Intertwined Hearts

I am Rhea and this is my story – well not mine alone story of 3 of us. No not me, myself and Irene types but almost the same. So Me is Me Rhea – Myself is my younger sister Piya and Irene of our story is our childhood friend Rohan.

We all lived in a calm and serene town and had lots in common, since childhood. Our passion for sports, specifically Badminton, love for music, craze for Sonu Nigam & Shahrukh Khan are a few to name them. It was a wonderful time and we lived, loved and enjoyed life. All was just like the dream come true – 3 friends, sharing all, competing, fighting, enjoying all that awesomeness.

I still remember the time when we 3 participated in a inter college badminton tournament and can you believe that I had to beat Rohan in semi’s and then Piya in finals to win the title. Finals were really tough but I managed only because I had more stamina than Piya. She was fabulous in that game. Well we 3 were on top of 25 Shuttlers in our town, and that’s not all, we actually huddled on the court when I won, as if we 3 had won at the same time.

Similarly when we had Sonu Nigam performing live in our town we almost tore down the complete house for a permission to be there & once we were there we were like lightening what an awesome night it was.

Sonu’s mesmerizing voice “Tera Milna pal do pal ka….”, “Har ghadi badal rahi…” etc. when I just slightly slid my hand in Rohan’s and he held it tightly. I could not have asked for a better last night. As we 3 had to part ways the next morning as Rohan was leaving for his Cardiology Specialisation, me to the badminton coaching and Piya was to be left alone at home – for 2 long years.

The time flies and we were back together again, these 2 years taught me a lot, I missed Rohan more than the beat of my heart even when I had two. I landed in town and went straight to Rohan even before I went home. I guess I realised that this was more than friendship and I loved him. I was now craving for his attention, that one look, that glance, that smiles, oh! This was love.

Is this feeling mutual, or am I the only one flying in this stupendous storm of love like a kite? Does Rohan share the same uneasy feeling when he thinks of me or is it just me who has butterflies in stomach every time his thought crosses my mind? Am I the only one being magnetically pulled towards Rohan or he too feels the need to be around me?

At this point what I was only thinking was to spend more time with Rohan, it was just like Piya was completely outcast by Rohan from my life. I shared a special bond with Piya – she was just a year younger but more matured than I was, the thinking types, serious one – boring to be precise at times. I was happy go lucky girl, bothered by nothing, worried about nothing, just living. Rohan was quite the balance of two of us, he was a kid when with me and an adult when with Piya.

Piya knew from my communications with her that I was being attracted to Rohan – we usually shared a lot of emails and chats in these 2 years.

Just when I reached and was about to ring Rohan’s doorbell, it started raining & there he was my prince at the door & beautiful rain drops kissing my cheeks, the aroma of that summer thirsty dirt like all her want for water was answered with a flash. I was so overwhelmed to see him that my arm remained raised to the doorbell even when he opened the door. He snapped his fingers to bring me on earth from my zealous moon voyage.

When I told him “I missed you!” and he too got a little nervous and blushed to accept the same. We had a little chat and decided to meet for dinner all three of us. We bid good byes and I kept on turning again and again to look at him and he stared at me till I was almost no longer visible.

When I mentioned to Piya about the dinner and my meeting with Rohan, her reaction was parched. She was a little drawn away and did not seem happy as if there was something weighing her down, silly me, Rohan was so much on my mind, I could not even notice her. She refused to join us for the dinner and I let her be.

Rohan had bought me flowers and chocolates for Piya, he was surprised as well that she did not join, but we were unsuspecting. The restaurant had a live orchestra and they were playing “yeh pehli mulakat ki….” I was blushing so much that I was unable to look Rohan, in his eyes for 5 minutes. Rohan noticed my unease and moved next to me. He held my hand in hand and I was feeling to be on moon. I clinched his hand and just closed my eyes, Rohan wanted to say something but I put my finger on his lips, indicating to listen the unsaid words. We both knew that we were in love.

After about 10 minutes the waiter brought us to reality, we shared each other’s experiences for two years over dinner and on finishing, took a long stroll around the moon kissed beach.

His fingers interwoven in mine, water touching our legs softly, and soothing breeze – it was like we were on a heavenly trip. A few steps ahead and there were rocks and we sat there, I had my head in his lap, his fingers were mingling with my hairs, I closed my eyes and shouted my heart out to Rohan and he reciprocated, Magical Moment.

We were both on the seventh heaven. He held my head and kissed my forehead, then my eyes and we melted into each other. The night was dark and silent but we could hear Sonu’s “Deewana Tera…Tujhe hi bulaya..” . We both were not in a mood to separate but it was quite late and Rohan dropped me home and left.

Piya was not home and mom had already slept. I went up to my bedroom and smiling and blushing, thinking of new found love and childhood memories running in flashback laid on bed, the eyes were so full of dreams that before I knew, I was asleep.

…. but as they say destiny has its own tale to say, I was woken up by a loud bang on the door and mom had lost her breath trying to tell me something, only what I could understand was Piya was serious.

My drowsy eyes opened with a flash and I was like thrown out of my bed, when we reached the hospital Rohan was already there and Piya was in dire state, she was hit by a speeding steel rods carrying truck and one of those rods has pierced through her heart. Doctors tried salvaging her situation but time was running out.

After a lot of inspection the only answer to Piya’s life was a transplant, but where could the heart be found at such short notice. Mom looked at me and I realized that it was destiny calling on me, to return the favor.

I was blessed with two hearts a Freak Mutation.

When I was been taken to the operation theater, I remembered a conversation with my mom several years ago:

“Are you sure, Rhea?” asked my mother.

Of course I am. Survival of the fittest, mother. I’m not going against Darwin. Also I don’t want unnecessary scars on my body.

It’s a known fact that we are all born to die. And frankly, I don’t understand why it has to be made into such a big deal. If it were not for my mother I would have said that to the bunch of people outside my house, some of them with young kids, shouting slogans, waving placards, literally wanting me to cut one of my beating hearts out. “Save A Life. Donate” they shout.

For someone who is one in billions, 7.125 billion to be exact, I expect to be treated better. Scientists are still befuddled regarding my condition that gave me two hearts in my mother’s womb. But years of research and sticking needles into me have led them nowhere, and they have labelled me as a freak mutation. It’s so rare literally one in all humankind – that they didn’t even name the anomaly (as they call it, I call it awesomeness). I wanted to name the condition myself, something on the lines of Rhea’s Heartawesome but doctors aren’t thrilled with the suggestion. Instead they want to cut one of them out and save a life. Huh?

An IQ of 180, increased concentration, exceptional athleticism and a phenomenal metabolism rate- are just a few boring benefits of an increased blood circulation. Why would I ever give that up? And the answer was – Piya.

The pleasure was that even if I was to go under the knife, the respite was the knife was to be held by Rohan. The Destiny had intertwined our three lives so closely that – both our hearts will now be beating for our savior Rohan.

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