The noise and chaos of the wedding made the atmosphere around very festive. Meenakshi was a bit late. The ceremonies had just got over. Draped in her maroon coloured Banarasi saree, Meenakshi could easily be mistaken to be in her early twenties.

“Hi, I am Varun,” a deep voice startled her. Was she in a dream? “Oh my God!” was all she could utter. “Do I look so scary?” he laughed, the same laughter, the same naughtiness. “Where have you been?” Meenakshi was blushing. “Come outside with me, it is too noisy here,” he led her towards the terrace.

The lights reflecting on the lake were shimmering like stars; the light breeze and the scent of the incense made the atmosphere feel divine.  He put his arms around her shoulder as he finished his story and said, “Meenakshi, believe me, not a day has gone without me thinking of you. If there was one thing in life I missed the most, it was you!” he was saying something more when Nishant came out and called them in. After that Meenakshi did not see Varun.

Meenakshi was attending the wedding of her college friend Mohini with Nishant.  Mohini, her husband Nishant, Varun and Meenakshi were all part of the same circle and Varun was the brightest of them all. Needless to say, he got selected for a scholarship and went on to the USA to study. With no form of connectivity as is there today, there was no way Varun and Meenakshi could have stayed in touch.  Time had made her forget Varun. Today at the wedding reception, those memories came back and Meenakshi knew it was one of the best days of her life.  

Life had been harsh on her, managing the home and younger brother’s education after her father’s sudden death had made her take up a clerical job and she took tuitions to make ends meet. After some years, her brother who was now well settled in life got married to his colleague and left the house. Her mother could not bear this and passed away after a brief illness. Left alone in life, Meenakshi initially indulged in self-pity but slowly came out of it and took up learning classical dancing. She did well for herself and now ran a dance academy.

Her fingers trembled as she dialled Mohini’s number. “Hi Meenakshi, Mohini is out, can I give her a message?” asked Nishant, “No, it's Ok I will call back,” Mohini did not want to sound too eager, worried as to what he would think.

From the day she had met Varun again, Meenakshi was almost in a fantasy world. She imagined going out for a candle lit dinner with Varun or going to the movies. Every detail of what she would wear, to what perfume she would use was registered in her mind.  But there was no contact from Varun.  May be he has gone back, Meenakshi kept telling herself.  That day he had just told her that he was thinking of her, which did not mean that he loved her.  But this time she could not move ahead in life. Every moment her mind was filled with thoughts of Varun.  Finally she managed to speak to Mohini about Varun’s number. “We could not finish talking the other day; I will just give him a call….” She tried to evade the answer to Mohini’s question.

The same message over and over again irritated her, ‘the number you are trying cannot be reached, please try again later’.  Did Mohini play a prank and give her a wrong number? She called Mohini again. When she repeated the number, it was the same. Do you have an email ID, Meenakshi asked her. After checking with Nishant, Mohini said, “I am sorry but we don’t have his email.”

Mohini felt helpless. She had to meet Varun. She had to tell him she loved him.  It was almost mid-night. She dialled the number one last time.

The noise of the ambulance’s siren broke her thoughts.  She stepped out of the car and almost ran towards the emergency room.  In the far end she saw Varun. His face covered with an oxygen mask and tubes were hanging all over him. ”Please sign here, we have to take him for an emergency operation,” The doctor was telling Meenakshi. Her mind went numb and without realising she signed on the form as being his close relative.  Just then Nishant and Mohini came running towards her.

Meenakshi could hold on no more. She cried like a child. Wondering as to why providence always played with her emotions. Did she not go through enough in life?  The only time she felt life was looking up, this happened. Varun’s car had met with an accident.  No one could be contacted, but the call from Meenakshi helped the doctors to call her to the hospital.

After five hours, the doctor came out of the operation theatre and told them the operation was over but he was still critical.

After a week of the accident, Meenakshi was just leaving for the hospital when her phone rang. It was Mohini . “Varun has gained consciousness, come immediately,” she said.

Varun held Meenakshi’s hand and kissed it. Your love is the only reason for my life today. I have come out of the claws of death, only to complete the unfinished story of my love. I battled for life only to tell you - I love you Meenakshi….” Tears of joy were flowing down her cheeks. She kissed his hand and said, “Me too!”