From top left: Charulatha, Dharmesh, Shridharani,
Bottom Left: Gautham Varma, Pranasha, Sumesh

Chapter 5

Dharmesh waited at the station but, there was no sign of Dharani. He went to work. She was early for work. Morning!!! Greeted Pranasha, “Good morning” said Dharani. So how was yesterday night, any spark? Asked Nasha..Dharani explained to her what happen last after she went home.. Nasha was shocked and she said “Well I know why you did not want to try the top he bought for you but he did not know and you should have told him. How can I tell..what am I suppose to tell that I’m..she stopped there cause her boss walked to their table to give them their task.

Dharani said, we shall talk later..Nasha just sighed and went to do her work. It was going to be lunch time and Dharani did not receive any call or message from Dharmesh, so she messaged while she was about to type her message, she received one from Dharmesh saying “hi, busy? Did not get to see you today, is everything fine?” She was contemplating on whether to tell him or not..but instead, she replied “hello, ya had some urgent work to be done so had to go work earlier. I’m sorry about yesterday night, one day I will explain to you.” He on the other side, was wondering what was the problem..

It was lunch time, as Dharani and Pranasha went out for lunch, while walking she saw him from far, so Dharani pulled Pranasha and hid behind a pillar. Nasha went “Ouch..what was that for” Dharani while she rest her head on the pillar, closing her eyes and clenched her fist and said to Nasha, “that is him” “Who” asked Nasha. The guy walking with the Black stripe shirt with white pants, he is Sumesh.

Dharani, have you gone mad? Why are you hiding yourself, If I were you I would walk across him and show him that I am living a better life than he can imagine, said Nasha.

No..No..we shall go the other way, said Dharani. Oh hell no, we are going to walk across, and Nasha pulled Dharani and walked across, Sumesh and Dharani’s eyes met but Dharani was dragged by Nasha. The girl beside Sumesh asked, who is she? He replied “a woman whom I am trying to forget”

During lunch, Nasha asked, if it is bothering you, why not have a talk with Dharmesh and tell him about Sumesh. Dharani said if it was so simple, I would have..Well one day you have to tell him, and I guess the earlier the better. Or if you don’t feel like telling, I will tell Dharmesh, said Nasha. Oh no..please..somehow I will tell him. said Dharani.

Lunch time was over, Dharmesh got a message. His message ringtone rang as “You got a message from Shridharani” he immediately went to his desk to take his phone. The sms conversation:

Dharani: had your lunch?

Dharmesh: yes girl, how about you?’

Dharani: yes, by the way will be free on Friday, we shall meet up for dinner.?

Dharmesh: ohh sure no problem

Dharani: anyway just want to inform you, we will be meeting at the train platform this week due to my tight schedule.

Dharmesh: ohhh okiess, we shall keep in touch through sms. Take care, see ya on Friday.

Dharani: you take care too, see ya on Friday.

They kept in touch with each other through sms daily. Nasha asked Dharani, so have you thought about telling it to him. Don’t take too much time, cause I do not want him to find out first and seeing you in broken pieces. She smiled and told Nasha, “you are my best buddy babe” Nasha smiled and said “ahh as always “

Chapter 6

It was Friday, “wow..where are you heading to today after work? Dress to kill uh.” Said Nasha after looking at Dharnai. She looked at Nasha and said “you are always playful, am meeting up with Dharmesh for dinner, you want to join us? “WOW!!! That is exciting and oh no I am not coming, I do not wish to carry a torch for the two souls who are falling in love in the dark night” said Nasha. “Gosh you are so cheesy” hahaha laughed Nasha and said no am being truthful. So where are you guy heading for dinner? Asked Nasha. We are meeting at Esplanade but yet to decide where to have dinner. Any suggestions? Asked Dharani. “Hmm..hey Esplanade, there is a nice dining place. Its called ‘The Cosy Us’ said Nasha.. sounds interesting, tell me more about it. said Dharani.

“The food is really yummy and its affordable and gosh the most romantic part, is the ambience. Its more of a couple dining place. The are no chairs the floor is carpeted at each dining area. The table is like a Japanese concept but in a heart shaped form. The are cushions at each table for the couples to have a comfy seat. The whole place is dimmed and every table is surrounded by a few scented candles and the waiter and waitress walks with a tray in their hand which has a candle on it. Each dining area is built small and comfy so that the couples will not even feel the distance even when dining,” said Nasha.

“Wow, that sounds so interesting, and by the way how did you got to know about this place. Ahh, sometimes when I go for speed dating, some of my dates brings me different places to eat and one of them is this. Said Nasha. Speed dating ?? that sounds even more interesting. said Dharani. Ahh shut up, since you have someone, you don’t need to worry about that, told Nasha. Well nothing is confirmed, so keep me updated about speed dating okay, replied Dharani. They laughed off and carried on with work.

Dharani, received a message

Dharmesh: so today confirm right, 7pm at Esplanade?

Dharani: yes, we shall have our dinner at “The Cosy Us

Dharmesh: The Cosy Us?? Where is that, I was not even updated about this place Dharani: “Lol, no worries, you meet me at the mrt station, we shall go from there.

Dharmesh: okay see ya at 7pm

Dharani: ok see ya later

Chapter 7

She was there at 7pm, but he was late 10 mins, when he rushed to where she was waiting, she was not even angry, she just told him “finally you are here” She offered him a piece of tissue as he was a perspiring at his forehead. He took the tissue and he took something from at the back of him and gave it to her. “oh my, this is really beautiful” so are you late because of this” she asked him. He replied, oh not really, it was pre-ordered but a small delay due to the words. It was a 3 red roses in a small bouquet, where in each rose on the petals it was written in white, Shridharani I miss you. It was so beautiful that she kept holding on to it so protectively. She told him, thank you so much, it is really beautiful.

