April Fool

Short Story

Mohan Kothekar

Writer and Blogger

After her arrival from the home town, Seema was in a jubilant mood; she distributed the sweets; everybody congratulated her.  The office colleagues and the nearest and the dearest friends demanded the party.  On the same day, the party was arranged at Hotel Radisson.  All have attended the party, except Aditya, her friend from the first year of the college.

When contacted, his phone was switched off.  The next day when asked, he said, he was not well.  His face was gloom, he was in a dejected mood, and he didn’t talk with anybody.  His college friends Shekhar and Aparna met Aditya during lunch break and inquired about his health.  Aparna smelled fishy in the matter; her inner voice said that the matter is certainly related with Seema.  She has decided to investigate the matter.

Neeta and Sandy (Sandeep), married in the last year of the college days, had a different narration.  They forced Aditya to accompany them to the physician; but he refused.  When persistently asked the reason, in a grouch and umbrage mood he avoided further discussion.  It happened for the first time in eight years of their friendship.

The general perception was that Aditya was avoiding his intimate friend circle.  A boy who is talkative and of the tattle-tattle nature, and all of a sudden become mute and elinquid, is a serious matter.  At last, the friend circle has decided to meet him after office hours and that too at his apartment.  Shekhar was the right person to handle the complex issues.

Shekhar, without circumlocutions directly touched the core issue.  He fired the first salvo and it smashed the main target.  His first question was, ‘Are you in love with Seema?’  Instead of answering a query he started whimpering.  His second attack was, ‘If sobbing is the solution for each and every matter, by now all would have started crying.’  Next two hours were full of agony, tribulations and sufferance; his suppleness, ethereal and frail association; his eternal love, all shattered at once.  He conceded that he is in a devout love with Seema.  However, he never expressed it.

Seema is a totally different type of girl.  She is a straight forward girl.  Once she decides she never changes her decision.  She did not like if somebody speaks lies.  Due to belligerent and the brawler attitude of the small and trifle matters, generally, nobody likes to argue except her college friends; however, by heart she is a gentle lady.

The question is who will bell the cat.  It was decided that Neeta will open the topic.  By hook or crook, Neeta agreed to face the first bombardment.  She casually opened the topic and said, ‘Aditya is not well.  What happened to him I didn’t know.  Have you asked?’  Seema retorted with sarcastic remarks, ‘No.  I knew why he has not attended the banquet.’   In a casual manner Neeta said, ‘He was having headaches.’  Seema said, ‘In final year college social gathering at the eleventh hour he suffered from headache.  He must be a chronic patient of migraine.  I feel dejected when he has not attended my party.’  Just to open the topic, Neeta said, ‘Yesterday night, Shekhar had been at the Aditya’s apartment.  What a spacious apartment; four and half BHK with all the amenities including society swimming pool and gym; he is lucky that his parents had purchased it before we join the college.’  Seema said, ‘He is from a well to do family.  Have you not seen his parent’s bungalow during the Diwali vacation? it was like a palace.  His parents have no vanity for the wealth they possess.’  Neeta did not want to deviate from the main issue.  So, after a small chat she said, ‘Shekhar said he was in a dismal and doleful mood.’  Seema added, ‘Something is wrong, when I offered him sweet he refused and said he is not well.  It is likely that he must have family tension.  I inquired, but he did not reply.’

Neeta could not open the subject, even after an hour of discussion.  At last with courage, fortitude and conviction she said, ‘Please Seemu (Seema), promise me, you will not hit me.’  Seema said, ‘why I will kick you?’  Neeta patiently said, ‘Aditya loves you.’  At once, Seema left the cabin.  Aditya was discussing with his boss.  She entered in the cabin, kicked and shoved him and left the office.  Neeta followed her.  She tried to block her passage; Seema pushed her and hired the auto.

Neeta immediately contacted her hubby; both went to Seema’s apartment.  When they threatened to call police, finally, Seema opened the front door.  There was no discussion for the first the ten minutes.  Sandy said, ‘It is very hot.  Please start Air Conditioner.’  Neeta jokingly and jestingly said, ‘Now-a-days everything is hot, sorry, it is extra hot.’  When Seema stared at her, Neeta laughed loudly and added to the knowledge of Sandy, ‘Seemu kicked Adu (Aditya) in the presence of his boss.  Hai…. Hai… Hii… Huuu…. Huh…  Adu fell down; the boss was aghast and jumpy, poor Adu.  Hai… Huuuu… Haaa….’  Both started laughing loudly; Semu only once joined the chorus and remained calm; Sandy promptly asked, ‘but, why?’  Neetu (Neeta) said, ‘ask her.  Huh… Hiii…. Huh…’  Seema threw the pillow and roared, ‘Neetu, don’t laugh, otherwise, I will beat you.’  Sandy, ‘Neetu, please, do not laugh.’  He asked Seema, ‘why you kicked and pushed him and that too during office hours?’  Seema said, ‘ask your beloved wife.’  He continued, ‘from the last eight years we never fight at the physical level, we may have differences of opinion.  You should control your fury.’  Her straight forward reply was, ‘I have not called you, please leave.’  Neetu added, ‘You may throw us from the apartment but not from your heart.’

