Walking down the hallway from his bedroom, Dharam kept his eyes on his tablet in one hand, a cup of black coffee in his other hand.

He had a big stakeholders meeting that day and he had some ideas to propose. His had slept badly last night - dreams about Gayathri making him wake up every so often. In every dream, she let go off of his hand to choose Rohan's hand - the same as she had done the last time he'd met her.

As the flashes of his nightmare popped in his mind again, Dharam froze in his tracks, his grip on his tablet slackening.

It had been so many months since he'd last met her, but this nightmare kept recurring to him every so often that it just felt like yesterday when he'd found out the truth about her!!

He just wanted to know why - why had she played with his emotions?? Six years - they'd been married for six years, and had courted for a few months before their marriage - all that time had meant nothing to her?? He just wanted to know, if even for a second, if she really had loved him? If any of her kisses had meant anything?

His blood froze in his veins - had any of their intimate moments meant anything for her? Or was he only her sex toy?

Dharam loosened his tie, beads of sweat pooling on his forehead. His stomach churned unpleasantly - he felt dirty, he felt used - polluted. He turned around and rushed back to his bedroom, putting away the tablet and his cup of coffee as he began ripping off his clothes - he wanted to take a bath, perhaps that would somehow make him feel a little cleaner?

As he stepped under the hot shower, his muscles relaxed a bit, but fresh tears pooled in his eyes, and he clutched at his head.

How had he wronged anyone? How had he wronged Gayathri for her to toy with his emotions??

As he closed his eyes in an attempt to clear his mind, all he could think of was his meeting with Satyanand Dadaji a few months after he'd moved away from India.

He had been fine until then, still in denial, still thinking of Gayathri and doing his best to put up a calm façade in front of his family. They'd been staying in one of their properties in Norway at the time - one of the few places where he had zero memories with Gayathri.

He hadn't been able to stay at their mansion in Scotland without memories of Gayathri burning his heart - as his family stayed in Scotland, apart from their home in Mumbai, he had a lot of memories with Gayathri in their Scotland mansion. And so, whilst his family had decided to renovate the place, Dharam had moved to his sister's place in Norway for a couple of months- he had zero memories with Gayathri here as it was the place they'd bought as a gift to Taniya for her birthday the previous year.

The first few weeks, things were rather smooth - Dharam had procured sleeping tablets, and he took it every night to help fall asleep. Every night, he dreamt of Gayathri, but in his dreams, she always chose him - she was the sweet loving woman she'd pretended to be throughout the six years he'd known her!

And during the day, Dharam worked - he attended meetings and conferences and started multiple new projects - all in an attempt to keep himself busy. And it had worked very well!!

But the problem was his family - his parents, mainly his mother and grand mother, didn't like the fact that he worked 18 hours a day, even on weekends!! And so, to prevent Dharam from over working himself, his best mate Max had joined Dharam to a gym with him.

And working out had turned out to be the best way to relax his brain Dharam had come to realise - a couple of hours in the gym everyday exhausted him so much that he had no trouble going to sleep every night!!

His family and friends had forced him to meet a psychologist, but Dharam didn't want to talk about his past.

In fact, he had been doing quite well for all those months, working in office, or else, working at the gym - even on weekends and public holidays!!

Dharam had returned back to Scotland with his family a couple months later, to their home. Newly renovated and the geography of the mansion completely changed, Dharam could hardly say it was the same place he'd grown up!! It was difficult to connect any of the place inside the mansion with Gayathri after the renovation - a part of him had felt healed there! He didn't recall the woman he loved wherever he looked, and he had been doing marginally well in his life too. His family, mainly his parents, had felt relieved.

Except the fact that Dharam still took sleeping tablets in secret, he was doing well in general, and that was enough for him to go on too! But things began falling down after he'd met Satyanand Dadaji.

The old man had visited him unexpectedly at his office some three months after the Gayathri incident. Though taken aback, Dharam had greeted the old man, and they'd had lunch together at the office - on dadaji's insistance.

