Happy Birthday !!

The autumn breeze swayed through her hair, as Maya got out of her car. She had just gotten back from work, like any other day. Only, it wasn’t just any other day. It was her 40th birthday !!

But the day hadn’t been special in any way. To begin with, her husband Pranav had forgotten to even wish her today. Things had not been too well between them lately. Especially in the last one month, his activities had just added to her suspicions. He was constantly late from work. She often heard him talk in murmuring voices over the phone with someone and he used to immediately hang up when she walked into the room. He was acting aloof and seemed to be hiding something from her.

Her thoughts raced back 15 years. Sweet romantic dates, unexpected gifts, candle light dinners, never-ending compliments … Pranav had practically swept her off her feet in those beautiful days of courtship. Their marriage had been as beautiful if not more than their courtship. And now, where is that flame? Where is that romance?

She was jolted back to the present when a single drop of rain fell on her cheek from nowhere. As she walked to the front door of her house, her thoughts continued. So what had gone wrong? Was any of it her fault? Did she distance herself from Pranav? Was she too busy for him? She had just drowned herself in her work to escape the void of not having any children. But does that justify ignoring Pranav. She didn’t have any answers, and was too tired to think of one as well.

As she opened the front door and walked into the empty house, her glance fell on the huge picture on the wall. The picture of the two of them … from their wedding day. She stood there and looked at the picture for a long while. That love in their eyes. Where is that love now?
As she walked into the living room, her eyes were drawn to an envelope on the coffee table. For some reason, she didn’t like the sight of it. As she walked towards the envelope, she saw her name written on it, in Pranav’s handwriting.

As she picked up the envelope and opened it, there was a letter inside. She began reading it …

Dear Maya

I know that this letter might not be the best thing happening to you today, but I had to do this, one day or another. As you might have noticed, there has been a certain emptiness in our relationship lately. And I wouldn’t want to blame either of us. Neither do I want to ponder about its reasons.
I just wanted to tell you that it has become unbearable to me. I’m sure you might have noticed by now that I haven’t been totally honest with you in the last month. My activities must have raised thoughts in your mind.
To clear it all, let me confess. There is someone else in my life now. And I have decided to start a new life with her. Today, I am leaving this house forever … and I am leaving you.
None of this is your fault.
Regards
Pranav.

Maya just dropped onto the couch. She felt like the room was spinning. How could Pranav leave her? How could he have found someone else? How? Why?
Thoughts from the past raced through her mind. He had always been there with her, supported her through all of life’s struggles. When she was ill, when she lost her job, when their doctor declared that she could never be a mother … every single time, Pranav was there to support her. What would she do now? She had no one to call her own.

She felt like the world froze around her. She didn’t know what to think or how to react. She just sat there gazing at her hands. And her eyes fell on her ring. The beautiful diamond ring that shone on her finger. And she immediately thought of the day Pranav had proposed to her. He had taken her to her mother’s grave, a very unusual place for anyone to propose, and said, “Will you let me be the mother you lost? Will you let me take care of you forever? Will you marry me?” And she had said yes with eyes filled with tears. Tears of joy!

Today her eyes were filled with tears too. But these were tears of pain. As she looked at the ring, she slowly took it off her finger. She walked over to the kitchen counter and took out a heavy mortar. She started pounding on the ring until the diamond cracked into pieces. She calmly collected the pieces and stared at them. And before she knew it, she had gulped down the pieces with a glass of water.

Why would she even live without Pranav? What was the meaning of life without him? She was starting to feel weak and just wanted to lie down. She slowly walked upstairs to her bedroom. Their fifteen years of married life flashed before her eyes. Pranav had never given her any pain, ever. He was always there, to love her, to support her, to take care of her. Until now... On her 40th birthday! He had left her all alone without a word. She did not find a reason to live anymore.

