Past Or Present?

By Caroline Sabitha

In her lush green silk saree stood Soundharya Rajangam infront of the mirror, adjusting her bindi. Engulfing her in a warm embrace her sister admired the bride. Shyness unveiled Soundharya welcomed the groom’s family.

The weather was sultry welcoming the summer, that managed some sweats on her forehead. “Do you have a past?” Came his sharp question startling the crow that planned to steal some grains from the terrace. No greetings were exchanged, no general talks were done. “I don’t want to beat around the bush.” He explained his opinion.

She faced him with a smile, “Do you care about my past or present?” he sighed at her question when all he wanted was a single word answer.

“None. It’s future that I think of.” It took her few minutes to process his appeal. He chuckled, “I know it’s weird. Many says that past is just a past, people learn from past and process, etc. But I believe in the person’s thought process. However we learn, we change we still hold a fragment of past in our future. I don’t want to share my future with such a person.” He had a triumphant smile and added. “Out of all I don’t hold any past. So don’t ask me back.”

Being silent she gathered his view of life, view of a person. “You don’t hold a past. Maybe you weren’t in such a situation. What if you will be in such circumstances in future, what if you will make the greatest mistake of your life after marrying me.” She chuckled. “There are many ‘What ifs’ as we cannot predict our future.” She exhaled and took the streaming coffee cup. “But If I marry you I neither let you face anything alone nor let you make a bad decision. I will be your partner in good and mostly in bad.” Smiling she offered the cup to him and went down. As the coffee in the cup decreased his confusions too decreased. With the empty cup he descended the stair with the best decision of his life, her to be his better half.

By Caroline Sabitha