Sun Shine

Rasia had not expected such a big, successful mall in her city, within the three year period she was not there. Had it been earlier it would have been a nice hang out with those friends back in college, she thought as she looked on the jovial groups of teenagers who moved in and out of the mall.

“Parking is a bit tough in here!” Nawaz said to her, as he came near Rasia. Seeing the element of wonder in her wide, beautiful eyes; looking at the mall he asked, “Still you can’t believe that there is a mall here? Come on lets move in or it will get late! You can wonder of the changes, a little later” he added jovially.

Rasia shook her head and putting on a little smile on to her face she offered to carry little Saila, there daughter. Saila with her attachment firmly placed to her father, shoved away Rasia’s hands. Forging an angry face Rasia told her, “Now never come to me again! You live with your papa!” with her thumb kept in mouth Saila seemed to be perplexed by her mother’s change of tone.

A little reluctantly she raised her hands towards Rasia as a gesture of approval to be carried by her mother. Rasia could not stick to her act, seeing the confused face of her daughter and she broke in to laughter. With a smile, Nawaz too pacified Saila, “she wont leave us my dear, don’t be so upset. It’s all your mammas tricks” and placed a kiss on her cheeks to cheer her up as they walked in to the mall.

Nawaz had married Rasia three years back and they were abroad since then. This was there first visit to Rasia’s home town since their marriage. Not to be amused as Rasia’s parents were settled abroad and she had done only her final stages of schooling and college life in India, staying with her maternal grandma. As there only link here, grandma, had passed away even before Rasia’s marriage there was no point in regularly visiting homeland especially when Nawaz too had his family, all settled abroad.

They took the elevator to the second floor, for the food court. As they settled down after ordering Saila got off her chair and ran towards the glass separation, aptly placed in a way to take a view of the rest of the mall. Rasia too had to follow her and slowly convinced her to return.

Saila was never a troublesome or stubborn child. She was rather easy to manage and well mannered, but for being a little emotional; most say, more like her mom. As Rasia bend down to take Saila up in her hands, she glanced through the panes of the mall. A floor down, she saw someone familiar going into the super market.

Despite the distance, the crowd and just a short glimpse and changes in that man since the last time they had met, she didn’t even take the fraction of a second to identify her college mate, Aditya! Rasia pulled up Saila and walked back to the table. The curiosity and interest on the mall were all lost to Rasia now but she could not show it. So she joined in the talks of Nawaz and Saila with silent nods and smiles. They had planned to go to supermarket after the food. Now a part of Rasia’s mind revolted to that idea; but the other part, to her amazement still cheered the chance of seeing Aditya again! But she was married and a mother now; it was too odd to think of meeting such a special one of the past in those shoes.

The odds were all against even six years back, when they first met in college. She belonged to a Muslim family- though not so orthodox and had much liberal views on education and dressing of women folk, when compared to others- an affair with some one of a different religion was nothing less than “unthinkable!!”
Aditya belonged to a Hindu Orthodox family and with his conservative backgrounds, not even Aditya would have ever expected himself to be in love with a Muslim girl.

But little did they knew that time that the power of love reigns supreme over all odds and was so omnipotent to belittle even the greatest disparities! And slowly, silently the two fell for each other, even without ever telling that they loved each other!! They couldn’t talk of it as they were deep in the grips of love, even before they realized what was happening and once they knew of it, it was so late to confess love and start all over again. The feeling of being in love was so overwhelming, but they had their own reason intact to keep it down as a strict secret with just a few of the very close friends. They had only very limited time to speak and spend together; but it never came in between their love.

Rasia still remembers how it all started off in the real sense. They were quite strangers till then, except for the glances of appreciation, which she pretended not to understand, until that English lecture class happened. Professor was so strict that none dared to even look around, forget talking!
Rasia had came a little late for the class that day, just as all others settled into their seats. Being late was attributed to her wearing a necklace from grandma’s collection, as the old lady insisted upon it. She herself had found something special about her that day in the mirror, making her a little late for class.
As she entered the class, she noticed Aditya’s eyes blooming of sheer happiness in appreciation of her looks. She couldn’t stop a hearty smile from appearing on her lips today, as she walked to her seat and Aditya too responded with a smile. As she took her seat, she again had a glance towards Aditya, to find him still glued on to her. She felt so happy and blushed as she opened the notes.
Seeing her rosy cheeks redden, Aditya got more glued on to her forgetting the world around him.
“Aditya!!” that roar was enough to shock away the unseen bond of attraction that had occurred between these two. Professor had noted Aditya for some time, and now he was furious, “get out and never again enter my class”
“Sir, I didn’t do anything…” Aditya tried to put up a weak defense as he felt insulted to be sent out of the class in such a way. Professor tried to pull him out of the class, but seeing the resistance he asked,” you didn’t do anything?? I’ll have to tell what you were doing in my class to all or you go out now”
Rasia was shocked to hear this as, if professor was to open his moth on that, it would surely bring about a rumor which could possibly bring an abrupt end to her free life or even worse; end of studies. Rasia was in tears as she bent down and sneaked at Aditya with tear filled eyes. The whole class had its eyes fixed on him. As he saw the tear filled eyes, Aditya gave up his resistance and walked out of the class, much to Rasia’s relief.