The abrupt and spurt in the laughing session has smoothened the tense situation.  After two hours, Aparna joined the group.  ‘Each and every executive is asking me why Seemu trounced Adu mercilessly?  I asked Adu, he didn’t reply.  You are likely to be fired,’ Aparna asked.  ‘I don’t bother, I am going to leave the job,’ was the Seema’s reply.  Neeta intentionally asked, ‘Was Adu injured?’ and the couple started laughing like a thunderstorm.  Seema said, ‘Neeta and Sandy, from last two hours you are laughing, please for god sake keep quiet; otherwise, leave the apartment at once.  I am very serious, my anger is simmering and I may kill you.’  Aparna smiled for a minute and said, ‘Seemu please control your anger.  You are on and often exhibiting the exasperation for the sundry matter.  Just imagine if somebody kicked and pushed you what will be your first reaction.’ 

Seema said, ‘It was the most serious matter.  I was in a joyous mood.  Neetu has spoiled my day dreaming.  My marriage is fixed and she said Aditva loves me.  What he was doing for last eight years.’  Aparna, ‘It doesn’t mean that you should hit Adu.  Tell me frankly, after marriage if you behave in the same fashion, then it will culminate into a horrible situation.  You want a calm and quiet life partner.  Aditya is the best choice for you.’  Seema forthwith asked the question to Aparna, ‘why don’t you marry with Adu?’  Sandy replied, ‘see, you know the answer.  She is the disciple of Swami Vivekananda.  She wants to devote her time for Ramkrishna math activities.’

Seema said, ‘I am from a reputed family.  Please listen, this is not a movie.  If I reject the proposal, then my parents will not see my ugly face again.’  Neetu replied, ‘who say you are ugly? You are not at all ugly you are a horrible angry, resentful and agonizing young girl, Adu a pitiable boy gets injured.  For god sake, you are not a karate champion; by now Aditya would have been in a trauma hospital.’  Aparna said, ‘Neetu, please, don’t crack the jokes.’  Sandy said, ‘Ok, we are going to the office again, we will meet at night.  Good bye…’     

Aparna continued, ‘Look Seema, there is a scope for reconsideration.’  Seema replied, ‘Question of rethinking does not arise.  I have due regard for Aditya.’  Aparna further pleaded the case, ‘From last eight years we all are friends with indissoluble and unbroken friendship.  Neetu and Sandy is a married couple from last four years and they behave like a mature married couple.  I was dreaming that one day, Aditya and you will lead a peaceful life.’

Now, Seema was looking quite normal, she realized that she should not have hit Aditya during office hours.  She expressed her apology for the incident caused.  Aparna took the thread, ‘you have accepted that you have committed a mistake, it is your duty to say sorry to Adu and not to me.’  Seema retorted, ‘No I will not express apology.  I was furious because Aditya has not considered me as his best friend.  I felt it as my personal insult when Neetu told me that he expressed love and affection to Shekhar.’  Aparna exhibited maturity and said, ‘if Aditya expresses apology and proposed then will you accept?’  Seema replied, ‘Question does not arise.  I did not want to betray and renegade my parents.’

After office hours, Shekhar joined the discussion.  Shekhar said, ‘Aditya did not utter a single word.  He left the office for home.  I told him to accompany, but he refused.’  Aparna added, ‘See Seemu, you should at least talk with him.’  Seema was adamant and said, ‘Why should I?’  Shekhar intervened, ‘my humble request is you should reconsider.  You had been to the parent’s house for four days.  You have given your consent; you are not physically or mentally engaged with the boy.’  Seema replied, ‘on which basis you made this statement.  You all knew well; once I decide it indicate no further change.  I have shown our lovely photographs.’  Shekher earnestly requested, ‘Aditya has proposed you.’  Seema said, ‘Mister Shekhar, sorry, he has not proposed, he has conveyed this message through you.’  Aparna poked her nose, ‘If Aditya proposes, then?’  Seema said, ‘I cannot give any guarantee. Tell me, Miss Aparna why you have not accepted Shekhar’s marriage proposal?’  Aparna all of a sudden said, ‘If I accept Shekhar’s marriage proposal, are you ready to marry with Adu?’

Seema waited for a minute and replied, ‘Are you serious?  Will you leave Ramkrishna mission work?’  Shekhar pick up the point and said, ‘She will do those activities after marriage.’  Aparna again asked, ‘My straight question is if we both marry, then are you ready to marry with Adu?’  Seema, ‘It is difficult to say no to the bride’s family once said yes.  It maligns the image of our family in the society.  Second, if he was so much interested in me then why Aditya has not proposed?’  Aparna retorted, ‘why you have not proposed?  The fifty percent fault lies with you.  Second, you are strong headed and lunatic; without any reason you kicked him and not ready to apologize.  How he will propose to you?’

