III 

Jacintha got ready and waited for Karan. He had told her that he wanted to show her something, whatever it was she knew it would be a pleasant surprise. Also, she had made up her mind that she would propose marriage to Karan as soon as they reached where he was supposed to take her. Something told her that he would accept her as a part of his life.

She had been having a strange dream past few days. She visualized them together in a wonderful house on the outskirts of the town they lived in. A house he had built for her. She remembered how they had played as kids. How he had told her that he would build a house for her when their sandcastle was washed away by waves! She smiled as she sprayed perfume and brushed her hair before walking to the window. Karan had called her up saying that he was on his way to pick her up. But, it was late. She wondered where he was.

Her mobile rang again and she rushed to attend it. Her lips curved into a smile as she saw the display. It was Karan’s call.

She attended it

“Hello, where are you? I am waiting!” she said as soon as she attended the call.

“Hello, who is this?” said the stranger on the other end.

“Jacintha, who are you?” she asked

“I am Inspector Shroff” the man said

Jacintha felt a chill run through her spine. What was an inspector doing with Karan’s mobile?

“Yes?” she asked

“Madam, I found your number on the last dialed list, I wish to inform you that there has been an accident on the highway on the outskirts…” the inspector said

“The man…” the inspector was still speaking but Jacintha could not hear anything. Her mobile fell on the floor and she rushed out of her house. She took a cab and reached the highway. She could hear the siren of an ambulance as she reached the place.

“Wait” she screamed as she paid the cabbie and rushed towards the ambulance in which Karan was being taken to the hospital. The inspector stopped her and asked who she was. She told him that she was Karan’s girlfriend and she was the one he had spoken to on the mobile.

“I need to talk to you” the inspector said as Jacintha tried to get into the ambulance.

“Can we speak later? I need to go with him” Jacintha said as the doors of the ambulance were being closed.

“We will talk in the hospital” the inspector said as he saw the look on Jacintha’s face.

She got into the ambulance. An oxygen cylinder was supplying oxygen to him. Blood was being infused in him and he was unconscious. There was a gaping wound on his head and the nurse was trying to stop the bleeding with gauze. Her vision became blurred as she continued staring at Karan. This was not how she wanted to see him. She wiped her tears and knelt on her knees near the stretcher Karan was placed on. She placed her hand on his and held it till they reached the hospital.

Once in the hospital, Karan was immediately rushed to the operating room. Jacintha signed the consent papers as Karan’s girlfriend. She called up Karan’s parents from the hospital and informed them about the accident. 

The inspector asked a few questions to Jacintha and left. A constable waited outside the operating room. Karan’s parents reached the hospital within few minutes and asked Jacintha as to what had happened exactly. They waited for the doctor to walk out of the operating room. After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor walked out with a serious look on his face. Jacintha felt a lump in her throat.

The doctor told them that because of too much bleeding; Karan did not have enough time left. Karan’s mother started wailing and his father collapsed on the bench. Jacintha did not react. Tears streamed down her face, silently screaming in pain.

“Can I see him?” she whispered.

“You are Jacintha?” the doctor asked

“Yes” she replied with a surprised look on her face.

“He’s been calling out your name since the time he gained consciousness.” the doctor said and allowed her to go inside. Karan’s parents looked at each other. They knew that Jacintha and Karan were friends but they were a bit surprised that he wanted to see her at this time. Perhaps they were hurt too, but they waited for their chance to go in to see their son, for the last time.

Jacintha entered the operating room. Karan’s lips curved into a smile as he saw her. His angel was walking towards him. He loved her a lot and she was going to know that now. As she reached the operating table she started crying.

“I love you” Karan whispered.

Jacintha read his lips through teary eyes and said, “I love you too”

She bent over him and kissed him on his lips.

Karan managed to open his mouth and kiss her for the first and the last time.

He tried to speak again, but all that Jacintha could hear was a whisper. She brought her ear close to his lips and tried to listen to what he was trying to tell her.

He told her about the house and how he had intended to propose marriage to her. He told her that he wanted her to visit that place whenever she could and never let it get lost under the dust of time.

Jacintha promised him that she would visit the house and she kissed him again but this time Karan did not kiss her back.

Jacintha screamed and collapsed on the floor and Karan’s parents rushed to the operating room to find their son already dead. 

Jacintha attended Karan’s funeral. She knelt near his grave and cried for a long time. When the inspector called Karan’s parents and her to the police station to collect his belongings, Jacintha took the keys to the new house and visited the place. She knew she would love the house. As she stepped inside she visualized them together. An old couple sitting on the couch, enjoying the warmth of the fire burning brightly in the fireplace! Jacintha looked at the box of Ferrero Rocher she had brought with her. The box she had intended to give him after their first kiss. 

As she stood at the window, she remembered the day when Karan had approached her with the box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates she had gifted to him. She was angry on him because she had not liked the way he had distributed the chocolates to other girls. Those were meant for him, a gift of love from her. She had hoped that he would know but he had failed her. Jacintha closed her eyes. 

Karan had once approached her telling her about a girl named Jenny who was his friend’s kid sister. He told her that he felt she was the one who was sending him the chocolates. That moment she had wanted to tell him that she was the one who had been sending him the chocolates but she could not as he had to leave. After that, she never got the chance to tell him, many a times she decided of writing her name on the wrapper but she was scared. Perhaps that was her biggest mistake. She should have told him, told him long ago. Tears streamed down her face as she cursed herself for not being able to tell Karan how she felt about him. She looked around the house and wondered how much blessed her life would have been had she got the chance to share her life with him, in this house. 

She left the house and went to the graveyard and placed the box of Ferrero Rocher on his grave. He knew it now who was Jini; he knew it was his Jacintha who sent him the chocolates everyday. She returned home with a heavy heart. 

The next morning when she opened the door to pick up the morning newspaper, something was amiss. The rose was not there on the doorstep. Jacintha collapsed on the floor, the ache of realization was too much to bear. 

Things would have been a lot different, had they both expressed their feelings for one another when they had the time, Jacintha thought everyday as she placed the box of chocolates and a rose on the grave of the man who had loved her all his life. The only man whom she had truly loved but had never got the chance to express her love. 

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If you love someone, tell them right now, waiting for the right time might not always be right. Also, anonymous and nicknames are of not much use. Love the person as "you" and let them know.

Arti Honrao