Short Fiction
THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE
Love Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
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PART 1 – THE “MADE-FOR-EACH-OTHER” COUPLE
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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…”
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PART 2 – SOULMATES
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“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.
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PART 3 – RELATIONSHIPS
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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.
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PART 4 – EPIPHANY
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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…”
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VIKRAM KARVE
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