Time Forgives?

This article was also published in Writers Ezine in June 2016 :) 

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It was a regular day at work for Seema, until she read the news online flashed by a national publication. The headline of the report informed about a fire in a villa in Koramangala, Bangalore. She was little scared to click and read the details. What if it was the same building she knew of; what if it was the same villa she had visited once; and what if the members of the house were in critical condition?

With a racing heart she clicked the news and gathered that her fears were not true. She breathed a sigh of relief. Seema was surprised by her own reaction. Those worried two minutes were sheer waste of time, or were they? Those two minutes compelled her to transport back to the past and face the question “Has she really forgiven him?”

She knew her truth now.

Four years back…Bangalore

Seema was travelling by a public bus after putting down her papers at work, she had a fight with her boss and the SMS she received about an hour back was the last thing she wished would happen. Over the last few months, she realised that her relationship with Sameer was on the verge of breaking up, but never wanted it to end this way.

Just a week back Sameer had said, “We can be friends and I will always be there for you, whenever you need me”. The words from Sameer and a kiss on her forehead then had acted as a balm against his parents’ decision of not accepting the relationship, for Seema. After all nothing more could be done. Sameer said he tried his best to convince, but his affluent family that stayed in a magnificent villa in the posh locality of Koramangala and owned at least 3 sleek luxury cars, weren’t ready to get their only son married in a different caste. And there was the ‘horoscope that doesn’t match’ angle to it as well.

That one week wasn’t easy for Seema. The pain of separation from your first and true love. It’s suicidal. Yes, Seema even considered that option, but she couldn’t gather courage to do it. After being in love, weaving hopes and dreams for almost two and a half years, Seema felt her life has come to a standstill, she had nothing more to do. Her family – father, mother, younger brother or even best friends (whom she ignored for last few months), will never be able to help her bring her life back on track. Is it the end?

Just when she was lost in her thoughts near the Ulsoor Lake, five days after breaking up with Sameer, contemplating the option of ending her life, she saw him with Ritika, her colleague strolling at the lake side. Seema was the one who had introduced them and now, oh my God, they looked happy and as if they were together! Ritika was carrying bunch of red roses. Were they dating? Seema thought she was wrong, but soon realised, she had been mistaken all this while, trusting Sameer. Her friends had warned her, but Seema was madly in love with Sameer. His talks, promises, the way he looked her at her, gentle touch, it all vouched for his sincerity and love towards Seema, but sadly that wasn’t the case.

Image courtesy: Google

Seema had no courage to face them. She was disheartened and understood the entire story. Rikita was more suave, beautiful and perhaps an easier to impress kind of person and hence Sameer played around all this horoscope and different caste game. And a naïve Seema believed everything he said.

If that wasn’t enough, Sameer blamed her for cheating on him with her boss. Seema confronted her about what she saw at the lakeside, Sameer tactfully passed on the blame to her saying that Ritika informed him that Seema was having an affair with her boss. “You have been two-timing me and now do not blame me, if I have moved on in life”, SMSed Sameer.

‘Moved on’! Is one week enough to move one from one relationship to another, Seema thought bitterly, while travelling back to home, after putting down her papers. “Fine, feel free to assume whatever you want to, I don’t care. You have cheated on me. Remember you will see the same fate as you put others into,” she sent the message. ‘Good bye for now and forever’, Seema deleted and blocked Sameer’s number, never to reconnect with him.

She had accepted the fact and was trying her best to live with what she thought was her choice and the result of it. Of course she would not end her life over somebody else’s misdoings. She now hated him too much to forgive him. 

They say, when you love somebody from all your heart and soul, and if you develop hatred for the same person, due to any reason, the extent of it multiplies manifolds. This is what Seema experienced. Seema never wished him death, but a life worse than that.

After few months, she moved to Mumbai for a new job and frankly to get away from him and everything that reminded her of him.

Present day … Mumbai

The entire three years flashed before her eyes. For almost the entire day of what was remaining, she was reminiscing those two and half years and another six months after the breakup. Seema figured that she never realised when Sameer completely drained out of her system, until now. Today she feels nothing as she did three years back. No love of course, no hatred and no grudges as well.  

Her phone beeped with a WhatsApp message, bringing her back to the present. It was Rajat, her husband. Today was their 2^nd ‘meeting’ anniversary and Rajat had planned something special for her.

She ticked her checklist of today’s to-dos and logged out of her email ids and other social networking sites. While closing the tab of the news portal, she skimmed though it one last time, this time with a faint smile. Yes she knew, she had forgiven Sameer, she never thought she could, but now, she felt she had nothing to be angry about. Her life was complete and beautiful and she had no room for resentments any more.

She picked up her bag, dialled Rajat’s number while walking out of the office and waving bye to her colleagues. “Hi baby…. yes yes, I am just leaving from office… Oh you are here already……..”