One particular day, about two decades ago, magically transformed my life forever and I don’t wish to undo what has already been so benignly done by the forces unseen.

Like a gust of soothing and whispering zephyr, she passed by me and I knew that she was the object of my love. Her name was Ramona, a stunningly beautiful girl. Her sudden momentary passage by me left me gasping for breath and it took me a while to come back to myself.

While walking past me, she had momentarily looked in my eyes and I instantly knew that she was the one I was going to spend my rest of life with. But that beautiful encounter did not last long and I was flung back to my lonely reality of my existence.

Perhaps, fortune was in my favour and one evening a friend suggested a night out. Though I did not want to, a distant hope that she could be present there compelled me to acquiesce immediately. One of my friends knew her and my joy was unfathomable when he informed that Ramona was coming to the party.

My fortune’s sun was shining brightly and she was with me in my car a few hours after our meeting. It was going to be a memorable night out. My approach was slow but definitely in the direction of intimacy. I tried to hold her but she was a bit defensive at first.

The romance is enhanced when there is a full moon with the backdrop of lovely mountains. The scene was enchanting and the girl of my desire was sitting next to me. At one lonely place I stopped the car and looked at her. She was more beautiful than I had seen her on our brief encounter. I started to talk to her and I held her hands. There was a false protest at first but then she gave in and our hands were united. She had the softest hands I had ever held in my life. I wished time would stop there and we could remain there till eternity.

My heart was pounding while, holding hands, we were walking around. I had never felt like that for any girl in my life and I was pleasantly surprised. I realized that the emotions which were rising in me were uniquely new to me. I was on top of the world.

That was the night of serene beauty, the night where the grass was green, the night where the moon lit so brightly, the night of enchanting discovery, the night of recovery, the night, as if, specially designed for the young lovers, and the setting was perfect for us to be united.

I did not want to anger her so I did not make any move which could displease her, but when I saw that the vibrations which reached me through her soft hands were positive I advanced a little; I turned to her and put my arms around her. I felt her velvety soft lips on mine and that was my first kiss. There was so much passion in that kiss that I immediately deduced that it was the best kiss I had ever experienced with any girl. However, I was anxiously waiting for the response lest my kiss should displease her in any way. I was thinking whether I had kissed her correctly or I had acted stupidly. It was the kiss of a lifetime for me but I did not know how she felt. She kissed me back but I was unable to draw any concrete conclusion as to the emotion involved. I knew that I was deeply in love with her and many a nights I would be dreaming about her. I was sure that our relationship would last till eternity.

When I reached home I was all flushed, excited, with butterflies in my stomach, not knowing what was happening to me. I was unable to breathe properly, my mind was unable to concentrate on anything, and my heart was not mine. I had experienced the first pangs of love so piously and religiously described by the classic writers and poets of the romantic era.

My parents sensed that something was wrong with me and they began to question me. My mind was too occupied with her thoughts to answer them properly, or to think of any excuses, so I did not say much.

After that we began the exchange of messages and talking on phone. Our nights were mostly spent on the phone, even sleeping on the phone. I was unable to think about anything beyond her.

Three months after our lovers’ days and nights, something happened and it created a distance between us. My parents moved near her family but it took me away from her.

She was studying away from her home. Everything between Ramona’s family and me seemed to be perfect and we would meet discreetly from the family until we were sure mentally that the time was ripe for us to get married. Three years had passed and our love was always growing, thus making each other indispensible.

In Hindu families, culture and religion play a vital role, though many of the traditions are irrational. Young boys and girls were not supposed to exhibit their love in the society. We often met at secret places, often in the darkness of the night. Our long distance relationship continued for years, with I travelling to her on every opportunity that came my way. The feeling of being loved gives a great sense of satisfaction and pride. I was ready to go to any extent to be with Ramona and she knew it.

Her family members knew me well, so I decided to inform them about our relationship. I was sure that there was not going to be any problem from either side. If my parents went to her house and asked for her hand for their son, it would be lot easier. My parents are liberal and they were not surprised when I informed them about Ramona and our decision to get married.

My parents and my sisters discussed the issue and I made my intentions known to them. I confessed my love for Ramona and asked them to ask her parents. Ramona’s father had already passed away so her uncles and mother needed to be consulted in this regard.

One evening, my parents set up a meeting with Ramona’s family and I was also informed to be present there.

While entering her house, I was very uncomfortable and nervous. We took seats in the front hall. Her uncle, an accountant by profession, asked me a few questions which I answered very thoughtfully and appropriately, knowing well that if I displeased him, my plans would be jeopardized.

Though they had known me for years, they were looking at me as if they were meeting a stranger, and it scared me.

One of the uncle asked me how I was going to look after his niece as I had no higher qualification because I had left school early to help my father when he fell ill.

I wanted to answer but my father informed them that I had my own business and all my father’s property would be inherited by me. The answer did not seem to have impressed the uncle very much. Her uncle informed that he had high hopes for his niece and he would prefer someone more professional, with high qualifications, someone like a doctor or an engineer.

I deduced that businessman or being self-employed was not very professional in their eyes. Finally, her uncle asked me how much money I had. I was very upset with that question and I felt as if I was facing an interview for a job. However, I kept my cool and listened carefully everything they had to say. By that time I had realized that her family did not approve of me. It was shocking but it was true.

