their married life, they were trying to be happy. On the one hand, they were trying to be comforted with each other. On the other hand, they were not feeling easiness in their married life. Something was missing in their life.

When they started knowing each other, they found each other irritated and were feeling uncomfortable. They couldn’t stand with each other. At every moment, Sushant had the violent mood. Whatever Reena did, he never liked it. He often complained about the food, her clothes, and her body. She was trying her best to make him happy but she failed. Whenever he was not happy, he used to beat her. Although she wanted to leave him, she couldn’t because of fear.

II

“It has been eight months that we are in the relationship. When are you leaving your wife? You always say that you are leaving your wife but still, you are not ready. When will you?’’ Kelly said.

“Actually, I am not…….”

“Ready. I know that. But you have to be ready today. Today, whether you are saying that you are leaving her or you are supposed to kill her.”

“Ok.” Sushant was in the tension. He could read the mind of Kelly. She was not easy leaving this issue. She was stubborn.

I know you are in the tension but you have to in an easy way today. You know what you have to do today.“

“So, what are you doing today?”  She gave him a packet.

“I will ring a bell. She will open the door. When she will open the door, I will smile and hug her. Moreover, I will have dinner with her. She will bring wine for both of us. I will keep this packet of poison in her wine. She will react after a few hours and will die of heart attack.”

“So, you are ready. After this, we will be always together.”

After this conversation, they both left the Hotel Shankar, Lazimpat.  Sushant reached home. He smiled at her and hugged her. Although she was in the good mood, she was shocked to see him smile and hugged her.  She had made dinner for him.

“You sit. I will come in a few minutes.”

He was sitting on the sofa and reading a newspaper, he came nearby.

“Happy Birthday, Sushant.”

“Thank You. You knew my birthday.”

“Yes.” She nodded her head.

She gifted him his favorite songs collection. Sushant was happy. He hugged her. She, furthermore, gifted his favorite shirt with his favorite blue color. He was happy.  For a while, he forgot about his plan.

“Happy Birthday again. Are you happy?”

“Yes.”

They both cheer their wine glass and started drinking wine. After a few drinks, she brought food for them. When she was inside the kitchen, he kept a packet of poison in her wine in rush.

When she was about to drink, the doorbell rang. She took her wine glass and opened the door. She saw Sushant’s uncle. Reena had invited him in the occasion of Sushant’s birthday.

“Hey,” said Sushant’s uncle.

“Namaste Uncle.”

Reena and Sushant’s Uncle hugged each other.  After drinking a glass of wine, she fell down. The glass of wine broke down into many pieces. When she fell down, both Sushant and his uncle came near. Sushant felt panicky. He started looking here and there. Then, she woke up. She was shocked. He saw a pillow and tried to kill her but Sushant’s uncle stopped.

Sushant was in the jail in the attempt of murdering his wife. In the end, they were divorced. As Sushant was rich guy, his half of the property was given to Reena.

III

After three months, Kelly and Reena were at Universal Café, Sukhedara.

“You look beautiful, Reena,” Kelly said.

“Thank You. I must say that what a plan you made. I thought I could die.”

“How could I make you die my love? I just gave Sushant packet of unconscious medicine.”

They laughed and cheered their wine. Reena and Kelly both were lesbian. They were school friends and were together in college too. When they were in college days, they were in love. They couldn’t tell about their identity to anyone. When Reena’s mother talked about marriage, she didn’t want to marry and rejected many guys. Finally, when Sushant's marriage proposal came, she accepted because of Kelly. Kelly convinced Reena to tolerate Sushant and planned to leave him when the right time comes.

“Kelly, now I want to live my life with you. Living my life with Sushant was a hell. Now, I want to live my life beautifully with you.”

“Sure. We will be leaving this madding crowd and will be living in a beautiful place whenever you want.”

Both smiled and hugged each other.