Short Story

Not long ago, 2004 June, my exams were on. I was perusing my masters in Computers. On a lovely summer evening my friend Indro made me meet with his friend who was a girl as usual. My exam got over at 4:00pm and as promised by Indro he was waiting for me in front of my exam hall. I was to meet Kushi the most mysterious girl at that of time to me. 



Before I jump into the story let me introduce all the first 3 characters that I have mentioned till now and why Kushi was mysterious to me. We were studying in one of the most Premium Institutes in India. Manipal Institute of Technology.

Indranil, Indro as we called him was perusing his Masters in Civil Engg . He was my Cottage mate.We use to stay in D block, cottages. It use to have 4 rooms and one bathroom. The total area of the cottage was equally divided into 4 room, so one pair of room use to face the other pair. Life was what we called COOL that time. No tension, no struggle, no fight for living. Study and enjoy. Money was dad's headache.



The last character was Kushi, Indro's friend. She was perusing her medicine degree. That is enough to know about her now.



Most of the time Indro and me use to hang out around the campus. Indro had a lot of connections in the A, B and C blocks. These are the girls hostels of our college. So we were often seen around these blocks.Kushi was not the part of any of the blocks mentioned above. Her hostel was far and was in Medical Campus.So the question is how Indro met Kushi. We use to go for breakfast to Kamat Circle. A small eating joint inside the campus. One day Indro went for breakfast. I was fast asleep. He comes back to my room to wake me up and give an exciting News. "Datta babu(as he still calls me), I have got a lottery. I got a number of a girl in KMC." I jumped and sat on my bed. That was indeed an exciting news. As Medicine girls never use to like Engg fellows. And having a girl friend in KMC means, you have the access card to any party and enjoyment in Manipal and contacts of lots and lots of GOOD GIRLS. So I was also equally excited about him getting a KMC girl's number. As Indro's friend means my friend and all her friends are also my friends. So a very potential candidate for any MITan. I had some project work so I informed Indro that I will keep busy for rest of the day and shall meet in Cottage after food. when I came back Indo seemed to be upset. As when he called that number a girl took up the call but she had lots of attitude. So he disconnected. I made him call again and we spoke. I was known for my speaking power all the time in college. Indro was no bad at it. But it was just his ego sometimes made him down. However Indro spoke and she was good to him then. It was a wrong timing last time as she was irritated by something else and Indro's call added some more fuel to her anger. It was a good call and Indro was happy. This calling business went on for a month and at last after lots of request she met Indro on his birthday in one of a decent restaurant in Manipal. After Indro was back he said about her. About her silky hair, cute face and sweet voice. I wanted to meet her badly. But kept my emotions hidden. Atlast he agreed ed to introduce me to her. I was just waiting to meet my mysterious girl.



My exam got over at 4:00pm and as promised by Indro he was waiting for me in front of my exam hall. I was to meet Kushi the mysterious girl.



Indro said she was in the Library so need to wait for a while. I lighted a smoke and just about to finish it she came. A very cute lady with a lovely smile. Indro introduced me to her and decided to meet her for dinner. I kept quite but managed to get her number.



Next day I was on for a Tea and then a dinner with her. we liked each other. Indro had no prob with that. He was ok me meeting Kushi as she he was just out of a break off and didnt want to commit. I always had stand  by girl friends.



We met over a coffee. She was a lovely girl. Good to talk with good to be with and we started meeting each other daily. We use to exchange thoughts and ideas. She had an amazing control over me. My life was getting straighten up slowly. I was studying, attending college and getting better. So was Indro. Its not we always met each other alone, Indro was a part of the meetings most of the time. So I started liking Kushi. Slowly I was getting attracted to her. But I never knew Indro was also under some same feeling.



Days were going on good and one day, the day that I will never forget in my life, the moment of truth came badly nude showing all its nudity with out even thinking the effects of life revolving around it. I came to meet Indro to tell him about my feeling about 

Kushi. But when I about to enter the room I heard Indro talking with Kushi. He took her name to ensure and he proposed. My thinking got stopped. didnt know what to do. Should i meet him and go or I should I leave. When I was getting out of this trance state Indro came out and found me standing in front of his door. He said " I love her man, very much". I said that cool but whats her answer? He said she wants to meet him and tell but 2 days later. I thought for a while and left the place. Called Kushi asked her to meet in the restaurant that she use to love.She was on to meet. I went met her and said all that I had in my heart. I emptied it. But never mentioned anything about Indro's incident. She smiled and asked me to meet after 2 days. Same time and same place she said Indro to meet. I was a bit confused and afraid.



I avoided Indro for next 2 days. He also was busy, rather acted to be busy.

Now we meet. All 3 of us. In Manipal Greens. Indro was surprided to see me. Kushi started. Said all that she knew. Indro had no expression. I was ashamed. Now we faced the most hard part of our life. Kushi took us to the hospital. We went to the Cancer ward. A special Zone where only Doctors are allowed. Now she introduced us to a man with a sleeping  baby on his lap," Hi ppl meet my HUSBAND, Akshay and my daughter Jasmine. We got married one and half years back. It was a love marriage. Immediately after our marriage we went for our honey moon. And we had a good time and we came back. Time was flying good. After a month or so we came back from our honeymoon I came to know I am carrying. Life was complete for me. I never expected anything more. But life had some other plan. I gave birth to a baby girl. And after 2 days of her birth Akshay was detected of lung cancer. But I never knew anything. It was then when I wanted to meet the doctor I asked the nurse to help me go to his cabin, I found Akshay in the cabin he was asking the doc if I have cancer can my baby have too. The baby was 10 days old then. The doc said that she is born with brain cancer. She will die in a month or so. I fainted 2 stitches of my belly got torn as I didnt have a normal delivery. After I woke up. It was 2 days past. Akshay was by me sitting and waiting for me to open my eyes. We never cried but I decided to become a doc and try and found out a solution for my husband and daughter. And I am doing that."



We were stunned. We were in such a state that we couldnt move. We some how left the place. We apologized to Kushi and left. We went to a bar. Had some drink and went back to our respective rooms.



Next day we got a call from Kushi. We both went and met her. She took us for lunch. Her hubby was also out for an hour special permission. Both of ur were so ashmed that we were not able to talk looking at Kushi's face. Her husband says " Marry her, I will file a divorce against her. " Kushi started laughing. A very painful laugh. She said she will never cry. So she cried thru her laugh. We had a good lunch. And departed with a good note and a heavy heart.



Jasmine died after 15 days. Kushi has finished her medicine and was treating Akshay in Manipal. He died when I started writing this story. Indro called me and said so.