Mr Shekher intervened and said, ‘If I call Adu will you please allow him.’  Seema said, ‘My apartment is open for friends and foes.  The space is not new for you people.’  Aparna said, ‘Give Promise, you should not beat him.’  Seema said, ‘I never give the promise, however, I will try to control.  I am not lunatic, I won’t like if somebody tries to fool me.’  Seema continued, ‘since the beginning, he is dormant and indolent, never had he expressed his love and adoration.’  Skekhar added, ‘When you get food poisoned, for a week he was near your bed and nurse you like a small baby; the way of expression differs from person to person, you are straight forward and dominant, he is introvert but hard working.’ 

Aparna continued the story, ‘from the last eight years, he is helping you; in examination days he took lots of care, you alone could not have completed the office project in a given time had Aditya has not helped you; in return, what is your contribution, almost zero.’  Shekhar told, ‘you know Seemu, yesterday he was crying all the time, to console him was a difficult task.’  Seema said, ‘don’t try to emotionally blackmail me.’  Aparna said, ‘we are not emotionally blackmailing you, we are trying to tell you the truth, love and affection for you.’

Shekhar and Aparna convinced her to call Aditya.  After half an hour, Sandy, Neetu and Aditya came.  After a minute of silence Aditya said, ‘Seemu, I am sorry.’  For the first time in last eight years Seema started crying.  Everybody tried to console her.  It took them half an hour to console her.  She washed her face, she regained the lost energy, the first thing she did is she went near the Aditya and hit him mercilessly.  After thrashing session is over she shouted, ‘you mangy, you blackguard, you rascal; why you told to Shekhar that you are in love with me, why not to me directly?’  And, again Seema started beating him but with love and affection.  She slowly whispers, ‘Adu… I am sorry.’  Neetu in a hilarious tone announced, ‘it is 10.00 P.M., the time to sleep, cuddle and fondle, let us move; let them enjoy the whole night.’

Aparna asked Sandy, ‘how you manage with such a funny girl?’  Sandy replied, ‘after your marriage you will understand how to adjust.’  Neetu said, ‘Adu, you have still time to think, three times beating by a nefarious girl and that too in a day is a horrible task.  How you will manage?’  All started laughing, laughing and laughing.  Immediately, the atmosphere become serious due to Seema’s utterance, ‘I only said sorry.  What about reputation of my family if I said no to my parents.  It is the duty of you all to go to my parents and would be bride’s parents and convince them.  After that my family must receive the proposal from Aditya’s family.  If both the families agree, then I will marry with this lazy and sluggish goat.’

Neetu at once said, ‘He Ram, I thought the story ended, it is the beginning.  Seemu, better marry with the bride.  Good bye…’  Shekhar said, ‘Neetu, behaves like a mature lady.’  The discussion continued for a further one hour.  At last, it was decided that Aditya will make a call to his parent and open the subject.  If the parents get convinced then the team will go to Seema’s and the bride’s parents and express apology.  If an apology is accepted, then the new proposal will take its own shape.  Somehow Aditya gets ready to call his parents.  When he tried to dial the number Seema intervened and said, ‘Aditya, there is no need to ring your parents at midnight, phone them tomorrow.’  Neetu intervened and said, ‘No…, No…, by tomorrow morning her mood may get changed.’  For the first time everybody agrees to Neetu’s suggestion.

When second time Aditya tried to contact his parents at midnight, Seema stopped him and said, ‘April fool, April fool, April fool.’  She started laughing and dancing.  It is first of April.  At last Seema said, ‘How I April fooled you?’  Sandy curiously asked, ‘Are you serious or joking?’  Seema replied, ‘I am not joking, I made you all fools.’  Aparna asked, ‘How?’  Seema continued, ‘I knew, Adu has no daring to propose me.  So, I told my parents to contact Aditya’s parents.  Since, both the families knew each other immediately the consents were given.  My only condition was that it is my prerogative to give breaking news to you all and my beloved fiancé.  When I came over here I flashed the news.  I told this news to the Aditya first.  He has not asked me with whom my marriage is fixed and went into hibernation.  Rest, you are part of the story.’  Shekhar asked, ‘what about photographs?’  Seema continued, ‘In all the photographs I am with Aditya, the face is morphed.  Not a single friend of mine recognized the Aditya’s photograph.’

Sandy asked, ‘Why you have bitten him?’  Seema replied, ‘First, he has not proposed, Second, he expresses his desire to marry me through Shekhar, Third, he has no courage and conviction, Fourth, it was the last chance to beat him, Fifth, he is my intimate and lovable friend,  Sixth, I will not beat him after marriage but bite him.  How I April fooled you?  Good bye… Good morning…. Have a sweet dream…’

                                                                                                                              

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