The Love that did not last (Short Story from Paru Tales) - When a man disappears after falling in love? How a woman copes up with it!

Finally. Paru had a phenomenal date. They were physically, emotionally, and mentally attracted. And it was mutual. She knew for sure, because he said it. 

Author-  Umasree Raghunath

Shiv felt his luck to have met her.  He was excited about her and imagined a future together.   He could talk about anything.  He wished he marries her and have kids. 

The next morning, lying in the bed covered over the white blankets being on an absolute high, Paru texted her best friend telling that this is IT.    She didn’t realise that she was doing a classic mistake that would be hard to swallow and could have been avoided.    Her feelings of the night necessarily not meant the same to him as it did to her. 

Paru did not imagine the ghost that is in store and the upcoming slow fading away after few weeks.   Paru’s fantasy date shadowed her thinking on what the man would be thinking on this as a long-term relationship.   

The evening before,  Shiv was holding her hands and looking deeply into her eyes and whispering that the best of lips he had ever seen were hers.  He said that they were an amazing mix of adorable and sexy couple.  Shiv was honest when he confessed that he never encountered this combination of brains, beauty and passion in his whole life.  He was literally blown away by her. 

The wind must have been blowing hard, because days later, he was no where to be found.   Paru became anxious, worried and equally curious on how he could disappear.    She started assuming things and getting more worried.   She did not realize the fact that this had happened hundreds of times to women all over the world. 

Paru was sure that her relationship with Shiv was not temporary. She felt it truly special and she wondered what the reason for this sharp turnaround of things could be.  She kept recalling her conversations with him to think if something she said turned him off.   Was he making the whole thing up?   How can anyone put up such a convincing act?

Paru failed to understand the truth that this can happen anytime.  It not a deliberate act but men are like that many times.   That’s why it doesn’t matter what a guy does on a date.  The biggest attention that Paru missed was to what he did after those lovely meetings. 

Paru believed that he was serious with her,  as he called her the next day, planned the subsequent meetings,  kept the evenings and weekends open for her and so on.  She believed that Shiv was her man, her future.  For this how exactly, men would act when they are really onto you, they just don’t talk, but act.

Suddenly for Shiv it didn’t matter if he had the best time in his life,  he left her hanging for a week afterwards without making plans to see her again, which she did not see it coming.    Paru went into a roller coaster of emotions,  all her hopes and dreams crashing down.  There was nothing that could lessen her pain.   She always felt that he was up there for the whole ride of her life. 

She kept looking at the mirror and shouting on ‘What the hell was he thinking?’  Was Shiv a con artist, an opportunist, who like to game a vulnerable woman like her.  

On the other hand,  Shiv was sitting in the beach, looking at the waves, and with his heart heavy and mind confused.   He did not just spend time with her to enjoy the thrill of the chase,  enjoy enough, get bored and moved on.  It is not simple for him as well.    He was strong on his emotions for Paru, but her overpouring love and possessiveness startled him.   He felt overwhelmed and decided to make a quick and surprising exit from the relationship he wanted to build it with care.  Shiv kept telling himself that he is not a liar, player or a jerk.     There’s a lot going on his head beneath the surface that Paru could never imagine. 

Shiv was the first one to take her attention and affection to a steady state.  He plunged into an exciting and passionate relationship without really knowing the person only to discover after few months that he made a mistake.    He hated hurting her, but he also hated the fact that he was so bad at assessing the compatibility.  He had to turn over a new leaf and move slower in order to make better decisions. 

Paru knew for sure that Shiv was a good guy.  But why did he baffle and do hurtful things and killed her relationship being in the moment when he intended to lead it on.     With the passing days, she was sure that the dreams of marriage or living forever with him are lost.    Even though he kept telling her that she is a beautiful woman in and out, holding her hands and looking into her eyes. 

Shiv asked himself, if he really liked her.   Yes, absolutely! came his own response to his mirror image.  But he did not think long term with her after knowing his own self.  He’s just thinking out loud and to himself.    This is very hard to wrap up around her mind, because women don’t operate this way.  

Paru is not a woman who will not compliment a guy if she doesn’t think he’s great.  She will never sleep with him if she doesn’t care about him.  Never will bring up a future until she feels he is her Mr. Right and not just now.   However, Shiv was like any other guy who will feel in that moment, which may or may  not predict their future feelings. 

Paru closed her eyes unable to fathom her pain.  Tears started flowing for she invested not only time and money, but emotions on the man expecting him to approach life like she does and thinking that he will reciprocate in the same way always.  And hence the trouble.    Paru felt continuously disappointed,  felt like a victim, and concluded that she has no control whatsoever happening in her love life.

She opened her eyes, wiped her tears,  wore her favourite blue jeans and red top and the bright red lipstick and looked at the mirror and gave herself a big smile.

She is not going to let her happiness be controlled by the emotions of a relationship that never existed in its true sense.   She is going to be the Master of her destiny. 

She could smile again as soon as she realized that there is absolutely no correlation between what a man says when he is in love or what he feels in his heart after the fire is gone.      How much ever men may resist this statement, rebel against it, the truth is the truth.    Paru’s acceptance that men operate differently from women and using this understanding to her advantage only could make her smile again and accept to move on.   Not necessary she will have to stay alone forever.  She will find her Prince Charming as the days come by.   

In every relationship, taking along few pauses to reflect and cherish, beyond the first few interactions are key to have the relationship sustaining and everlasting.  If you want to get carried away with every single or first association that makes you happy, will only end up in disaster and disappointments for ever.       Relationships that had conversations flowing, friendship blossoming,  clicked at so many levels  may end up in a physical relationship and social commitment as well.  

Paru learnt the lesson in a very hard way on what to say – and what not to say- to a man in those fragile first few days of a relationship and as well as the need to understand quickly and firmly the real intentions of the man about you.  As a woman, you  need to believe in your instincts and intuition which would give you signals if you are in a casual hook up or with a person wanting something serious and sustaining with you. 

Paru also learnt the biggest lesson on the need to make someone step up as a lifelong companion or exit your life quickly and nicely and allow you to move on.  There is a dire need to stop replaying in mind all the romantic words exchanged and stop feeling guilty or pinpoint the exact moments where he could have turned off.  This is the biggest favour a woman can do to herself to remain at peace.  A woman has the capability to identify the confusing signals of the man.  It doesn’t mean he is bad;  it just means he doesn’t know what he wants. 

Paru for sure DO know what she wanted-   a guy who wants to have a future with her.  And to ensure that she’s not settling for anything less, she decided to move on!