Middle of the night

“We would be working on the concept of human emotions in the next class, I request everybody to please go through the assignment I have posted. Any further questions? …

All right then, See you all next Thursday”

The professor Prashanth thakur concluded his class, picked up the files he had placed on the table and walked out of the room.

Yash sat in the fourth bench in the corner row and he continued to see people walk out of the class. The class was almost empty. He just sat in the silent classroom with no one around. The mere notification tone on his cell phone bought a strong echo in the old classroom.

He picked up his mobile from his pocket and scrolled down to see the notifications. There was one from “Mumma”, one from the Zomato and there were bunch of other notifications from mails and other apps. But out of all this, the one notification Yash was desperately looking for, popped up right before he could let the screen sleep.

“done with the class?” Srishti’s text popped up.

Yash replied in seconds, “yeah! Where are you?”

“ took a day off from work. Lunch at 2?”

“yea sure..” yash replied and put his phone back into his pocket. He picked up his things and walked out of the classroom.

Srishti had arrived at the restaurant early and had already made herself comfortable on a 2-seater table.

“Would you like to order ma’am?” the waiter interfered her mobile scrolling.

“I’m actually waiting for someone” Srishti replied with a forced formal smile.

Yash walked in a few minutes later. Srishti saw him getting confused at the reception enquiring for her table. She waved at him and he made his way towards the table.

“ so.. was I late?” Yash spoke with a guilty smile

“ nah its fine. It was just 15 minutes.”

“ all right.. “

“ so what have you decided with the course?” Srishti initiated on the serious note.

“I.. I don’t wanna… I just don’t want to work for that hospital anymore. Just being a psychiatrist dealing with patients in the closed room, feels exhausting. I wanna start my own therapy practice. With innovative methods. That is the reason why I am taking these psychology classes right.. just to brush up my knowledge. These classes are gonna end in a few days. and then im gonna start my own practice..”

“ and after that??” Srishti spoke her bit.

“after that?... ofcourse ill have a good income and we can afford a better life right..” Yash casually replied.

“ no I mean.. what about uss?” Srishti spoke with raised brows.

“ us.. we are fine right?.. “ yash picked up his menu and started scrutinizing it

Srishti looked at her surroundings and bought her hand bag on to her lap. Yash was busy looking at the menu. Srishti picked out a small velvet box from her handbag and placed it on the table.

“yash…” she flipped open the velvet case and a thin platinum ring stood in the centre with all its grace.

“I know.. don’t panic. I know you do not have a proper opinion on marriage. I know what you have gone through. But.. I feel I should do this now. We are financially in a good state, and all I know is, I love you from the core of my heart. I just want you with me throughout my life. I have never been more ready for this Yash..! “ she pulled out the ring from the box held in delicately and spoke, “ will you be my happily ever after yash? Will you marry me?”

Yash was dumb stuck at the monologue Srishti had just given.

“Srishti..! I don’t know what to say. We are really doing well now. I just don’t want us to end up like my parents. You know how they are right? They would have been better with a divorce. I just don’t want us to suffer like they did. What if we fall out of love ?” Yash was trying to make himself clear.

“ that would still be a part of the life Yash..! I am ready to jump into this adventure and unbox everything that comes in our way.”

Yash smiled and forwarded his hand to her. Srishti couldn’t help but give out a whole hearted smile as she slid the ring on to his ring finger. She was happy that It fit exactly on him.

“I love you!” Yash uttered deeply lost in her eyes.

The lunch seemed to be the best date they had ever had in the three years of their relationship. Yash dropped her home after the beautiful day and reached home by the evening. The very first thing on his head was to buy Srishti a ring and also talk to his parents about it

Yash reached home and was drawn back to the reality of his silent house. His mom as usual sat in her study table going through her work documents while his dad was busy watching news on his mobile. Yash hated the fact that they were to be called a couple. The so-called Mr and Mrs Avadhani that never spoke to each other like a couple. This was in fact Yash’s biggest fear of marriage.

He was so happy a minute back until he stepped into this door. He was actually seeing life in a better perspective and was happy for the decision he took. But right after walking into the house, he started re considering his choices. He did not know what to think at the moment. He walked to his room relaxed on his bed and scrolled up his notification again.

This time, he saw the notification of “new assignment posted”. He clicked it open and a pdf version opened that was more like a study material. It was a thesis on human emotions. He quickly scanned the first few lines of the page. The line that caught his complete attention was, “ Human feelings and emotions aren’t always constant. They change very often and unexpectedly “this sounded scary to him. He looked at his ring and thought about Srishti again.

A number of what if’s were running in his head.

“What if we start hating each other?

What if we are no good for each other?

What if we get divorced…?

What if we become like my parents?”

After millions of what if’s, he slowly got back to his senses and the knock at the door bought him back to reality.

“ Yash..! dinner??” Yash’s mom walked in with a mobile to her ear.

