26 Feb 2010 marked their 3rd wedding anniversary. Ayush and Navya.
Navya age 28, youthful, multi talented, multilingual; who also happens to be a doctor. There’s something about her which just got everyone hooked with her. May be it’s her grace or the way she talk to you; maybe it’s her smile or the warmth in her gaze. There could be many things that could be said about that beauty but to me her eyes stood completely apart from rest of human female kind. There was amazing tranquility in those slightly brown eyes.
On the other hand; Ayush, a 29 year old guy, about 5 ft 6’ fit and smart looking, who worked in IT Company as “Industry Research Analyst”, which meant basically to read a lot of ‘high subscription cost’ magazines. Try to get Your Company to feature in them …..and…. {…. skipping minor details} he gets paid really (REALLY) well for a geeky job.
On 26 Feb 10, they decided to celebrate every coming anniversary in small French restaurant called “récolteamour” meaning love harvest. It was a small place with typical French feel near University. Navya had great explanation for Ayush’s frown when she proposed celebrating this and every anniversary in that restaurant. It reminded her feeling from the past.
Instead, when asked by Ayush she simply said “I like the food over there.”
* ~ *
Navya in her maroon skirt and a fading blue colored top dazzled that million dollar smile as she entered the “récolte amour”. They booked and occupied the exact same table, where they had their first dinner at “récolte amour” 4 years ago, on 28th of November 2006. That was the night that changed everything for Navya.
“Well it sure feels like a changed place..” Navya said while looking at the flower decoration on each table.
“Yup they sure has changed this place.. They added some security camera’s as well, look honey” Ayush had pure evil smile on his face.
* ~ *
Folks to understand Ayush’s comment, we would have to travel back in May of 2006, when they had a good friendship going on. One fine afternoon Navya while having lunch with her friends in one of the reputed hotels in the city; is challenged to smuggle silverware out of the hotel by her friend. Ayush, who was incidentally seating in nearby table and overheard the conversation, and well yes he informed the Manager to check the young lady. When the silverware was indeed found by the security staff in Navya’s purse and she was explaining the prank part of it, Ayush came hugged Navya sideways and said to the security officer “I m sorry you have to see this but my friend over here is mentally not too well, I truly am sorry for the inconvenience caused.” And he just took her out of the hotel, towards his car. Navya just didn’t know how to react. She kept quiet and gave Ayush a smile.
She always felt his presence exactly at that point in the hotel to be more than a coincident.
* ~ *
Navya was not amused. “I know you set me up that day, I don’t know how you did it; but I know you did…”
* ~ *
But till date Ayush keeps saying that ……
* ~ *
“It was a coincident, common! I was just coming in the hotel and saw security guard questioning you, I rescue you from embarrassing situation and that’s how you thank me, by blaming me?”
Ayush mocking a disbelief look took awkward sip of water from the glass.
Navya was still staring hard at him. Waiter came by to Ayush’s rescue.
For Ayush, it was the usual; any damn chicken dish and garlic bread. For Navya well she actually read the whole menu card, which I guess was also a shock to waiter as the menu card was in French. And after much deliberation she asked the waiter “what’s chef’s special?” He answered and she ordered that.
“Navya.. You remember last time we were here … what a heck of night that was…”
Now Navya took awkward sip water from the glass.
“it was” Navya replied.
“Who knew fire alarm could cry out so loud exactly at the time we requested for bill, and boy those sprinklers could make us so freaking wet” Ayush was reminiscing on those ‘wet Navya’ memories, while Navya turned her head and gazed at “for ladies” room.
Because Navya knew more about that night then Ayush could ever think of.
* ~ *
On 28th of November 2006, Navya had plans to have a serious talk with Ayush.
Ayush had proposed her 2 months ago, Navya didn’t give him any answers.
Well that’s mainly cause ….
you see, Navya Pradhan’s family was a doctor’s family. Her father, her mother her elder brother every one took pride being a doctor. Back then in 2006 when she was studying to be a doctor; still they were really proud of her, they almost considered her to be a doctor at family gatherings. Whenever subject of her marriages would be discussed it was almost assumed that she would be marrying a doctor.
....And Ayush was not a doctor. Back then what he was; was a guy mainly dressed in jeans and un-tucked shirt or t shirt, with a really want-to-be-cool spiked up hair; who was studying for his management degree.
In November of 2006, well things went a bit complicated as her parent started searching for Mr. Doc for soon to be a Doc. And to Navya’s surprise they found one. Dr. Vyom. Tall, handsome and wore Armani suit each time he met Navya. The Pradhan’s were intoxicated with Dr. Vyom and were confident that they had found a perfect son-in- law in him; just they were waiting for Navya to find a husband in him.
That night she wanted to discuss about Dr Vyom. That night Navya wanted to talk about ‘the decision’ she has made.
All the time while dining she kept on thinking about how to say it so he wouldn’t get hurt, while Ayush was busy yapping about a professor, a classroom project and a presentation about “trends of attrition in industry”. Her food was almost finished; now she needed to think through and say it what she wanted. She was extremely nervous and she was unable to concentrate on her thoughts. She excused herself and headed for restroom.
She went in an empty compartment and took out a cigarette.
Yes our soon-to- be- a doc Miss Navya was a junky back then.
To shake off the nervousness she let out two long puffs of smoke. She threw the half lit cigarette in toilet and flushed twice before heading out of the compartment. As she was repeating some words of self confidence looking at self in the mirror she saw a sign hanging on the wall. It read “pas fumer”. With her beginner level French, she took some time to read and understand it. But as she understood it, she immediately stepped out of the restroom.
