The Lone Way 3
Last Part 3- You might have read that Sanjay had helped Renu in moving in packing before her moving into the new apartment . After packing was over and both were tired Renu asked him to stay there itself as they were scheduled to move the next morning . Now read further ….
Sanjay also got ready immediately. All the furniture was packed. Renu and Shaurya slept on the mat in the room and Sanjay slept outside in the dining space. In the morning when Sanjay woke up he saw Renu coming out of the bathroom wiping her hair with a towel and a part of her breast was visible outside her gown. Renu was unaware of this but Sanjay was staring at her. After a few moments their eyes met. Sanjay turned his eyes away and Renu, making herself comfortable, said "Get up, I am making tea."
Sanjay had his bed tea and then he fixed his scooter. Then he said, "Okay, I am leaving now."
"Wow, I'm leaving. It is not fair . The truck will arrive shortly. Who will do the shifting? Since you've done so much, get this job done." Renu said with authority .
After some time, while they were having toast and tea, the movers' truck arrived. The luggage was taken to the new flat in the truck. Renu took a few small items in her car. Sanjay also went there on his scooter. By evening, the new flat was ready to live in. Renu said “ Vasu had booked this flat. If he were here today, he would have been so happy.”
Shaurya was very happy in his new house. He said to his mother, "Please ask uncle to stay here today also."
She said, "I stopped him yesterday. You tell him to stop today."
Sanjay said, "You too could have asked that . But I have been wearing the same clothes since yesterday, I haven't even taken bath. Let me go now."
When Sanjay did not come to office the next day, Renu called him. He said, "I am feeling a bit tired. I am having body ache and a mild fever."
In the evening, Renu reached Sanjay's house with Shaurya, getting dinner packed on the way. Everyone had dinner together.
Sanjay said, "Being a woman, you do so much alone. I fell ill with just a little effort."
"I was not alone. Whenever I needed help, you were there by my side ."
Shaurya said, "Should we stay at uncle's place today?"
"No son. Our clothes are not here. How will I go to the office and you to the day care cum kindergarten school tomorrow?"
With great difficulty, both Sanjay and Renu convinced Shaurya to leave .
The next day Renu told Sanjay to take rest for a day or two, then he said, "No, it is better to stay with you in the office than to be bored alone the whole day. I mean, stay with you and more people at the office ."
Renu said, "Okay. You don't have to drive the scooter. I will pick you up."
Renu reached the office and parked the car. She got out of the car with Sanjay .At the same time her GM saw them .
The GM came near them and said, "You two will make a good couple. I have been watching you both for quite some time ."
Renu got a little ashamed and said, "No sir, there is nothing like that."
“ Still you can think of what I said . “ the GM said
That evening, when she came to Sanjay's house with her son to drop him, Sanjay said, "Come upstairs. Have tea made by me today."
Shaurya also started insisting on going to Sanjay's house. All three went upstairs. Renu made the tea. While sipping tea she said to Sanjay, "Now you too settle down in your life . You will get peace."
"What do you mean by 'you too'? Have you settled down? Actually both of us are yet to settle in our life , Our GM was telling the right thing . Can’t we settle down together forever ? "
At this Renu became serious and said, "What are you saying? I am a widow and a mother of a child. For me, my home and family is complete with Shaurya. “
" I may be unfit for you . I'm also an orphanage product, and on top of that, I have the backward caste tag. Who will care about me? But I really love you, In fact I have been loving you since day one " Sanjay said innocently .
Renu said, "I have seen your resume. You are three years younger than me."
Sanjay laughed and said, "First of all, I don't know my date of birth. I don't know what the orphanage manager wrote about my date of birth in the school admission form. Even if it is a little less, there is no problem. Sunil Dutt, Junior Bachchan, Sachin, all of them married girls older than them. On this basis , I will also be included in the celebrity list if you say yes."
Renu was silent, sometimes looking at Sanjay and sometimes at Shaurya. Sanjay asked Shaurya to go to the balcony and watch the children playing below and the trains. The railway station was clearly visible from Sanjay's balcony.
After Shaurya left, he said, "Let me remove another fear from your mind. I will never try to become a stepfather. In fact, I will get my vasectomy done tomorrow itself. Is that okay? Or something else...?"
Renu covered his mouth with her palm and said, "Don't say a single word from now. You are not doing anything like this."
"What did you think then?" asked Sanjay
"You don't need to be a celebrity. If you consider me a friend and want to see me happy, then remain Shaurya's uncle. Keep hanging out like you always have done. You're very special to me and Shaurya .You are our best friend and mentor ."
Sanjay remained silent for a long time, then Renu said, "Why are you silent? Are you offended?"
"No, I didn't mind."
"Then promise me you'll keep coming and going as before." And Renu extended her hand.
Sanjay also shook hands and promised. Then he left from there. Sanjay used to come to Renu's house quite often as usually he did .
He often brought chocolates and toys for Shaurya. He would stay for long hours. The three of them would talk for long periods, laughing and joking. Renu would often stop him for dinner. Sometimes Shaurya would go to play in the playground, or sometimes he would go to meet a friend in one of the society's flats, or he would be at a friend's birthday party in one of the flats. Even in Shaurya’s absence , Sanjay and Renu talked freely, laughing and joking.
One such day when both of them were alone, Renu's doorbell rang. The sound of her laughter was coming outside.
When Renu opened the door, she saw that more than a dozen people from the society were standing outside. Among them there were some women also.
The secretary of the society said, "We have been watching your affairs for a long time. Is this some kind of a brothel?"
No, it's a decent apartment complex where gentlemen live . We don’t allow you to spoil our and our society’s reputations . " said some of them
A woman said, "If you want to do all this Raas Leela then go to a hotel room or a brothel. Such dirty things can’t happen here."
By then Sanjay was also near Renu. He said, " How can you think of such abusive words about a respectable woman? You consider yourselves to be respectable ones .
Aren't you ashamed to say that? Can't a man and a woman just be good friends? "
The other woman said, "You should be ashamed. You lure the child and send him out to play so that you both can enjoy freely ."
Renu was standing silently and crying. Then suddenly Sanjay took out the pin of his ID card and pricked his wrist. Drops of blood appeared on his wrist.He took a blood drop on his ring finger. Then he filled her hair pairing space with blood . Then he applied a dot of blood on her forehead like a Bindi and said, "From today, she is my wife and all of you are witnesses to this. And Mr. Secretary, you should come to the registrar's office with two more witnesses. The marriage will be registered. Even if you cannot come, the registration will still take place."
"What have you done Sanjay?" Renu said
"For both of us this was the only way to save the honour of both of us. Actually this should have happened long ago. I have felt that you didn’t want a stepfather for Shaurya . I will get my vasectomy surgery done tomorrow itself . Shaurya will be our lone son . Is it okay ?"
Renu said “ For God’s sake please don’t say that . I have full faith in you . “ Then she placed her head on Sanjay's shoulder. This act of hers left a red bloodmark on Sanjay’s shirt.
The people of the society returned with heads down in shame ..
xxxxx
The end
Note - This story is a work of fiction only.
