The last letter

Mounisha and Ruchir are sitting on a bench by a lake.

Mounisha: You are a beautiful soul.

Ruchir: What do you mean by that?

Mounisha: How long has it been since we have known each other?

Ruchir: About three and a half years.

Mounisha: In these three and a half years, how many times have we fought?

Ruchir laughs.

Ruchir: Never but I still don't get it. What makes me a beautiful soul?  You are a beautiful soul too!

Mounisha: I am not done speaking. My life has changed so much since I have met you. You have given me such unconditional love . I am grateful to you. I was in such bad company when we first met. You saved me from myself. I would have killed myself had I continued living the way I did.

Ruchir: What if I tell you that I was payed by your parents to do so.

Both laugh

Ruchir: Why are you talking about all this now?

Mounisha: I don't know, I just thought of it and felt like being thankful.

Ruchir: I love you.

Mounisha: I love you too.

They lean in and kiss. Ruchir's phone starts ringing. He takes it out from his pocket and recieves the call.

Ruchir: Hello. I am with my wife at the park right now.

Mounisha: Who is it?

Ruchir raises his palm gesturing mounisha to wait.

Ruchir: I'm at the K.S.B. park at Nobanagar.

Inaudible voice speaks on the phone.

Ruchir: You're here too? Really?

Ruchir starts looking around.

Ruchir: We are sitting here by the lake. Ok, I see you.

Ruchir starts waving. A man walks towards them.

Mounisha: Who is that guy?

Ruchir: A little patience please.

Mounisha: Ok, this is weird. How did he know that we were here? and who is that guy?

Ruchir: That's my ex-boyfriend.

Ruchir laughs. Mounisha hits Ruchir on his shoulder.

Mounisha: Tell me who he is.

Ruchir: You'll find out.

The guy walks upto them.

Ruchir: Mounisha meet Zakir. Zakir this is my wife Mounisha.

Zakir: Good morning madam and wish you a happy wedding anniversary.

Mounisha looks at Ruchir and holds his hand.

Zakir: Here's your anniversary gift.

He holds out a pair of keys.

Zakir: Your new car is waiting for you in the parking lot.

Ruchir: Let's go check it out.

The three of them walk upto the care. They get in and mounisha starts driving.

Ruchir: Where are you taking us?

Mounisha: Let's go for a long drive.

Ruchir: I think we'll have to drop Zakir off first. He took special permission to come give us the car. He has to go back.

Zakir: I have about an hour's time to get back to the showroom.

Mounisha: Relax you two, I just want to show off the car to my friend. Zakir, where is your showroom? I'll drop you off on the way.

Zakir: There is a traffic signal at Bhoski which is coming up ahead. I'll get off there.

Mounisha: Sure.

Ruchir looks at Mounisha.

Ruchir: Who do you want to show off your car to?

Mounisha: I thought of going to Ritika's place but then I don't feel like it right now.

They reach the traffic signal at Bhoski and Zakir gets off the car.

Zakir: Thank you. Once again, wish you a happy wedding anniversary.

Zakir closes the door. Mounisha drives for a short distance and stops the car.

Mounisha: Let's go meet your dad.

Ruchir: Really? Of all the things we can do right now you want to go meet my dad? Why do you want to ruin this perfectly fine day by meeting that selfish old bastard?

Mounisha: Shut up Ru! He's not as bad as you think. Besides he's your father and he loves you.

Ruchir: We have had this discussion a million times before. You know how I feel about this. Please let's not meet him. Let's meet your parents, let's go meet your sister's family, let's check out what your brother is upto. Anyone in the world but him. Please baby. You understand me better than anyone. Please don't be stubborn now.

Mounisha: My love. Sometimes we need to do things even if they make us unhappy. Not for us but for the greater good.

Ruchir: Greater good? No matter what we preach and idealize. There is no greater good. Greed runs deep in our genes. No matter how much we have, we always want more. Never will we be satisfied with what we have. This is what my father has taught me through his life. My mother gave and gave and he kept taking.

Ruchir's eyes water up.

Ruchir: Till she couldn't give anymore. When she had nothing left to give, that asshole took her life.

Mounisha: You need to calm down. I think you are making a big fuss about nothing.

Ruchir takes a deep breath.

Ruchir: "Far away" is playing at P.V.R. lets go watch it.

Mounisha: Can we go meet your dad after the movie?

Ruchir yells in anger.

Ruchir: Don't you fucking get it? I don't want to meet him!

Mounisha: I want to!

Ruchir: Why?

Mounisha: I think you are too scared of life. That is why you don't want to have kids. I think it has something to do with the immense hatred you have for your father.

Ruchir: Beautiful souls don't hate.

Mounisha: Stop Joking Ru! Don't you want to give me the gift of motherhood?

Ruchir: Not this again. Please.

Mounisha: Let's talk about this one time in the presence of your father and I will let go of it.

