Will Love Forever

The journey had been very tiring for Col Shekhar who limped as he walked on the Chennai station as the train entered the crowded platform. His misty eyes spotted Aishwarya and his daughter, Priya standing in wait for him. Her silver hair fluttered and Priya had grown into a young maiden, resembling the beauty of yesteryears of her mother! How the time had flown!

His thoughts drifted back in time!

Ravi was traveling from Ahmedabad to Chennai by Navjeevan Express. The train had left the previous morning where a few of his friends from army and a school friend who was studying at the IIM had come to see him off. Capt Ravi Shekhar of Indian Army had completed a three year stint at Ahmedabad and was on transfer to Chennai and was due to take charge in the next week. He had been among the most eligible bachelors and was tall lanky and had an athletic built. He had slept well in the first class compartment and the co- passengers occupying the berths next to his had disembarked at Warangal in early morning hours. The commotion created had woken him up from the deep slumber. He looked at the watch and it was almost 9 AM in the morning as the train slowly pulled into the platform at Vijaywada junction. It was crowded with passengers and vendors! As the train halted, a middle aged man and his wife boarded the compartment. Following them was a bewitching beauty, which was holding a small suit case and guided the couple, presumably her parents. They settled into the berths which were vacant .Ravi bought coffee from the platform and glanced at the family and found that the elderly couple was engaged in a conversation while the girl who was sitting on the adjoining seat was flipping through the pages of a magazine. She was about 20 years old and was draped in a blue color kurta with a white churidar. A small tuft of hair kept falling from her forehead towards her face every now and then as if playing with her rose colored cheeks! A small trinket shone from the corner of her ear!

After, finishing coffee Ravi struck a conversation with the elderly man and learnt that the family was heading to Chennai and their daughter, Aishwarya was accompanying them.

He looked at Aishwarya and asked her, ‘Are you studying?

‘I have just finished my graduation, and am going for holidays to spend time in Chennai’ she replied. Aishwarya was a voracious talker and soon Ravi was engaged in a tete-a tete with the pretty damsel. Ravi was enjoying the conversation and asked her about her interests and asked if she would like to play a game of ‘Scrabble’ with him. She was game and soon both of them were bent over the board to test their prowess.

 

	W	I	L	L
				O
				V
	F	O	R	E	V	E	R

Aishwarya was impressed by the wit of the Army man and his ability to strike interesting impromptu conversation. They did not realize how the time went by and it was almost lunch time. The couple opened the huge steel tiffin carrier and spread out the lunch and asked Shekhar if he would like to share with them. After an initial hesitation he agreed and enjoyed the mini feast with the family. They chatted for some more time till the couple closed their eyes while Shekar and Aishwarya continued with the gossip. They exchanged notes and Shekhar asked if he could meet her once they reached Chennai.  Around 4 PM the train reached Chennai and Shekhar helped the family with their luggage as they all disembarked and headed for their destinations.

In the following months both Shekhar and Aishwarya met few times before, Shekhar proposed to Aishwarya. Initially there was an opposition due to different family backgrounds, the parents of Aishwarya agreed as they found Shekhar to be a caring man with no demands! Six months later, they tied a knot.

 Two years later Priya was born and the war broke out! Shekhar was called for the emergency and on one fateful night when rockets were blazing the sky he felt  sharp tinges of pain in his leg as he passed out and there was darkness all around.  When he woke up, he found his leg bandaged and a hospital bed where he lay! He was then moved into a prison where the life played hide and seek and he remained isolated with the rest of the world for many years!

Aishwarya got the message that her husband was missing in action and the long wait started! She raised Priya and each day agonizingly waited for Shekhar to return!

One day, Shekhar was marched into the prison ward and was handed over his clothing and money and exchanged with other soldiers on the border! He could not believe that he was once again able to breathe in fresh air! He was finally free! For the next three days he ran from pillar to post before boarding a train to Chennai once he learnt about the whereabouts of his family! The train came to a halt and as he stepped out on the platform he was mobbed by his wife and daughter with an unending stream of tears marking the beginning of yet another Platinum Day of Love in their lives!

PS: 1.Written for ‘Platinum Day of Love’ contest sponsored by Indiblogger and Precious Platinum(Platinum Day of Love)

        2. Picture kind courtesy Facebook