Geeta and Madhu have been working in the same office for over half a decade and were head over heels in love with each other for the past couple of years. Even then, they had managed to keep their relationship a secret from most of their colleagues and also from their families by ensuring that they do not engage in friendly chats openly at office or at home. People around them had no inkling of their love affair; they took their proximity at office as only a professional necessity as both were working on the same project.

Both were happy and busy with their romantic life without a thought about getting married or settling down in their lives.

Once or twice, when the topic of marriage came in Geeta’s family, she brushed it off saying “Ma, I will think of marriage only after my project. Till then I do not want to get married.”

However, the next day, she casually asked Madhu at office, “Madhu, how long will things continue like this?”

“Like what, darling?”

“I mean, our way of life.. our relationship.”

“Till death sets us apart” succinctly replied Madhu. As Geeta was also not keen on getting married at the moment and being burdened with family, she kept quiet. 

After a few seconds, she continued, “I am thinking of introducing you to my parents after our project is over.”

“You can do that now itself, Geeta, if you want.”

“No Madhu, If I introduce you now, they will pressurise me into getting married immediately, for which I am not ready. They will not be comfortable at lovers working together or seeing each other daily.”

“Ok then, so let things remain as they are.” replied Madhu. Hence, things continued as they are and both continued with their blissful, individual lives till Geeta’s cousin, Mahalakshmi , who was working in the US, returned to India to get herself married.

It was Mahalakshmi, who advised Geeta to give preference to her career and then to think of marriage. Therefore, it was surprising now for Geeta at her cousin’s change of mind. When she questioned her about this,  Mahalakshmi heaved a long sigh and replied, “It used to feel good being single, but it doesn’t anymore. Even if I have a lot of male friends in the US, I do not have anyone to call as “mine”, with whom I can share my thoughts and ideas comfortably. So, if I want such kind of security and bonding in life, it is possible only in India.

“But, in India too, the divorce rate is increasing; it is no more the forbidden word.” Geeta pointed out.

“Might be, but why not hope for the best and try to work out things together”, observed Mahalakshmi.

Geeta became silent as the words began to sink into her mind.

The following week, Mahalakshmi got married to her betrothed, Pradeep. Geeta, at that time, was busy with Madhu on their official trip to Singapore, and thus could not attend the wedding.  She mused “Lakshmi’s getting married but I am happily enjoying the honeymoon with Madhu with peace of mind.

On her return to India, a couple of days later, she was surprised to see Mahalakshmi glowing as if a lamp has been lit inside her. Her face radiated with extra energy and she was moving around the home authoritatively, inviting friends and getting a lot of attention. In other words, she became the center of attraction in the home.

Mahalakshmi took Geeta aside and said “Enough of career, Geeta, it is time you got a home that you can call your “own” and settle down in your personal life. You can then experience the thrill of staying with the man you love, the thrill of shopping for your new home, the thrill of running a household, the thrill of having children..” “Actually, I have a man whom I love deeply, Mahalakshmi,  Geeta admitted slowly. We both shop together sometimes and I have enjoyed the thrill of being with him. As for a home, I have the home where I was born and brought  up. Mahesh and my sister-in-law, Lata, treat me well.  So, I already have the experience of all this.”

“No you don’t,” cut in Mahalakshmi, “I too used to have a long and close relationship with a guy when I was in US. We used to be together and enjoy, but after two years, he had to return to India and we got separated. Now, after my marriage with Pradeep, the shopping, cooking, and other homely chores have a new depth and is elevating my energy levels.”

As if to reiterate what she was telling, she called Geeta and Madhu, along with some of Pradeep’s friends over to dinner, to her home.

That did the trick in slowly changing Geeta’s mindset.  She saw the authoritative way in which Mahalakshmi played the perfect hostess and the attention she was getting. All the guests were complimenting Mahalakshmi on her new home. This made Geeta ponder over her position in the home that she was, till then, supposing as her “own”. She realised that, though she was the respected elder sister in her house, the true homemaker was Lata.

The next day, the first thing that Geeta did after entering her office is to go to Madhu`s cabin and ask that they meet immediately after office hours.

When they met in the evening, she said, “See here, Madhu, I am fed up with sharing the house with Mahesh. I feel it is better we get married and settle down.”

Madhu gave a surprised look.  “Since when have you thought of marriage, sweetheart? Why is this abrupt change of mind? Anyway, if you feel that you do not want to stay with your brother and sister-in-law, I will happily buy you a flat near the office. You can conveniently stay there and I can come to visit anytime.”

“But, why do you need to barge in and out like that? If we get married, we can have our own home; you can come and go with dignity or without any fear of what the neighbours would think.”

Madhu gave a searching look at Geeta and exclaimed, “Oh God! Geeta, from when did this idea of marriage come to your mind?”

“From the time I thought that marriage is not a stupid preposition, but a social necessity to make a happy home” replied Geeta. “And what is your objection towards marriage?”

“Geeta, I am a free bird now. I do not want to be confined or caged in with family responsibilities and wedding vows” answered Madhu.

“But, Pradeep, are you not already caged by my love?”

“Yes, that is true, my beloved, but if I feel that the love is withering or if I feel suffocated, I can easily fly away. That is not possible after getting married.”

“Oh! Come on, Madhu, why should our love wither after all these years? What makes you think so?” “Your sudden change of mind makes me think so.  But anyway, Geeta, please let me lead my life like this. As I have told you I can buy you a house, where you can live independently and as you like.”

“I do not want a house Madhu, I want a home with spouse and children. It would bring great happiness to both of us, though our responsibilities will increase.”

“No Geeta, I am not satisfied with your proposal. If you are bent on having a child, you can go ahead and adopt one.

At this, Geeta retorted, “Why should I go for adoption, if I can have my own children?” Saying this, she turned her back and headed towards her house.

The next day, Geeta did not come to office. The following day she sent two envelopes to the office, in one of them was her resignation letter; the other , marked “personal”, was addressed to Madhu. Madhu took the envelope and opened it. In it was a note; it read “Dear Madhu , I am looking for a soul-mate. I thought that you would be the perfect soul-mate for me.  But, as you are not interested in making our relationship legal, I consider that you are looking only for a sole mate, which I do not want to become. So, let us part ways and remain only as acquaintances. Goodbye.”

Madhu, folding the envelope, thought to himself , “so she has decided to walk past my soul, instead of trampling it with her sole” and pushed the letter into his pocket.

• Written by Sridevi.
• In category Stories & Tales.
• 14 years ago.

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