As she opened her bedroom door, she heard a loud “SURPRISE” !!! And before her eyes, were all the friends she had ever had, right from kindergarten to her present company. And amongst them, standing with a wonderful smile, was Pranav. In his hands, a dozen luscious red roses.

As Maya stood there unable to make up her mind whether to laugh or cry, she simply tried to sink in Pranav's wonderful smile as much as she could, as darkness surrounded her … FOREVER.

Whatever Happens ...

As the train left the train station, Maya couldn’t help but curse herself for her momentary morning laziness. Looking at the last sight of the train in the distance, she was simply reassured that her day wasn’t getting any better. Well, in hadn’t started off in a great way to begin with.

At 5.30 AM, she had snoozed the alarm and then dropped off in a sweet slumber. When she woke up, she knew she was already 30 minutes late for the day. And to add to that, the boiler simply shut off and there was no hot water. She had to quickly take a towel bath (if you could call it a bath !!), and dressed up in a speed that even stunned her. She poured out a glass of juice for herself while trying to make her toddler finish off the bottle of Gerber that just didn’t seem to get over. Just as she turned, she toppled the bottle of juice and messed up her crisp white shirt. Not knowing whom to blame she just started rambling about how she was only one in the house who ever did any work. Pranav, her husband, walked out of the bedroom with his face half filled with shaving foam and started to wipe up the kid and the mess on the floor.

As Maya redressed herself, she was wondering why so many things had to go wrong today … of all days, why today ? Today was the day she had the presentation that she was working on all month. Today, she would impress her clients so well that her company will simply have to give her that promotion that was long since due. As she walked out, Pranav handed her the glass of juice and said, “You go ahead. I’ve spoken to my boss and he said it would be alright for me to come in late today. I’ll drop Manasa at the play school and then go to work.”

Maya was ripped between relief, gratitude and guilt. Not knowing what to say, she kissed Pranav and Manasa good bye and headed to the train station only to find that the train had just left.

As she waited for the next train, she went over the morning’s happenings again and wished that she hadn’t rambled so much about Pranav not helping her out at home. Afterall, he was always there lending her a helping hand whenever she needed. She felt absolutely guilty. Just when she took her phone out to call him to apologize, the next train started to pull in.

As she got out of the New York Penn station, she looked at the long queue at the taxi stand. Why today of all days, she thought to herself! It took her just 3 mins to get a taxi, but it felt like forever. As she got into the cab, she couldn’t help but notice the sticker right in front of her, “Whatever happens, happens for a good reason”. It was definitely not something that she was going to enjoy that morning. She must have looked at her watch atleast 10 times in those 5 mins. The traffic seemed to move slower than ever and she felt like the whole world was conspiring against her to make sure she was as late as possible to work that day.

As the cab entered Broadway, she couldn’t help but notice that plane that looked so close. It was as if she could almost touch it. So, did the pilot doze off at the cock pit, she thought to herself. And just as she was watching, the plane zoomed right into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. The tower burst into flame and smoke and there was debris falling everywhere. She scurried out of the cab and watched in disbelief as a man jumped out of a window on the 86th floor, the very same floor where she worked.

She stood in shock as she saw people running helter skelter and she felt someone pull her arm and before she knew it she was also running on the streets while behind her another plane hit the second tower.

She thought she had been running for hours when she finally stopped and turned to look back. Where the two towers were, there was nothing but emptiness. And the sticker in the cab flashed through her mind. “Whatever happens, happens for a good reason”.

The morning’s events played through her mind endlessly. If only she hadn’t snoozed, if only she hadn’t toppled the juice bottle, if only she hadn’t missed the previous train … IF ONLY !!
As Manasa’s face smeared with baby food crossed her mind, she dropped to her knees and cried. She cried like she hadn’t cried ever before. She held her hands together and thanked God. She thanked God for all the miseries she had ever faced in life. For today, she realized that even the miseries that God gives, is a form of blessing in disguise !!

Whatever happens. happens for a good reason !!