Yash gestured that he’d come in a minute.

He walked to the kitchen, picked up the rotis from the hot pack, served himself some curry and walked up to the dining table.

his parents joined the dinner table in no time.

“Did you receive any mails regarding the workspaces I sent you?” Mr. Avadhani started his regular dad talk.

“ yeah dad.. il see them tomorrow.”

“We would be glad if you start your own practice. Ill look for better spaces on lease by the time you finish your course. Don’t worry”

“by the way, Yash.. I got placed in a new project today.” his mom added into the conversation.

“congrats madhu!” said kushal Avadhani in a formal tone.

“you dint know it till I came here?” Yash asked his dad with a straight face.

“ um.. she just told me now” kushal justified.

“ ok.. mom..? dint you feel like sharing such a big news to him as soon as you came?”

“we were… we were busy beta..” it was a clear made up by his mom.

“ how does that concern you yash! We are good to you and we will continue to be good to you as good parents. Have we ever let anything affect you from our end?” his dad was talking with a straight face

“ you guys wont get it…” yash finished the rotis on his plate and wakled into his room.

He tried working on his assignment but ended up texting Srishti instead.

An hour went by and the night had settled in. it was around 11 PM and both his parents were deeply asleep. Yash was distracted by some noise in the dining room.

“mom..? still awake?” Yash saw his mom walking to the fridge for a water bottle.

“yeah couldn’t sleep.”

“ whats the matter?”

His mom walked to him and picked up his hand into hers. “ I noticed it Yash!!”

Yash did not want to speak anything about it.

“Srishti right? Such a sweetheart she is.. so what have you guys decided?”

Yash pulled his hand out of hers and walked back to his room.

“yash! Please talk to me. is anything bothering you?”

“ you guysss!!! You and dad are the reason!!” Yash had his voice raised.

“ what do you mean. Have we ever not supported any of your decisions till date? Haven’t we been caring for you?”

“of course you guys are.. but seeing you both end up like this, I cant trust marriages anymore. I really don’t understand how you both are surviving under one roof without even a word. This is just co existing because of me right? Why not take a divorce??”

“ Yash!! Calm down.. who told you we are not happy? We are absolutely happy to be this way.”

“do you guys even love each other?” Yash had calmed down a little

“ well.. to be honest, I don’t think we do”

“ exactlyyyy!!! That’s what is scaring me mom! How do I give hopes to Srishti with these many thoughts in my head?”

“but we still live here happily. Haven’t you seen that?” his mom made herself comfortable on the small easy chair beside the bed.

“ do you not think love is important for people to be happily married?” Yash put forward his thoughts

“ of course it is important to begin a relationship. But I think, falling out of love is also something that needs to be accepted. It’s a part of the journey.”

“ so you say, falling out of love is okay?”

“ yes! Of course. But its your decision to choose a person with whom you can co-exist as a human even if you fall out of love. And I have that with your dad. I respect him and he respects me. we give each other space and we are happy that way.”

Yash was trying to process everything at a slow pace. He just sat with a blank face.

“look! Feelings aren’t always the same. But you should be capable of accepting the fact and choosing a person who’d be a good human to you even if the love disappears. Kushal supports me with all my decisions and stands by me during the times of need. Why do you not see it? okay I agree, its not called love. But we know that! We know we don’t love each other anymore. But we stand for each other as promised. And we are totally happy to be us”

She walked into her room and came back with a tiny photo of the couple during their 20s.

“look! Look at the happiness we had. The memories and the time we spent together has built respect towards each other and that is the reason why we are able to co-exist this happily. I don’t think everybody gets this comfort zone which we have and I’m blessed to have such an understanding.”

Yash had got a little clarity on the topic now.

“ don’t stress yourself too much. Srishti is an amazing person. whatever your decision is, we are both here for you. have some good sleep. you are already a phycologist, I don't think I should explain you anything more.”

“ I have one last thing to ask you mamma! …

 would you say ,..you both are separated in your head mentally? But happily living here?”

“ the truth is we are together but…maybe yes! We are mentally separated!” she gave a soft comforting smile and brushed Yash’s hair with her fingers.

the words echoed in his head,” we are together, but mentally separated…” his mom walked out of his room and Yash was left with his thoughts and the picture of his parents where they looked extremely happy. He flipped the picture to see something his mom had written.

“we are not together yet, but we are mentally married..”

The irony between what she had just told and the caption on the picture left him in an awe.

He took out his phone and texted Srishti immediately.

“Srishti! Thanks for everything. thank you for making me realize what I have been missing out. Lets get married! And I am dam sure about it. all we need to do is respect each other and stand by our promises by accepting the situations whatever they might be.. I realized the future isn’t that scary as I thought .we could still be happy. Its all in our heads.. I love you so much and I’m here for you! I will be your happily ever after. will you marry me?”

Srishti’s reply flung in a second with an excited happy emoji and the word following it, “yesssss”.