Promise to love you

Megha Today was a holiday. So Megha walked into her best friend Kiran's house. Being a neighbor, she would drop by Kiran's house anytime. Today she had plans to go to a movie with Kiran. As she stepped inside the house, she saw some guests. Megha knew all of Kiran's relatives. So she recognized them as new people. 'They must be Kiran's father's business friends.' Megha said and moved on. "Hello, Aunty!" she said smiling as usual to a woman who was talking to the guests. Her face itself indicated that she was a cheerful woman. And that woman was Kiran's mother Asha. "Hey! Megha! You have come at the right time. Come in. I will introduce you to the guests." Asha excitedly waved her hand and called Megha closer. "Aunty, what is going on here?" Megha asked in a low voice coming close to Asha. "We are here to arrange Kiran's marriage. Our Kiran is getting married!" Asha said in a happy tone. "What? Marriage? Kiran is getting married!?" Megha's eyes widened in shock. She did not know if she was taking this seriously or if it was a joke. "Shocking isn't it? We were all shocked when Kiran told us that he was ready for marriage. My stone-hearted son is finally going to enter the unbreakable bond of marriage." Asha said in a very exciting tone. Hearing that, Megha stood stunned. She felt a sharp pain in her heart. Her mind suddenly got blocked. Seeing her reaction, Asha took Mekha's hand in hers and shook it. So she came out of the dream. "I know this is impossible! But yes, Kiran is getting married. And do you know whom? You must know Shruti. She works with you in your company. She is Kiran's bride. Finally, Kiran decided to marry Shruti. I am very happy." Asha said, smiling happily. "Yes. I know Shruti. She works in the HR department of our real estate company." Megha said while controlling herself. "Kiran loves her. And today Shruti's parents have come here to fix their marriage. Oh, you know I am very happy. Finally, I got a daughter-in-law. Now soon I will also have grandchildren. Come, I will introduce you to them." Aunty held her arms and went to Shruti's parents. "In-law, meet my friend's daughter Megha. Kiran and Om's childhood friend. Kiran, Om and Megha grow up together. We all are like family. For me, Megha is like my daughter. Megha works in the post of architect in Kiran's company. She designed many beautiful houses and apartments. Even she designing our new mansion." Asha happily introduced Megha to the two sitting on the sofa. The aged woman and man sitting on the sofa looked at Megha with a gentle smile. Megha recognized the woman. Because the woman's face was very similar to Shruti's. Shruti's father also looked serious like Kiran's father. "Oh! Hello dear, nice to meet you. I am Shruti's mother Mrs. Meena Sathe." The woman said, smiling lovingly. "Nice to meet you," Megha said smiling. "Me too. Shruti, I have told you a lot about you and Kiran" said Mrs. Sathe. "And I am Shruti's father Pankaj Sathe. Nice to meet you, daughter." Mr. Sathe said with a soft smile. "Namaste, Uncle... Nice to meet you." Sai nodded slowly. "No need for formalities. You are of our daughter's age. I hope you will help with the wedding preparations too, right? After all, it is your best friend's wedding." Mrs. Sathe said happily. "Of course, Aunty. Leave it to me." Megha said with a big smile. "Good..." Mrs Sathe nodded happily. Then she went with Asha to the kitchen to make some tea and snacks. The others got busy with their discussions about weddings. "Uncle, where is Abhi?" Megha asked Asha. “He is in our garden with Shruti,” Atul told Kiran and went back to his discussion with Mr. Sathe. "Yes, we have sent them out to talk about their future," Mr. Sathe said, laughing. "Oh, I will be back after congratulating them." Megha made an excuse and went into the garden. She stopped near a tree in the garden. She hugged the Crape Myrtle tree, her favourite tree. This tree was planted by her and Kiran when they were seven years old. It had a wooden board on which Kiran had written a few words for Megha. 