Moonflower, Part 3

Moonflower, Part 3
Sandipan Goswami, 1983 Civil Engineering

Recap of Part 1: The band members of Galaxy including Sam, the lead singer, and guitarist, used to visit various locations to perform in spectacular stage shows where the audience gathered in large masses to experience the events. Sam is the main character of the story ‘Moonflower’. Sam had lost every one of his family since his childhood but was compensated by a few wonderful friends who used to be more than his own personal relatives. Some of them are Zina the gorgeous and beautiful lady, Joy the closest companion, Krishna the most trusted person to look after the business of the estate at Dehradun, his native place, and all others in his musical business in Mumbai. Sam and Zina used to be close friends who disclosed everything in their lives to each other. Unfortunately, Sam had lost his past love Sarah and Zina was separated from her husband in the past. Zina loved Sam more than anything in the world, but Sam could sense that Zina still had some repentance for losing her husband Ajoy. Sam wanted to meet and explore the mind of Ajoy for Zina before settling himself with Zina in his life but he didn’t disclose that to Zina. Zina couldn’t understand the reason why Sam is so hesitant to settle his life with Zina.

Recap of Part 2: A few of the other members of the musical band ‘Galaxy’ also had stories of losing of their loves in different incidents but they found the reasons for their lives through their dedicated involvement with the band ‘Galaxy’. Mathew, Prem, and Joy were the names of such members of the band.

