Short Fiction – THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE

 Short Fiction

THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE

Love Story

By

VIKRAM KARVE

________

PART 1 – THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE

________ 

 

Her name was Nisha.

His name was Aditya.

They – Nisha and Aditya – they were a “made-for-each-other” couple.

Even their names complemented each other – “Nisha” means Night – and – “Aditya” means Sun.

I am not saying this just because they won the “made-for-each-other couple contest”.

Yes – we had a “made-for-each-other” couple contest during the Annual Day Celebrations in our Residential Society – a cosmopolitan gated community in a posh suburb of Pune.

All couples had to participate – and – Nisha and Aditya had easily won the contest.

It was a simple contest.

First – all couples had to walk on the ramp – like a fashion show.

10 couples were selected from this round for the “Question-Answer” round.

These 10 couples were asked 10 questions each – the usual “guessing game” stuff about how well they knew each other – about likes/dislikes, events/dates, etc. – including one “intimate” question.

Nisha and Aditya had won the “made-for-each-other couple contest” – and most deservingly so.

Yes – Nisha and Aditya were easily the best-looking couple on the ramp.

And – to top it all – Nisha and Aditya were the only couple who had each answered all questions correctly – including that one “intimate” question that most couples could not answer correctly.

After Nisha and Aditya won the “made-for-each-other couple contest” – I began to observe them a bit more closely.

And – I saw that – in real life too – Nisha and Aditya were truly a “made-for-each-other” couple.

I have never seen a couple so devoted to each other and in perfect harmony with each other.

Nisha and Aditya were perfectly compatible with each other – in all aspects – and – I felt jealous of them.

One evening – after my evening walk – I stopped by at my favorite café – for a cup my customary “post-walk” cup of tea.

I saw Nisha and Aditya seated at a table.

They greeted me – and – they asked me to join them.

“Are you sure you want me to join you…?” I said, “I don’t want to be a “Kabab-Me-Haddi” and spoil your “lovey-dovey” quality time…”

“Oh, come on, Uncle…” Nisha said, “We two have been together for 10 years now…”

“10 Years…? I can’t believe it. You two still look like honeymooners – both of you look so much in love with each other…” I said to them.

“Thank you, Uncle…” Nisha said.

Their snacks arrived.

Nisha and Aditya insisted that I eat with them.

I observed them – they were truly deeply in love with other – and so beautifully matched.

“I have been observing you ever since you won the “made-for-each-other couple” contest – and – I can easily say that you two are the best “made-for-each-other” couple I have ever seen – I have never ever seen a couple so perfectly in harmony with each other like you two – perfectly matched and totally devoted to each other…” I said to them.

“Thank you, Uncle…” Nisha and Aditya said.

“Even your names complement each other – Nisha and Aditya – Night and Sun – darkness and light…” I said to them.

“Yes…” Nisha said, “Aditya certainly brought sunlight into my dark life…”

 

____

PART 2 – SOULMATES

____  

 

“Whenever I see you two – I really feel that the two of you are true “soulmates”…” I said to Nisha and Aditya.

“Thank you so much, Uncle…” Nisha said to me.

We were strolling on the expansive lawns of our spacious society garden.

I loved the young couple – and their company – so – whenever I saw them in the garden – I joined them for a walk – or a talk – as it made me feel good.

“It’s dark – time to go home for me…” I said, “you two love-birds enjoy a romantic walk in the dark…”

“Stop teasing us, Uncle…” Nisha said with a lovely smile.

Aditya smiled at me.

Suddenly – I remembered – so – I said to Aditya: “Hey – your “Share Certificates” are ready. You can collect them from the Society Office…”

“Thank you, Uncle…” he said.

“It may be a bit personal – but – I want to ask you something…” I said to Aditya.

“Please go ahead, Uncle…” Aditya said.

“I noticed that you have bought the flat in your name alone. Normally – couples put the flat in both names – with husband and wife as joint owners…” I said to Aditya.

From the expression on Aditya’s face – it seemed that he had not liked what I had said.

So – I immediately made amends.

“I am sorry…” I said, “I shouldn’t have commented on your personal matter…”

“It’s okay uncle…” Aditya said, “I’ll collect the certificates from the society office – thank you for telling me…”

“Bye – I’ll go home now…” I said to Aditya and Nisha.

Aditya and Nisha smiled at me – I smiled back – and – I walked towards my building.

________

PART 3 – RELATIONSHIPS

________

Next morning – at around 10 AM – the doorbell rang.

It was the “made-for-each-other” couple – Nisha and Aditya.

“Come in…” I said to them.

They came in and sat on the sofa in the living room.

“I can offer you a cup of tea – that’s all – I am all alone. On Saturdays – my wife goes to her mother’s place – she just left a few minutes ago…” I said to them.

