The Idea:
Can a woman love two men at the same time? How difficult and real is that love when one of the men isn’t alive anymore? This story is about the narrator’s tryst with a second shot at life and love, gifted to her by none other than the man she truly loved initially. A Promise made by the narrator plays a key role as she makes the painful yet necessary journey towards a new life in today’s India. A life that ultimately teaches her valuable lessons about love, duty and respect. But most importantly, the promise also helps her immensely in truly appreciating and experiencing the spirit of closure as she begins an unexpectedly sweet journey in life.
What makes the Story Real:
Inspired by the story of an ex- army officer who served in the IPKF, this story tries to capture the spirit of life through the narrator, as she tries to rebuild her life in today’s India- An India that allows a second shot at love and happiness if only the individual can summon the will and courage to move on.
Extract:
‘Why did you marry me’? I asked him suddenly as we both stared at the bright lights far away.
‘The Dowry, of course’ he chuckled, looking straight.
‘Bala…’ I prodded, turning towards him. ‘You knew about my past… my marriage…’ I hesitated.
‘I really don’t know’ he replied after a minute’s silence.
‘Do you regret it?’ I asked, looking away.
‘Not even for a second’ he stressed as he took my chin in his hands and turned me towards him.
That was the first time he touched me without my permission in our one year of marriage.
Why I want to write this story:
In a new India where relationships built on the magic word called love are increasingly turning brittle, I wanted to share this story that reflects the challenges that one has to face in resurrecting their life and love. While forgetting the past to move on in life may seem the easy way out, learning to appreciate, respect and experience the present is critical to finding new love in India.
This is my entry for the HarperCollins–IndiBlogger Get Published contest, which is run with inputs from Yashodhara Lal andHarperCollins India.
