Bride in Border

It’s been almost 6-7 days since I had slept properly. I’ve been haunted by so many weird dreams. It has not happened in last six years or so. This kind of sleep was totally unusual for me. I’ve never tried this over the last 6 years, sleeping in such a place. I always used to hear the sounds of cannon’s and rifles during my sleep and mostly it would end up in sleepless nights once we get an order for our regiment from our battalion. Things were quite routine and unexpected for me. I happened to choose this profession on my own without anyone’s intervention and I’m happy serving the nation.
It’s been almost more than 6 years I’ve joined military and I like the way I’ve taken my life. The only person who was unhappy in this whole earth was my mom. I’m the only relation left in the world for her and she don’t want to lose me as well. I remember the last time I visited home, she wanted me to get married and stay with her that was almost 2 years ago. I haven’t thought about my marriage for a long time, I thought I’ve been born to serve the nation and nothing else apart from that. She had even insisted me for asking a change in location where I work. But this is not a corporate job, where you have the options to choose your location of work. It was quite understandable from my mother’s point of view, but working in Kashmir border was a dream come true for me. I can proudly say that even I’m the part of a great team that’s protecting our nation at the border. During my initial days at the border I was a little bit moved when I had to shoot a women terrorist, but it was for protecting my nation and my people. After that I haven’t worried on any other instance.
I’ve come down to visit my mom for a 15 day vacation and it’s already 7 days over. My mom wished I had taken another 10 days in additional, so that she can spend some time with me. All these 7 days the only topic she would start as soon as the sunrise was about my marriage and even my answer would be of the same format ‘No’. But this time I somehow gave her a positive reply regarding my marriage and she was happy on that. Unless and until I like the girl, I won’t marry her was my only condition and my mom agreed for that as well. My mom was about to start looking for a bride, when I told her that I’ve seen a girl already and have thought of marrying her. I’ve never seen my mom so much elated and she started asking about the girl.
I won’t say that she was my first love, since I already had two girlfriends. I mean my 6mm pistol and my rifle. I happened to see her around 1 am about to cross the border. She was about to be taken as hostage, where I saved her from those terrorist. I took her to our regiment and started to enquire about her whereabouts and how she got into their hands. She was living in one of the few houses near the border and had been in house arrest by the terrorist for almost two days. I was glad that we shot all the four of them and saved the life of this girl. She begged me to enquire about a person showing his photo. Since we had to report this incident and surrender her to our headquarters in the morning, I thought there was quite a bit of time left with us to find about that person.
The weather in the border is quite unpredictable as it started to snow. Not even a single soul in this earth would dare to step out, but we are being used to it. I’ve asked my lieutenants to find about the guy whom she had asked to. I was given instruction to take her to our head quarters 2 days later because of the bad weather. I won’t say those were two beautiful days in my life, but it was kind of altogether two different days for me. She was lying in one corner like a puppy and weeping all the day. For a person like me, handling guns and rifles were easy than speaking to a girl. I don’t know how to start, what to ask and moreover how to console her. I lit the fire in one corner and sat next to it with a cigar in my mouth. I gave her few breads in which she took only a little and continued her weeping which was left undone. I soon gathered courage and started speaking to her. More than casual talks it was like an enquiry and I knew I was like that. I don’t know whether my words had any magic, but was sure that it made her stop crying. I started speaking to her for almost 3 hours. Soon she started getting a little, very little comfortable with me and started to speak with me which I hoped shouldn’t have happened. First time in my life, I’ve started to like a girl and speak with her. The first few words which came from her mouth made me totally off.
There was a message for me from one of my lieutenant and I had to leave immediately. She was more scared at that time and didn’t want me to leave her, she was again in tears and I realized this time it was for me. This was the second unusual thing for me, the first being speaking to her. She felt so lonely thinking she was the only soul left on the earth. I assured her that I would be back in a very little time.
All the while, heading towards the place I was haunted by those ruthless words from her. She told that she was married and was staying with her husband in that border house. The only relation she had on this earth was her husband since she was an orphan. The guy whom she had asked me to enquire was her husband who had escaped when she along with her husband was about to be taken as a hostage. She even feared that he might get killed, since he had escaped (women’s instinct). First time in my life I cried inside when I heard that she was married. I dont know why, may be i was in love.
I reached the place and found there were some foot mark traces. I asked my lieutenants to go and take care of her since she was left all alone and since they were involved in the search for almost 10 continuous hours. Few hours later I reached the regiment and she was so happy to see me. Alas! Her happiness didn’t last longer when I gave her news that her husband was dead and his body was lying in a very bad position. She couldn’t control her tears and started crying like her whole world has ended. I was unable to console her at this very moment and felt sorry for her.
A day later, we along with her husband’s dead body reached the head quarters. She was left with no hope in life and that’s where I took the decision of marrying her. It was certainly unfair from my side to ask her to marry me since she it was hardly a day she lost her husband. After 4-5 hours of continuous struggle in consoling her she agreed, that was one of my beautiful moment in life. I got permission from my general and he was really proud and happy of my decision in marrying her. I immediately got 15 days leave and went home to see my mom.
My mom after hearing all this was feeling bad for what had happened to her and was so much happy with the decision of mine. She immediately wanted to see her daughter-in-law. After all the process and formalities got over in our head quarters, she reached my place on the 8th day. My mom had arranged the marriage and it was so simple and a happy moment for all the 3 of us. A few of my comrades had visited my place for this occasion. I sent a letter back to my general through one of my lieutenant.
This was one of my beautiful; I would rather say the best night in my life, sitting in front of me was the cutest soul. I tried directly looking into her eyes, but I couldn’t. I wanna confess something to her, but something is stopping me from doing that. I really have to confess else I won’t be able to sleep properly, and would end up getting all those weird dreams. I wanted to hold her face in my hands and want to say that, sweetheart please forgive me, I’ve done the worst thing in the world and you’re the reason for that. I don’t know why I did that, but I was left with no other option. I shot your husband on that day. You are the only reason for that, it’s just a matter of few hours that day you stole my heart. I shouldn’t have even thought of doing that, but I was helpless. It’s just a matter of few hours I became a hostage to you and don’t want myself to get released but there was a barrier in the form of your husband and I ought to break that for you. I loved you more than anything and wanted you as my wife. I’m really sorry. But before I could start saying anything, my mom called and told that I’ve got a call from my general in a happy tone. My General has accepted my resignation. I may not be a sincere military officer but I would definitely be a good husband.