Ruchir: Does it mean so much to you?

Mounisha: It is a shame that you have to ask such a question.

Ruchir takes a deep breath and lowers his eyes.

Ruchir: I don't know what to do.

Mounisha holds Ruchir's hand.

Mounisha: Everything is going to be alright.

Ruchir: Alright let's go.

Mounisha starts driving towards Ruchir's father's home.

Ruchir: What if he is not at home.

Mounisha: He built himself one of the most beautiful mansions that ever existed but he did not build himself a home, he built himself a prison. I am sure he'll be there.

After driving for an hour they reach the mansion. They stop at the intercom at the main gate and ring the bell.

Voice from the machine: Who is it?

Ruchir: Hey Sikander, it is me Ruchir. Is dad at home?

Machine: Ruchir baba! Rachit Saab has been awaiting your presence since a long time. Welcome!

Mounisha smiles at Ruchir. The gate opens and they drive through to reach the main door.

Sikander: Greetings Ruchir baba! Greetings Mounisha Madam! I am so happy to see the two of you. So lovely of you to come. Rachit Saab is on the roof. He spends most of his time there in solitude. He has stopped having his grand parties here since the past two years. He misses you a lot. He follows your facebook profiles and shows me all your pictures. I really enjoyed the world tour album of yours. How's work? Are you two happy?

Rachit: Sikander, Go set up the table for lunch. They must be hungry.

Mounisha goes and touched Rachit's feet.

Mounisha: Namaste Uncle, How are you doing?

Rachit: I am the father of your husband. I need you to stop calling me uncle.

Ruchir: Hey dad.

Rachit: What made you visit your old man? The last time I saw you was at your wedding. I have been selfish all my life, made mistakes for which I repent everynight but everyone deserves a second chance. Please forgive me son.

Ruchir: Mounisha insisted that we meet. She has something she wants to talk about.

Rachit: Let's sit in the library.

All of them go to the library.

Rachit: Would you two like to have some alcohol?

Ruchir: No, thank you.

Mounisha: I'll have some. Ruchir, please drive us back home.

Rachit pulls out an old bottle of whisky and pours it into two glasses. He then adds some ice into both the glasses.

Rachit: Is there a problem Mounisha beta?

Mounisha: I am not sure if one would call it a problem but your son doesn't want to have kids.

Rachit smiles.

Rachit: I saw that you bought a new car. What model is it?

Ruchir: It is the new sports version of the Ford Flex. It has a rear slip-differential and is equipped with a four wheel drive.

Rachit: Do you like the car Mounisha?

Mounisha: Yeah, it is fast. Dad, I didn't come here to talk about the car.

Rachit bends towards Mounisha and places his hand over hers.

Rachit: I know. There is a right time and place for everything. All the pieces of the puzzle will fit in perfectly. I know you have been very patient, my child. I request you to be the same. Have faith in whatever god you pray to.

Sikander: Lunch is ready!

They have a very quite lunch. Soon after Mounisha and Ruchir leave. They go to the movie theater to watch Far Away. They go out to a fancy restaurant for dinner and head home. They lay on their bed in each others arms.

Mounisha: I feel weird. My intution is trying to tell me something.

Ruchir: It is telling you that you've had a long day. That you should get some rest.

Mounisha: Good night, my love.

Ruchir: Good night, love.

Both of them fall asleep.

At 4:00 am Ruchir's phone starts ringing. He wakes up and receives the call.

Ruchir: Hello, WHAT? I'm coming!

Mounisha: What happened?

Ruchir: Dad passed away.

Both of them get dressed and go to Rachit's place. There is a huge gathering that filled up the entire mansion. It takes them a while to reach inside. They see Sikander sitting next to Rachit's body and crying. Mounisha puts her hand on Ruchir's shoulder. As Ruchir moves forward, his knees become weak, his eyes start tearing up. As come close to his father's body, he crashes on the floor. Unable to understand his emotions, his body starts trembling, he starts crying unconsolably. The funeral process begins. They take his body to the creamtion house. After the creamtion everyone leaves. Sikander gives Ruchir a letter.

Skinader: I found this under Rachit Saab's pillow. It has your name on the cover.

Ruchir open the envelope and begins reading the letter.

My dearest son,

I have wronged you on so many levels that a simple apology won't suffice. I have made many mistakes in my life. Many things I would like to change but I can't. I want you to understand that nothing is permanent. In this journey of life there will be many ups and downs. Sometimes the road will be smooth and sometimes bumpy. Sometimes you can sail through easily, sometimes it becomes impossible to move. Sometimes you get to keep your treasures, sometimes you need to cut your losses.

One thing that I always want you to keep in mind is that you must always keep moving forward. You must never stop. Whether you're right or wrong. Keep doing the doing or else the doing will out do you.

Your loving father,

Rachit.