If only...

           she called, thought Ayush. Ritika and Ayush had tied the knot an year before. Five years of courtship had finally led them to the altar. Ritika had just left a note that she was going out and he be assured that she would be o.k. Now that was something which was very unlike her. She didn't go all by herself anywhere, i.e. unknown to him. She would call him up to say where she was. All hows and whys clouded his otherwise clear thinking. He tried reminiscing about any verbal exchanges they had past week...
                  She was a radio jockey, he was a doctor, a bit serious one at that. He was dedicated to his work.Like he was to her. He was like that. He sort of picked one thing at a time to pour out everything of his into that...He was intense. And she had to have variety to spice up her life. She could make the things he thought serious, lighter to handle. She wanted people, and he wanted only her. She had found that very sweet indeed. Which girl wouldn't ? Till they got married. Ayush would often call her out in the midst of a conversation that she was having with, during the weekly social visits at their friends. They had common friends. And Ritika wished he joined the group. Nope. He was not the one to talk though. Once she had asked how come he was so cool about everything. Some friends and her had been discussing about the cops rounding off couples now that the Valentine Day was approaching. Ayush would say, ' If only by talking if we had solutions, then probably I would do that'. She would get disappointed. Then that means one need not voice out anything ?? Well she couldn't at least. And they would have fight over his non socialising and her need to connect with others, over his not being vocal about anything and she voicing everything. She was not the gregarious kind though. Strange but true still they loved each other enough to go crazy. Big time opposites in love. Well they had sort of got used to these fights which would shoot the adrenalin high and then they would be their own sweet selves after sometime. The fights didn't last. They made up fast. They couldn't do without each other.
                           Then where was she ? Ayush was frantic with worry. And dammit what guts she had to leave a note like that. He knew she wanted solitude at times. Crazy she was. Once whe would like company and the other moment she would beg to be literally alone. Yesterday ! yes, something had happened....Ayush couldn't place it though. He had come home early, opened the latch and found her engrossed on the laptop. She hadn't gotten up to hug him the way she did everytime he came home.  He had stealthily gone behind her and she hadn't even known ! She had yelled at him. And she had hurriedly closed the site on the net. Then they had laughed heartily. That's all he could remember. Yes but why had she closed down the system with a hurried look / Was she in some kind of cyber...Oh no ! He rang up her best friend. He hated doing this, a very private person that he was. Shital answered. 'Ritika, no she's not here. Hey ! are you home early today ?' He managed to mumble some suitable answer. He sat doing nothing for about an hour. May be she will come back. I really need not worry, He thought...about the night when she had gone all alone at around 11, after they had argued about something silly. He fretted inside but didn't go after her. She came back around 12. and they sort of made up. Sometimes even he would think 'This's a price to pay to stay committed'. But he had had enough of wanderings till he had found her. Like some signal that said 'Stop'. He had vowed to make the 'together' journey pleasant and fulfulling. What happened then ?
                  There was a knock on the door. He sprang to his feet. There she was...cool, nonplussed. The first emotion he had for her was anger, but he kept to himself. 'Where did you go? And why didn't you call me ?' She didn't answer, plonked herself on the bean bag instead. Well Ayush, I needed a break. 'Break from what Ritika ?' 'I was so used to living as I wanted to, on my own terms and now that's something I was missing. For once I didn't want to 'inform' anyone and to do what I wanted without being judged or something.' 'Well that's being plain irresponsible'. 'I left a note'. 'But....Ayush didn't complete the sentence. 'May I know where did you go then?' She said she had been to a movie. He stood baffled...picked up a cushion and threw at her with full force. Rest you can imagine...

Innocence....Men

                     Anchal's mom called her up. Oh ! no, not again, she thought. Her mom had this one topic ringing in her mind, her younger son was not married yet. He stayed  in Paris. Her mom and dad had screened hundreds of 'bio-data's', sent some of the photos to Rajeev, their son, who to their dismay always rejected. The girls they liked, Rajeev did not. Simple. So once again she asked Anchal what could be the reason. Her mom had gone to temples, asked the priests, astrologers about the 'problem'. Anxiety got the better of her day by day. Anchal was worried about her hypertensive mom. So she decided she would go to her Mom's place, stay there for a month, 'see' girls for her brother and then fix one and come back. Her brother was also coming down to India.
                         Rajeev was a charmer. He had many friends who were girls and who even frequented their home. But he never went steady with anyone. Everyone wondered why ? Her mom always thought one day he will announce he's marrying someone of his choice. But that never happened. So Anchal asked him,' What's the hitch bro ?' 'Arey, ghanti tho bajna chahiye na', he said.  When I see a girl, somewhere the bell must ring Anchal.  'Well, you know what Rajeev, there was this Electronics engineer girl who was good looking, worked under Sameer (her husband), stayed with us for a day as she missed her train. And then it was a regular affair as we gelled well and she had no airs about being an Engineer, having a good job. What's more, she was intelligent too. And innocent. said Anchal. Hey ! hey ! just a moment Anchal, where is she ? I would like to meet her. Well, said Anchal, she is a Bengali and I hate to say this, she got engaged recently. What Rajeev said about the kind of girl he was looking for, intrigued Anchal. For one he was a man of varied interests. He was handsome and girls usually fell for him some of whom he had dated too. And what was he looking for ? Innocence. He said, 'Yaar mujhey bholi bhali, seedhi saadhi ladki chahiye'.( I want a girl who is innoent, naive...)
                    That triggered a chain of thoughts and Anchal remembered the day she had started feeling something special between herself and Sameer. Now Sameer had said the same words. He liked her straightforward approach and honesty. What is it with men ? Why do they want the girl they marry or a long term relationship so as to say, to be untainted, pure, almost something angelic ? Like owning up an impeccable diamond..There..ownership.They want to own. And what they own should be flawless ?
Quote Amir Khan about Kiran Rao...I love her smile and eyes....I just love the kind of person she is...She has so much integrity and honesty, that it's lovely.'