He smiled at her and said, you are welcome and what a co-incidence we are both wearing black. She went “oh ya..” he looked at her and said “Dharani you look much more beautiful like a red rose in a black long sleeve chudditar. (Indian traditional costume)

The silver embroidery near the neck line is simply nice. She looked at him..”jeesh you do observe a lot and thanks for the compliment. They went to the restaurant “The Cosy Us”

The waited for the order to come, till den she was asking him about the words in the rose petals. “So tell me how did you manage to do the words on the petals” He told her, oh I asked the same question to the florist” She gave gave him the ‘I am going to strangle you look’ He laughed and said ok, “there is a new computer laser system, where you can print what words you want on the rose petals without harming the rose. So I found it innovative and gave it a try. She was like it is really nice.

Their food came, wow, mm..yummy, so how did you know about this place said Dharmesh. She replied “Speed dating” He nearly spit his drink. You went for speed dating? He asked innocently, she laughed and said “hahahaha no not me, it was Pranasha who recommended me. Oh Nasha..I see, so how is she, send my regards to her” he told. Ya sure, anyway what’s wrong in me going for speed dating asked Dharani. He told her “oh no nothing is wrong, I was just curious. By the way you curled your hair, asked Dharmesh, “yes just the bottom of my hair, is it nice? She asked, he told her, yes

.

Dinner was good, they walked around, and took a cab home, he got down with her under her blk. She was like “hey thanks for the wonderful dinner and for sending me back home. He told her “its my pleasure” she smiled at him and said “not forgetting the bouquet, it was the most sweetest surprise, I feel bad that I did not get you any gift. He looked at her and said, if you want to give me a surprise, you wear the top I gave you. That will be the surprise for me. She was shocked. He waved his hands infront of her face. He asked “are you okay” she said ya I am fine.

Chapter 8

She asked, do you want to come home we can have a chat, he shrugged his shoulders and said, no problem unless you mind. She said “have a seat, make yourself home, I will be back. He went to the kitchen to got a glass of water for himself. While she was in the room, holding on to the top he gave her in her hands with tears streaming down her cheeks. Finally she made her decision, she wiped her tears, she changed to black pants and wore the top, she walked out from her room.

She came out of her room, wrapped in a black shawl, to where he was sitting. He looked at her and said, I thought you are going to wear the top and show me, nevermind you can wear it one day when you really feel like wearing it. She stood right infront of him, took of her shawl. When he saw her, he immediately stood up. But she knelt down and cried. Her body was full of cuts, scars and cigarette butts mark. His eyes was filled with tears, he knelt down, and hold her by her shoulders and asked, how did this happen? She cried as she asked “so have you got your surpise or are you shocked,” He lifted her head by her chin and asked who did this to you? She replied my husband, Sumesh. He pushed himself back to the sofa and asked “you are married?” she told him, “I was” he went closer to her and wiped her tears, tell me from the beginning what happened Dharani.

They sat on the ground. Sumesh and I were Poly mates. He was a nice guy when I met him. He was smart, he was a quiet guy but sweet. We fell in love after a fight, and we started to date each other. Everyday he had something to surprise me, but that day I saw a different side of him, it was break time, but I had project work, so it was a pair project and my friend Gautham, and I was one pair. Dharmesh cuts in “Gautham” he was a good friend of mine during poly days but now we lost contact.

Ok, and then continue, As I was doing a project with Gautham, Sumesh felt left out and he became possessive. One day Gautham was pinched my cheeks and said you are so adorable, Sumesh saw that and he punched Gautham and he slapped me. I felt embarrassed and upset that because of me, Gautham got hurt. He was so possessive, when I told him I can’t go any longer with him like this. He pleaded with me so much that I felt for it. In a blink, I realise we were getting married. He was over possseive, short-tempered, but his sweetness won me. 6mths we got married, he became obsessive. My previous work place, was more of male oriented. He suspected me daily and tortured me 1^st with pinches then she scratched me with pen knive. But always after torturing me, he came crying to me and said sorry. I thought I could change him.

But things went different. He was totally changed. He started smoking, when began to question me, he burnt my arms with the cigarette butts. All of the above I forgive him. but the day I will never ever forget and forgive..

I was excited to tell him a happy news, when he came back from work, I told him, “Sumesh, come here, he came near to me and I asked him to touch my stomach, he gave me the blur look. I told him, its your child” he took his hand away, he pace up & down. He asked me, Whose child is it? I cried and told him its our Sumesh. He did not believe , in the moment of anger, he pulled my hair and slapped me, I turned around and knocked my womb against the corner of the table.

She started to cry even more..Dharmesh hushed her by holding on to her and laid her head on his shoulders..

Dharmesh asked “your baby??” She said that was the last day of me and Sumesh and my Baby. We filed for divorced and and officially divorced 3 years back.

We might be separated but the scars he has left on me has made me a less confidence person. That is the reason why I don’t wear short sleeves.

Now I am standing here with no one, just me. I am sorry I did not tell this to you earlier. When the 1^st time I met you, I knew we can be good friends but as days went, I started to fall for you. But I do not want to hide anything from you. I’m sorry, said Dharani. He looked into her eyes and said, I am not bother by your past. You are my Shridharani now. Your past is a nightmare, forget it and I will help you to forget it. He wiped her tears and laid her head on his lap. He hushed her to sleep. He said, I am here always for you. To me you are always my beautiful Dharani. She fell asleep on his lap.

“Everyone has secrets, but sometimes certain secrets should be said in order to continue a relationship and some must be hidden in order to save a relationship.

Dharmesh has a secret. But he is wondering to tell Dharani now..or should he wait. Would she able to take another blow? Lets keep wondering.