It was after a long and silent lunch that Dadaji had produced a few files and silently placed on the table.

"Divorce papers, property papers, shares reports, and.. her past" Dadaji had said, indicating the files.

Dharam's face had paled at the words 'divorce papers'.

"You sign the papers, and then I'll get it signed from her and processed. Your marriage should get dissolved within a month" dadaji had said dismissively.

But Dharam had shook his head. He had never disobeyed the elders - and never Satyanand Dadaji!! But divorce - no, this was something he couldn't do!!

And without another word, Dharam had left the old man and ran out, his world falling around him all over again. The ache had been back in his heart - the memory of the afternoon when he'd learnt of Gayathri's truth haunting him.

But Dharam had straight driven back home and dashed into his bedroom. Taking his sleeping pills, he'd gone off to sleep - the best way to ignore the present.

It had been late at night when Dharam had woken up, and feeling rather weak, and his stomach grumbling for food, Dharam had somehow stumbled to the kitchen. He had almost forgotten about the incidents of the afternoon, until ofcourse, reality knocked on him quite hard!!

Somehow grappling his way to the kitchen, Dharam's mind went to work - of the new projects he had in mind. But then he'd overheard voices - his mother choking and sniffling whilst his father mumbled something in a low whisper - as he reached the kitchen. And so, hiding outside the kitchen door, he'd eavesdropped on them.

His mother was sniffling, saying she has no faith in God anymore - for the way Dharam's life had been turned upside down. She went ahead to call Gayathri all sorts of names - curse words Dharam didn't even know existed!!

"It was a Reyansh at first, and some Abhay whilst she was dating Rohan!! She got engaged to our Dharam when she was seeing Rohan! And Satyanand ji has a list of guys that she was dating whilst being married to Dharam!! He never knew any of this!! We never knew any of it!! How could we marry our son to such a venomous woman??" Malini choked, whilst her husband only sighed.

Dharam didn't hear any more than this - he felt a chill pass through him that had nothing to do with his surroundings. His mother's voice kept echoing in his brain as he made he walked away, not really knowing or caring where his feet took him!!

Though so many months had passed by since that night, but the memory of that night still made Dharam numb - he knew the file containing the details of all of Gayathri's love affairs was with Satyanand Dadaji. He also knew that his one signature and he'd be separated from Gayathri for good!

But that was what scared him the most - he had loved her truly, perhaps he still had some lingering feelings for her - he had only ever been in love once all his life!

He didn't want his nightmares anymore. He didn't want this pain anymore!

He clutched at his hair an yelled at the wall, tears pouring down his face. 

He had enough - he wanted this pain to end!

Kunal's words from the previous evening came back to him - Dr.Priya Desia, psychologist and the best in her field.

He'd returned back to India last night, meeting Satyanand Dadaji the moment he'd landed. The old man was adamant - he wanted Dharam to sign the divorce papers and legally get separated from Gayathri.

He didn't know how the old man got the divorce papers signed from Gayathri. Dharam had over heard Lakshman a few weeks ago, that Gayathri could use her connection with Dharam to try and get a lot of alimony, and also try for a bail.

But how had Satyanand Dadaji convinced her to sign the papers, it surely was a mystery.

Dharam's heart ached and he rested his head against the wall, the hot water from the shower overhead still pouring down on him.

He wanted this pain to end, that's all! 

And Dharam nodded, making up his mind - he would meet this Dr.Desai, he resolved.

****************************

It was late the next evening, when Dharam heard a knock on his office door.

He had been sitting idly at his desk, his eyes on the number on his laptop screen, his mobile phone in front of him - contemplating on what to do?

To make that call or not?

'Dr. Priya Desai, PhD in Human psychology and analysis from Harvard, Relationship advisor, Human psychology and Behavior' Her bio read on her blog, along with the address to her office and her phone number.

Dharam scrolled down to the different accomplishments of this Priya Desai - the names of all the famous doctors she'd worked with in the past, or was collaborating with at the present, the different hospitals she visited as a visiting doctor every week, and the different colleges - all international - where she'd given a talk about human psychology!!

