Fiddling around his pant pockets a sign of his hiding nervousness. Padamesh ensured both the boxes are intact in his pocket. He wanted to pop “will you marry me?” question tonight to Sweetie. They were in love since past many years. He bought the golden ring for this occasion. Padamesh was confident about the positive answer tonight. He took the box out and open it, Sweetie started jumping out of ecstasy after seeing that ring. She jumped with joy few times and rush into Padamesh arms lick his ears with her tongue and said: “Paddu, we need to break up.”
The voice of Sweetie bought back Padamesh to present. He found Sweetie staring him with eyes wide open across the table at the restaurant they were having dinner. He gave her a nervous smile and started back to focus on his food.
“Did you ever heard what I have said, just now?” Sweetie asked, “and why were you smiling ear to ear with your eyes closed?”
“No, Nothing. I am imagining some forthcoming happy moments,” Padamesh replied, “I read somewhere when you focus on the end results it eventually happens.”
“To hell with your end results.” Sweetie said in raised voice “Paddu, it’s not working anymore, we need to break up tonight.”
“Why? I thought things are going great between us,” Padamesh said with misty eyes, “I love you.”
“I know, but I don’t love you anymore,” Sweetie said, “It’s not that I love someone else, it’s just your lifestyle.”
“I always try to match up to your lifestyle,” Padamesh said.
“You don’t wash your clothes for months and even utensils at your place left unwashed for many days.”
“It’s because I kept busy in washing your clothes and utensils at your apartment.”
“So, it’s all my fault, right?”
“No Sweetie, I will change myself what so ever way you want. We will make it work.” He wants a truce.
“It’s over Padamesh,” she said with a firm voice, “Let’s finish our dinner and I am done with you.”
The restaurant started playing the couple's favorite love song, it was that planned moment when Padamesh wanted to pop that question which is already answered. They started eating silently. Padamesh used these silent moments to come back to senses. He had to come up with a plan to mitigate this breakup.
“Sweetie, please don’t break up like this, I have a better idea,” Padamesh said after some time.
“What you want Padamesh?” was Sweetie’s irritating response.
“You want to break-up that’s fine, we will do it tonight,” Padamesh said with a twinkle in his eyes
“We will follow a process, a breakup process.”
“I am not going to buy any of your idiotic ideas which you call out of the box ideas.”
“No, this time it's innovative, we can be that famous couple to be marked down at breakup history.”
“Ok, I am all ears.”
“You being an HR what you do when you fire someone on the humanitarian ground?”
“We give him some notice period to help him find another opportunity.”
“Exactly. Since you are firing me tonight, I deserve that notice period on humanitarian ground.”
“What!! This doesn't happen in break-up else it’s not a breakup.”
“Why not? Consider this break up as either you have put the resignation to leave my services or you have relieved me of all your duties henceforward.”
“You have a point, but…”
“We will break up for sure but will follow the process based on IT Industries attrition.”
“What will be the process?”
“After tonight we will remain couple with minimum obligations and will be free to search for love or plan for next phase of life until predefined Notice period. If one of us find someone before that Notice period then also the person will still serve that notice period, if the one who initiated this breakup insists. Early releases may possible which we can decide later.”
“In layman’s point of view, post tonight we will stick together but I am free to find your replacement and you are free to find mine. Irrespective of we find our new partner or not, we will stick together till the notice period completes. So, you will still do my dishes and wash my clothes during this period, Right.?”
“Off-course yes,” Padamesh said with a delight, “I also expect all the services from your side too. You know, the employee does receive full salary and give all services during the notice periods. So, your place or mine?”
“Wait!” Sweetie interrupted, “what will be the notice period?”
“3 Months,” he said, “that’s the standard all Indian IT company follows now a day.”
“Your place is too dirty, mine will be fine,” Sweetie said. “I have lots of clothes and dishes pending to wash. No hurry! You can wash them in the morning before we head towards the office. Paddu, don’t forget to make my favorite breakfast.”
“I told you many times, don’t call me Paddu,” Padamesh said, “It sounds so airy.”
“That’s short form of your name, you know that,” Sweetie said with a giggle.
Padamesh released the sigh of relief. He was wondering all these times how to return the ring without getting caught by the judgemental eyes of shopkeepers. The biggest problem was the pack of the sheath in his other pocket, which doesn't have any return policy. If his trick would not have worked, he had almost made his mind to sell that pack at OLX, Quicker or Craiglist as the last course of action. Thanks to this notice period, his investment on safe sex is now safe.
Go to the Next Part (The Love Hunt)
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©Tapas Majumdar, Not for reproduction without Author's permission.
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