Elevator Encounters (Completed)

Some people come in your life as blessings and some come as lessons!!

"I am sorry Radha, I don't think this is working out between us" the words kept hammering in her mind as Radha Balgopalan, a 25 years old nutritionist sat on the bench in the Cubbon park in Bangalore.

She had her life planned when she left home to graduate in Nutrition and Dietetics from the esteemed University of Edinburgh, UK and had a steady relationship with her boyfriend Kunal, whom she had met on her first day at the University. He was there to study Law and both were from the same small town of Hubli.

She had mapped her life thinking of graduating at 23 and working for 2 years before tying the knot with Kunal as they had discussed and decided to settle in Bangalore after they graduated.

She returned back to Bangalore and joined the Apollo hospital as a nutritionist and free lanced in the evening. Her world revolved around her work and long calls with Kunal. She was happy in her space and had no time to mingle with friends or even family. Her parents kept complaining that she hadn't visited them since almost a year and every time she would come up with an excuse.

Kunal was still in Edinburgh as it was his final semester and Radha would sense every time they skyped that Kunal was getting detached from here, she blamed it on her insecurities until one day he spilled the beans.

"Radha" he said, inhaled and continued "Radha, actually I have been trying to tell you since long but" he tried speaking but couldn't do so as Radha intervened asking "What happened Kunal?" completely oblivious to what was in store for her.

"I am sorry Radha, I don't think this is working out between us" he said in a rush and Radha shook her head asking "What? What's not working? Come again"

"I said this thing is not working between us and I feel we should break up" Kunal repeated and Radha froze on the spot unable to digest the news. Tears moist her eyes as she asked "But why Kunal, we were good, right?"

Kunal was speechless as he was guilty when Radha finally asked "Have you found someone else?"

He was still speechless when she yelled and asked "Kunal? I am asking you something, dammit answer" and he whispered "Yes"

Radha closed her eyes, gulped in the pain and disconnected the call staring at the big chart of food pyramid hanging on the door of her clinic. She was lifeless as her assistant Ruhi walked in asking "Ma'am, may I leave?"

Ruhi looked at Radha's shaken face and asked again "Ma'am may I leave please?" and Radha jolted back to reality and shook her head whispering a "Yes"

She walked back home which was hardly a few blocks away and settled on her couch opening the dams of tears of pain and betrayal. She sobbed hugging her knees and thought of the good times she shared with Kunal and wondered how she would ever forget him.

Days passed by with her living like a zombie, as every evening she left the hospital, she would sit on the bench in the Cubbon Park and wait for Kunal's call but, she knew he won't call anymore. Days of anticipation, that he would change his mind and call her to apologize gave her hopes every morning but only to disappoint her further.

It was one winter evening and Radha after leaving the hospital sat on the same bench feeling hopeless and selfless. She blamed herself for the break up thinking maybe she was not good enough for him, only if she had lost a few extra pounds that he would have loved her or maybe if she had learnt to cook his favorite dish. But thoughts of worthlessness never left her and she walked towards the hospital building again and entered the elevator thinking to do the worse. She wanted to end her life and she pressed the top floor button of the elevator as an old woman and a mid-aged man entered along with her.

The elevator halted at the second floor and a young teenage boy stepped into the elevator. He looked around and smiled at the old lady who smiled back and they stood facing the door when all of a sudden, the elevator bounced and jerked to a stop. The lights went off and the mid aged man quickly switched on his mobile light and tried pressing the help button but it was a complete black out.