On a rainy night in the year 1994, I was walking to a nearby medical store to buy medicines for my sister who is sick. I saw a girl who is lying on the road and crying. I ignored and walked to the medical store. When I was returning back, I saw the same girl who called me to her. I understood she is displaced from her home. She said that she is a rape victim who is being thrown by the rapist on the road. She requested me to give a shelter due to heavy rain and being far away from her home. Since I only have a sister and no body else in my home, I took her there. I gave her my guest room. On the next day, I asked her how the rape happened. She told she was going to her workplace in Mumbai which is 20km away from her home. So, she went in bus and reached here. Some men captured her from an isolated bus stop and took her in a van and raped her. Her purse was stolen and she was dumped on the street. She was the only child of her parents. Her mother died during her pregnancy while her father died due to cancer. So, she is alone in her home. She lives there only because of her attachment to that home. She said her name is Priya. I noticed that if I continue to talk to her, I would be late to my class. I was getting ready to go to my college where I am studying MBA. I told her to relax and live at my home for a few days and then, inform the police about the rape she suffered. My younger sister was better now. I told her to take a leave for one more day.
When I came back from class, I spoke to Priya. I took her to police station and then, she formally filed a complaint. The police started investigation for the case. She went for a medical examination. Then, she came back and told me she do a part-time job to pay fees for her graduation. She had a long conversation with me at home over a week and then, she departed back to her home. She extended her gratitude to me before leaving and said she is thankful for all the help I have done to her. My sister has recovered. She told me about the stories that Priya told her while I was in college. I don't know why, but I started developing feelings for Priya. I received a telephone call from her after two days she left. She told me that the criminals who raped her got jailed. She further stated that she see me like a brother as she don't have any sibling. This led me to depression and regret for loving her in a way that should not have been. I decided I will never contact her so that I can forget her.
3 years later...
I moved to Delhi from Mumbai to start living a fresh life after my post-graduation. My sister got married to a person in USA as a love marriage and she left. On summer, I got a telephone call from Priya's friend. Her friend said she called all the phone numbers in Priya's telephone address book to inform that she was killed in a bus accident. I went to her death rituals and I was sad that the girl I loved passed away. I took two days leave from my office due to my mental condition after her death. Then, I went to my office where I worked as a sales manager. I came to know from my friends that our company is being sold by the owner and soon, a new Head of the company, who will be also the new Managing Director (M.D) would arrive at the office. I didn't mind it. After a week, a BMW Car came to our office from which someone came out. We all were aware that it is our new M.D who is coming to the office. But we couldn't see who came out of the car since the area was too crowded. It is very difficult to see the M.D. since we only have access to the head of our section. Through gossips, I came to know that the M.D. is a woman but since, there was no widespread internet at that time in India, I couldn't get her details in the web.
1 month later...
I was called by the new M.D. to her office. I was asked to wait out by the M.D's assistant. I was called in and when I opened the door, I got astonished. I accidentally uttered 'Priya' as the new M.D. looks exactly as how Priya looked three years back. The M.D. introduced herself as Remya and told me that she would promote me to sales manager from a junior level staff since I performed very well. She said that with this promotion, I would be able to directly contact her. I was happy about promotion but I was also surprised by seeing my lover's face in a different woman.
On Sunday, I went for shopping in a Bazaar where I saw Remya. She was with a man who is of my same age. I met her and she introduced me to her son. I got shocked that she is 21 years elder than me but she looks similar to Priya who was about 3 years younger than me. I heard from my colleagues that Remya used to be concerned of her health. So, she exercise daily and maintain herself to look young. But I never expected her to be too old woman which I came to know by seeing her son. I asked her about her husband which she said in a low sound, 'He was a pilot who died in plane crash many years back'.
Since I remember Priya whenever I see Remya, I thought to distance myself from her when not in office. But I was frequently called to her office for submitting files and marketing records. I got deeply connected to her and thus, I fell in love with her as she look exactly like Priya. I suppressed my inner feelings for her and went ahead with my work trying to find another woman as my life partner. But this failed and my emotional attachment to Remya grew day by day.
