Distant dreams

The wedding:

Promit stopped his bike at the gate. The house was getting painted. Fragrance of fresh paint was spread all around. He loved this smell. It always filled him up with energy.

He crossed the small lawn and entered the house. He was a tall, well build handsome man nearing his mid twenties.

“Promit!!!! Come here son, see these things, are they okay?” a middle aged lady called him.

She was Mina, his best friend’s mother. His best friend Swarna was getting married. The whole household was busy and so was he. He has been more like a son to this family for years.

He went inside after giving his approval to them, he was instantly captured by Swarna’s father. “Baba, have you decided the menu?”

“Lets all sit down together and decide these things one by one kaku.” He said. “It is not very wise to go solo on these things. Call Swarna too, where is that lazy girl?”

“I am here Mr. busy guy!!” a voice brimming with laughter said. He looked up and his eyes softened. He doted after her.

She was a very beautiful girl. Tall, slim and pretty. His friends were aghast that he did not proposed to her. He never looked at her that way. His feelings for her were absolutely platonic.

Her parents trusted him blindly, so did Swarna.



Swarna’s would be groom was any girl’s dream come true. Promit has seen Sanjay a couple of times. He was handsome, rich and only child of his parents.

The whole family was settled in UK. Swarna’s passport was already made. She will be on her way to UK after honeymoon in Goa.

“Swarna will forget us within one month of meeting her prince charming.” He laughed with a pang of sadness in his heart.

“We will shift to our village home after she leaves for UK.” Swarna’s father Mohan said. “We don’t have any thing to do here any more, that house needs us more than this rented house.”

“That’s miles away uncle. I will not be able to meet you then.” Promit said sadly.

“This is what life is all about son. People come and people go. Atleast we both will know that the other one is happy.” Mina said. “You can come down to visit us whenever you feel like.”

The marriage was over like a dream. Every one was charmed by Swarna’s inlaws. Only Sanjay and his parents could come down for the marriage. All their relations lived in UK and USA.

“We will have to hold the party there.” Mrs. Rastogi said. “In both places, in London and Miami.”

Senior Mr. and Mrs. Rastogi lived in Miami. They had their own homes in London and Miami. For the time being they will stay with Swarna in UK, and will leave for Miami when she is settled down in the new country.



Sanjay really was a handsome prince, they made a gorgeous couple. Every one was gushing at them.

For the first time since he has known Swarna Promit felt a deep regret. He realized the harsh truth after losing her that his friends were right. She was the love of his life.

He kept watching her smiling and blushing. Sanjay seemed obsessed with her beauty. His eyes never left her face for long.

“Thanks buddy.” He drawled in US accent, “You did not fell in love with her that is why I could have her.”

“It’s a miracle that you two spend years with each other and did not married or even had an affair.” He laughed. They were standing side by side on the balcony after the marriage reception was over.

Their marriage was performed in pure bengali way. “We don’t have any relatives here, so we can marry as per Swarna’s desire.” Mrs. Rastogi said. “If we can welcome a bengali girl as our daughter in law, why shall we not welcome her way of life?”
They left for Mumbai next day and left for UK after a month from there.

Promit accompanied Mohan and Mina to and from Mumbai.

He noted with a deep pang that one month with Sanjay has transformed Swarna into a beautiful dream.

He immersed himself in his career after returning from Mumbai. Mohan and Mina shifted to their village home within a few month. Leaving him lonelier.


Time flies by:

Years flew by like dream. Promit has joined Indian Army as a doctor. He was stationed in a small town. A very peaceful town situated on the bank of river Ganga.

He has not married, his parents have passed away years ago, so there was no one to bug him for that, he preferred the liberty of single life.

He used to often take a stroll on a road beside the river, which joined their barracks to the railway station.

After working all day in the hospital it was a great relaxation for mind. To watch civillians and feel the soothing breeze of the river.

He was walking toward the station as usual, he noted a woman coming toward him from a distance. She was alone, and it was apparent from her dress and accessories that she was returning from office. He noted her because he saw that a group of scoundrells were following her quite closely.

Snatching was a common phenomenon on this road, especially after dusk, so he started to watch her keenly. Suddenly he recognized her. “Swarna?” he asked, when she was about to cross him.

The woman froze in her tracks and stared at him, trying hard to concentrate then a ghost of a smile came to her lip, “Promit!!!”

