C17 FINALLY I MET MY LOVE

Two months had passed. The Novel was still creating waves in every market. But Akbar Khan couldn’t decide whether he had won with Aarav’s death, or lost, because the Novel had become a best-seller. Aarav had killed himself to fulfill Rihana’s dream, and he himself could not fulfill his only daughter’s last wish. He had lost everything in his arrogance and ego. His wife had already left the world a few years back, battling cancer. Now his ego had driven Rihana also away from him - forever.

One day he stood in front of Rihana’s picture and said,

“Your mother left me long time age due to cancer. You also left me alone. You didn’t think, even for a moment, how your father will live without you. Forgive me, my daughter. I have given you a big punishment due to my ego. I will sell everything and fulfill your dream.”

Next day he and his manager were going in his car to meet Mr. Bajaj in his office. He had decided to buy the copyright of Aarav’s Novel from Mr. Bajaj, even if he had to give him everything. This was the only writing of Aarav left, the rest he had already burnt.

His manager advised him to think once again.

“Please think once again, Sir. You are going to give all your life’s earnings for just one Novel. I don’t understand this way of doing business.”

Akbar Khan looked at him.

“Today Akbar Khan is not going to do a business deal. Today a father is going to give up all his wealth to fulfill his daughter’s unfulfilled dream. I never said ‘no’ to my daughter for anything. Her last wish was to publish Aarav’s Novel from my company. There is no Novel which I can publish. That is why I have asked Mr. Bajaj to sell the rights of this Novel. I will give him everything I have, but the Novel will get published from my company now.”

“Sir, you are getting emotional. You have put in so much hard work over the years to establish this company. Now you are going to destroy it all in a single shot.” The manager tried to explain.

Akbar Khan smiled.

“All this wealth, this company, I had made for someone. Now, when she is not here, then everything is useless. I only wish that when I die, and meet my daughter in heaven, I am able to look her in the eyes.” His eyes were filled with tears, as he said this.

The manager offered him his handkerchief.

“Control yourself, Sir. Wipe your tears. I appreciate your feelings. Perhaps what you are doing is right.”

A little later they arrived at Mr. Bajaj’s office, where Mr. Bajaj was already waiting for him, with his lawyer and manager. Mr. Bajaj welcomed them.

“Welcome Khan sahib. Please have a seat. What will you have – hot or cold?”

“I have not come here to have tea. It would be better if we finish the work for which I have come here.” Akbar Khan said.

“Why not? (turning to his lawyer) Please show him the papers. Let them satisfy everything is ok.”

Akbar Khan took the papers from the lawyer, signed on each sheet, and handed them back to Mr. Bajaj.

“So Khan Saheb, from now onwards, my best-seller Novel from Aarav is yours. You have transferred everything you had in my name… for just one Novel.” Mr. Bajaj smiled.

“It is not just any Novel. It was my daughter’s last wish. Now every copy of this Novel will be published from my company. Now, maybe, my daughter will forgive me. I will leave now…”

Mr. Akbar Khan and his manager came out of office. Mr. Bajaj tells his manager – “See, how this Novel has made me number one in an instant.”

Mr. Bajaj notices Akbar Khan opening the gate of his Jaguar car to sit. He shouts at him.

“Khan Saheb, have you forgotten so soon? Everything you had, now belongs to me - even this car.”

Akbar Khan turns around to see Mr. Bajaj smiling. He waits on the road for an Auto-rickshaw. Suddenly, he starts smiling. His manager is surprised. He asks him,

“Sir, you have lost everything, and yet you are smiling?”

“I just remembered what Aarav had said. One day I had told him that I will bring him on the road. And today, I myself have come on the road. He won because of his love, and I have lost. But, frankly, for the first time I am happy at my defeat, because this is my daughter’s victory.”

(End of flashback)

I had finished reading Aarav’s Novel. After knowing about Aarav, and his death, I became completely calm, though there were tears in my eyes. Night had turned to day. I didn’t realize when the train reached Faizabad. When I looked around, I found that everyone had de-boarded the train, and I was the only one left in the empty compartment. I was so engrossed in the Novel, that I didn’t realize when everyone got down. For some time, I cupped my face in my hands, and just sat there, thinking about the sad end of a beautiful love story.

Suddenly I realized that the pages of the Novel had started fluttering very fast. I didn’t know what was happening and why, because there was no breeze blowing. Then how could these pages start moving? When the fluttering stopped at the back cover page of the Novel, I was shocked and scared. How could it happen? There was written on the back page with blood -

“My friend, for the last seven years my soul was wandering in that room. You were the first person who saw me. As a friend, I need a favor from you. In my room, the cup with Rihana’s lipstick mark and my blood stains is still lying. Take that cup and bury it in the park opposite the building, at the same place, where I had met Rihana for the first time. Only then my soul will get peace. I won’t harm you. If I had to do so, I would have done so by now. My friend, for the sake of peace of my soul, please come back once. I will wait for you.”

As I read this, my mind stopped working. My whole body shuddered with fear. I wasn’t able to decide. I had two options, first – go to my home. And, second, go back to Delhi and help Aarav. Aarav had stayed with me for one month, but never harmed me in any way. And the most important thing, he had become my best friend. So, after thinking for a while, I decided to go back to Delhi, and liberate his soul forever.

I did not know what would happen to me in the room, but in my heart I believed that Aarav would not harm me. I took a train and came back to Delhi.

When I reached Sharma Building, Mr. Sharma was sitting at the reception. He was surprised to see me there.

“I have some work with you.” I said.

He was a little scared.

“Should I give you a different room, son?” He asked.

“No” I said

“Then what do you want?”

“Keys of Aarav’s room. I have forgotten something, have come to pick it up.”

He hesitated for a while, but then without saying a word, handed me the keys. As I began to go upstairs, he asked,

“Should I also come along?”

“No, I want to go alone.” I said.

As I walked upstairs, my heart beats became fast. Will I see Aarav sitting on the chair, when I open the door? I was highly anxious.

Standing outside Aarav’s room, I tried to mentally prepare myself for any eventuality. I took a deep breath, and unlocked the door. The room was exactly as I had left it. I looked around and saw Rihana’s cup lying in a corner. I picked it up and quickly came down after closing the door. I could see faint lipstick marks of Rihana on the cup. And blood marks in the inside of the cup.

After coming down, I straightaway went to the park and looked around to see what could be the place where Rihana and Aarav might have met. I could see only one place where there were two chairs opposite each other. I was sure this would be the place where they would have met. I reached the place. With the help of a stick, which had a pointed edge, I dug a pit between the two chairs to bury the cup. After making a pit about one feet in depth, I placed the cup in it. Suddenly a wind started blowing. When I looked up, I saw Aarav and Rihana’s souls sitting on the two chairs, smiling at each other. As I kept pouring mud on the cup, Aarav and Rihana got up and started coming towards each other. Finally they hugged and vanished together.

The cup was fully submerged under the mud. My eyes were moist, but this time these were tears of happiness. I was happy that even as souls, I had brought Aarav and Rihana close to each other, forever.

The End