2 years later...
Remya was hospitalised with two kidney failure. She has enough money to give to the donor for transplantation but she didn't get anybody willing to give her one kidney. Her son was scared to give his kidney. Her other family members already left her years back due to her love marriage with the pilot which everyone denied. The office staff wanted her to die because they did not want a woman M.D. At that urgent time, there were no donors available. Doctors said there will be a delay in getting donors. So, I immediately decided to become the donor and donate kidney to her free of cost so that I could at least save her life which I couldn't do for Priya earlier. I told doctor not to say her that I donated kidney for her. I didn't want her to think that I donated kidney to her for some malicious intent. So, I hided it to prevent any misunderstanding. Both Remya and me didn't go to office for three months as we both were recovering after transplant. This raised suspicion among the staff in the office. I went to office after three months but Remya didn't come yet.
6 months later...
Remya came to office and resumed her work. When she was looking through attendance sheet of the employees, she saw that I took three months sick leave which she wondered and called me to office. She asked me the medical certificate from the doctor but I didn't present it because then, she will know that I was on a kidney donation leave. I told I don't have after which she scolded me a lot. She assumed that I enjoyed my holidays by getting regular salary. She gave me a termination paper and ordered to quit the job. She also rejected giving me a work experience certificate. I remained jobless for next two months and used money from my savings all these days.
2 months later...
I heard a door bell and when I opened the door, it was my former colleague. He told me that Remya got his son married to a rich girl a month ago and then, he left her mother permanently and she is alone at her home. I went to visit her home but the security didn't allow me entry. So, I returned back to my home. I was searching for a job but many companies refused to accept my application after they came to know that I was dismissed from the job because of a long leave without any valid reason. At last, I contacted my friend who gave me a job in his small scale industry as a marketing head for selling soap.
1 year later...
On Sunday, I was cooking food at the kitchen when I heard somebody repeatedly knocking at the front door of my house. I asked who is it but no reply. I opened the door and suddenly, I saw Remya crying and saying, 'Sorry', multiple times. She asked me why I didn't say this to her that I donated her kidney due to which I took leave. She kept on asking why I didn't collect money from her. I asked back who told her this. She said that the doctor who did her operation called her the previous day and told the reality since he couldn't hide for long due to his fear of any legal action later. She hugged me and told, "You don't need to say anything. I know you love me a lot. Otherwise, who will take such a step of kidney donation without taking any money or credit".
She also said that she knows there is a wide age gap between her and me. So, she asked me what made me to love her. I told her that she looked like the girl I loved before whose life I failed to save. I don't want to lose my next lover having the same face. I added, "I saved you for my heart to remain in peace. I love you so much but I don't know how to express it as the age gap between you and me confuse me a lot". I again stated, "I didn't demand money because I want you in my life and not your money".
She fell upon me and apologised for her behaviour. She told me her misery when her son left her. She asked whether I will be willing to marry her.
I told, "Your age restricts me from saying 'Yes' as I don't want you to face a reputation loss because of my desire for marriage."
She said, "It doesn't matter. I have a son who never cared me and also, I don't think anybody can love me as much as your divine love. So, I request you to marry me."
With tears coming from my eyes, I told, "It's like my dreams have come true. I never expected that you would come to me for marriage."
Then, she kissed my cheeks and told, "We will go and do a register marriage and let any opposition come, we will face it together".
3 months later...
I got married with Remya in Grand Prince Auditorium in Delhi in October 4, 2001. I was 28 years old while she was 49 years old. I became the chairman of Remya's company with Remya being the M.D.
Present...
While sitting together in the balcony of our home, we were discussing our love story to refresh memories. I thought to write this story so that it becomes widely known that the past followed me from Mumbai even when I moved to a new city Delhi and restarted my life with a new job there. I felt meeting Priya in Mumbai was just a path to my love life with Remya in the present. It was like a twist in my life which I shared here.
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