But as he walked out of the class, he had also walked into Rasia’s heart even without he knowledge; may be, but surely without any resistance.
In the first few months Rasia had tried so much to pull out such thoughts out of her mind as she never found a chance of it to become fruitful in the end. But emotions slowly did away every rationale she had against and masked every odd they had in their love story. The friends who knew of this almost silent affair, began to believe that love was destinies choice , on seeing that the Aditya-Rasia relation continued despite being not spoken of love, nor spending long hours together.
After the demise of her grandma, in her final year, Rasia’s parents had come back and they decided to stay back till her course was over; at least her mom to be there always. The marriage proposal from Nawaz’s parents came all of a sudden and was about to be fixed as they had planned to marry her off, soon after exams.
That day, as Rasia was getting ready to go for college day her mother told her that they had almost finalized her marriage and explained of Nawaz to her. Every joy felt by her ceased and her eyes were filled with drops of sorrow. When her mother told her to think of it and to look through the photos and other details once she came back from college, Rasia silently nodded. Hiding her face from her parents she some how started off to college.
In the solitude below the stairs of zoology lab, as she told of the new development to Aditya; all her feelings erupted out and she began to weep. Aditya was visibly shaken, but still he told, “Rasia, did you ever think that we could ever get married? I always tried not to think of it since the day I felt you in my heart, but as a fact I always knew the chance was so….” He stopped in despair. She too nodded and said, “If I say I don’t want to be married to this guy or another, my parents will agree. But if I tell of you, I know it will never be entertained...” the thought itself sent chills through her spine.
Aditya told,” if we want, we can wait till I get a job and then break away all our family barriers and get a life together & even if it happens, we will be left fighting two big religions, alone, stranded...”
“… and imagine the plight of our parents, my brother, your sister and all…” Rasia added, “To make our love triumph, we have to wound and possibly destroy every life who loved us…” she again broke into a silent cry.
“Our love will remain deep within us no matter what happens...” Aditya comforted her as he slowly wiped away her tears. The music from the college day music fest played background to his words, “triumphing in love is not getting married, but being eternally bound by love, above distance, words and relations…” he moved closer to her and looked deep into her eyes filled with tears and added at a breathing distance in a shivering voice filled with grief, “our love is destined to last forever, not to end in marriage, but to remain deeply in love forever, remembering each other till the last beat of our hearts.. Even if we may never see again!!” she closed her eyes as his voice became fainter and nearer…

“What you are dreaming? Look what Saila is doing!” Nawaz’s voice with an element of anger broke her thoughts and he rushed to Saila. They were in supermarket counter and Saila was pulling things out of someone’s cart. Rasia ran and took Saila up and apologized to the lady near, as she put back things into her cart, “I am sorry. She is a bit naughty nowadays... I didn’t see her came to you…”
“It’s ok!! Don’t scold her, she is a lovely kid!” Aditya, who was standing to the next shelf, which had hid him so far from rasia, helping his wife, As he came to them, he asked, “what is your name little one?”
Saila didn’t say anything. She turned her face away and Aditya’s eyes met Rasia’s. “Saila; that’s her name”, she told and walked back to Nawaz who had paid in counter by now. As she walked, overriding the strong temptations to look back or to talk to Aditya for a while. Saila told, “That uncle is still looking at me papa!”
Rasia feared that if she turned back to look at him again she would loose all other love and life and she played deaf to Saila words. Nawaz took Saila and as they walked to car he told, “May be cos he thinks my Saila is so cute!!”, and giggled her.

Sitting in the car, slowly putting Saila to sleep, Rasia thought, “Aditya, will you ever know that Saila means,” The sunshine” and I will never forget Aditya-the sun of my life, till my heart beats!!??”