There was a picture of this Dr. Priya Desai on her blog - she looked young. And her accomplishments were really commendable for a person so young!!

But if she is really so young, would she be able to help him out in anyway?

Kunal had been all praise for her the previous evening!!

Dharam had called up his friend Max to ask about her - given even Max had been advising him to meet this woman from the past 6 months!

And Max was so excited to know that Dharam was even considering the idea!

"Mate you know how difficult a time Reb and I had when we lost our baby!! For months Reb wouldn't even eat or drink anything! She'd become kinda like a human robot! And you know how I'd drowned myself in alcohol?!" Max had said.

Dharam knew of it all - it was a couple of years ago, when Max and his girlfriend Rebecca had lost their baby girl - a baby who was born dead. Rebecca had gone into a state of shock so severe, the poor woman had first thought the doctors were joking, but later she had almost gone crazy to the extent that she kept talking to a toy baby, assuming it was her child!

Max hadn't been able to watch Rebecca in that state, and neither was he mentally strong enough to comfort her, and so, he'd taken to alcohol.

No amount of help from family and friends had helped out the couple.

And then, Rebecca had accidentally bumped into Dr. Desai when she had been at the grocery store. Priya had found Rebecca crying at the baby section of the store, clutching at a bag of diapers.

Priya had then taken Rebecca out for a meal, and though Dharam didn't know the details of it all, but he'd heard that Priya had made Rebecca eat proper food for the first time in months! And then she'd taken Rebecca home, where she'd met Max.

Long story short, the couple had then started visiting this Dr. Priya Desai at a local coffee shop. Apparently she was in town for some conference at Harvard, but she'd extended her stay only to help out Rebecca and Max.

The couple had visited Priya everyday for a month, before Priya flew back to India. And then onwards, for a good 3 months the couple had skyped with Priya for their counseling. 

"Dude! Please just talk to her once, there's no harm to it!!" Max had insisted.

And so, Dharam had looked up for Dr. Priya Desai in google and stumbled across her blog.

From the past hour or so, he'd been staring at the different posts on her blog, and then at her phone number on the screen, and then at his mobile phone - contemplating, on whether to make the call or not.

And that was when the sudden knock on the door brought him to reality, making him jump.

"Dharam bhai, free?" Kunal had peeked in, smiling at him.

Dharam quickly shut down his laptop and cleared his throat, trying to smile back at Kunal.

"Shruthi and I are having a small dinner get-together sort of, at her old apartment.... you'll join us?" Kunal asked, walking into the office.

"Um.." Dharam pondered. He still had the whole evening to contemplate on whether to call this Dr. Desai and book an appointment or not!

"C'mon!! Abhi and Naina will be there, it's been so long since we properly met you!" Kunal added at the hesitant expression on Dharam's face.

"Will there be a lot of people? You know I'm not a very social person.." Dharam trailed off, his mind working on how to politely turn down Kunal's invitation.

It's not that he didn't like them - he loved Kunal like he loved his brother Lakshman! And Shruthi was his darling sister. Though he'd been married to Gayathri for 6 long years, he'd hardly met Naina more than a couple of times!! And Abhi seemed like a decent guy.

But Dharam had a big decision to make - more like, ponder on what to do regarding Dr. Desai - to contact her or not, for an appointment!

"It's just us youngsters bhai! Don't behave like you're a sixty year old grumpy man!" Kunal rolled his eyes at Dharam, who finally sighed and got to his feet.

And Kunal grinned in success.

******************

 "..and the food, the ambience.. I can actually live there!!" Kunal said, leading Dharam to the last apartment on the floor.

Dharam only smiled in response - his mind was still lost, trying to make a decision!

But Kunal had opened a door, leading him into the posh apartment, and Dharam's mind went blank.

The large living room had people he knew - as Kunal had previously mentioned.

But it was the sight of the tall bearded guy at the back of the room that made Dharam freeze on the spot - Rohan Kapor!