When you cry, God smiles…

For the last few days, Sam was unable to concentrate on his work, where concentration was extremely essential, otherwise the whole composition would be lifeless. One evening, at the time of sunset, he was lazily walking on the footpath by the side of the Arabian Sea, looking at the setting sun, and he was thinking that the same sun would again appear tomorrow. Many things are similarly cyclic in life.
Suddenly, someone caught his hand from the side. He turned around and saw Prabhu Dada of Dehradun. He was absolutely surprised and asked about his well-being. Prabhu was surprised more than Sam and was unable to decide how to start talking to him. Sam took Prabhu aside and they both chose a place to sit.
Prabhu informed Sam that he and his wife were all right. Then he asked how Sam was and what he was doing in Mumbai. Sam said everything in short and asked about what Prabhu was doing in Mumbai.
Prabhu looked at Sam for a while and said, ‘We are finished, Sam…we are just finished…’ and broke into tears. Sam was not prepared for that and became nervous to hear something bad once again. He was wondering what could have happened to Prabhu. Prabhu informed Sam that Sarah’s marriage was fixed with Rishi, but in the meantime Sarah’s father Manoj had died in an accident in the USA, which was informed to Prabhu by Manoj’s friends over there, who also had taken care of various subsequent formalities and needs. The marriage of Sarah and Rishi was postponed for some time. In the meantime, Rishi got a job in Australia and he went to Sydney to join the work. Sarah was maintaining constant touch with Rishi, but after one or two months the communications were stopped from Rishi’s side. Next, Rishi’s parents in Delhi were contacted by Prabhu, but they informed Prabhu that Rishi was married to an Indian girl already in Sydney and the girl was the daughter of his boss in his present company. After the marriage, Rishi was made share holder of the company and also became a board member. Prabhu came back with a broken heart and informed his wife and Sarah about everything. Hearing that, Sarah was extremely shocked and almost stopped interacting with everyone. With the passing of time, she fell ill and the doctor came to see her. After checking her, the doctor informed them that Sarah was pregnant for about three months.
One day, Sarah attempted to commit suicide by hanging herself, but was seen by their maidservant, who was incidentally watching Sarah through the window. Watching Sarah’s activities, she had shouted and rushed inside the house and saved Sarah. Sarah subsequently started going into depression and, after giving birth to a boy child, she lost her mental balance and lost memory significantly. Seeing her condition, Prabhu could understand that she needed immediate and appropriate medical attention. Prabhu knew that for a similar treatment, Sam was sent to some good residential clinic in Mumbai. So he went to Sam’s estate and spoke to their manager. The manager gave him the contact details of the clinic, but there was no place available in that clinic for at least a year; however, they informed him about some other good clinics in Mumbai. Prabhu managed to book her treatment in one of those residential clinics.
Sarah was taken to the clinic in Mumbai and was still there after five years. Her son ‘Vicky’ was then almost five years old. Vicky was in the hotel with Prabhu’s wife. Prabhu used to come alone to Mumbai every alternate month to see Sarah. This time, Prabhu brought his wife Laxmi and Vicky along with him, hoping for the possibility of getting Sarah released so they could take her back home. Sarah’s state was quite improved by then. But the doctors asked Prabhu to take Sarah back home in the next month. It was because the owner of the hospital, who himself was a famous psychiatrist in London and had treated Sarah at various times, had a programme to visit the hospital later in the month. He was very much interested to see Sarah once more, before she was released. Prabhu would be staying there for another two days and would be coming again next month to take Sarah back with them.
Sam was dumbfounded listening to the whole story about Sarah and was unable to understand what he should do. Prabhu asked Sam to come to his hotel to meet Sarah’s son, and Sam agreed. They went to the hotel. Laxmi opened the door and got a surprise, seeing Sam with Prabhu, who told her about his meeting Sam there. He also informed Laxmi that he had already told everything to Sam. In the meantime, a very cute child came in from the balcony. Sam understood that it must be Sarah’s son and he called the child to him and asked his name. The boy was very sweet, but a bit reserved, and gave his name as ‘Vicky’. He asked Sam, ‘Who are you
Sam replied, ‘I am Sam.’
‘Should I call you Sam or Sam uncle?’ the boy asked.
‘You call me Sam, okay. I am not your uncle, I am a friend of your mummy, so I am a friend of yours, too.’
‘Do you know my mummy?’ the boy asked.
‘Yes, but for a long time we have not seen each other,’ Sam replied.
‘Mummy is all right now; she will come home next month and I will be staying with mummy there,’ Vicky informed Sam.
‘Do you love your mummy very much?’ Sam asked.
‘Yes, I always think of her and pray to God to make her all right, so that I can stay with her like my other friends,’ Vicky replied.
‘Did you see her today?’ Sam asked.
‘Yes, and will see her tomorrow morning also. Will you come with us to see her?’ the boy asked.
Sam said, ‘Sure, I will also go to see her. What time should I come?’
‘Will you really go, Sam? In fact, I was hesitating to ask you about that,’ Prabhu said, and continued, ‘Sarah asked about you even today, and, as usual, I told her that we had no news of you. Every time I give her the same reply and see the sadness and hopelessness on her face. She knows that she is the reason for everything that has happened to you both. May be that is the reason she thinks God has not forgiven her. She wanted to see you at least once more. She will be extremely happy seeing you once again. It is absolutely unexpected for her and it will be good for us also.’
‘In that case, tomorrow I can take Laxmi to some orthopedic doctor. She has been suffering from knee pain for quite some time. You come here by 10.00am in the morning and take Vicky to her,’ Prabhu said.
‘One more thing I want to confess to you: when we received the news of Rishi’s marriage, we also came to know that Sarah was carrying his child. That was the time you were in the rehab centre in Mumbai. Finding no other way, I went and informed your grandfather Dipendra of everything. After listening to everything, he suggested we take your name as the father of the child to be born and tell the people in our neighbourhood that you were married in a temple in the presence of close family members only. I followed his suggestion, and for that please accept my apologies. But Sarah never agreed to this without your consent.’ Prabhu said it with tears in his eyes.
Sam came forward to hold the hands of Prabhu in his hands and said, ‘You did the correct thing. I cannot even imagine any other woman in my life except Sarah. If Sarah is my own, then her child is also my child.’
Prabhu was weeping and said, ‘You are so great, Sam. I don’t understand why all this has happened to you.’