“We saw her going in an Uber Taxi – so – we knew you would be alone – that’s why we came up – we wanted to speak to you privately…” Aditya said.

“Okay – speak…” I said to him.

“It’s about yesterday – you asked why I hadn’t included Nisha’s name as a joint owner of the house…” Aditya said.

“It’s okay…” I interrupted him – and I said to him, “I was not proper of me to have asked you that question – it is absolutely your prerogative whether to include your wife’s name or not…”

“No. No. Uncle…” Nisha said, “it’s not that – we want to tell you something…”

“You want to tell me something…?” I said to Nisha, “okay – tell me…”

“We are not married …” Nisha said.

“What…? You are not married…?” I said, dumbstruck.

Seeing the bewilderment on my face – Aditya said to me:

“Uncle – we – Nisha and Me – we are not married – we are just living together…”

“Living together…?” I asked.

“Yes – we are in a “live-in” relationship…” Aditya said to me.

Nisha looked at me – and spoke.

“We haven’t told anyone here – because people over here are quite conservative – and may be scandalized – but – you are the Chairman of the Society – so – I felt that you should know…” Nisha said to me.

“I hope we are not breaking any rules…” Aditya said, with anxiety writ on his face.

“No. No. Not at all…” I said to Aditya, “As far as I am concerned – you are the owner of your flat – and it is entirely your private matter – but – I suggest that you don’t publicize it too much – because – like Nisha said – some people are quite old-fashioned over here…”

“You are the only person who we have told…” Nisha said, “We are not going to tell anyone else…”

“Don’t worry – I will not tell anyone – your secret is safe with me…” I said to them.

During the next few days – I did see Nisha and Aditya once or twice during my evening walks – but they seemed to absorbed in themselves – I did not want to intrude – so – I didn’t join them or speak to them.

Then – we – my wife and I – we left for New Zealand to spend some time with our daughter in Auckland during her winter vacation.

_________

PART 4 – EPIPHANY

________

We had a wonderful stay in New Zealand.

After a few lovely days in Auckland – our daughter took us on a tour of South Island – and we saw all the sights and attractions.

On our way back – we spent a few days at Christchurch – and – we met a “Kiwi-Indian” couple.

They were also in their 60’s – like us – and – we got talking.

They told us that most Indian Migrants to New Zealand live in Auckland but they had settled down in Christchurch – both of them were Professors in the University there – and were citizens in New Zealand – they had migrated from India around 40 years ago – via the student pathway – for higher studies – and then – they had taken up teaching at the University and settled down permanently in Christchurch.

When they came to know that we were from Pune – they asked me where we stay in Pune.

I told them the name of our residential complex.

The moment they heard this – they insisted that we go home with them – and – they took us home in their car.

I was quite curious – since they were not from Pune – but from a Northern State.

We reached their beautiful bungalow – we sat on the sofa.

The man went inside – and he came out with a photo album.

He opened the photo album and showed it to us.

It was the wedding album of their daughter.

I was stunned to see the photo of the groom – it was Aditya.

“This is my daughter’s husband…” the man said, “I think he lives in your residential complex – his name is Aditya…”

“Yes…” I said, “I have met him.”

“Is he living with a woman…?” he asked me.

“Yes…” I said to the man.

“Nisha…?” the man asked me.

“Yes …” I said to him.

“This man Aditya and my daughter – they got married 15 years ago – in Sydney – they were colleagues working in the same office – then – around 10 years ago – Aditya moved in with this woman “Nisha” – she was also working in the same office in Sydney – and – last year – they – my daughter’s husband and this woman Nisha - they moved to India…” he said.

“Your daughter’s husband – Aditya – he has bought a house in our society…” I said to him.

“Oh – so they want to permanently stay in India…?” he said, with dismay on his face.

Can they…?” I asked him.

“They can if they want to – they are Australian Citizens – but they must be having OCI cards – so – they can live in India for as long as they wish to…” he said.

“And your daughter…?” I asked him.

“She is still in Sydney…” he said, “she has a 12-year-old daughter – and a very good job – she is quite well-off financially…”

“Is she still single – or has she remarried…?” I asked him.

“How can she get remarried…? She hasn’t even divorced her husband – this Aditya – who betrayed her…” he said to me.

“And Aditya…?” I asked him.

“Well – Aditya has been pestering her for divorce for the last 10 years – he even offered a generous settlement – but – my daughter doesn’t want to divorce him…” the man said.

His wife – the girl’s mother – she started speaking.

“We told her so many times to divorce Aditya – but she refused – she says that she is never going to divorce him – my daughter is confident that her husband Aditya will come back to her someday…”

________ 

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 
1. If you share this post, please give due credit to the author Vikram Karve
2. Please DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Please DO NOT Cut/Copy/Paste this post
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

Disclaimer:

1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh. 

2. This story is a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the story are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

3. E&OE

Copyright Notice:

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)

     

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.