Dharam felt beads of sweat pooling on his forehead at the sight of the man - the man whom his wife had always chosen in his nightmares! The man whom his wife had chosen when he'd last met her!

But he didn't have long to think as Shruthi rushed to him, her baby bump visible.

"Bhai! Kaise ho?" she beamed, and Dharam smiled and hugged Shruthi

"Hey man, sup?" Abhi was next, and Dharam shook hands with Abhi as he too went forward to greet him.

"Arre Dharam bhai lagta hai mujhe toh aap bhool hi gaye ho?! Dharam bhai, looks like you've forgotten me!" Nikhil pouted, making Dharam chuckle - always a dramebaz!

"How's life?" Abhi asked with a knowing look on his face, and Dharam shrugged.

It felt awkward - he could feel Rohan's eyes on him, the tension thick in the air.

But there's no point avoiding what must be faced, Dharam thought, and finally, trying his best to smile, Dharam turned to face Rohan, who looked taken aback?!

But Rohan put his hand forward, and the men shook hands, tension in the air increasing ten fold!

Dharam however couldn't help notice the change in Rohan - he'd seen Rohan before - Rohan Kapoor, actor, model, photographer! The man was always shirtless on one or the other billboard, even outside of India!

But now he knew Rohan as his wife's ex boyfriend - his wife's choice if she had it her way!

The last time Dharam had seen Rohan this close, Rohan had seemed broken - as though he had no will to live - the way Dharam felt now in the present!

But now, gazing at Rohan, he couldn't help feel how the man is almost unrecognizable!! Rohan's face looked at least 10 years younger, a twinkle in his eyes, and most of all, an aura of happiness.

Dharam couldn't help but wonder - what has changed?

As they shook hands, Dharam gazed at his eyes, and expected to feel a pang of jealousy - this is the man his wife chose at the moment when she knew all is done-for afterall!!

But all Dharam felt was awe - of how he too wanted to feel this happy and radiate happiness! He used to be like this at one point, Dharam reminded himself!

And in that moment he'd decided what he would do the moment he got back home - that phone-call to Dr.Priya Desai!

As Shruthi steered him into the house, Abhi and Nikhil too moved with him, all sitting around him at the sofa and talking to him!

But Dharam kept shooting furtive glances at Rohan - he also remembered Kunal's words from the previous evening - Gayathri had been dating Rohan even after they'd gotten engaged.

It was his fault Dharam realized - had he not agreed to marry Gayathri, she'd have had ended up with Rohan probably. 

Was he the reason why Rohan too had suffered for the past six years?! Had he come in between lovers?!

Was this Karma then? Karma for having separated Gayathri from Rohan six years ago?

"You want to talk to Rohan?" Shruthi's voice made Dharam turn to gape at her in shock - how did she know what he was thinking?

"I need to apologize to him" Dharam mumbled.

They all turned to stare at him in confusion.

"I'm the reason she broke up with him! And that karma has finally caught up with me" Dharam smiled sadly.

At this, the others scoffed.

"He's not the same Rohan he was when you'd last met him!!" Shruthi added, with a twinkle in her eyes. The others smirked, as though sharing a private joke.

"He's long forgotten her! Celibacy my ass!" Nikhil muttered under his breath, making Abhi roar with laughter.

Dharam didn't have long to ponder, as Shruthi handed him two mugs of coffee.

"Go talk to him" she urged, indicating Rohan as he stood alone in the balcony, with his back to the living room.

Dharam hesitated only for a minute, before he made his way to the balcony.

The air was cool, full of the sweet chirping of birds as Dharam moved out into the balcony.

Rohan turned, surprised probably, to find him there, but smiled and muttered a word of thanks as Dharam handed him the mug of coffee.

There was pin drop silence between them, the air thick with tension as both sat silently and avoided one another's gaze.

"You um... When did you come to Mumbai?" Rohan broke the silence after a while, gazing at Dharam.

"Yesterday evening" Dharam nodded.

"So how's it like in... I'm sorry, where do you stay now?"