In the night, Sam was dumbstruck and was thinking about God’s sense of humour, which he was applying to everyone known to Sam. Sam also thought, once, that he had made a mistake by agreeing to see Sarah the next day; he could have avoided it by making up some excuse. Next moment, he thought, could he do that? After all, it was Sarah, who had been everything to him once upon a time; now she was in deep trouble, and should he enjoy that? Could he take revenge on Sarah? Was he a person of that kind? Impossible! Sarah was his world, his mind, soul, present, future, everything; and he must see her, forgetting everything else. So he must meet Sarah and, if required, be able to offer any sort of help possible for Sarah. He suddenly felt a ‘never before’ feeling for Sarah; it was not love, but some sort of affection for Sarah which anyone feels for his or her own people. So he was right in his decision to see Sarah. God’s game is not always understood by people in this world, so if something is put in the way, people should face it; it is not avoidable.
Next morning at 10.00am, Sam picked up Vicky and reached the hospital-cum-rehabilitation centre. Suddenly, he discovered that his hands were shaking and he started feeling quite uneasy. Vicky did not notice all this, but ran towards the gate and went inside. Sam slowly followed him and entered. There was a lawn and flower garden by the side of a big building. A number of garden umbrellas were being installed there. Under one such umbrella he saw Vicky talking to a lady. Suddenly, Vicky looked at Sam and pointed out towards him. The lady turned around and stood up…and it was SARAH!
They both looked at each other. Sarah was extremely surprised by the incident, but Sam was not that surprised because he already knew whom he was going to see. Sam smiled at Sarah and walked towards her and asked, ‘Are you surprised?’
‘I just can’t believe it! How come you are here?’ Sarah replied.
Sam smiled once again and asked Sarah to sit down. ‘I met Prabhu dada yesterday and he took me to his hotel. He had some other work to do today, so I proposed to come here in his place,’ Sam replied.
In the meantime, Vicky pulled a chair out for Sam, asking him to sit down. Vicky told Sarah that he was going to enjoy the play room, which he had found on the ground floor. Sam told Sarah that for the last five years he had been in Mumbai.
‘But what are you doing over here?’ Sarah asked.
‘Running a musical band and a recording studio,’ Sam replied.
‘Oh! So exciting!’ Sarah said.
‘Yes, it is,’ Sam said with a smile.
‘I have also been here for almost the same duration of time,’ Sarah said.
‘Yes, we have both been here for such a long time, but we did know about each other, and it is unbelievable,’ Sam said.
‘How are you, Sam?’ Sarah asked. ‘I gave you enough lessons about life, isn’t it!’ she said, looking at her fingernails.
‘Don’t talk about all that; just tell me how you are now,’ Sam said.
Sarah was not looking at Sam, but in a very low voice she told him, ‘You must have heard what happened to me, so I also have learnt enough lessons in life. Now I am completely changed, Sam. I am no longer that Sarah whom you knew.’
‘How long will you have to stay here?’ Sam asked.
‘I am leaving for Dehradun tomorrow; it is granted by the doctor who treated me for the last five years,’ Sarah replied.
‘But Prabhu dada said that you may be released next month, as your overseas doctor may visit this hospital,’ Sam said.
‘The programme is cancelled and doctors here have decided to release me tomorrow,’ Sarah replied.
‘You have been here for the last five years but I could not meet you; now, today, I met you and once again you are leaving me so soon,’ Sam smiled and replied.
‘I think all these things were destined to happen, and it is good for us also. You were extremely hurt by me in your life for no real reason, and I should not be given one more chance to see you once again,’ Sarah replied. She covered her face with her hands and leaned forward and cried for some time.
Sam was watching her silently, and as Sarah slowly controlled herself, she asked him, ‘How much do you hate me, Sam? I hurt you so badly, but still you have come to see me. Why?’ Sarah asked with tears in her eyes.
‘Now I don’t expect anything from anyone, Sarah, and I never hated you, whatever you did to me. The reason might be your immaturity and childish nature and nothing else, but it was destined to happen to me. If it wasn’t you, then it would have been someone else. Since my childhood I have lost various people of my own; now I am used to it,’ Sam said.
‘You used to tell me that you wanted to do MBA and to settle abroad; then why have you not done that?’ Sarah asked.
‘Those were the thoughts of a different time and mindset. I lost that time and mindset, so I think the present profession in the musical line was the best option for me to survive alone,’ Sam replied.
Sarah understood that Sam was still not married, which was what she was trying to ask, but she could not, so she kept silent for some time. She then said, ‘Since I became all right, I thought of you many times and each time I wanted to get rid of that. I knew I had no right to think of you and see you once again, but I could not. I am not asking you to forgive me for whatever I did to you, but if possible, please forgive me for my wanting to see you once again.’ This time, surprisingly, she controlled herself from crying, although her eyes were full of tears.
Sam wanted to divert the topic and said, ‘Vicky is a very lovely child; I like him very much.’
‘I am still surviving only because of him, although I know he is part of my nightmare; but he is still very small and innocent for what has happened to me and I must not neglect him,’ Sarah replied.
‘You are absolutely right,’ Sam replied. He thought Vicky could have been his son also, but destiny was different.
‘How are you feeling, Sam, seeing me after all these years? Have you done the right thing by coming here to see me? I can’t give you anything except some more disturbances,’ Sarah asked.
‘I am feeling extremely relaxed today by seeing you after such a long time and I think whatever residual disturbances were still there, they are also finished today. I thank God for giving me such a moment in my life,’ Sam replied.
‘Why are you so good, Sam, like you always have been? Can’t you hate me a little so that I should get some punishment from you? It could have helped me a lot to get rid of the deep mental torture,’ Sarah asked.
Sam did not say anything, but he put his hand on Sarah’s head and she held his hand in her hands and pressed on her own face. Sam was wondering why all this had happened to them, and was it necessary? He asked, ‘If you permit me to see you again, then I will come and see you at Dehradun.’
‘I have to come here once a month for a periodic check-up, and if you give me your details then I will surely contact you,’ Sarah replied.
Sam gave her his name card, which had his office-cum-studio address and telephone numbers only and not his residential address.
‘Now you go, Sam. I am very tired and weak now, and I may once again lose control of myself. Please take care of yourself and stay happy,’ Sarah said.
‘Okay, but please contact me when you come here next month,’ Sam replied.
Sarah agreed and called Vicky, gave him a kiss on his cute face and left him with Sam. They both left the place slowly; reaching the gate, Sam looked back and saw Sarah was still standing there, watching them, pressing her lower lip tightly by her teeth and with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, Sam felt she was innocent, still childish, and was very lonely in this crowded world. She was not at all responsible for being the medium for the shock that Sam had received in his life. Sam waved his hand towards Sarah, but she did not respond. She turned back and went off, leaving the place.

