Sandeep woke to the soft chime of his phone vibrating on the small desk, the morning sun barely peeking through the curtains. Still feeling dizzy, he reached for the phone and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the name on the screen—Vrinda.
For a brief moment, hope flared in his chest. Maybe, just maybe, she was calling him. Maybe she wanted to talk about things, to reconnect, to tell him something—anything—that would break the silence between them. His fingers hesitated over the screen as his pulse quickened. But when he finally answered, his heart fell slightly, the surge of excitement settling into something gentler. “Hello?”
“Good morning, Dad!” It was Vaishak’s voice, cheerful and lively, instantly brightening the room. Sandeep smiled, his initial disappointment fading into warmth. “Of course, it’s Vaishak” he thought, and though he missed Vrinda deeply, hearing his son’s voice was enough to make the moment better.
“Morning, champ!” Sandeep sat up, his voice taking on a more playful tone.
“How’s my little footballer doing?”
“School’s boring as usual,” Vaishak groaned in his usual dramatic way, “But guess what, Dad? I scored two goals at practice yesterday!”. Sandeep’s pride swelled. “Two goals? That’s amazing!, Can’t wait to see a Big European Club knocking on our door”
Vaishak’s excitement soared. “Shut up dad!! Don’t be unrealistic.” Sandeep grinned, loving how football always brought them closer.
Their conversation flowed easily, as it always did. Vaishak was full of stories from school, practice, madrid and Sandeep eagerly listened, happy to hear the joy in his son’s voice. But as the conversation started to wind down, Sandeep’s thoughts drifted back to Vrinda. He hesitated for a moment before finally asking.
“So…umm how’s your mom? Is she doing okay?”
Vaishak’s response was brief, almost routine. “She’s fine. Busy with work as always.”
Sandeep nodded, though his chest tightened at the mention of her. “That’s good… that’s good,” he replied softly, his mind drifting to thoughts of Vrinda. They spoke a little longer. Their conversation wrapping up with a light-hearted goodbye.
As Sandeep hung up, he sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the phone in his hand. The initial excitement he’d felt upon seeing Vrinda’s name lingered, now mixed with the familiar ache of longing. He missed her. More than he could ever say. With a deep sigh, Sandeep stood and made his way to the bathroom. The splash of cold water against his face did little to shake the memories that clung to his thoughts. He couldn’t help but think about Vrinda—her laugh, the way she used to wake him up, the drives they had together to the clinic. Even now, after all these years, her absence left
a void that nothing else could fill.
As he got dressed, pulling on his formal shirt and tying his shoes, Sandeep’s mind drifted further back. They had been so happy once. He could still remember those days in medical school, when they were young, ambitious, and in love. Vrinda had been his everything, and she still was, even after the divorce. He thought about her constantly, wondering if she missed him too.
Sandeep sighed as he grabbed his keys and stepped outside into the crisp morning air. The streets were already bustling, the hum of the city in full swing. He drove his car to his clinic. He still didn’t know what went wrong between them—why their love had crumbled under the weight of professional egos and emotional misunderstandings.
As he started driving to his clinic, the memories followed him, like shadows he couldn’t escape. He thought about their son, Vaishak, and how much he loved being a father. He thought about the early days when they were a family, before everything fell apart. There had been so much happiness, so much promise. But somewhere along the way, things changed. They argued more, worked longer hours, and stopped finding time for each other.
Neither of them wanted to admit it, but the separation became inevitable.The guilt gnawed at him. He had been too focused on his career, on being the best doctor he could be. He wasn’t there when Vrinda needed him most, and now, every day, he regretted the choices they both made. If
only things had been different.
Sandeep clenched the steering wheel, his heart heavy with regret. He hadn’t wanted the divorce—neither of them had—but they felt trapped by their circumstances. Two doctors, both ambitious, both struggling to balance their careers and their marriage. In the end, it was easier to walk away than to keep trying. Could they have made it work if they’d just tried a little harder? Could they have saved their love if they hadn’t let pride and stubbornness get in the way? He thought about the life they once had, and about the life they might still have, if only things were different. He thought about their son, and how much he still loved her. And though he knew they were separated, though they both lived their lives apart, he couldn’t help but wonder—did Vrinda still think of him the way he thought of her?
He arrived at the clinic. With a heavy sigh, Sandeep finally stepped out of the car and locked the door behind him. Sandeep shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. He had patients to see, responsibilities to handle. With deep breath he entered his clinic ready for his duty.