KARMA PAY BACK
Updated: Sep 24, 2022
2nd April 2018.
It is the soothing midnight. Vedansh is standing on the balcony of his country-villa. He has a bottle of red wine in his right hand and a wine glass in the other. He keeps it on the table and moves toward the railing.
He says to himself: this luxury belongs to you, Vedansh. Own the night.
It has been 7 successful years in the content writing industry. Vedansh never cared to treat himself with luxury until today. He wants to get drenched in all aesthetics that he can buy.
Wind gushes towards the west and creases his body, covered in a white bathrobe. He closes his eyes and feels his feistiest emotions. He moves towards the table, removes the cork and pours wine in his glass.
Wine seems pretty. He looks at it first, smells it and has his first gulp. No sooner than he gulps, he hears a doorbell.
He thinks: who can it be at midnight? It is time when the whole town is having a deep sleep. He was curious yet excited. He wants to know who is the other night owl in the city. He put on his night suit, comes downstairs and opens the gate. He is astonished to see a woman standing there. She looks to be in her mid-twenties.
She says, "My car has been damaged in an accident."
He rubs his eyebrow and says, "So you need me to repair your car?"
"You will not be able to repair my car," she says.
"There is nothing that I cannot repair; show me," he says and flashes a half-smirk.
"It has a brake failure", she says and nervously rubs her hands.
"Ok, I will be unable to repair your car, Ha! Ha! Ha!" he says laughingly.
She accompanies him laughing, and They wholeheartedly laugh for a minute, then He asks, "How do you manage to fail your break?"
"Well, this is a long story", she says.
"Ok, get in and let us discuss with some liquor," he utters.
" Sorry, looks like you are having your alone time, and I disturb you." she apologizes.
He laughs, "Ha! Ha! Ha! No problem."
As they get inside, he utters while shutting the door, "Do you want a glass of water or rather shall I directly serve you liquor?"
"Liquor, if it is red wine", she utters.
"Woah! You got lucky! Girl. I have the best wine made by a local, and his wine can outclass even the imported wine." he utters.
"If it is so amazing, then I will surely taste it," she utters.
He walks towards the staircase and says, "Upstairs, come on".
She follows him, although her feet hesitate, she climbs the stairs with excitement in her eyes. On the wall along her side has some funky retro paintings, which tempts her mind for a little more insight.
She utters, "So, you are also a fan of Leo Tolstoy."
“Yes, I am his fan since I read War and Peace.", he says.
“Well, I guessed it," she utters.
"Why? Because I have a painting of war on the wall," he says and raises his eyebrow.
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Well, maybe”, she laughs.
“My grandfather was martyred in the Kargil war," He says proudly.
“Amazing ancestry, I am impressed," she says and claps, "you write books too about wartime."
“Well, amazing guess," he laughs,” Ha! Ha! Ha!”
“Your book, IN YOUR MEMORY, seem catchy," she compliments.
“How do you know?” he asks,” look like someone is my fan."
“Do not be so flattered”, she says,” I just saw its picture hanging on your wall”.
“OH! Ok." he utters,” you are rare on who find it catchy. My publisher intended to change it”.
“It speaks some beautiful sorrow. Like a woman lost in memories of his man," she utters,” is it?"
“Yeah, my aunt narrated it," he says with a smile, " but, People call it a wartime cliché”.
“Well! Very rude of them," she utters.
They cross through the corridor and move to towards balcony. The corridor was well maintained. It had magnolia blooming even in the lesser Sun.
“These are hybrids,” he utters.
“Well, are you psychic? You just read my mind." she says surprisingly.
“No, but I am great at reading body language," he utters.
They reach in front of the door top of his balcony. He opens the door and utters,” lady first."
“Oh! so gentlemanly of you”, she speaks in a flirty fashion.
They move towards the chair, the girl have her seat, and Vedansh pours wine for her, while standing near the railing. They enjoy the moment, cling glasses, flirt and get tipsy. Their discussion on books, relationships, adventure and careers go on till 3 am. Now, they are so drunk and high that it was hard coming back to their sense.
What happens at 3 am remains a mystery. When Vedansh wakes up in the morning, Vedansh is lying on the bed, naked with a letter quenched in his hand. He looks at it. The envelope has a very retro covering. Before he can open the envelope, his phone rings.
“Hello, Vedaansh…hello”, his brother shouts,” Where are you?”
“I am in Dharamshala, you know that, " Vedansh yawns and says.
” We are Delhi, calling you for past 9 hours," says his brother.
“What happened?” Vedansh asks.
His brother narrates,” mom was coming to Himachal to see you but, before come to see you she wanted to spend a night in Palampur, in grandma house but she had a heart failure."
“What the hell are you saying”, she utters,” She cannot leave us”.
“She is fine now. Somebody gave her own heart. Her family is there”, she Requests,” Please! go and meet them."
He drives to Tanda hospital. After two hours of drive, he reaches there.
He asks the reception girl about her mom. She guides him to room number 303. He looks at his mom. She was sleeping. Suddenly a girl arrives in front of him. Hello,” Are you, Vedansh Thakur."
He replies,” I am the sister of the donor”.
“Thank you," he utters, "Do you need money?”.
She denies,” No."
“Why?" he asks,” you lost your sister."
“You saved our father by donating the money which you earned from your novel IN THE MEMORY," she says.
“The army man who battled cancer was your dad?" he asks.
“Yes, he was our dad and neighbor of your maternal grandmother”. she confirms.
“What was the name of your sister?" he asks.
"Her name was Tanya Chandel." She replies.
In the meantime, a nurse comes out and says," the patient is conscious now. If some want to meet, then he or he can meet the patient?"
Vedansh sits beside her mother. She speaks while giving him a photograph,” I wanted to get you married to this girl."
He looks at the photo of the girl. She resembles the girl he met last night, but he cannot recall r name, so he asks,” What is her name?"
She utters,” Her name is Tanya, a neighbor of your grandma. she brought me here all by herself. She wants to meet you too as she is a fan of your writing."
When he hears the whole story, he gets a shock. He opens the letter and reads it aloud,” I returned you the favor, my love and hope."
Karma paid him back.