Friends in need are friends indeed…

After leaving Vicky with Prabhu and Laxmi, Sam went to his residence, and it was around 8.00p.m. in the evening when Sam took out his guitar and started playing… “The Moonflower”. Surprisingly, he did not even reach for a single peg of drink. His heart and mind were full of such happiness, something he had not felt for quite a long time.
It was a heavenly sort of emotion and he started feeling grateful to God for giving him such a moment in his life. He was thinking of Sarah, who was very different today from the one whom he had known: he now found her full of motherly affection for her child, and controlled in expressing her feelings for Sam.
At that time, the doorbell rang and Sam opened the door. Joy was standing outside, and he smiled as Sam said, ‘Today, everything is happening in my favour. Just now I was feeling very lonely and now you have come… what a nice surprise, Joy!’
Joy said, ‘In fact, I was also feeling lonely and decided to visit you. I got food packed from the restaurant for both of us and I will stay here tonight.’
‘Oh! My God, that will be extremely nice…a very few days come in our lives when every incident forces us to feel that our lives are not bad at all; rather, they are very good in this world,’ Sam replied.
‘But now, please pick up the guitar and play what you were playing… “The Moonflower” In fact, I heard it from outside,’ Joy replied.
Sam smiled, picked up the guitar and played the number. Joy noticed the outstanding melody produced by Sam and tears appeared in his eyes. Joy asked, ‘Is there any special matter connected to the number?’
‘Yes…it reminds me of something which I lost in my life,’ Sam replied.
‘Is that lost forever?’ Joy asked.
‘Maybe, I still don’t know. Till yesterday, I thought everything was lost for me, forever; but today, once again, I have found Sarah. I met her, spent some moments with her and I think I haven’t lost her at all,’ Sam replied.
‘You mean to say Zina is not that one in your life?’ Joy was surprised.
‘As I always told you, Zina is very special for me, but I can’t hope to possess her, because she is the love of someone else,’ Sam replied.
‘Is she aware of your mind?’ Joy asked.
‘Not yet, but some day she has to face it, and I don’t know how to make it possible,’ Sam replied.
‘But if she loves you more than anything else and doesn’t want anyone else in her life, then why should you force her to quit you and stay with some other guy whom she doesn’t know?’ Joy asked impatiently.
‘She knows him, he is Ajoy, Zina’s ex-husband; she was married to him, she is not divorced yet, and they both started their married life very happily, but after some time they failed to manage it. They were not mature enough to handle the situation, and so the relationship broke up, and since then they have been separated,’ Sam replied, and Joy almost understood the matter.
After listening to everything, Joy asked, ‘But what are you supposed to do now?’
Sam paused for a few moments, staring calmly at Joy, and then said in a very low voice, ‘After a lengthy exercise and with the help of Karim, I was successful in finding Ajoy and met him also with a business proposal, thus hiding the actual purpose I wanted to pursue.’
Sam continued, ‘I have achieved significant success with Galaxy and success has given me a lot of fame, a position in society and with substantial monetary funds. So it was easy for me to meet with and offer Ajoy a lucrative business proposal, for which Ajoy had been looking a long time. I offered him a fifty percent partnership by opening a travel agency chain all over the country and making tie-ups with overseas agencies.
‘I have not yet told Zina about my contact with Ajoy; first I want to know Ajoy’s feelings for Zina and if nothing is found then I could be in a position to decide about Zina. But if Zina and Ajoy both still love each other, then I have to sacrifice my love, otherwise I will be the reason for their final separation. I will definitely get Zina for the rest of my life, but I will not be able to forgive myself for being the reason their relationship is destroyed. To know about Ajoy’s feelings for Zina, I have to be very close with Ajoy and it will take some time. Till then, I have to control myself from expressing my love for Zina and Zina has to wait for such an indefinite time. I believe she will wait with her natural innocence.’
‘But what about Sarah?’ Joy asked.
‘She was lost from my life, but now she is back again. She is in a terrible situation at such a young age, and I must co-operate with her, but I still don’t know how,’ Sam replied, and continued, ‘I am now very eager to re-unite Zina and Ajoy.’
‘Then it is a very difficult situation for you,’ Joy said.
‘Indeed, but life has taught me to wait for the natural way, and I am following that, so I’m not so worried,’ Sam replied. He also described, in short, to Joy about his first love affair with Sarah and his losing of Sarah for reasons not yet known to Sam.
‘By now you know most of the things in my life, but, Joy, tell me what has happened to you? Why are you still not married and settled your life with some wonderful woman?’ Sam asked Joy.
‘Everything had already happened with me once, and I don’t want to settle a family life any more,’ Joy replied.
‘Is it, can you tell me what had happened with you?’ Sam asked Joy.
‘As you shared your story with me, why shouldn’t I share mine with you? Yes, I will tell you everything that has happened with me from about six years back,’ Joy replied, and next described his story without hiding anything.

