Last Message..

(This story is a continuation of the 2nd part of the story. Please read the 1st part and 2nd part also)

Part 1 - Unusual Train Story

Part 2 - Ultimate B'day Gift
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“Take care ma”, smiled Amma looking towards Madhu.

“and you drop her and come back.. Don’t disappear with your friends”, reminded amma to Sam.

“Ok ma..”, replied Sam. “Chalo”, spoke Sam to Madhu.

Awesome day!! Pure Awesome..

“So what do I get as a gift for my ring”, winked Sam.

“Nothing that you want me to give..You naughty boy..”, smiled Madhu and they laughed off.


“Never do you come on time”, complained Madhu’s mom, Ganga.

‘Such a nice family.. Lovely sis and amma’.. Madhu thoughts went back to the day’s events.

“Hello.. Come back from the dream world..”, shouted Madhu’s mom. “Shekar, how did we get this in-disciplined girl to us.”

“Why ask me. You should ask yourself. How much your mom would have said the same thing!!”, chuckled Shekar.

“Oh! Shut up”, quipped Ganga.

Madhu smiled. She was still lost in her own world.


“Sunday mornings are always hectic. This girl and her dad are useless. I have to do all the job. And I don’t know what has happened to this girl.. Always lost in some thoughts. And this man keeps supporting her”, murmured Ganga under her breath.

“Ok listen. Anjana has called me for pradosham abhishekam at Mylapore temple. I am going. I have made some idlis. Eat them”

Getting no reply from her girl and dad, she shouted again, “You both listening?”

“Ya ya.. you go.. we will take care”, replied Shekar.

Madhu checked her watch. It was 9:30 am. She was so used to hearing her mom voice in her home that her home suddenly seemed so empty.

“Shall we eat?”, spoke Shekar.

“Ya pa. I will put the plates.”, rushed Madhu to help her dad.

Ganga never understands Madhu properly thought Shekar. Madhu is so good.

They both sat in the dining room to eat. They just started to eat when the door bell rang.

Appa pushed his chair back when Madhu spoke, “ Appa, you eat, I will see..”

Madhu opened the door and she froze.

“Hi Darling..”, murmured Sam.

“Who is at the door?”, spoke Shekar.

“Nothing pa. My friend..”, replied Madhu.

“What the hell are you doing here? Go back..”, murmered Madhu uneasily.

“Came here to meet my mamanar..”, smiled Sam.

“Who is at the door ma..”, spoke Shekar as he walked towards the door.

“It‘s my .. my friend appa.. Sam..”

“Come in pa.. Why are you standing outside”

Sam came in slow motion with his right leg and smiled at Madhu. I also know superstitious stuff..

‘Ithu veraya’ thought Madhu.

“You eating? Hot idlis pa.. very famous in my home. Madhu should have told you that”, spoke Shekar.

“No Uncle. She never tells me that. Did you cook this Madhu?”, teased Sam.

“Cooking.. Madhu....“, laughed her dad.

“Dad, you also joined him in teasing me”, whined Madhu.

“Sari.. Sari.. lets eat”, spoke Shekar. “Get.. what’s your name.. yes.. Sam.. a plate”.

They started eating. Sam liked the idlis. They were great.

“So how has your day come along, my boy”, spoke Shekar.

“I went to the Mass prayers and I just came by”, replied Sam.

Madhu was very happy that Sam and her dad got along so well. She was always worried about whether Sam would be a right fit into her home.

“Actually I want to speak with you one thing uncle..”. Sam looked at Madhu and then at her dad and he continued, “I love your daughter.. and I want to marry her..”

Madhu dropped the piece of idli that she had in her hand. Shekar paused for 5 seconds, stared at Madhu and started eating. Madhu bent her head down. There was tension all over the place.

“Uncle..”, started Sam again.

“Let us meet up in the hall”, intervened Shekar and he got up to wash his plates.

Madhu stared at Sam. She was damn angry. ‘He will never understand. Always in hurry’

All three of them sat in the hall. Sam smiled at Madhu while she was still staring at him.

“See Sam. I don’t know about you. Neither has my girl told me about you.”, spoke Shekar. He continued, “You know what problem we could face by this marriage. I am a realistic guy. I just have to tell you that this will not work out.”

Sam’s smile faded away. Madhu was also worried. Why are all the people in this world against inter-religion marriage..

“Appa, Sam is a very good guy pa”, spoke Madhu.

Shekar stared at her.

“I will keep Madhu like my princess, uncle. Please give me once chance. We can meet again and speak uncle”, spoke Sam trying to calm things down.

“How many ever times we meet,this is my decision”, announced Shekar. He continued,
“Sam, Can you do me a favor?”

“Yes uncle..”, replied Sam.

“Please don’t talk with her after this”, requested Shekar. He continued, “I think it’s time for you to leave..”. Shekar got up. Sam also followed. Madhu still sat and looked down in despair.

Sam looked at Madhu and then at Shekar and left the place.

“Let Ganga not know this. Too much trouble for her”, spoke Shekar and went inside the bedroom. Madhu just nodded her head.


“Unna yaruda anga po sonna. Periya hero va nee”, spoke Bharath angrily. Sam and Bharath had been best buddies for 20 years.

“Illa da.. I just wanted to speak. That fella would not even listen to my words”, quipped Sam.

