The closure

   Part 1

  Anisha picked up the last few cups from the New Year’s party last night. They hosted one every year, and it was something all their friends looked forward to. Anisha and Kapil enjoyed hosting the party and spent days making sure the guests were entertained, well fed.

As much as she enjoyed the party, she also enjoyed the quiet morning next day. Everyone was still asleep, and it was the perfect time to play some Ghazals from her favorite playlist. Holding a cup of steaming Kahwa, she walked to the window. It could have been yet another morning, but it felt special, there was a feeling of something new. It was a new year after all.

‘Beep’ suddenly the song was interrupted with a sound. She had taken the trouble to mute her WhatsApp. She knew her phone storage would not forgive her at the end of the day. She was, after all, a part of several groups including family groups, society ladies group, some random cooking group, kids’ school groups and some that she didn’t know why she was in, but stayed on, because it would be too rude to leave.

‘Beep’, the phone buzzed again. Rather annoyed, she walked over and picked up the phone.

‘Hi there! remember me?’ the message flashed across her phone. Her heart did a double flip when she saw the name. Manish.

Suddenly, memories of Manish and her, flashed in front of her eyes. The crazy flirting which had turned into infatuation, jealousy, profuse declaration of love and togetherness. She also remembered the fights and the arguments, crying herself to bed at night. She had begged him to stay when he ruthlessly declared that he was going to America. She had pleaded with him to stay back but he didn't and after he left, waited to hear from him, but she never did. She tried to reach him through their friends, and she always heard the same excuse. He was busy, he had to study and the time difference was just not convenient.

Finally, she had moved on. Rebuilt her life and her heart. Piece by piece. Kapil had been the nicest thing that happened to her. She had never told him about Manish, but he had guessed, and he had never asked.

‘Hey stranger! Happy new year!’

The next few messages rolled by fast.
Finally, she opened her messenger. She typed a ‘hi’ and deleted it.

‘Oh good! You are here! I wanted to meet you. It’s been so long’
‘I am in Delhi this week’
‘I would really love to meet you’

‘Sure, why not’, she typed and erased.

‘Hey I know you are there. Oh come on! Don’t tell me you are still upset?’

‘Yes, I am, you broke my heart and you broke me’ she erased again.

‘Are you still obsessed over some college fling?’

‘It was not a fling, you were my life’ but she didn’t send it.

‘Ah do not fuss over it, let’s meet. A bunch of us from college are meeting, will be nice to catch up with all’.

‘I wish you would give me some closure’, she wanted to demand, but she didn’t.

Just then, she heard Kapil talk in his sleep. A smile appeared on her face. She knew he did that when he was really tired. It was always gibberish, but it never failed to amused her.

Anisha closed the messenger, deleted her account, and deleted the app from her phone.

She knew, she had her closure. He never cared enough.

She walked into the kitchen to turn on the coffee maker and the aroma of Kapil’s favorite coffee filled the house and her mind.

Part 2

Kapil felt his heart flutter when he first saw Anisha. She was the kind of girl who made you turn around and take a second look. Kapil stayed a few blocks away from Anisha. When they had moved to Delhi, Kapil was dreading making new friends. He was an introvert and not particularly fond of socializing. But something about Anisha made him want to go to her and talk to her. Anisha was fun, smart and beautiful and also very popular. But he never could muster up the courage to do so.

After clearing his IIT entrance exam, Kapil had gone to meet Anisha, only to find her on the phone talking to someone. She had waved out a bye to him and flashed a huge smile. Kapil waved back and walked away.

After completing his post graduation, Kapil moved back to Delhi. He had landed a lucrative job and preferred to stay close to his family.


Kapil couldn’t believe his luck when his mom mentioned casually that Sharma auntie was asking if he was seeing any one and if not, would he like to meet her daughter Anisha. Trying to not read between the lines, he asked casually ‘Why?’.

‘Oh Kapil! Don’t be so daft. You know very well why.’

So Kapil met Anisha. She was his perfect girl and he was almost in a daze the day she said yes. He loved the way she made his life complete. They had long conversations discussing everything, arguing, debating and yet enjoying being with each other. That vivacious girl he had admired from a distance, was replaced by a strong and mature woman. He considered himself lucky to have her as his partner. They were blessed with two wonderful kids, a lovely house and comfortable jobs.

After the new year’s party that day, Kapil woke up to find Anisha in the balcony. He had learnt how much she enjoyed hosting parties and slowly it grew on him.

A cup of Kahwa that was half drunk and forgotten, most likely when she got up to make his coffee, her favorite Ghazal playlist playing softly. Kapil loved the way the sun's rays played with her hair and almost lit up her face. Sensing him walk into the balcony, Anisha looked up. And for the first time in a long time, she had that smile that had some how gone missing. Nothing had really changed, but for Kapil and Anisha, something had.

Part 3

Manish was the popular kid in college. He was always laughing, pulling everyone’s leg, the life of every party.
What started as friendship with Anisha, had quickly turned into a whirlwind romance. There was always something to do, rather than spend time with each other, they didn’t mind it then. They were the couple on campus that everyone wanted to be with.

When Manish’s brother insisted that he should go abroad for further studies, Manish was elated. He had wished for this all his life and USA was an a dream that suddenly seemed with an arm’s reach.

As soon as he got his visa, he had gone to meet Anisha. He had expected her to be excited and happy for him, but she wasn’t. She had begged him to stay back and he was shocked, because in spite of knowing how much this meant to him, she was asking him to give up that one thing he wanted so badly. Her reasons to stay back felt like shackles to him. However compelling they sounded, he didn’t want to be convinced.

He had left without saying good bye. He had immersed himself in his American life. He made friends quickly, that was Manish after all. When he met Sophie, Manish wanted to spend every moment with her, he had never felt like that before. So when an old friend told him about Anisha, he was still not ready to forgive her. He avoided her messages and just brushed aside the tug he felt on his heart. He knew he owed her an explanation, but the fear of endless arguments stopped him every time.

After many years, Manish visited India, his parents had purchased a new house and wanted help with moving. ‘Anisha and Kapil live down the street’, his mom mentioned. That familiar tug was back and Manish knew he had to talk to her. He looked her up online, and sent her a message. He knew she read it and was hoping for a response, but there was none. He waited and waited, but there was just silence.

Manish took out an old photo from his wallet, a rare photo of Manish and Anisha, where it was just the two of them. He wrote ‘Sorry’ on the back of the photo and put it in an envelope and walked over to her house. He had meant to drop it in the mail box and leave.

As he walked to her house, he saw her in the balcony. The sun’s rays made her face glow and her eyes shine. Just then, Kapil walked into the balcony and he saw the way she looked at him, and the way he looked back at her.

Manish paused, smiled, turned around, forgave himself and walked away.