THE SECOND BEGINNING
She entered the coffee shop holding the blue clutch which he had gifted her on their anniversary. Her eyes were in search of him.
“Radhika!” he waved at her she gave a fainted smile and paced towards him.
“Hi! Shall I sit?” she tried to belong formal. He said nothing but nodded. “What would you like to have?” he asked her and waiter interrupted. “Your order please!” Radhika looked at the waiter and said “Ice tea” surprisingly even Kartik said the same.
“So< you were saying something.” she looked at him as if she didn’t notice that both of them ordered the same thing at the same time.
“I don’t want to break up Radhika.”
“See I don’t think that we would be able to survive this long distance relationship. Moreover, there would be trust factor that shall be questioned.” She kept her hand on his as a gesture of assurance
“Would you be able to survive without me?” he questioned her
“How does that matter? All I know is that we wouldn’t be able to survive”
“I didn’t know your love for me is weaker!” he frowned and she said nothing.
The waiter bought ice tea for both of them. They both didn’t say a thing and calmly sipped the ice tea. “I guess we can at least give it a chance.” He brought the topic back
“Kartik, I have decided. The thing is that the harder we try the more pain are we going to feel.” She cut it short
“Why so cold Radhika?” he asked with tears rolling down
She flashed another faded smile and said – “two months from now you shall be in another city for at least 3 years. We wouldn’t be able to see each other frequently. I won’t be able to bake cakes for you. Our bike rides shall vanish in minutes. My soft bed sheets won’t emit your fragrance. Everything that we do shall still stop and we wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. I shall cry myself to the bed and you would again feel pathetic about it. The agony will grow and soon it shall replace the love. I don’t know what makes you feel that it is easier. All I know is that survival wouldn’t be easy.”
Kartik sighed.
“What if we worked through it?” he asked
“How would we? Miles apart in different cities altogether! My love won’t fade for you but I don’t want to sleep in agony every day.”
“Baby you won’t I promise”
Radhika couldn’t pretend her coldness anymore. She got off her chair and embraced him. “Please don’t go.”
“Radhika... Just three days and I shall be back to you” he reassured her
“Three days. It seems like every day you shall be stabbing me with a knife and by the need of the third year I shall relieve but dead.”
They both left the coffee shop and Kartik dropped her home.
“Kartik, we either make it or break it. I won’t be able to handle the long distance.” She left the car.
As she walked past him, she took him into another memory. The memory that dated back in last year.
The pale walls of the hospital were not so appealing to Radhika. Her ordeals grew in minutes when she realised that her memory is gradually leaving her.
I don’t know what kind of existence is it when I am not leaving the world but my memory is.
“How are you feeling now?” he asked her
“I am good. I am turning forgetful Kartik” she tells him as he sits beside her
“Yesterday I lost my way to home. I sat somewhere and I guess someone took me home. I am scared” she continues with tears in her eyes
“Sweetheart, you are strong. Write things down. It will help you. I am there. I will help you whenever can” he assured her.
“I am writing.. look” she showed him the diary hastily – “What if I forget this too” her voice reflected how worried she was
“Radhika, I am here for you”
“The doctor wants to talk to you Mr.Kartik” the nurse interrupts them
Kartik gets out of the room to meet the doctor. He paces hurriedly as he doesn't want to leave her alone even for seconds.
“Doctor..” he knocked the cabin
“Mr.Kartik, please be seated” Kartik gets inside and grabs the chair.
“Doctor, Radhika is really scared. I can sense it. My work wouldn’t let me stay here for longer and I don’t know how do I take her care?”
“Mr.Kartik, these episodes of forgetfulness would repeat. It is a little dangerous for her to roam around in the city. I suggest you stay here with her all the time.”
“I understand. I am trying my best to extend my holiday.” He tried assuring.
“You know Kartik, I have a feel that I might forget everything but not you” she smiled innocently as she gulped in her medicines. “And why is it so?” he playfully asked. “I think that is because I want to remember you. You have given me best days of my life. I want to remember you. In the nights when I couldn’t sleep, I reassure myself thinking that I at least still remember you.” She smiled. Kartik could sense his eyes were already moistened.
“I wouldn’t let you forget me, honey! I promise.” He said hugging her tightly in his arms.
“But, what if I did?” she asked looking at him raising her head
“Well, then I will date you again” he kissed her forehead.
Days passed and Radhika faced several episodes of forgetfulness. “I am losing my art too,” she said scratching the incomplete painting that she has prepared.
“Calm down sweetheart. Calm down!” he took the paper away from her.
“Kartik, this is not done!” she screamed followed by a loud cry
“Radhika. Look at me.” – “Take this blank paper and begin again, I know you can do it.” He encouraged her
“Are you sure?” she tried to calm herself down
“yes.. calm down. Breathe. Relax and start again.” – “It is okay if you are forgetting. It is okay. You can learn it again. Come on.”
Radhika took her pencil again and began to sketch the rose. Her agony was visible on her wet cheeks but Kartik was still holding her tightly.
Medicines were given to Radhika even though her mental illness was stable some major episodes of forgetfulness did not arise for the longer time.
“Anaida, I need to go tomorrow. Do you remember where have you kept the diary?”
“Yes, under my pillow.”
“Your cell phones?’
“Hanging there” she pointed at the wall
“Me?”
“In my heart!” she laughed.
“Baby take care. I shall be back within a week. It is last trip to work henceforth, there wouldn’t be any requirement to go.”
She smiled back and assured him that she will be fine and waiting for him. Days passed and they kept in connection through calls regularly. Kartik would ensure that she had her food on time and takes the proper left. Radhika seemed fine to him. She didn’t forget anything much as yet. He was counting the days. Every second without her seemed an endless saga.
“Who is this?”
“This is Kartik. How are you doing?” Kartik said casually
“I am good! Do I know you?” Radhika asked
The words echoed in his ears and world crashed within minutes.
“AH… i… am.. well.. I don’t know what to say.”
“Is it a wrong number Mr.Kartik?” she asked firmly
“No ma’am actually, the other day you gave me a call.”
“Is it? I am sorry I don’t remember. What was the call about?”
“You were asking me to meet you up, we have been friends since longer virtually and it is finally time to meet you.”
“Is it? Why should I believe you?”
“Okay, ask me anything I will tell you then,” Kartik said appearing calm wiping his tears
“What is my full name?”
“Radhika Shrivastav!” – “No, wait, it is Radhika Mehra.”
“And what do I do?”
“You sketch.”
“How old am I?”
“35”
“I am from?”
“Delhi”
“Am I single?”
“You are divorced.”
“we met on?”
“7 Months back” – “You must be having my pictures on your phone. We have met before as well.”
“I will check for sure.”
Every word that Kartik said was not even closer to any memory of Radhika. Yet, she accepted it after all when memories leave you what other choices do you anyway own?
“I see.. you know quite a bit about me. Do you remember the date and time?”
“Yes, you had given me your address the other day and I gave you a call to remind you that I am coming tomorrow.”
“That’s great!” Radhika hung up and smiled to herself like a teenaged girl who has just fallen in love.
“What if someday I forget you?”
“I will date you once again.”
Written by – Pooja Bagul