'I promise to love you forever.' Kiran had written those words on the tree when they were 10 years old. He had claimed to Megha that when they both grew up, he would marry her. From that day on, Megha liked this tree the most because it was hidden inside among all the green trees, and its pink flowers made it look different and beautiful. And that tree was symbolic of their strong bond. Kiran had a great craze for building things since childhood. So the first thing he did was to build a fountain in front of that tree so that he and Megha could sit there and enjoy the sunset. And he could remember his promise. But as time changed, both of them got busy with their work. And he forgot about that tree. But Megha used to take time to come and see the tree. Even today she came to that fountain with a heavy heart. Megha looked into the water of the fountain. Some pink flower petals floating on water. Kiran and Megha always used to sit here on the grass and talk to each other when they were small. Megha never knew when she fell in love with Kiran. But always hid her feelings from Kiran because she was afraid that if Kiran came to know about her love, he would reject her love and he would break his friendship with her. And Megha never wanted to let this happen. Kiran had never given her any different indication that he also feels the same for her as she does. But she was sure that Kiran loved her and one day he would understand his feelings and propose to her. Stil Megha had no choice but to wait for that time. But today her hopes were shattered. Kiran is getting married to someone else. This means Kiran never loved her. She is the only one who loves her. Kiran is now so far away from her that he will never be hers. She felt very helpless and sad. Her eyes filled with tears. The pain of her heartbreak started flowing like tears on her cheeks. "No... I should be happy for him... He is my best friend... I am happy for him..." she whispered to herself. "And what about your sadness, Megha?" A strong man's voice startled her. Megha quickly wiped her tears and turned around with a smile on her face. A young, handsome boy was standing behind her. He looked exactly like Kiran. He was Kiran's younger brother Om. He was standing two steps ahead of Megha. He looked angry in his face and green eyes. At the same time, he looked sad for Megha. "What are you saying, Om? Why would I be sad? Kiran is getting married, which he should have done long ago." Megha said, trying to smile. "Will you stop defending him? You always do this." Om said angrily. "Okay... okay... calm down my angry bird..." Megha put her hand on his shoulder to calm him down. Om took a deep breath and held Megha in his arms. Smiling softly, Megha started caressing his back gently. Om's anger could be calmed down. Om was very short-tempered. Megha must have known his angry nature well. He used to calm down on Megha's request. "Forgive me..." Om mumbled. "Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault." Megha asked, confused. "Because I couldn't stop this marriage. I tried but Kiran is under Shruti's influence. He scolded me and said stop talking nonsense. He loves Shruti and he is going to marry her no matter what. I feel so bad for you, Megha. Can you forgive me?" Om whispered in her ear. He seemed to be crying. "Thanks for being with me, Om. You are my best friend." Megha pushed him back to see his face. "No, I am not. I can't make you happy. How can I be the best I can be?" Om shook his head. "Who said I am unhappy? Om, my love for Kiran is one-sided. And Kiran doesn't know that. So it is neither her fault nor yours. We can love others but we cannot force our feelings on them. We cannot call it love. It is not right. So I am not blaming you or her for what I am feeling right now." Megha added with a gentle smile. "I am happy that Kiran is getting married to Shruti. I am happy that Kiran is getting the love he deserves. As far as for me, I will try to forget my feelings for Kiran. It won't happen soon. But I will try my best. Om, I need your help in this. Will you help me?" Megha put her hand forward to make a promise. "If this is what you want. Then it's okay. I am always there to help you. He may forget his promise, but I won't forget mine." Om nodded and put his hand on her hand. "Good boy..." Megha stroked his hair. "Don't mess up my hair! I will have to use gel to set my hair again, you know." Om grabbed Megha's wrist with his old angry nature. "Oh, the angry baby is back now..." Megha laughed at his reaction. Om laughed too. "What are you two doing here?" Kiran's deep angry voice made them stop laughing and turn back. "Kiran...." Mehga blinked in surprise. *****