One romance, two twists

“Nat!!!” he turned around to see who was calling.

“Hi Mahua, what are you doing here at this hour of the day?” he asked.

“I just wanted to meet you and talk. To see if every thing is alright.” She replied.

They were walking side by side. Nat was fair, blue eyed and tall. Yes he had an unique feature, even though he was pure and perfect Indian his eyes were blue, which is some times seen in Kashmir. It did not enhanced his looks, dark eyes would have suited him better. Mahua was simply gorgeous , fair complexioned, short heighted and cute as a doll. They made a lovely couple.

“Lets sit down for a while.” She pointed at a park bench. They sat down side by side. The bench was still warm from the rays of setting sun.

A cool breeze was blowing. Evening was about to settle in the city. The water of the lake was slowly rippling in the breeze, creating a beautiful picture.

The benches were occupied by couples like them or friends and famillies.

Small children were running around startling human beings and scaring crows, pigeons and other birds which were strutting on the grass for some thing to eat.

The trees were resonating with chirping of birds, returning to their nest one by one.

“I don’t know what will I do with them. I have told them a hundred times that I want to marry you but they just wont listen.” Nat fumed.

“Why don’t you talk with the girl and tell her that you are in love with me?” Mahua asked softly.

“Dad told me he will disinherit me if I marry without his consent.” Nat said. “That will mean a hand to mouth life. I don’t have any existence outside his office.”

“Lets see what we can do. Seems we will have to twist our fingers to get the butter out of the jar.” Mahua replied. “whats her name? your dad and mom’s choice?”

“Rekha.” He said

“Will you point her out to me in stealth? I will make it sure that she refuses you.” She laughed.

“That wont be a problem. Lets go and eat something. I did not had my lunch. I am famished.” He stood up pulling her to her feets.



They entered a restaurant, a soft light was illuminating the restaurant. Nat looked at her face. She was awesome. Her dark, huge eyes were magical, so was the remaining face… soft, rosy lips, dark hair. She knew how to dress up. Every one was looking at her repeatedly.

He sometimes felt scared that someone will steal her from him. “What will you have?” he asked her, his eyes never leaving her face.

“Dosa, masala dosa and ice cream.” She replied.

Nat called the waiter and placed the order.

He has hidden one thing from Mahua, who was his secretary. He was infatuated with Rekha when he studied in college. His family has told him again and again to get over her but he has refused.

His obesession caused her a lot of harassment and displeasure, because whenever her parents fixed a match for her his friends used to poison the mind her prospective groom or his family. Telling them that she was having an affair with Nat.

His father got the air of his mischiefs and consented to their marriage, but asked Nat to become independent first. Well he go independent and also got Mahua.

When he went back home and told his parents that he wants to marry Mahua his father exploded with fury. “Get out of my home and marry any one you want.”

His mother who doted after him took his father’s side without second thought, “Don’t give my love a bad name. you should be ashamed to say these things. You have ruined the reputation of that girl without any reason? That’s what you want to tell us?” she stomped out of the drawing room and slammed the door on his face when he tried to follow.

Mahua was his only hope. He did not wanted Rekha any more. He was obsessed with Mahua. He reached out and clutched her hand, “You are my only hope.”

They left the restaurant chatting happily, forgetting every thing that has happened during the day but their love for each other.




Mahua was sitting in her bedroom, a soft moonlight was spread all around her. She lived outside kolkata, commuted to kolkata to work. She has fallen in love with Nat instantly, and his reciprocation was a miracle to her.

She was from a middle class family. Her father worked in a factory as supervisor. The love of a rich businessman was a dream come true for her. A guy who was handsome, well educated, sophisticated and madly in love with her.

She started to softly hum, then a thought crossed her mind and she started to smile.

Rekha was coming out of her school the next afternoon. The weather was simply fabulous. The soft winter sun was basking the world. Children were screaming with happiness. Some were waiting for their buses to pick them up and others were heading home either on foot or by some other means.

She started to stroll toward home.

“Rekha!!! Hey!!!! Is that you?” she was startled to hear someone shout her name. She turned around and saw one of her college friends Jeet walking toward her.

“How are you? Its been ages since I last saw you!” He smiled. “Meet my friend Mahua.” He introduced the gorgeous girl standing beside him.

“Lets sit down in the park” Jeet pointed toward the small park just beside the road.

They sat down side by side. “You teach in this school?” Mahua asked Rekha. “I work just around the corner.”

“In private concern or government office” Rekha asked casually.

“Private concern, Singh Automobiles.” Mahua said. She noted the slight blush on Rekha’s face.

Then they got engaged in myriad conversations and after a while when the dusk started to settle down on the city they parted their ways.



“Rekhadidi!!!!” Rekha turned her face to meet Mahua when she was coming out of school next afternoon.

“What a pleasant surprise.” Rekha smiled. “It seems we both go home at the same time. Yet we have never noted each other before.”

They started to stroll together toward the bus stop. “Didi can I ask you some thing?” she asked after a while. “Jeet told me you and Nat were collegemates!”

“He has proposed to me, but there is a problem. His parents want him to marry someone else otherwise they will throw him out of his house and disinherit him.” She said innocently. “How is he as a person? I am planning to accept his proposal even if he is penniless.”

“Nat has proposed to you?” Rekha hid her surprise. She was a very calm lady, who rarely showed her emotions too much, deepest pain are easiest to hide. She just hid her eyes from Mahua.

“Yes, didi, again and again. We are very good friends. We often go out together. He has told his family again and again that he wants to marry me but they have made their own choice.” She said. “If I knew who that girl is I would have begged her for my love. But Nat says he will leave his home and marry me.”

“Marriage is a decision to be taken after being thought about thoroughly.” Rekha said. “Again it’s a decision one should take independently or jointly with one’s spouse. Third persons always mess up.”

“Nat is a good guy, as far as I know him. We have never been very close friends.” Rekha said. It was true. Nat was the one who stalked her but never dared to propose her.

“Your bus has come didi, bye bye!” Mahua said with a smile, “till we meet again tomorrow.”

Rekha sat down on her bus seat immersed in deep thoughts. Mahua started to walk toward the nearest restaurant with a soft smile upon her lips, Nat was waiting for her there.




“Baba, tell them I wont marry Nat.” Rekha softly told her father when Nat’s parents approached him.

“But Rekha…” he stopped in midway, he knew his daughter very well.

“Rekha does not wants to marry Nat.” he told Mr. Singh.

“It has something to do with that monkey. I can swear about it.” Mr. Singh told his wife, who has mysteriously joined his side after doting after Nat for years.

“As Rekha is not interested in marrying him, we don’t have any thing to say. Well, lucky for her.” He added.

A few weeks later Nat popped up the question of marrying Mahua again.

“You can marry any one you want, but you will have to vacate my home and look for a job for yourself.” Mr. Singh said calmly. “But I will not disinherit you, as Rekha has denied marrying you. You will get all my property after we are dead.”




Tags: sharmishtha (trisha) basu, stories, story, society, writing, thoughts.