“What are you doing here? You never told me that you are coming back to India.” He was surprised beyond words.

“I have been living here for last two years. Ma and baba are also with me.” She said softly. “Come to my home, we will talk there.”

Promit started to walk with her. To his irritation he noted that those scoundrels were still stalking them. He was a little surprised, because usually these creeps disperse when they see that their prey has found company.



Promit was surprised when Swarna lead him to a house just a few blocks away from his barrack.

“come!” she opened the gate of a small single storeyed house. There was a small lawn surrounded by flower beds, which were not visible in the semi darkness.

He looked back before entering the house, that group was loitering under the shadows of a nearby house.

The house was neat, clean and properly decorated but he missed the marks of elegance and beauty which were Swarna and Mina’s second nature.

“Baba, ma.. see who has come!!” Swarna called out and Mina and Mohan came out from two rooms almost together.

“Promit!!!!” they hugged him tightly as he bowed down to touch their feets one by one.

Swarna has disappeared inside to change her clothes. He sat down with them.

“When did you shifted here from village?” he could hardly hide his utter surprise, “Why did not you informed me? You always had my address.”

“When and why did Swarna returned to India, where is her husband” he continued. Suddenly he noted the embarassed silence of Swarna’s parents and looked at their faces deeply.

Suddenly a truth dawned on him. The thing which was missing from his best friend’s family and her was their life. They were a very happy family, always laughing, joking and enjoying the life. The three people who are in front of him now have forgotten to live. Their faces were tired and gloomy. As if their ages have shot up mysteriously and they have become old within five years.



“We don’t know where Sanjay and his family are.” Mohan answered. He was about to continue when Swarna entered the room with a tray.

“You are taking your dinner with us, call your wife and tell her to not cook dinner; you will be picking her up within an hour.” Swarna said.

“I will happily have my dinner with you, I will have to first marry to get a wife, then only can I call her..” he smiled.

“You are still single?” Mina asked. “What a boy!!!! This is what happens when parents pass away too early.” She grumbled. She really loved this young boy.

Then they all clustered around the drawing room table and started to chat. An hour later Mina and Swarna left for the kitchen and Mohan and Sanjay went out to the garden.

Ganga was clearly visible from their garden. It was looking gorgeous after darkness. The lights on both sides illuminating the water. A soft breeze was blowing from the river, soothing the very soul.

“Uncle, what happened with Sanjay?” he asked, he was dying to know what tragedy has struck his dearest friend, a friend who has become a piece of his soul.

“He has simply vanished with Swarna’s only child.” Mohan started to cry silently.

He gathered his nerves and shared a strange story with Promit –


The story:

Swarna was in seventh sky when they landed in London. She was not a very smart girl so she preferred staying indoors before she could understand the new country.

Their neighbours were mostly British, that prevented her from mixing with them too much. His parents had to leave after three months to attend some urgent business in Miami. She was left alone there, well partly. Sanjay was there but he had to tour a lot, sometimes for weeks.

Hardly a month has passed since Mr. and Mrs. Rastogi left for Miami Sanjay returned home with a sad expression on his face.

“Sweetheart, I have good news, and one bad news!” he said.
“I am promoted but I will have to go for a three months training in Belfast.” He said after a little pause.

“I have talked with a woman, she will come here every day and stay with you all day and will help you with every thing you need.” He said.

She hugged him happily and sadly but showed him only her smiles, hiding the fear.

He left, time passed away slowly, too slowly. She was not much surprised when she missed her first period, but she got alarmed when she missed the second one. She was thinking about consulting the woman who helped her, Ms. Singh, but Sanjay returned after his training that very day.

She felt her world crumbling down when she came to know that she was two month pregnant. Sanjay was shocked beyond words.

She told him that she did not know how it happened but he naturally did not believed her and coldness started to creep in between them.

Those months passed like a nightmare, Sanjay asked her to pass last few months in a rented home so that his parents don’t get the real picture.

They rented a house in a nearby place for six months. She does not know what he told his parents. The baby was born in a small nursing home there, run by an Indian doctor; the baby was boy, still born.

“Let’s forget the past and start life again. We all make mistakes.” Sanjay softly said, holding her hands in his hands.

She hugged him tightly, feeling an overwhelming gratitude for his kindness.

Life fell back to old routine, Mr. and Mrs. Rastogi could not make it back to London because their business was in trouble.

