Success in love is… Part 15

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5  Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14

Some movies have the ability to absorb us and make us see ourselves in them. But this movie took me to the streets and made me linger around the Cinema hall that we reached late. The hurried walks through the busy Cross cut road, the moment we crossed the busy road with our eyes fixed on the rushing vehicles, when I moved my hand involuntarily towards her and she grabbing it without seeing my hand or me and the calculated steps we took brought the same smile that I have had all days after that.
The micro second stop I made to see her if she needs water before entering the hall and her small nod suggesting she is alright with the sweat following down her cheeks, the single strand of hair that was drenched in sweat, the pitch dark hall and our search for our seats with cellular lights, the way we held to each other whenever we slipped, the relief we relished when we finally sat on our seats, the act of wiping my face with her dupatta and she doing the same in my shirt which made people around us miss few seconds in the movie, the moments I waited for my eyes to get accustomed to the darkness so that I can see her face clearly, her smile when she turned to see me watching her instead of the movie,  her blush which made her pull me close and lean on my wet shoulder, everything were running in the screen that showed the movie to others.

I came back to the bus when I felt someone sitting next to me and held my hand. My aunt had come and she was watching the movie holding my hand. After a few seconds which was necessary for me to gain myself from my past and quick wipe to verify tears, she turned and looked at me.

"How are you?"

"I am fine. Don't worry about me."

"I don’t know if you have got the meaning when I introduce you to all my colleagues as my son. You are my son more than your Mother's. When you were born, your mom got ill and I had to take care of you. That was a time when I was down with my bad performance in the PUC exams and being born in a family of intellectuals like your Mother, I was very ashamed. I had isolated myself inside our house, felt small in my heart due to the guilt, and got irritated whenever someone pestered me to go out. You changed my world. My only thought for the next one year was you and you saw me as your mother. Slowly I got the confidence I never had and since that time I have had a very successful life. It’s all because of you."

I was shocked to know she could do badly in any exam. She is currently the HOD of Chemistry department in the only college at my hometown and has a Dr before her name and a PhD after that.

"That one year is everything for me. Whatever I am today is because of you. You are my first child and I don't want you to be sad any single moment in life. If you feel like crying please do it. Don't be hiding everything inside your heart and show this fake smile" she continued.

I smiled a wide smile and hugged her. She gave a few blows and said, "I am serious. I don't want you to have a single moment of sadness after tomorrow. You are everything for me" She said and tears that were stagnating behind her eyelids started flowing.

My aunt's daughter came near us and kept her hand on her mother's shoulder and looked at me.

"You are her first child. She loves you more than anyone"

My aunt wiped her tears and looked at her daughter. She was not in a position to explain anything. Her only child has heard that her mother loves her nephew more than her child. I reached for my cousin's hand and made her sit on my lap and said, "You are my darling sister. I love you more than anyone else."

"I know bro. I am not complaining. After all, it’s you. I am fine with that. I love you more than anyone else too." She said and turned to her Mother, "You and Dad are exemptions" and both the ladies smiled. I hugged them and both reached to kiss my chins.

Instant flashes occurred and my uncle was standing there with his camera.

"What a moment? I am going to have this photo framed in our Hall."

Everyone rose from their seats and smiled at the cuddle we were in and my Dad had big smile and said, "I always thought you will take this guy away from us and proclaim him as your son. I wouldn't have any standing ground to defend myself."

"Where ever he is, he is my son always." She said and when everyone was smiling, "Hope my sister is not hearing this." She said in a feeble tone.

"I have heard everything and I am ready for the deal if you give me my daughter." My mother spoke with her eyes fixed on the Civic which my bro was driving.

The princess, who has followed my footsteps and joined my college, jumped from my lap and ran to my mother and hugged her saying, "Deal Okay"

We all smiled at her and she showed signs of triumph to her Mother who hugged me closer and conveyed she is happy as well.

Everyone returned to their respective places and I moved to sit near the intern as advised by my aunt. She showed a micro second smile when I came towards her and turned back to see if the hero conveyed his love in the movie, which he won't till the interval.

"You have a lovely family. I have never seen so many people in a single house. Back home it's just 3 of us and a few friends whom we see in parties. I have seen my cousins only in Skype and my grandma visited us once when I was in 10th and went back to Canada. I never knew a big family is this much fun."

"Yep! Its good especially today, as everyone has come for me."

She smiled and turned back to the movie.

"So much into the movie?"

"Yep!" She said but something said that she isn’t.

I held her face and made her face me. She smiled and asked what.

"What’s wrong? You are dull.”

 She showed a weak smile again “I don’t know. I suddenly feel bad about having a nuclear family and various problems between the elders over our ancestral wealth, which has reduced all my cousins as mere acquaintances whom I barely know.”

“Every family has its own problems.”I said and gave a small pat on her head.

“Yes, you are right.” She spoke nodding her head and after a short pass, turned back with a big smile and said “Your aunt told about your love. You are so good. I just couldn't wait to see her. I want to see for myself if all this is worth it."

"What? Worth it?"

"Yep! I want to see if she is good enough for all this love."

"Actually she deserves lot more than this."

"Hmmm. I will have my own conclusion tomorrow. Now say if this guy will propose his love or not." She turned back to the movie.

I smiled and turned to see the road where a motorist drove past our bus. She pulled my shirt and asked, “Please tell what will happen in this movie?”

I signaled her that I won’t tell and turned back to the window. Before she could protest, there was a loud clattering sound indicating a crash followed by a sudden stop of the Civic and our bus followed suit. My Uncle ran out first to see what happened.

The motorist who overtook us had lost balance and was thrown to the sides of the road when he had hit the mile-stone. My cousins were rushing towards the guy who had luckily fallen on the bush a few feet away. My brother had started doing first aid when I reached the place and the motorist showed occasional movement confirming that he is alive. I could see that he had taken alcohol, a lot of it as the place was stinging with his blood and vomit. I stood there helpless cursing him for driving this fast and for driving after drinking.

My dad, who was shouting at someone in the phone, came back and said, “There is no ambulance nearby.”

“Not a problem dad. Attur General Hospital should be within 20kms, we will take him there, you guys continue. We will come by morning.” My bro talked as her applied direct pressure to control blood loss from his head.

I started walking back to the bus as my cousins carried him to the car. My Dad was lost in thoughts and suddenly grabbed my collar.

“You will have to go with them.” He said.

“But Dad, wont brother take care of that creep?” I said not understanding why he would do this to me. The thought of her, anticipating my arrival came to my mind.

“No you have to. You are AB- negative and your brother is A-negative. Both are rare groups. Small hospitals won’t have proper blood banks and even if they do they are unlikely to have stock of these groups. Let’s not take chances. We don’t know what group this guy is. Though he was wrong in driving after taking alcohol, think about his family that needs him or a lover who lives for him.”

I walked to the car without a word and bro started the Civic which rushed towards the hospital. Dad’s last words kept resonating between my ears, “A lover who lives for him.”