The Full Circle of Love ( 826 words)

“Do not tell me you’ve never fallen in love! You’re already 25, and you always dodge my questions,” said Sunita, Bhavna’s close friend and colleague, who had come personally to invite her to her wedding. Sunita, an extrovert, had never kept​ her two-year relationship a secret from Bhavna, and now she was marrying her boyfriend.

Bhavna smiled. “What’s there to dodge? I haven’t fallen in love, at least not in the way you mean.”

“Come on, you went through school and college! Surely someone must’ve caught your eye,” Sunita persisted, determined to dig out the truth.

“Well… I had an infatuation with a guy back in class 11. We’d talk every day. It was more of a crush than anything serious. I moved to Bengaluru when my dad was transferred, and we lost contact.”

Sunita leaned in with a grin. “If you met him now, would you tell him how you feel?”

Bhavna hesitated. “It depends. I don’t even know where he is or what he’s like now. But who knows? Maybe someday.”

“Well, best wishes anyway!” Sunita laughed as she left. “Don’t forget to come to my wedding.”

That night, as Bhavna drifted into sleep, her mind wandered back to those Kolkata days.  Everything felt so real in her dream—the school, the bustling bus stop, and Bhola. Tall, handsome, with curly hair and a mischievous twinkle in his eye, he’d wait for her every morning at the bus stop and walk her to the bus after school. She vividly recalled how she’d let crowded buses pass by to spend a few more minutes with him, sharing snacks and chatting about anything and everything.

The memory of the last day at school stung the most. Her father’s transfer to  Bengaluru meant leaving Bhola behind. They had sat quietly in a park, holding hands, knowing they might never see each other again.

“I’ll miss you,” he had whispered. “I didn’t sleep all night, thinking of ways to make you stay.”

She had smiled through her tears. “Maybe we’ll meet again. Where do you live? Who knows what life has in store for us?”

“Dhakuria Heights, fourth floor, second on the right side, Southern Avenue. Would you visit me before you leave?” he asked eagerly and added, "Bhola is my pet name outside and Somu in my home."

The dream faded, and Bhavna woke with a bittersweet smile, her heart unexpectedly light. Bhola occupied her thoughts all day, making her wonder how he looked now, where he was, and if he still remembered her.

Two days later, at breakfast, her father announced, “I have some work in Kolkata” and asked  her mom,” Would you like to come along?”

Bhavna’s heart skipped a beat. “Yes! I also wish to join very much,” she said, her excitement met with laughter. And so, they went.

Once in Kolkata, she made an excuse to visit Adhiti, her friend. and took a taxi to Southern Avenue, her heart pounding with anticipation. When she arrived at Dhakuria Heights, her nerves got the better of her. Was this the right thing to do? She rode the elevator to the fourth floor and knocked on the door.

A young man, strikingly similar to Bhola, answered, holding a baby girl. She was shocked for a moment. But the moment he spoke in a loud voice, she knew it wasn’t Bhola.

“Sorry,” she stammered, backing away. “Wrong door.”

As she hurried toward the lift in great disappointment, she nearly bumped into someone standing in her way, preventing her from exiting.

“Bhavna?” a familiar voice asked, sending shivers down her spine. “Is it you, Bhola?”

It was him. Bhola. His soft voice, his familiar eyes, everything came rushing back. He smiled and pushed her back into the lift. “ Yes, I am Bhola, Bhavna’s soulmate. Wow, you actually came, just like you promised!”

Bhavna laughed, her heart fluttering. “I went to your place, and I think it is your brother with a baby in hand  who  sent me away!”

Bhola laughed. “Oh, him? Let’s go upstairs—my parents will be thrilled. I’ve told them all about you.”

As they stepped inside, Bhola called out, “Ma! Baba! Come see who’s here!”

His mother hugged Bhavna warmly. “So, this is the girl who has our Somu waiting all these years?” she said, caressing her head. “How lovely you are!”

His father smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Somu refused every proposal after joining the IAS, possibly rightly, I feel after seeing you, hoping to meet you again. We’d love to meet your parents and take things forward if that’s alright with you.”

Bhavna, overwhelmed but beaming, knelt to greet the baby girl who had crawled towards her, tugging at her dress. She picked her up and kissed her soft cheek, her heart filling with joy.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Bhavna smiled at how life had a serendipitous way of bringing things full circle—often when you least expect it