Love was lost for no reason…

Joy had developed an affair with some girl named Anita. He had met her in a cinema hall. Anita’s friend didn’t turn up to watch the movie and Anita was trying to sell off the extra ticket. Joy noticed that, and instead of buying the ticket from the counter, he bought the ticket from Anita, so they both watched the movie sitting in two seats side by side. They spoke to each other and liked each other. At the interval of the movie, they both went outside to have a coffee and each of them found out about the other’s characters and their likings. They were discussing some other movies and the good funny scenes of those movies. They were becoming friendly to each other. Joy invited Anita for dinner next evening, which she accepted. Joy had a motorbike.
The next evening, Joy reached Anita’s office as planned, and he took Anita to a very good restaurant known to him. They enjoyed the evening very much and Joy had asked her when he could see her next. He also asked her not to make him wait too long. Anita was also eager to meet Joy soon and had told him that the next evening would not be long enough to wait. Joy was excited and accepted immediately. So, they started their love affair from that day onwards. At that time, Joy was working as drummer for various song recordings and was staying alone in a single-bed apartment.
Anita’s parents had been separated many years before and she was staying with her mother, who was working as a librarian in some college. Anita finished her graduate studies and took a job. Anita and her mother were staying in a small rental apartment and they didn’t have any problems. But her mother had died a couple of years before following a short spell of sickness, and since then Anita had started living alone in the same apartment as the rent was low compared to present rental rates.
They had both decided to stay together and had searched out a cozy and beautiful rental apartment at an affordable price. The flat was in an enclosure of residential buildings which were around a central park, which used to be full of children and aged people in the evening.
They started staying in the new residence very happily. They both used to start in the morning together on Joy’s bike and he used to drop Anita at her office before going to his workplace. They continued living there for about six months. Then they started planning for their marriage and they were both excited to plan for the dinner party of their wedding, to buy dresses and home furnishings, to call their friends and some known relatives, places to visit during their honeymoon, etc. Many evenings they continued to plan for many things.
One evening, Anita was to work late in her office, and she had called and informed Joy that she had to work till 09.00p.m. and that Joy need not come to pick her up, because she would travel either by bus or a cab, whatever was convenient. She was therefore expected to reach their residence by 10.00p.m. But she didn’t turn up, and Joy had started calling her, but failed to reach her by phone. He had also called her office, but was informed that she had left at 09.00p.m. At about 10.30, Joy received a call from Anita’s office saying that she had had an accident. While crossing the road near her office to catch a bus, she was hit by a car. The people present had rushed her to the nearest hospital. Joy had left their residence immediately and also rushed to the hospital.
The doctor-in-charge had informed Joy that she had a head injury and had excessive bleeding, so there was no hope. At about 4.00 a.m. in the morning, she had died.
Joy had started passing through a terribly empty phase in his life and to remove various talks, smiles, expressions of love, he started having alcoholic drinks every evening, and the consumption became excessive in a few days. Joy stopped all his work and used to stay at home for about a year, till he could gain the confidence to face the world once again. One morning, the maidservant had found the main door open and Joy was unconscious on the floor. This was because of having excessive alcohol. Neighbors came in a short while; they had searched for Joy’s recent calls and were able to contact some people known to Joy. They took care of Joy and got him admitted to a hospital. After staying there for a few days, Joy felt all right. He had changed his residence and had resumed his work slowly. In his life, Joy had loved Anita so much that he couldn’t even think of anyone else in his life any more. Joy completed his story and smiled at Sam.
After a little silence, Joy continued, ‘I have seen and heard about many break-ups in my life; mine was not a break-up matter, but most of the break-ups are not for any justified reason, so then why do the break-ups happen?’
‘After my break-up with Sarah, I had been wondering, did Sarah love me at all or did she just feel an attraction to me? I used to think she was feeling very unsecure in this world after losing her parents at such a young age. A girl’s blooming time is her youth and it is short, so she was wondering what could be best fitting to her life to give her everything she desired, so she kept on doing whatever had come in her mind and wanted to settle down in life with the best choice.
‘But after today’s meeting with Sarah, I got my answer that, as girls are very special creations, they are mostly innocents and so they fail to predict their futures,’ Sam continued.
‘May be, but for me they are wonderful, tender, loving, caring and, of course, innocent,’ Joy replied.
‘This innocence is the root of many problems,’ Sam whispered to Joy and himself. Suddenly, the face of Zina appeared before Sam, and once again he felt the cold flow through his spine. He stood up but was not able to stand on his legs and sat down on the opposite sofa.