"I'd been staying in Norway for the first few months... Now I've moved to Scottland. I want to settle there but my family... Nothing feels like India anyway" Dharam smiled, his eyes getting that lost look again.

He loved India, yet he hated the place for all the memories he had with his wife here!

"I'd actually moved to Mumbai and drowned myself in work when I broke up with... Hmm.." Rohan cleared his throat. But Dharam stiffened. He just sipped on his coffee and looked away.

The clench was back in his heart and Dharam looked away, Kunal's words from the previous evening revolving in his mind.

"I... When exactly did you two break up?" Dharam asked after a while, looking rather hesitant. He was scared to know the answer, and yet, he knew he'd regret it if he didn't ask this question.

Rohan pursed his lips and then he sighed. The answer would break Dharam, he knew.

"We broke up after her college... After her internship" Rohan whispered, flicking his gaze to Dharam and quickly looking away.

Dharam's heart shattered into s million pieces again. He hadn't believed it when Kunal had told this to him the previous day, but now when Rohan said it... It felt like Gayathri's betrayal worsened a hundred times.

Dharam still hadn't come to terms with the fact that Gayathri had been cheating on him whilst they were married, but to know that they'd infact even begun their relationship with a lie - a lie that she was single and she had never dated before!

Sure, they'd met only a few times before they'd gotten married, but those few times too had meant a lot for Dharam - the knowledge that Gayathri had been two timing him, and Rohan, shattered his heart.

"I can't believe she did that" Dharam whispered, shaking his head and wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes.

The words tumbled out of his mouth because who better than Rohan to understand what it means to be played with?

Rohan too was in the same boat probably. Sure he'd not married Gayathri, but Rohan too had been in love with her! And just like Dharam, his feelings too had been toyed!

"I'd been telling that to myself for six years" Rohan smiled sadly.

Dharam looked at Rohan, long and hard, and then he sighed.

"She'd been cheating on you when she was engaged to me, and then she was cheating on me when she was married to me!" Dharam pinched his eyebrows as tears escaped his eyes.

Rohan gaped at him in shock - how many people's emotions had Gayathri toyed with? No wonder she didn't like media attention - imagine how quickly all her love affairs would have had come to the light if she'd been a person recognized by the media?!

"You really loved her... For so many years... How did you move on?" Dharam asked, looking very helpless.

He realised that he felt comfortable talking with Rohan - he too knew what it meant to be two timed, what it meant to have your emotions toyed with!

Who better than Rohan to help him out then? 

Dharam wanted his pain to end - he was tired of putting up the happy face! He wanted to rest!

"I've tried... But everywhere I look, I see her. I can hear her voice in my head... I can feel her still in my arms... I... I can't forget the first time I told her that I loved her... I can't forget how it felt when I married her" Dharam trailed off, choking and looking away, tears streaming down his face.

Rohan felt very helpless in that moment. What can he say to him? He himself didn't know when and how exactly he moved on from Gayathri. But the moment he met Priya, he felt like he'd been born again. Nothing before that mattered, only Priya mattered!

He opened his mouth to try and say something to ease the poor man's plight, but the door bell rang, drawing his attention.

"... all my friends and family have suggested meeting a psychologist and just talking out my frustration, but how can someone who doesn't know my story help me out?" Dharam went at it.

But to his surprise, Rohan was smiling.

"I am not the right person to answer that... She is..." Rohan smiled at Dharam, indicating Priya, who was now talking to Abhi inside the house before Abhi hugged her and told her something that made her burst out laughing.

Dharam's eyes moved to the two newcomers - the taller of the two girls looked rather familiar, he thought! 

Even before he could say anything else, Rohan excused himself from Dharam and rushed in. He wanted to hold her and get lost in her. He needed her.

Dharam gazed, wide eyed, at the excitement that had suddenly filled Rohan, that shy smile on his face, that twinkle in his eyes.

Rohan's body language seemed to have changed as he rushed inside, to the tall girl's side. 

They were all talking words that Dharam couldn't hear, but Rohan was steering the girl away from the gang, his arm around her waist - it was like the two of them were in a separate world of their own!