“What do you expect him to do when somebody asks him his daughters’ hand. Will he say.. here is my daughter.. take her??”, shouted Bharath. He continued, “You always take decisions without asking anybody. Sari.. now what shall we do? You called Madhu?”

“I called her 25 times. She is not picking up the call”, spoke Sam sadly.

“Ok. Let us leave it at that. We will get back after two days. Don’t call her. Think about her situation also”


Sam pulled up his bike from the parking lot. The rain pelted hard on his raincoat. One kick. Two kicks.. What the hell.. why don’t you start up.. You are also giving me problems like Madhu and her appa.. And these rains .. always come at the wrong time.. who needs rains now.. One more kick.. vrrroomm.. Sam sped off to his destination.

There she is.. not picking my calls.. not smsing..

“Hi”, waved Sam as he reached the bus stop.

Madhu looked away in another direction. Sam parked his bike behind the bus-stop. This girl is so arrogant.

“Hi..”, spoke Sam, waving his hand in front of her.

“I don’t want to speak with you”, replied Madhu furiously.

The 12B bus screeched as it came to halt. Madhu got into it. Sam turned back to start his bike. He then paused, took the bike keys from the bike and jumped into the bus as it was about to take off.

Madhu looked surprised to see Sam. He looked at her and stared.

“Enga poganum”, spoke the conductor to both of them.

“Two tickets.. K.K.Nagar..”, spoke Sam.

“One ticket for me to K.K.Nagar”, spoke Madhu as she handed the conductor the change.
Sam just stared at her.

Madhu went to the first seat and sat. It was all wet inside the bus. Sam walked up front and stood beside her. The bus stopped at a signal. Sam bent down to Madhu and spoke, “I am sorry. If that is what you want to hear. We will speak with your dad”, assured Sam.

Madhu just stared. “You will never understand”, she replied.

“What don’t I understand? Explain to me..”

“Who asked you to come yesterday?”

“I was going home after Sunday mass and just passed by your home”

“Who prays at Velachery and passes through K.K.Nagar to go to T.Nagar?”, quipped Madhu.

“Sari ok. What should I do now?”, questioned Sam.

“Just go away!!”, shot back Madhu.

What the hell.. I am speaking so politely and she is speaking like this..

Sam turned back and jumped out of the bus at the next stop. Tears started rolling down Madhu’s eyes and she bent down and cried. Sam walked back to his bike. Frustrated and angry, he decided that he would never speak with Madhu again.


“So you are going now?” questioned Bharath.

“Ya da.. Project manager putting tons of pressure.. I have to go”, replied Sam.

“You directly say na.. that you are going because of your fight with Madhu. Why drag your PM into this?”

“You can say whatever you like, but I am definitely going”

“Did you call her after that?”

Sam started at Bharath and looked down. “Ya da, two times.. she will not pick up any of my calls.. I guess.”

“You are lying machan..”

Sam dialed Madhu’s number and gave the mobile to Bharath. Madhu’s mobile rang. Bharath spoke up then, “Hello..”. He got shocked to hear a young male’s voice on the other end. The call then got cut. Both Bharath and Sam were shocked.

“I don’t know what is going on here da.. But something is seriously wrong.. Sari what date are you leaving?”

“31st December”, replied Sam.


‘All bad things happen fast’ Madhu’s thoughts raced fast.

“Give me your mobile. I want to make an urgent call to Kalyani’s mom..”, spoke Ganga.

“Amma I lost my mobile”, replied Madhu. “Lost it into the bus yesterday.”

Ganga started scolding Madhu. Madhu was lost in the sea of words.


‘It has been about 3 weeks and Shekar hardly speaks with Madhu’ thought Ganga.

“How is dinner?”, questioned Ganga to both of them at the dinner table.

No replies from dad or her girl.

“Is anybody dead here?”, questioned her mom again.

Madhu left her chair and washed her plates and went inside her bedroom.

“What has happened to this girl?”, spoke Ganga to Shekar.

“I will tell you everything later da..”, replied Shekar.


‘Ah!! Why are the lights still on.. what time is it.. 2am.. what is anybody doing at 2 am at night’ thought Shekar as he came out into the living room.

He saw Madhu sitting in front of the pooja room with her eyes closed. Tears rolled down her eyes. She spoke with eyes closed, “forgive me lord, I have pained my dad a lot”.

Tears rolled down Shekar’s eyes. He sat next to his daughter and touched her head and gently laid it on his chest. Madhu hugged him and sobbed.

“So when is he going to US?”, questioned Shekar.

“Today..In 1 hour..”, replied Madhu.

“What?”

“Yes pa”

“Ok. Get dressed. We will meet him now..”,

Madhu was startled. “But amma…”

“I will take care of her..”, replied Shekar.


They reached the airport in half an hour. There was heavy security and nobody was allowed to go into the boarding area. Madhu looked around desperately searching for Sam. She saw Bharath. She asked him where Sam was and Bharath motioned towards Sam entering the boarding terminal. That was the last she saw of him.

Madhu started crying again. Bharath gave her an envelope.

Madhu saw the words “Last Message” written on it. She hurriedly opened it. She found a sheet of paper and read it. She fell down to her knees.

Shekar gently grabbed the paper from her hands. It read, “Bye.. Forever..”
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