It read “No Smoking”
The smoke detector sensed smoke and fire alarm was triggered. It was a constant high pitch warning noise.
Ayush was waiting for the bill when the alarm sounded. Navya was nowhere to be seen. The hotel staffs were trying to help the customer out. After few seconds he saw Navya rushing out of restroom. Hotel staff kept asking him to move towards the exit but he stood right where he was, waiting for Navya to come. As she came near he reached out for her hand and both started their sprint towards exit.
Something went wrong with the automated system and sprinkler’s started dispersing water droplets on exiting customers. There was a bit rush at the small door to go out of the restaurant leaving some of the customer completely wet.
* ~ *
“Are you done, remembering my green wet tank top, now”
Shocked Ayush hastily replied “what.. Nooo I wasn’t thinking about that…com’on! There’s nothing there that I haven’t seen now.. Why would I ....”
“So then why are you staring at my …..” before she could finish, waiter came with tray filled with food.
Navya didn’t stress further and began enjoying the French food. Ayush changed his focus on to food as well.
Food was served ; finished leaving its traces behind on the plates. This time Ayush did pay the bill and moved towards their Honda Jazz. As Ayush and Navya were walking towards car, Navya asked, “Ayu I want to drive”
“ya.. well this isn’t your ford dear!”
“You just had to bring that up didn’t you?” she stopped walking and looked furiously in his eyes.
“Well not that I wanted to recall that accident but call me superstitious if you want; your never driving us again from récolte amour…”
“I already said this enough times already and will say it again…car was not there.. it suddenly came from nowhere and it was so fast I didn’t got any time to react..”
“How could you miss it… I saw it.. I was yelling at you to break but you just kept on stepping on the gas… I still couldn’t understand.. What were you thinking…”
“I wasn’t thinking anything… I didn’t .. I mean that car just appeared..”
“No Nav…its time to tell me now.. What was going on in your mind that night..tell me..”
Navya was irritated with that little smirk on his face, yelled “fine. You want to know, well here it is…….”
* ~ *
Before that..
Let me tell you about the accident first.
On 28th of November 2006, after they left “récolte amour”, Ayush put his coat over Navya’s shoulder. She took the keys out and in a bit furious mood sat in driving seat of her Ford. Ayush sat near her. He though being wet is what has made up mood go upside down, so knowingly he kept quite. There was hardly any traffic on roads that night. Her ford was making squeaking noises as she kept on changing gears rather quickly and which was increasing car’s speed considerably. With each gear change Ayush was gazing towards the speedometer. It went beyond 100 mph and finally nervous Ayush spoke about Navya to consider reducing speed. Navya in her own trance changed one more gear. They almost reached the intersection, Ayush saw something coming from the left side road and just when he yelled about it……their ford hit one SUV coming from the other side at the intersection.
Navya was unconscious and Ayush had dislocated his shoulder. The seat belts and airbags did save their lives but car was hardly recognizable. Driver of SUV escaped with minor injuries and left the scene leaving Ayush and unconscious Navya on the road.
When Navya woke up she found herself in hospital and her family gathered around her, except Ayush. When she asked he father about Ayush, angrily he narrated how Ayush’s reckless driving was responsible for her accident and asked to never to see his face again. When Navya insisted knowing where he is, her father said that he called police after the accident, police bought her here and they took him for interrogation.
She didn’t meet Ayush for couple of weeks. In those couple of weeks, in complete silence, she realized something that changed her perspective on everything…
Ok back to our story ..
* ~ *
“No Nav…its time to tell me now.. What was going on in your mind that night..tell me..”
Navya was irritated with that little smirk on his face, yelled “fine. You want to know, well here it is…….I was about to tell you that I want to be marry Dr. Vyom”
Stunned by those words, Ayush dropped his car key.
“yes I wanted to tell you that I have decided to end our relationship, this is as far it goes but we certainly have no future”
“that, Dr. Vyom with Armani suits and those large specs…?? Then why didn’t you.. why after coming out of hospital you came to me.. when your dad had asked you not to.. what gave in” Ayush was never so serious in his entire life.
* ~ *
Well you will also be when on third anniversary your wife tells you that your weren’t the guy she wanted to marry..
* ~ *
“what gave in Navya..?”
With a drop of tears left her eyes and rolled over her cheeks.
“At hospital, I realized that with Vyom; my life would have been perfect, I would have had stable may be prosperous life, my family would have been ecstatic but … Vyom” she took a pause and gathered her thoughts and said “I m sure, he’d take me to 5 star hotel he wouldn’t have let me come here, only not on that night not ever may be. I wanted to be here… he would have scolded me for my choice of the stupid restaurant after the fire incident but instead you put your coat around me without a word; you told my dad that you were driving when accident happened and were in custody for 3 days, because you knew my dad would kill me and my freedom with it…”
“So for all that you married me?” now even more disappointed Ayush said.
With nodding her sidewise she said “No Ayu .. Can’t you see? I knew you loved me, but I married you because I understood you loved me for what I am. With you around I could be completely be myself without any apprehension ...life with anyone else wouldn’t have been half as exciting as the life with you.”
Ayush picked up the keys threw at her and said “that’s it! You are driving…”
She barely managed to catch the keys. Ayush came and hugged her from sideways and said “Nav that was a great Anniversary gift ..”
“Which part?” she asked mischievously.
“The joke where you said you wanted marry that dorky Vyom..that stuff will make me laugh even on death bed ..”
* ~ *
With warm smile on her face, she pushed the button of remote on car keychain.
Honda Jazz made a soft sound and opened its doors.
-THE END-
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