Love was yet to be confirmed…

Next morning, Sam went to the studio and came out in half an hour later. He went to Zina’s ex-husband Ajoy’s office and asked about the status of his preparation to leave his present job and start the independent business in partnership with Sam.
Ajoy told him that the office space was selected, interior decorator was contacted, staffing was planned, various infrastructural set-ups like telephone, internet, advertiser, arrangements of vehicles and contacting various business agents, were all listed out. A couple of persons having appropriate professional experience in the same line had expressed their interest to join Ajoy’s agency.
Interaction with various airlines, hotels and tourism departments were also being done. Now, funds were required to start the activities. Sam gave him a bank cheque for a substantial amount to meet the fund requirements and for opening the bank account with the initial start-up. They promised to meet in the next week.
Next week, Ajoy took Sam to the new office, which was painted already and was being furnished by the interior decorator. Sam was quite happy seeing the progress. Ajoy said that by the next week the office would be operational, with ten to twelve staff initially. The arrangements of vehicles and telephone, etc. were already done. Ajoy had left his old job and was supervising the setting-up of the office with full energy.
But it was not the next week; it took two more weeks to start the office. Sam entered the chamber of Ajoy and was quite happy with the arrangements. Ajoy introduced Sam to the senior officials and all other staff of his office by saying that Sam was the other ‘Director’ of the company. Sam was still a bit skeptical about the start of business activities and asked the senior officials about the business plan and learnt that they were already on the job of preparing the plan, which should be described by a presentation before all, by the next week. They assured Sam that by next month they would have a handsome business. Sam asked Ajoy to come for dinner with him that night and Ajoy obviously agreed.
Before the dinner, Sam ordered drinks for him and Ajoy and started talking about business. After half an hour, Sam suddenly asked Ajoy about his family. ‘I don’t have any family,’ Ajoy replied.
‘But why not?’ Sam asked him.
‘Yes, I got married, but it did not last, and we were separated,’ Ajoy replied.
‘If you permit me, then may I ask you the reason?’ Sam asked slowly.
‘Why are you asking for my permission? You are fully permitted in my private life, because you are not only my best friend but you appeared like God in my life,’ Ajoy replied.
‘Then tell me the reason. Was she unfaithful or betrayed you?’ Sam asked.
The influence of the drink was already functioning, so Ajoy was a little emotional and Sam knew in this state he will not hide anything and the truth would come out. ‘No, it was all because of me. It was a love marriage; only a little after our marriage I discovered that I was unable to give her a good residence, a car, some minimum luxury. On the financial side I was in a mess: my monthly salary was so low I was unable to afford anything extra and we were just surviving. I was aware of my ability, but couldn’t achieve any success. This made me frustrated and I started expressing it around the house. I used to be always depressed, and I had started misbehaving with her. I even started beating her. I was almost abnormal in my Endeavour. She could not bear it anymore and left me forever. I don’t blame her; had she been with me anymore, then I would have tortured her more and we would have soon reached the end of our lives. So I feel she did the right thing by leaving me,’ Ajoy finished.
‘What was her name?’ Sam asked.
‘Her name was Zina,’ Ajoy replied.
‘How did she used to look?’ Sam asked.
‘So far she has been the most beautiful lady to me in all respects: by look, by nature, by character,’ Ajoy replied.
‘How was her nature?’ Sam asked again.
‘She was simply wonderful,’ Ajoy replied in short.
‘Do you still love her?’ Sam asked.
‘Yes, I still love her and for the last few days I have been thinking only of her. Had she been in my life today, then I could have been the happiest person in the world,’ Ajoy replied. ‘No friend like you came into my life at that time, otherwise I wouldn’t have lost her,’ Ajoy repented.
‘What will you do if you find her once again?’ Sam asked.
‘Although she has been everything for me in my life, still I don’t want to face her any more. The amount of torture I had made for her, I have no right to see her anymore and I must undergo the punishment of living alone for the rest of my life, for whatever wrong I have done to her.’ Ajoy took out his hanky and wiped his face and the tears from his eyes.
‘Don’t you have any hope in your life anymore?’ Sam asked.
‘Yes, I have, because miracles still do happen, and at some remote corner of my mind I still have the hope still is alive to give a new start to everything, to get back to everything I have lost,’ Ajoy replied. ‘That was the reason I accepted your proposal. It was not that I want to enjoy my status alone; it is because I still have some hope of getting back my Zina once again. I can’t forget her, she is still everything for me; whatever I have, I want to give her everything. We have seen poverty, for I was unable to maintain my family needs, but now I have everything and I want to see her sharing and enjoying everything I have,’ Ajoy said.
‘Can we now go for the dinner?’ Sam asked.
‘Excuse me, Sam, today I am full with the drinks; we shall have dinner together some other time. Now I feel like going back, getting into bed and sleeping in no time. For the first time I have opened my mind to someone, and I am feeling relaxed today; and now I want to go back to my new residence, where I can be alone for some time and then can sleep,’ Ajoy replied.
Sam didn’t say anything; he took Ajoy to his car and helped him to sit inside. Sam told the driver to take him safely to his house.
After a while, Sam started his car and was driving to his house. His thoughts had been confirmed about Ajoy’s mind and his feelings for Zina, and he was thinking that this time he had walked in the right direction and so far, he had not done anything wrong. He expected the same, when he heard about Ajoy from Zina. Zina also told him exactly the same reasons for their separation. Suddenly, Zina’s happy and very jovial face appeared in his mind and Sam felt some sort of loneliness, although being within everything in the surroundings.
After coming back, Sam was sitting on the lawn with his guitar. Today he wanted to play his favourite number, “Europa”, but after a little while he didn’t feel like playing. He stopped and put the guitar aside.
He went inside, took a bottle from the refrigerator, picked up the water jug and the ice container and went back to the lawn, where he started drinking as if he had the feeling he was losing everything once again. He was not aware of how many pegs he consumed that night, but when he woke up in the morning, he had a strong headache and he sat on the bed for quite some time. He tried to remember everything that had happened the previous night, but could not recall when and how he had got to the bed from the lawn.
He got up and found that Zina was sleeping on the sofa in the drawing room. Sam woke her up and learnt that the main door had been open that morning and that’s how Zina came in. Next, Zina went to the kitchen and made breakfast for him and, after staying for some time until Sam started feeling a little better, she went out, advising Sam to stay at home for the day. She left him alone, allowing him to take some rest.

