Hope is the last thing ever lost…
– An Italian Proverb
Then one day finally came, when Aditya knew how badly he hurt Imlie, accusing her for the mistakes, she never committed. But it was too late. When the dawn finally had an end and there, on the sky sprouted a new sunrise, a new hope, how can a dawn be rethought ? Aditya finally got his lesson but Imlie had got the lesson for sometime now.
Aditya came to her with a bowed head, touching the ground. But this was not what Imlie expected or wished for. For that matter, now she has nothing to expect from him anymore. For he has already ruined everything he could possibly give her. With a heavy grief and guilt, Adi stood behind Imlie but he had no courage to even call her for he had already lost he and the right to even say sorry to her. But somehow he finally picked up his the broken pieces of courage, rejoined it and called her –“Imlie”.
And Imlie turned behind. But there were no signs of any expression nor emotion on her face. She looked calm, composed and rigid. Her eyes shone giving a glimpse of her eminent future. Gone were the days when Aditya called her, and her eyes lit up with an unknown happiness. But now, nothing remained same. And Aditya realized this change. No matter how many ever mistakes you commit, but one day you will surely realize with a pain that you lost a person due to your mistakes and that you can’t amend what you did in past.
Imlie glanced at him. She asked, “Do you want to say something, Sir ?”
And then Aditya’s courage and heart, both broke into pieces. Though, his heart broke into pieces long back, he was new to the pain of realization that his heart broke just because of what he did. He couldn’t bear to hear his name as ‘Sir’ from the very person who once lovingly called him as ‘Babusaheb’. And this pain made him realize that his effort now would be futile. But nevertheless, he spoke out his mind. “I would like to talk to you in person, Imlie.”
If it was an old Imlie who was pained by the fact that her own husband believed someone else over her, she would have replied, “There is nothing left between us to talk in person.” But now, neither is she the old Imlie, nor she is his wife. She was some person to him now like anyone else except the fact that Adi still felt awkward on coming face to face with her but Imlie surpassed the stage long ago.
And then Imlie broke the silence and replied. “Yes, Tripathi sir. But if you can wait for a minute or two so that I can finish off the work.”
Aditya nodded with tear-filled eyes. He felt that their conversation was too formal. This brought him some flashes of moments which are his life’s cherished moments which he can never forget now. Nor could anyone fool him now, as he was already fooled once so badly that the thought of being fooled in future will make him even shiver. He waited, for he didn’t wait before. He had his lesson but what was the use of lesson when he can’t apply it on anything, nor in the present, nor in the future.
Imlie came to him, so casually and they together went to the office canteen. “What is the matter ?”, she asked.
Aditya finally gathered the strength. “I am sorry for everything I did with you. I know I have lost the right to say sorry to you, but I just couldn’t hold it within myself anymore. I want to say sorry, I want to join my hands and bow my head with shame. Please forgive me if you want to. But I won’t feel sorry if you don’t forgive me. I would be content believing that want I sow, is what I would reap. ”, he said and then the room was again breathing silence.
As unexpected as it really is, Imlie smiled. She just smiled. And then it was her turn to speak. “I am not even angry with you. I also don’t want you to say sorry. I am happy even if you don’t say sorry. I cherish the days I spent with you in your presence and in your absence, nevertheless of different outcomes. When I was with you, I discovered the love of my life. When I was all alone without you and stepped into career, I discovered the purpose of my life other than love. I discovered what I have to do in life. I discovered what life is about. Life is a journey with constant ups and downs and I got the taste of both of them all through my life. Your presence made me dream more. Your absence brought me closer to the dream. Your absence pushed me to become stronger and made me learn to fight for self respect. Your absence made me the youngest successful journalist now. Believe it or not, you were with me in anything I am today. Both your presence and absence made me into an individual which you can now see, who is right infront of you. You will remain my life’s first love, first hope, last love but not the last hope. If I want I can still come back to your life for I love you just the same but I wouldn’t want to reopen the pages of my life which is written and closed. I want to go ahead with time, not to be lost in my past. And hence, I don’t have any reason to be angry with you. But if you still want me to forgive you for the reason I don’t know, let me say it ! I forgive you.”
And then grew the silence intensely. Aditya looked up as he saw her right infront of him but it seemed to him as if Imlie is waving her hand and saying a final good bye. A drop or two of tears, ran down his cheek but he wiped them, for there was a new sunrise making way through his life.
Then he shook his hand with Imlie’s hand. “Let’s discuss about the project we are assigned then !”, he said with a smile and shine in eyes, which shone just like Imlie.
“Yes !”, she replied with beaming eyes.
And now, Aditya was the best colleague of Imlie. He supported her now as a colleague which he failed to as a husband. And both were content in their lives now.
This closure was important for Aditya to move on. Now he realized the mission of his life and Imlie as a person.
Now there was no love between them as a soulmates or maybe there remained the love but hidden somewhere which can never be retrieved. But nevertheless, they had immense respect for each other and supported each other in their walk of life towards success.
Hope you liked this One Shot on ‘Imlie’.
Do mention what you feel about this one shot, no matter you liked it or hated it. I am glad to accept anything, for you are the readers. Do mention amendments, if any. Also highlight, what you had expected to happen while reading this. Your views on any other way this can be written is warmly welcomed !
Heartfelt thanks for reading this !
Yours Sincerely,
Shriharshita
Update Credits : Shriharshita