A few months later Sanjay left for Holland on an official trip, for three months again. Ms. Singh was again appointed.

This time Swarna was super cautious, she used to check doors and windows after her leaving the house. But she noted a strange thing, she was a very light sleeper. She used to spend her nights in a very light sleep. But ever since Sanjay went away she was sleeping like a log. She used to go to bed early and wake up late…. That too at one go. Never waking up for a single time in the whole night. Not even to turn.

Then the history repeated itself. She became pregnant again. This time Sanjay said its over. They will part their ways after the delivery, she can go back to India, he will make the arrangements.

Swarna knew she did not had any choice. She will just have to do that. If she tells any one what has happened to her they will think that she is a dumb adulterous woman. Who is lusty enough to have extra martial flings but does not know how to avoid pregnancy.

The same arrangement was made again, Sanjay told her they should make the arrangement of divorce before the baby is born. They will file the suit on mutual consent. So that she can go back to India asap.

The child was born, a boy again, a lovely boy with deep black eyes and curly hair.

Her ticket was booked after divorce. Sanjay asked her to pack her things and left for office. The baby was sleeping in cot. When Swarna went to check him after a couple of hours the cot was empty.

She tried to reach Sanjay on his cell but it was switched off. She went out of the flat and knocked the next door. A middle aged lady came out, after listening to her she said that she will call the police and send someone to her flat.

A few minutes later the bell rang and a Bengali woman was standing outside the door. She lived just below them.

Then the worms started to tumble out of the can one by one. This flat was not owned by Sanjay, his family leased it for two years just before their marriage. No one has seen Sanjay or his family before. The Bengali lady has been living in this housing for last fourteen years.

Swarna came back with a horrible awakening. The thing which she could gather from the police and the Bengali lady Jayabati Datta was she fell in the net of some sick creature, who has disappeared after swallowing her jewellery, the cash and her children. Jayabati said that there are high chances he had sold them, and the first child was alive, not still born. They have connection with these nursing homes. They sell babies to childless couples lying to them that the mother knows it and is willingly giving away the baby.


The end:

“After her return to India we realized that we have fallen into the net of a vicious spider, and its spread vastly, strongly. Their comrades followed Swarna to here, and have expertly branded her as a woman of easy virtue.”

“They always keep her under watch. Most probably they are scared that if people start to believe her their business in UK and other countries will end. The police will start to watch over such activities more keenly. So they are terrorizing and branding Swarna as a strumpet and liar.” Mohan finished speaking and reached out for a glass of water.

Promit nibbled with the food and left after a while. He has hardly turned a corner when those men approached him.

“Dada! That family is not good!” one of them said.

“That woman goes to kolkata every day on pretext of working but people see her coming out of seedy hotels.” The second one joined.

“We know you are an army doctor, stay away from those leeches, they will suck you dry before you will realize.” The third one said in a preachy tone.

“Thanks for the information.” Promit said and left for his barrack taking long strides.


“It’s a bizarre story! But in today’s world, when educated people are willingly involved in all sorts of crime nothing is impossible.” His best friend Major Ghatak said.

“They must have used date drug on her. And who can say, may be it is Sanjay who slinked back to the rooms after she was asleep, using duplicate keys.” He added.

“It seems your friend has been picked up by a strong racket, so they must have strong camaraderie with the local administration too, as her kids are still in their hands its no use trying to fight them.”

“If you really trust and love her, marry her, bring her within the walls of our cantonment, no one will dare to cross those walls.” He said after patting Promit’s shoulder.

Next day was a Sunday, Promit reached Swarna’s home early in the morning. Mohan was sitting in the lawn, reading newspaper.

“I will take the lunch and dinner here.” He said after touching his feet.

“Ma, bring some breakfast and tea for Promit” Mohan requested Swarna who was approaching them with a cup of tea in her hands.

“Tell your mother that Promit will stay with us today.” He added.

Promit sat down beside him. “Baba, I want to marry Swarna immediately. And we all will live in my quarter after that.” He said.

“I have thought about the whole thing for a while then I decided that I cant leave Swarna in this condition, I have always adored her and you all.” He blushed a little. “I cant throw Sanjay and his family to jail but I can take care of my family.”

“But .. Swarna ..” Mohan was not very sure.

“That’s my department, I want your promise and blessings.” Promit said confidently.

21.10.2009 -15.12.09