I thought for a while and then said that I could continue my studies after my marriage but the proposal did not please him. He said that without a profession or a degree life would be very difficult for me.

It was harsh and it hurt deeply because I was not being allowed to marry the woman I loved so much.

In conclusion, her uncles informed us that they would give their decision after a few days. I anxiously began to wait for the result, scared of disapproval. At last they informed that Ramona was too young to get married and they wanted her to complete her studies.

Next time, when we two met, we decided that we would never allow our families to break up the love we shared.

Her uncles sent Ramon back to her mother’s house where she lived with her sisters. The place was about six hundred kilometers away from our town. We did not get discourage and we continued to meet secretly, knowing in advance that the consequences would be bad if we were caught.

Meanwhile I met a girl named Jenna in my town. She proved to be a good friend because she was ready to support me. Whenever I felt depressed, I met her and spoke to Jenna about my inner feelings.

Once I got a chance to meet Ramona at her friend’s wedding. Her friends supported our relationship and hoped we could get married soon. I talked with Ramona there. I was shocked to hear that her uncles had found a suitor for her and he was going to visit her house the following day. I was obviously mad because the uncles had informed us that Ramona was too young to get married but now they had arranged a boy for her. I realized that her uncles were only after the money of the young man and did not care about the feelings of their niece. 

Ramona was crying and she was not ready to go back home. She believed that her marriage was almost an arranged thing. I could not tolerate tears in her eyes. We discussed that the best thing for us was to elope and get married. In this way we would be united forever and then they would not be able to separate us.

I informed a family member of mine and told everything about our predicament. My elders advised me to call Ramona’s home and inform her mother that Ramona was with me. We drove off to the world we did not know anything about but we were happy because we were together. I was advised to inform Ramona’s mother that we were getting married and Ramona would not be coming back home.

Threatening phone calls began to arrive and man hunt was started. My parents were very upset with me and they told me that it was not the right way they had realized. I realized that all my family members, including my family members and distant relatives had been forced to be involved in our issue. They said that I was ruining their prestige and the family name. They began to persuade me to bring the girl back so that they could talk to her uncles and convince them of our love. Many of my relatives began to guarantee that they would talk to her uncles and we would be married.

The increasing pressure on us forced us to postpone our plan.
Chapter Two

A meeting was arranged with her family to hand her back and arrange an engagement the following week. My maternal uncle represented me at this meeting and her uncles were present on her behalf.

It was not a meeting to discuss the matter, rather it was an open threat to me. Her uncles accused me of kidnapping their niece. I was ashamed and I looked in the direction of Ramona but she was too scared to say anything. They took her away and I could not do anything.

I realized that it was my mistake that I had not married her while I could because it was going to be more difficult from then on. I did not give up hope because they told me that they would have us engaged the following week.

I went back home. It transpired that her family had no intentions of ever getting us married. Ramona was banned from leaving the house or even answering the phone she was given. I was almost insane because I was unable to contact her. I had failed my love yet again. In my mind I would apologize to her because she had trusted me and I had not stood up to her expectations. I was supposed to have protected my love.

Her family had called me to a certain place the coming Friday. They got hold of me and assaulted me and then bundled in to the booth of a car. Her uncles beat me severely and I was totally resigned. They made it clear that I was never going to get Ramona.

I was sent back home in the evening. On Monday a policeman came to my house and informed me that I had to visit the police station. I was charged of kidnapping Ramona.

My parents filed a case that her uncles had assaulted me. Finally, they reached an agreement and all charges were dropped. I wanted to get my love back and I was ready to do anything for my Ramona.

Finally, her uncles begged me that they could not get us married. The accountant uncle told me to leave Ramona alone. He said that Ramona had three more sisters and they would all suffer if I pushed harder.

This thing changed my mind. I had failed my love in everything so far. I did not want her sisters and mother to pay for something which they had not done. I was responsible for bringing bad name to their family.

Jenna was always there to console and support me. She understood my feelings. One day I told Jenna that if we hooked up maybe Ramona would forget me and move on to a better life. I told her that I was not the suitable boy for her. I informed Jenna that I wanted the best for Ramona.

Jenna was as if waiting for it and she rushed to me and hugged me. I did not know how it happened but it happened in an instant. We kissed and then we spent the night together.

When I woke up the following morning, I hated myself because I had slept with Jenna, my friend who listened to me in my troubles. I apologized for the outburst. I told her that I loved Ramona more than anything else in this world.

Jenna told me that she loved me and she did not care whether I loved her or not. I looked in her eyes and found the depth of love which I had once seen in Ramona’s eyes. I hugged her tightly and kissed her passionately.

On the other hand, I wrote a letter to Ramona, informing her that we should not be so selfish as to spoil the future of her three sisters. She wrote back and thanked me from her heart. She wanted to meet me.

Her mother was with her when she came to meet me in our house. Her mother embraced me and blessed me. I could see the tears in Ramona’s eyes but those were the tears of love and gratitude.

The mother said, “I know you love my daughter very much but I am happier because you are a great human being. You have saved the lives of her three sisters. No one would have married them in our society if you had eloped and married Ramona…”

I came close to her mother and touched her feet. She put her hand on my head and blessed me.