“Goodbye!” Said Sandra to Anand as she walked from him towards the car and took her seat to drive away without looking back. Anand paused to look at her one last time and he too walked away. Both were in pain, denial and shattered. On her way back, Sandra pondered on what she had lost. She was unhappy about leaving Anand; deep down, she knew she loved him with all her heart, but she wouldn’t let go of her principles.

Sandra was a real estate agent and Anand was a software engineer. Sandra was from Mangalore but settled in Bangalore while Anand was from Khammam but settled in Bangalore as he was a software engineer. They met casually as Anand wanted to invest in immovable property around Bangalore and Sandra was doing her job.

Initially, it was strictly business but later Anand delayed his investment plans to keep meeting Sandra. Their meetings soon blossomed into love and as having different cultural backgrounds and beliefs they got court married and built a nest for themselves. Eventually, the family did come around as they say love conquers all. Today was different as Anand and Sandra had divorced from the family court and had ended their 18-year-old marriage. Sandra was firm on her decision, unwilling to change despite the persuasion of her family members and Anand himself.

“How did it go? Are you, all right? Would you like to drink or eat anything?” Daisy Sandra’s mother asked her. Daisy was there to check on Sandra as she knew any divorce can be painful and if you have someone near you, it always helps. “Yeah, it went fine. I don’t have the appetite for anything, if you don’t mind can you leave me alone? I need my space.” Said Sandra. Sandra had to plead and convince her mother to leave her for the rest of the day. Daisy though unwilling picked up her spare keys and walked out of the front door to give her the space, to grieve in private. “Call me if you need me,” Daisy said as she walked out. Sandra smiled and closed the door.

Sandra then walked to the bathroom all she needed was a bath. She sat under the shower, and tears rolled from her eyes as the water poured. She saw flashes of that fateful night that had changed, shattered, and broken her. Sandra put on her bathrobe and walked out of the shower as the doorbell rang announcing the arrival of Kavita.

“Bunking college, are you?” asked Sandra. “No, didn’t feel like attending,” replied Kavita. “Are you ok?” asked Kavita. Sandra walked to the sofa stretched her hand to grab a photo of a young lad and signaled her to come over for a hug.

The boy was none other than Siddharth born to Anand and Sandra. He alone was the joy in their lives as he achieved every milestone while his parents were there to support and cheer him on. Months turned to years and Siddharth went to junior college and opted for science his parents were proud as they saw a promising career ahead. He wanted to join medical school to make himself useful to the underprivileged. Sandra was his only confidant, friend, and partner in crime. Together they would gang up against Anand. Anand was always away, but he never grumbled as he would surrender to them easily. But this happiness was short-lived.

Sandra entered the building compound after work two years ago, police sirens were ringing. There were barricades. She saw her flatmates gathered around as she approached them Anand came from inside, he looked pale, shattered, and speechless. As he saw her, he ran towards her and hugged her tightly saying, “Our Sid, is no more. He jumped off the balcony, I swear I didn’t know he loved Kavita the escort. My friends hired Kavita and we all drank and celebrated and I was drunk and got carried away.” Before he could complete his side of the story Sandra broke away from his embrace to find her beloved son Sid’s lifeless body in a pool of blood. Sandra had fainted with shock. The next thing she woke up at her home.

Sid was gone forever. He had spoken vaguely about the girl he loved. He was shy, to approach her. The only thing she knew about Kavita was that she was smart as she topped most of the tests and those that she didn’t Sid would top. She was his competitor and his classmate. According to him Kavita was always busy and kept to herself. She always seemed in a hurry and never spent much time with their batchmates.

Sandra had urged him to approach her and propose. Kavita had declined the offer and had asked him to focus on his studies as she had then stated that she wanted to be a doctor and she was working hard to achieve her goals.

“We have got Sid’s body now we can go ahead with the last rites,” Anand said to her. Sandra was brought back to reality, which was painful. The police were exploring different angles had finished the forensic investigation and handed over the body. The last moments of separation were hard for both Sandra and Anand. They took time to moan about his death. Meanwhile, the silence that prevailed was more damaging. Both didn’t want to discuss his last moments. Eventually, the case closed and they termed his death to be a suicide. Days turned to weeks and months. Admits the silent grief Sandra got a call from Kavita as she wanted to meet her. Sandra agreed and called her home after Anand left for work.