The newcomer was saying something and blushing as Rohan kissed the top of her head! 

The sight of these two brought a smile to Dharam's face.

A part of him fell at ease as he understood what the gang had been hinting at earlier - he's not the same Rohan!

Indeed, Rohan was a different man around this girl! He was grinning, blushing, and it seemed like he didn't want to let her out of his arms!

Dharam knew that feeling well - he'd always been shy with PDA even after he'd been married to Gayathri but he knew how he'd always longed to have her beside him!

A part of him still longed to have his wife beside him, have her soft hands brush his hair, hear the soft whisper of her voice!

The sound of the glass door closing brought Dharam abruptly to reality, and he jumped, turning around to find the newcomer walking into the balcony, having just closed the door behind her.  He looked back into the living room, to find the short of the girls talking something animatedly, whilst Nikhil gazed at her with wide eyes, a shy smile on his lips.

Looks like both the men had found someone to love, Dharam thought to himself.

A slight clearing of throat made Dharam turn towards the lady standing in the balcony, gazing at him with an expression he couldn't really understand.

She had a sweet smile playing across her lips, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she approached him.

"Hi.. I've not met you before!" Priya smiled at Dharam, who got up and straightened himself.

"I'm Dharam Jha, Kunal and Naina's brother in law" the words tumbled out of his mouth, and he stiffened.

But composing himself with difficulty, he tried to smile.

"I'm Dharam" he smiled, moving his hand forward and Priya shook it, still smiling at him. She didn't comment on the awkward moment he thought.

"I'm Priya" her name made his eyes go wide. Priya, that name was familiar he thought.

But as his eyes moved all over Priya's face, realization suddenly crashed on him - as to where he'd seen her before!!

Dr. Priya Desai - the same person who's blog Dharam had been staring for the better part of that day!

"Doctor Desai?" He raised his eyebrow as she sat on the chair facing him.

"Yes" Priya blinked at him - how did he know her name? Was he expecting her?

"My friend Max... Jacob Max? He speaks very highly of you" Dharam smiled.

"Jacob? Oh yeah... He's your friend?" Priya blinked at him.

"My best mate! He has been pestering me from a long time to come and meet you actually" Dharam smiled at Priya, who nodded.

"How's he doing? I got so caught up with work and what not, haven't caught up with him or Rebecca in ages!" Priya chuckled.

"They're doing well, actually Max is planning to pop the question real soon!" Dharam chuckled too.

"Ah finally!! The last time I'd spoken to Rebecca, she said she'd found a ring box in his sock drawer!" Priya grinned, to which Dharam burst out laughing.

"Max thinks she has no idea!" he rolled his eyes.

"They're a cute couple" Priya smiled.

"The two of you also make a cute couple!" Dharam smiled at Priya, a knowing look on his face.

At this, Priya blushed hard, and then she chuckled.

"How is Mumbai? I hear you love India even though you were born and brought up in Scotland?" Priya smiled at Dharam, who's smile faltered and he looked away.

"Love the weather, the air, the people, but it's full of memories" Dharam sighed.

"The reason it's called a memory is because you can choose to either remember it, or chose to let it go" Priya's words made him frown.

He pondered over her words, till they made sense - of course, he could keep reminiscing the memories with his wife, or he could choose to move on.

But before he could say anything else, the door to the balcony opened again, and Rohan entered, carrying a mug of coffee.

He smiled at Dharam, handing the cup to Priya before kissing her forehead and walking away, closing the door behind him.

"Is he jealous?" Dharam peered back at Rohan's retreating figure through the balcony glass wall. Dharam would have been jealous if he were in Rohan's place he thought - given how Gayathri had ditched Rohan to marry him! 

"He has no reason to be jealous. He knows I... Hmm.." Priya bit her lip, blushing as Dharam grinned at her.

It made sense to Dharam - when you're in love, and you understand one another, of course there's no room for jealousy - probably why he was never insecure whenever Gayathri moved out of town for work - she'd travel alone all over the world naming project mergers and what not, and Dharam was never jealous or insecure because he had trusted her - he'd thought that she loved him just as much as he'd loved her!