The preparation…

More than a month had passed since Sarah left Mumbai, so the date for her monthly check-up was already due. Ajoy was operating the new company with a number of businesses and was managing quite well. Zina’s birthday was just two days away. Sam thought of calling Prabhu’s house to speak to Sarah about her possible date of coming to Mumbai, but finally he didn’t call.
Sam was quite tired after the day’s work and was taking a rest. He was lying on his bed, wearing clothes and shoes, keeping the main door open. Zina came to his room and found Sam sleeping in his bed. She woke him by patting his back gently. Sam woke up and stared at Zina with a smile.
‘Tomorrow I have to go to work, but I have taken leave for the next three days,’ Zina said.
‘Why have you taken leave? Are you going anywhere?’ Sam asked innocently.
‘Stupid, don’t you know my birthday is just two days away?’ Zina replied.
‘Oh! I am so sorry, I just forgot it. Well, tell me which hotel you prefer to celebrate the birthday party in,’ Sam asked.
‘I don’t want any party. I will celebrate my birthday only with you, and no one else should be there,’ Zina replied.
‘How is that possible? For such a long time I have been waiting to celebrate the party by calling my friends, my clients, celebrities, media persons. It will be a grand gala party and it will help me in organizing my business better,’ Sam replied.
‘Then it will be full of public people and I won’t get you to celebrate it in a private way,’ Zina said.
‘On this matter no argument please. I cannot compromise with my idea for the celebration,’ Sam said.
‘Okay. I am just helpless and surrendering,’ Zina said.
‘That’s a nice girl. Now, tell me which hotel is your choice, what present you want from me and any other thing or arrangement you want?’ Sam said.
‘I really have no idea about all this and I don’t want anything, except your presence,’ Zina replied.
‘That’s not fair! You love me so much, but don’t you want to fulfill my desires? What is this?’ Sam asked.
‘I already said that I really have no idea about all these and I request you to go ahead with your ideas. I will not restrict you,’ Zina replied.
‘Then it’s okay. Let me plan for it in my way; I will book the outdoor lawn for the party. Invitees will be given the time of 7.00p.m. Band and free flow of drinks will be starting at 7.00p.m. You will cut the cake at 7.30p.m. I will join the band at 7.30p.m. Buffet dinner will be starting at 8.00p.m.,’ Sam said. ‘Now, you make the list for your guests and I will prepare the list of mine,’ he continued.
‘I don’t have anyone to call,’ Zina replied.
‘Why?’ Sam was surprised.
‘See, Sam, please try to understand me: this is the problem for both of us, everyone from your side and my side will be doubtful about our relationship and will raise obvious questions. Do we have any reply for them?’ Zina was impatient.
‘Ha! Silly girl, that’s a stupid question. We will both say that we are friends and that’s all,’ Sam said.
‘You are really very innocent. The public is not that stupid; they will understand something and will imagine some more, and finally spicy gossip will be in the air, everywhere. This will put us in an embarrassing position,’ Zina said.
Sam realized a little of what Zina had said and asked, ‘Then what should I do? Should I drop the whole idea instead of making it happen?’ Sam asked.
‘Are you in the position to announce before the public that we are in love, and we are engaged?’ Zina asked.
‘No, I am not yet prepared for that,’ Sam said.
‘Then what is all this for?’ Zina asked.
‘Zina, you have made the matter complicated. Now I don’t know any way to resolve it. I beg you to help me in this situation,’ Sam replied.
‘It is not even known to me. You go ahead with your ideas and if any rumor spreads, we will both simply face it,’ Zina said.
Sam thought that may affect the reuniting of Zina and Ajoy, too. Sam now became serious and started thinking to find away out and get a reason for the celebration. They both remained silent for some time. Then Sam said, ‘Got an idea! So far, I am the owner of the band Galaxy… That day I will announce that Ms Zina has become the new partner of Galaxy and, by coincidence, it is also Zina’s birthday, so we are today celebrating the two things together.’
‘But later on, when they come to know that I am no partner of Galaxy, then how shall we face the matter?’ Zina asked seriously.
‘That’s not a problem at all. If you want, I can include you in Galaxy at any time; if you don’t want, then we can say that the terms had not been finally agreed by both sides, so Zina eventually didn’t join Galaxy,’ Sam said.
‘Okay, accepted for the time being. Now tell me, will you be able to arrange everything alone, or do you want me to help you out?’ Zina asked.
‘No, you will not be required. I will be able to manage everything; you just keep yourself busy in preparing for the evening… you must look like the most beautiful and gorgeous lady on the earth, and seeing you, everyone must remember the famous Eric Clapton number, “You Look Wonderful Tonight”, Sam replied promptly.
‘No one will think so, and I also don’t care. I just want to be wonderful only to you. But do you remember my request?’ Zina asked.
‘What request?’ Sam started searching in his memory.
‘You will be playing “Moonflower” that evening, and that will be my birthday gift from you,’ Zina reminded him.
Sam was quiet for some time and then said, ‘Okay, if you want, then I will play it.’
Zina stared at Sam and observed that he had been lost for a moment. She couldn’t make out anything and said, ‘I want to dance with the number.’