The doorbell rang announcing the arrival of Kavita. Sandra welcomed her in and they sat across each other. “Thank you for letting me come. I didn’t know if you would like to have me over.” Said Kavita. Sandra replied, “Sid, always told me that you are beautiful. And indeed, you are. I don’t think you know that he admired you rather than loved you.” “I loved him too. But you see I was sold by my parents, I don’t have a fancy house like this, I work as an escort. I sell my body to buy my freedom and just sufficient to pay for my education. I am sorry, I didn’t know that this was Sid’s house. When I realized it was too late I couldn’t back out.” regretfully Kavita replied.

Sandra interrupted her, “Did you sleep with my husband?” Sandra was hoping for a negative reply as she could not believe that Anand would cheat on her with an escort. “I need to tell you the truth, I think that day, your husband had a promotion, and all his friends first got drinks and they were celebrating, later one of his friends booked me for two hours through my agency, and the moment I reached home he was drunk and passed out when I was about to leave he woke up but was disoriented, so his friends forced him. So, under peer pressure we did…” “Enough!” roared Sandra. She was disgusted. “I am sorry. We did” Kavita was emotional. “What was worse, was that Sid reached home and he saw us together. He entered his room and locked himself. I guess your husband was ashamed. He immediately asked all of us to vacate. As I walked out, the last thing I heard was your husband asking Sid to open his door as he wanted to speak to him. I walked out of the building and I saw them both arguing angrily. The next thing I saw was the obituary in the paper.”

“I think you should leave.” Sandra was heartbroken. The truth had shattered her completely to the core. Losing her son soon was one grief that she was dealing with to add to this she was cheated on by a man who was her world for more than a decade. Could have this been the first time or was it many of his encounters that she was unaware of? She needed some answers and maybe it was tonight.

On her way out Kavita paused and turned saying, “I think Sid could not suicide, there is more to the story, and the person who has answers would be Mr. Anand. I am sorry again.” Kavita walked out saying these words and caused turmoil in Sandra’s marital world of what was left.

Sandra was obsessed with the thought of being cheated so much so that she could not wait until Anand returned home. She dialed his number and asked him to return as soon as possible.

“Are you ok?” Anand enquired as he was concerned. This was the first time after Sid died, that Sandra had spoken sentences to him on the phone as it would have been only monosyllables otherwise.

“I am not, today I learned something later in the day that shattered me completely, but I want the truth and only the truth,” said Sandra firmly. “Ok! I have never lied to you and I would never do so. Ask me what is it that you desire to know?” replied Anand.

“Have you cheated on me?” asked Sandra. Anand closed his eyes and replied “Yes.” “How many times?” asked Sandra in rage. “Just once on that fateful night but I did tell you. I wasn’t in my senses…” Anand was remorseful. But Sandra interrupted him “How did Sid die? Tell me.” This time she was determined to know the truth though she vaguely remembered him, confessing to her but Sid’s suicide had numbed her senses.

“It was an accident.” Anand blurted out the truth in the heat of the moment. Sandra’s eyes widened. “What!” she exclaimed and suddenly she turned pale. She was now very close to discovering what went wrong.

“I was coaxed, I was drunk and I did something that I was ashamed of.” Anand was crying bitterly. He was shattered to know that Sid liked Kavita. They had a heated argument and exchange of words which enraged Anand in his inebriated state and he pushed Sid which led him to the fatal fall off that balcony that night.

Anand was living in guilt all this while. That’s why he hid the truth from Sandra. But today after the confrontation his guilty conscious pricked him to tell the truth.

“Murderer! You killed your son.” Sandra was raged. “I will have you jailed for this.” Saying so she ran in the direction of the phone. Anand stopped her and begged her for forgiveness but Sandra wasn’t willing to budge. She called the police station and informed the investigating officer. While Anand decided to await his fate, he had lost Sid and was not willing to lose his wife again with his emotions.

Anand was arrested and tried in court where his lawyers proved that he was not himself during the act and as he was in a drunk state he got away with a huge fine and 6 months in prison.

Sandra decided to divorce him and for the atonement of his sins, she adopted Kavita legally, and now thanks to Sandra, Kavita is a medical student. Anand decided to live his life in solitude and away from both of them. He chooses to go to his village and remain there for the rest of his life. 

.    .    .