And then Dharam's eyes moved over to Priya, at the shy smile on her face as she kept shooting furtive glances towards Rohan, sat inside in the living room.

He realised that he and Gayathri had never had this phase - this dating phase, the phase where just a gaze would melt you into a puddle.

Of course, he had felt all that, but he wondered - had Gayathri never felt it, even for a second?!

"I heard from Shruthi that he used to be miserable before... Because of... Hmm I'm sorry..." Dharam bit his lip, voicing the thought that had been nagging inside his head.

"How does he seem to you now?" Priya smiled reassuringly at Dharam.

"He seems happy.. and contented" Dharam nodded, smiling wistfully. How he wished that the ache in his heart too would disappear, and that he too could be happy?!

"That's what happens when you leave the past where it belongs - in the past. And you move on, embracing the present with open arms" Priya winked at him.

Dharam pondered over her words, and finally nodded - leave the past in the past.

"Things fall apart to make way for better things. At the moment we may not be able to see what the better thing is, but it'll happen, soon" Priya added.

Dharam raised his eyebrow.

"How do you know that?" he asked, sounding surprised.

"How do you not know that things won't work out?" she smirked.

Dharam frowned, his eyebrows knotted with concentation.

"We go to sleep at night, making plans for tomorrow. But how do we even know that we'll wake up tomorrow?" Priya added, smirking at Dharam.

He turned to blink at her, and shook his head.

"There are always two ways to look at things, either be optimistic, or pessimistic. Situations are not under our control, ever! And things will happen the way they are meant to happen. Nothing is going to change it's course just because we want it, will it?" Priya asked.

Dharam shook his head again.

"So, anyway we have to go through shit in life. So instead of being all pessimistic that we have to go through shit, how about being optimistic that we'll go through shit - at least it'll end?" she smiled.

It all seemed so simple the way Priya explained it. But does real life work that way?

"Look Mr. Jha.." Priya began but Dharam chuckled.

"Please call me Dharam! Calling me Mr. Jha makes it sound like I'm 80!" Dharam chuckled, to which even Priya chuckled.

"Okay, look Dharam, we have to go through painful moments in life. For some, it's a broken relationship, for other's it's a dream opportunity that they missed, and for some others it's a lost loved one. You cry over it, party over it or just be nonchalant, time moves in one direction only - forward! So instead of being sad and cranky, enjoy life as it comes! Because good times or bad, this too shall pass!" Priya smiled.

Dharam pondered over her words.

So simple - true, but does reality work that way?

"So you're saying, one shouldn't even mourn?" Dharam asked.

"Mourn, but remember, time is always ticking. Time only moves forward. You mourn that broken relationship, or your loved one, but don't make your life all about mourning!" Priya nodded.

Dharam nodded - his heart felt a bit lighter too.

True, he can be sad about Gayathri, or live his life after having mourned the fact that his wife never really loved him!

"Relationship is a two way street Dharam. Just because we love someone, doesn't mean that they will love us too?! If we love someone, and they don't love us - it's not a relationship! It's just a one sided feeling!" Priya smiled sadly at him.

Her words made him sit straight, a sharp pain in his heart - of course, Gayathri had never loved him!! They were married in the eyes of law, true, and Dharam really did love her too, but she never loved him back!!

Marriage to him was the mating of souls! And though he had been physically intimate with Gayathri, mentally - the level of souls, they'd never been one! She had never loved him!!

As the realisation hit him, tears streamed down his face - their marriage was long over! The past six years were nothing more than Dharam being in love with Gayathri, whilst she - well, she never loved him, did she?

Divorce is just a formality - their marriage was long long over!

To be continued...

A/n - alright, finally, most of the depressing stuff are over at this point. Memories do keep coming back - we are humans after all, but the frequency of the memories become less and less as time goes on.

As Priya says - life only moves forward!

Stay tuned for the next chapter - will try to give a bit of Nikhil Diya too if possible.

Love,
Megha.