When Love is for Eternity

When Love is for Eternity

A Short Story by G.S.Vasukumar

“Sanjana, please open your eyes!” Said her father seated beside her bed in the ICU “You can marry Rohit…if…when he comes back”She had become pale, lying on the bed, fighting between life and death. His eyes had filled with tears as he couldn’t bear to see his only daughter in this state and a drop of tear fell down upon her hand. Slowly, she opened her eyes with much difficulty. She caught hold of her father’s second drop of tear in her right hand palm.Rohit’s father was in army. He went to the war promising his mother that he would return back home safe. But until now, he didn’t return back. Even then Rohit’s mother did not give up hope.She was firm in her resolve that one fine day he would return back and she waited eagerly for that day to come. Rohit had decided to join army even though his beloved mother opposed his decision.“Mom, if every mother thinks like you and doesn’t allow her son to join the army then there won’t be any soldiers left to protect and defend our country from the enemy” Rohit said “It’s true….” His mother said “ Rohit, but I have already lost your father and You’re the only one I have.I don’t want to lose you too, my dear son. Please try to understand me.”“But, mom, it doesn’t mean that every soldier who goes to the battle field has to die. Trust me, mom, I will be safe” He assured herRohit had fallen in love with a pretty girl named Sanjana, but her father was not willing to give his only daughter in marriage to a soldier.“What if the war breaks and he doesn’t come back at all?” He asked her“But, dad, I love him very much” Sanjana replied “I can’t live without him”“I know, my dear” He said “But I can’t see my only daughter becoming a widow. Sanjana, forget him”

Next morning, Rohit came to Sanjana’s house. Then :-“Young man, you should’ve been in the battlefield fighting for our Country. But what are you doing here? Romancing my daughter, instead?” He asked with a frown on his face.“But, sir, I love you daughter very much!” Rohit replied“Can you leave the army for her?” He asked“ No, I…” Rohit said“You can’t. Why don’t you go fight your war and leave us alone?” He askedFinally, he agreed on one condition for their marriage.“Alright, you will have to come back after the war gets over, safe and alive. Even if you lose a leg or a hand I won’t let you to marry my daughter, am I clear?” He said“Fine, sir.” Rohit said pleased “Sanjana, I will come back for you. Please wait for me!” He added before leaving.“I will, my dear” She said smiling at himThe very next day morning, he received a call from the Army Headquarters to report to the duty immediately, as the war had broken with the enemy country. He had always longed for this particular moment in his life. He had even prepared to die in the battlefield before having met Sajana in his life, but now he wanted to come back to her. He took his gun and leaped forward shooting down the enemy soldiers, one by one. Within a short time, he had killed many enemy soldiers. But an enemy soldier aimed his gun at him and pressed the trigger. The bullet rushed out of his gun and headed towards Rohit. Suddenly, a stranger leaped and came between him and the bullet. Rohit shot down the last enemy soldier. The person who had saved his life happened to be his long lost father.“Dad, is that you?” Rohit asked hugging him “I had thought that you were…Let’s go back home…mother is waiting for you.”“Sure, son” He saidMeantime, in Sanjana’s house.“The war has ended. He should’ve come back by this time. I wonder if he is still…” Her father said

“No, dad” Sanjana said “Don’t’ say that. I know that he will surely come back”But as days went by there was no information about Rohit. Even his mother started to worry.“He is dead!” Sanjana’s father said “now, you’ll have to marry the person of my choice!”She could not do that, so she decided to end her life consuming poison. That night sanjana’s mother came to her room and found her in unconscious state, with the poison bottle in her right hand. They rushed her to the hospital, by then she had gone to coma. The doctor wasn’t sure whether she would survive even though they had removed the poison from her body.“Dad..” Sanjana said. But he didn’t hear her. He went out of the ICU ward. She saw Rohit smiling at her standing outside the ward. He came in, kissed on her forehead and picked her up into his hands. Rohit carried her out of the ward, along with him. She was very happy to reunite with him once again. Finally her love had won. “I’m sorry…we couldn’t save her.” The doctor saidMeantime, in Rohit’s house :-“Mrs.Shankar Narayan, we found you son’s body after a long search. Actually, an enemy bullet had pierced into his chest.…”

The End