The Feeble Thread Of Life

A beautiful love story bonded by a feeble thread of life. Read on, to find out what that thread it. Not something you might expect!

He was up well before the crack of dawn; he was still groggy after a long day at work the previous day and very badly wanted to go back to sleep. Yet, he sat up rubbing away the sleepiness from his eyes. He looked to his side and watched her deep in slumber, probably enjoying one too many happy dreams, for her lips seemed to be twitched into her characteristic smile. “Her smile is the best part of her, lighting up her entire face, even while she is asleep”, he thought lovingly. He leaned across, brushed the stray hair off her face and kissed her lightly on her cheeks. On his touch, she stirred and moved closer to him, her eyes still closed, though her smile widened making her look all the more beautiful. “I must be one lucky chap”, he wondered as his heart swelled in gratitude for being blessed with such a wonderful wife.

When the relationship of 4 years culminated in a bitter breakup between him and his ex-girlfriend, he was devastated. His parents and close aides pre-empted this a very long time before it actually happened, when she first walked out of his house a year back for unfathomable reasons. Although he consoled her and brought her back, things only went downhill for both of them until the gnawing gap between them grew so large that they had to separate. At the end of his relationship with her, he was so drained that he did not want to think of another one and decided to live in solitary confinement forever. Soon, he became the most workaholic person among his friends, spending most of his hours in office even burning midnight oil during most night and literally having no life outside of his work.

Suddenly the room was empty, but for him and an overly dressed girl sitting across him.

Suddenly the room was empty, but for him and an overly dressed girl sitting across him. She visibly looked nervous and frightened. Maybe he shouldn’t have shouted like that, he thought to himself rather regretfully. “I am sorry, I did not mean to be that rude,” when he spoke, his voice was not more than a mere whisper. She looked up, visibly relaxed, smiled at him and said “Its ok, it happens”. Her beautiful smile caught him off guard, and he suddenly had the urge to want to make her smile again. He has any way missed the most important meeting, he might as well loosen up and have some fun, he thought to himself and tried to make small talks in an attempt to amuse her. He did manage to get her to smile a couple of more times, yet that did not seem enough. But, by then the elders were back, with his mom leading them inside, watching him with a quizzical expression. No sooner they left, she got ready to pounce on him, which was when he stopped her with a wave of his hand and said, “I need to get to know her properly before I say okay”. Although she was shocked, she did not show it, but instead said mockingly,

“I knew you would not say no to her”

“Mom don’t read between the lines, I did not say yes yet”, his words sounded weak to himself.

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“Dear son, you are going to marry her”, his mom stated with conviction and walked away before he could launch his mock protests.

Six months later, on this day, he couldn’t help but silently thank his mom for giving him the best, like she always did.

Six months later, on this day, he couldn’t help but silently thank his mom for giving him the best, like she always did. Watching his wife dozing happily near him, his life seemed complete.  He hugged her tight, getting her out of her deep slumber and cooed in her ear lovingly, “Happy Birthday Darling”. She squeezed him back and both of them lay there holding each other until the first rays of sunlight filtered through the window. He pulled back rather regretfully and told her in soft whispers, “You are going to have the best birthday ever, now get up and get ready”.

She was ready in no time and both them hopped on to his car and drove on to spend what would be the most unforgettable day of their lives.

He did agree to marry her after a couple of meets, but being an unconventional guy he was, he insisted on his wedding to be a simple affair in a registrar office. Though she dreamt of having a traditional marriage, she gave in to his demands and they exchanged rings in the presence of their parents and a marriage registrar. After marriage, they took their own time getting to know each other and as expected the respect for each other only seemed to grow with every passing day. Soon they started to enjoy one another’s company, always seen to be giggling at each other like a pair of teenagers and having a time of their lives. In no time they became inseparable. Six months of married life flew by in bliss and soon it was time for them to celebrate her first birthday as his wife. He planned each and every moment of this day meticulously for over a month and now that it finally arrived, he was brimming with enthusiasm to put his plans to practice. He knew she was going to love what he had in store for her and is going to give him her best smile in return, making all his efforts seem worth it.

With their favourite songs blasting away in the stereo, they drove on. An hour later, she noticed that the roads give way to narrow lanes, the buildings on the either sides of the road were suddenly few and far in between interspersing lush green farms and farmlands. She so loved the countryside and just couldn’t contain her excitement as she watched the beautiful scenery unfold in front of her eyes. They finally reached their destination and together arm in arm, he led her into a seemingly dilapidated structure at a middle of a coconut groove. The first sight of the inside of the house took her breath away; unlike the outsides, the house was beautifully decorated and every inch of the wall facing the entrance was adorned with framed pictures of the two of them sharing some happy moment or the other. Her husband had painstakingly arranged to capture some of their best moments, unknown to her. She gazed lovingly at each picture, at them smiling or laughing together, obviously lost in each other’s charm, and remembered every moment, reliving them all over again. In one jerk of a movement, he brought her out of her reverie and she noticed he was down on his knees, looking up at her lovingly.

“My darling, beautiful wife, I love you, Will you marry me” he paused, “Again”, he added. She giggled uncontrollably at his crazy display of affection, yet was touched by the efforts he had put into to propose to her in a way that she had always wanted to be proposed. With tears streaming down her eyes and beaming widely at him, she whispered “Yes of course I will”.

He was right, at that moment she gave him her best smile which he was sure would be etched in his memory forever. “This is not it darling” he said and in one swift movement, pulled out a Magalsutra from his pocket and tied it around her neck, while she was still entranced, finally giving her the souvenir of the traditional wedding she had always dreamt of. And that too in presence of their frozen happy moments, making that moment all the more memorable.

When they left that place to go back home, they were still overcome by emotions; he still couldn’t believe that his plans worked out way better than he had imagined.

When they left that place to go back home, they were still overcome by emotions; he still couldn’t believe that his plans worked out way better than he had imagined. She, on her part held on to her magalsutra tight not believing one moment of all that had just happened. Her modern, straitjacketed, rebel of a husband just gave her all that she had wanted, and that too without her voicing them out. Although it was slightly strange that her husband tied the feeble thread of bonding which she always wanted to have around her neck, much after their marriage, the way he did it was way better than the wedding she had always dreamt of.

They got into the car, and drove on smiling at the memories just made, enjoying the beautiful silence that enveloped them. When she held his hand and leaned on to him lovingly, he turned to give her a peek on the forehead. Suddenly,

The car just crashed into a truck that was speeding in the opposite direction and before they could realize it, she was thrown out of the broken pane. He was stuck to his seat and all he could do was watch her as she lay in the pool of blood, serenely looking at him and flashing him one last smile before closing her eyes forever.

Their dreams, their hopes and their lives together came to a crashing end.

The feeble thread of life that bonds a couple together is not always the Magalsutra that is tied around the girl’s neck, but sometimes it’s the more neglected seat belt in the car.

Wear a seat belt, drive safe.

Indian marriage image via Shutterstock

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