The Promise – Part 6 – The Vagabond

October 29, 2017

The Promise – Part 6

Hi Meera,

I am Anu. You do not know me. But I want to apologize to you for the past one year in your life.

You remember your anniversary when your husband didn’t turn up, he was with me.

For all the so called conferences, when he didn’t come back home, he was hooked up with me in some hotel room.

He kept telling me that things were sour between you and I kept falling for him thinking he would be mine some day.

But a husband who can’t be loyal to his wife, can’t be loyal to anyone.

I am leaving this city for good. I am your sinner.

I promise I will never contact your husband , and I would never let fate cross our paths again.

Please forgive me,

Anu

Meera kept looking at her screen for long time. She didn’t even realize that all her colleagues had already left. Finally, after what seemed like ages, she collected her bag and car keys and started the tedious journey back home.

Vivek, who never made any decision without consulting her had choose to shut her away from his life like this.

She drove aimlessly across the streets. Today she didn’t want to go back to that place she called her home.

She wanted to run away to some place where she knew no one, where no one knew her. She felt breathless as if someone had sucked air from around her. Tears flowed from her eyes and she did not know how to stop them.

Her phone kept ringing and she didn’t want to answer it.

Vivek was clueless why Meera was so late today. She had not even called. Nor she had picked up any call.

Vivaan had agreed to eat dinner but still wanted his Mummy to come home and make him sleep. Somehow, Vivek did manage to lull him to sleep. He was worried that she had met with an accident.

At half past 11, when he finally decided to lodge a missing complaint, the doorbell rang. He saw a disheveled Meera.

“Are you ok?”

“Where were you? I called you so many times. Vivaan too was crying for you.” Vivek poured questions for her.

“You have lost the right to ask me anything, Vivek.”

“I came home for Vivaan only.”

“You are free to go to Anu,”

“Anu” The word echoed in that empty room giving him shivers.

“Who Anu? What Anu? What are you talking about?”

She threw her phone to him.

“Check the last mail” and she left the room.

He had not met Anu for last two to three months. She had been uncomfortable being the other woman in his life and they had decided to part ways.

He didn’t know what to explain. Hadn’t he promised Meera “Till death do us apart!” Hadn’t he broken the vows they had took together. He had failed as a husband, as a father. He was ashamed of himself.

He didn’t have the guts to face Meera. He could hear her sobs. He went inside and sat beside her.

“I am sorry, Meera. I should not have done this. I cannot explain you why and how I fell down to such a low level, but I cannot lose you or Vivaan.”

“Give me one last chance and I will not fail you.”

“It’s a difficult task, I know and I know I don’t even deserve your forgiveness. So, I won’t even ask you that. But please do not leave me alone. Please do not go away from me.” He sobbed like a child.

Meera hugged him, and they both cried for the marriage that had failed.