‘I have never seen you dancing before and I will get the chance to see that; it will be great,’
‘Okay, darling. I am quite late already and now I have to push off. I will see you tomorrow evening to learn about the progress.’ Zina got up, and Sam went to the gate to see her off. He was holding her by keeping his hand on Zina’s shoulder. At the gate, Zina turned around and gave him a kiss. She kept her head on Sam’s shoulder, and they stood there for some moments; then Zina detached herself and climbed into the car and started it. Sam waved to her, and she stared at him, before moving off and disappearing.
Sam stood there for some more time and then went back to his room and closed the door. He sat on the bed with a writing pad and pen and started listing the names of the people he wanted to invite. The first name was of Zina’s ex-husband, Ajoy.
Next morning, before going to the studio, Sam called Ajoy and made a programme for dinner with him. Sam went to his favourite hotel as a suitable place to hold a gathering of about two hundred people and finalized the booking. Next, he settled on the menu, with drinks, starters and dinner items and the band programme with the hotel manager, who had been known to Sam for quite some time.
After coming back to the studio, Sam worked less for Galaxy and remained busy in contacting people and inviting them personally to the party over the telephone.
That evening, at the dinner table, Sam asked Ajoy about a drink and Ajoy simply left it to Sam to decide. Sam ordered two large vodkas with lime cordial and soda. As the drinks were served, Sam raised the peg to Ajoy, sipped it and asked Ajoy about his future plans in life: did he want to get married once again?
‘No, it is not possible. I have thought of it several times and found it is just a nightmare to me to stay with a lady who is not Zina. I wish I could see her once more…’ Ajoy told him.
‘Do you really want to see her?’ Sam asked.
‘That is the first and last desire in my life now, Ajoy replied.
‘If you see her, what would you do?’ Sam asked.
‘I don’t think she can forgive me in this life, so I don’t even expect that much; but if I can see her, I can only ask her to forgive me…and I will keep on requesting that till the last moment of my life.’ Ajoy replied.
‘But if she is married once again and if it is not possible for you to approach her with such a request, then what would you do?’ Sam asked.
‘In that case, I will drop the idea to meet her, but I will see her from some distant place,’ Ajoy replied.
‘Can you control yourself that way?’ Sam asked calmly.
‘Yes, I am sure I can control myself to that extent,’ Ajoy replied.
‘If you are in a drunken state and under the influence of alcohol, then?’ Sam asked.
‘Then, with a short glance to her, I will leave the place immediately,’ Ajoy replied, and smiled.
‘How much addiction do you have to drink?’ Sam asked.
‘I take drink occasionally and not regularly,’ Ajoy replied.
‘So if you are offered a drink, then is it possible for you to refuse that?’ Sam asked.
‘Surely, because I don’t have any serious addiction to alcohol.’ Ajoy said.
Sam was taking small sips of his vodka with lime cordial and soda. He was silently staring at Ajoy and said slowly, ‘Then tomorrow evening I can help you to have a distant view of your Zina.’
‘What, what did you say? You will show me Zina? Have I heard it correctly?’ Ajoy asked.
‘Yes, Zina,’ Sam replied ‘You heard it correctly.’
For so long Sam had been asking the questions and Ajoy had been replying; but now it was just the reverse. ‘What do you mean? Do you know her?’ Ajoy asked, full of surprise.
‘Yes, for the last couple of years, she has been the best of all my friends,’ Sam replied.
‘That means, so far whatever you have done for me, was not for me but was all for Zina.’ Ajoy was astonished.
‘Because I decided to reinstate her married life with you,’ Sam replied.
Ajoy was dumbstruck and went absolutely silent for some time. He put down his glass, lit up a cigarette and had a few puffs. He slowly took Sam’s hand and pressed it against his face. Sam saw tears were flowing down his cheeks, while Ajoy suddenly felt the dryness in his throat and had a long sip of his vodka.
‘Tomorrow is Zina’s birthday. I have organized a grand gala party. I shall give you the hotel address. The party will start at 7.00p.m., but you should not come before 7.30p.m., as it will help you hide in the crowd. I will be busy with Zina and other guests. I may also have to play in the musical band, as it was requested by Zina. You will be able to watch her for quite some time, but don’t try to meet me over there, it may upset the entire matter, what I have planned for. Zina doesn’t know that I know you,’ Sam told Ajoy.
‘I will surely do exactly what you say,’ Ajoy confirmed.
‘Now, don’t dream on it anymore; leave it to me and let me do everything my way. Agreed…?’ Sam asked.
‘Certainly…” Ajoy gave his consent in a short reply and he was looking quite worried and confused.
After the dinner, Ajoy left the restaurant first in his car and told Sam, ‘It is the rarest of stories anyone has ever heard of; you are the rarest of friends anyone has ever had.’
Sam gave a smile to Ajoy and waved his hand, before turning towards his car.

to be continued….

“Copyright (c) Sandipan Goswami in association with Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers, UK.”, First Published in 2019, by Vanguard Press, Sheraton House Castle Park, Cambridge England.
If the readers want to read the previous chapters in full, please write to Sandipan at mail: sandipanmails@gmail.com,