"My Love Story - The Conclusion"

 

After 5 long years in medical school, I came out to the world hoping to take on the world, save everyone, to live the dream, and then “the internship” began. God, I never knew being a doctor could be this hard.  

On the brighter side, I completed the book I have been working on since my college days. It was tough but with the help of a few friends I was able to publish it. Being a new author it took me some months to get readers' attention but with the great Lord's grace, it ended up among the best sellers of that year. It was ironic that the book about my unsuccessful love turned out to be quite successful “My Love Story”, the story of my crush.

It's been more than a year since the book was published. I just reached my room after my double shift. I was lying on my bed, took my phone and there were a few text messages, missed calls, and some emails. I was too tired even to check them, so it beeped again when I was about to keep my phone away. There was a new mail. As I read the notification my heart started beating faster, I could never forget that mail ID. It was inscribed in my heart and it said: “I lost your number, need to contact you”.

I didn’t know what I was feeling - happy, thrilled, or shocked. Mostly I was afraid as I thought I was in for some trouble. I replied, “Hi, how are you? 98XXXXXX82, that's my no. Any trouble?”

In a few minutes, my phone beeped again.

She -“ I didn’t expect a reply this soon. I'm having an exam tomorrow. I’ll call you after the exam. Sorry that I disturbed you at this late hour”

Me- “I think I have disturbed you a lot earlier and  it's my pleasure to be disturbed by you at least once :-)”

She- “You were never a disturbance to me. Good night  :)”

Me- “Good night”

Two weeks later

Sitting across the table she was sipping her hot chocolate. A few strands of hair that escaped her messy bun strayed across her cheeks. She caught me gazing at her. 

She- “ The kitty doesn’t like to be stared at.”

Me- “Wow, you are quoting lines from my book. Anyway, am glad you read it. Hope you liked it. ”

She- “ How could I not read it. By the way thank you for coming here to meet me”.

Me- “It's my off day & it's just a couple of hours' ride.

So I suppose you wanted to tell me something.”

She - “Yeah, I had a lot to tell but I’ll make it short. I loved your book… it is good. But something hit me badly when I read it, I don’t know if this is the right time to tell you and I don’t know if I am gonna spoil your mood by saying this. I am sorry if I do. There was a line in your book saying that “I loved someone who never understood my love”…. That hit me hard, that made me realize how much I must have hurt you.

I have been stupid all my life, and I still am, I always loved the wrong person, I know that but that's why they say love is hard… it is. And I'm sorry for all the pain I gave you.”

Me- “ So what you wanted to tell me was that you're sorry!?” 

She- “ Yes I know it's stupid of me to make you come all this way to tell this.”

Me- “You said you had a lot to tell right if you don’t mind, and if you have time, please tell it. I might, at least, find something soothing in it rather than just a sorry.

I don’t want to remember one of the best stories of my life ending with a SORRY. 

Just a wish that’s all”.

She- “I had a lot to tell at that moment, now I'm short of words. I have so many flaws. I remember you telling me that whoever gets me will be very lucky but believe me he’s not. I have understood that I can give only pain to others that's why people don’t stay in my life and even without loving you back I have hurt you. I feel so bad at times and I used to think why I was made this way but there must be some reason why I was born. I am sure that you will get a very good partner who understands you, loves you, and never hurt you because you deserve that. You have a loving heart.”

Me- “Yeah yeah. Enough with the sweet consoling comments. Can I ask you something?

In a parallel universe, What if you came to know about my love, about how much you mean to me before you fell in love with another guy. What if I proposed to you back then? What will be your reply?

The last time I asked this, you told u can't reply since I didn’t actually propose to you. So please don’t say that again.

It's just a stupid question, from a parallel universe. It might not mean much to you. 

But it probably means the whole world to someone else in a parallel universe.”

She- “A hypothetical question deserves a hypothetical answer. I wouldn’t let go of someone who loves me like you”

THE END

Writer - Dr. Yeswanth S Nambiar