Boston, USA

"Hey Rads.......come on..... don't try to avoid me. See even my boyfriend is here to take you out there." Miley's constant pleading was not at all affecting Radhica but she was unable to sleep peacefully.

"Miley, let me sleep, girl. Please..... don't drag me."

Hearing the broken voice Liam whispered something in Miley's ears and moved away from the doorstep.

"Fine Rads, Liam has left I would leave too. Would you at least open the door to have a look at my dress and fix if something is wrong?" Miley's droopy voice reached Radhica's ears and she stood from her bed to open the door. As soon as she opened the door Miley as usual jumped on her by hugging her tightly.

"Girl, careful. You might end up destroying your dress and all."

Miley put her tongue out and walked towards her. Holding her hands she spoke softly,

"Rads... "

"Miley... No... Not again the same request. I will not come with you....."

Radhica waved her hands while cutting her friend in between to tell her decisions firmly.

"Fine. But have you thought for once that you haven't come out from your past? You are still holding to your past."

"No. Miley I have already moved on." Her shaky voice failed to denote her determination.

"I can see. I don't know who the dickhead who divorced you. I don't want to know what past you had. All I want to know is whether you have decided to carry forward your life or not."

"Miley, listen to me. It's not.....".

"You listen Miss Topper. Just because you are divorced that doesn’t mean you can't even attend your friend's marriage. Whether broken inside or divorced, flaunt your every flaw. Stop cornering yourself."

Two women of the same age but with different perspectives stood in front of each other. They had their cultural differences but somewhere they had seen each other's hearts. Especially, Miley, she saw her broken but strong. But the only thing that was holding Radhica back was her divorce. Every time she was invited to a marriage she used to avoid showcasing a fake schedule. She considered herself as an unlucky one and never got the courage to enter in such auspicious events. But Miley was equally stubborn. She was ready to bring Radhica out of her fear and black shade.

"You know you don't have any right to make Jena feel bad and also ........"

"I don't have any right to be sad over someone who never cared..... Bla Bla Bla...." Radhica completed Miley's leftover statement and smiled. She knew Miley won't be moving away until she was getting ready to attend the wedding.

"You have half an hour to get ready. Else Liam would leave us both."

Miley threatened Radhica with a light pinch.

"I thought he has already left." Radhica showed a question mark on her face.

"No... That was a small drama." Miley winked at her.

Radhica couldn't help but laugh. She already had a shower. Going through her closet she brought out a peach-colored dress with a flower in the middle. The dress was having an off-shoulder design. Miley helped her with little make-up and hair. While combing her hair she couldn't help but admire.

"You Indians always have such long and beautiful hair. Girl, you have some real charm to bring down a man on his knees."

Laughing at her friend's words Radhica sarcastically said,

"Forget about getting someone on his knees. I couldn't even save my marriage being on my knees for three years."

"That's not your fault dear. He was surely a shit piece who neglected you. And remember maybe he was never a perfect match for you so destiny had just parted you both."

"Maybe true. Leave it. Let's not talk about that." Saying that Radhica stood up from the stool as Miley finished making a nice bun with some fresh white flowers on her head. Her few loose curls were left behind her ears. A pearl necklace took place on her nice open collarbone. Standing up she put on her heels and walked towards the door to go out. Miley was still admiring her. Radhica took a deep breath and remembered something. It was barely 6 months after her divorce when the news hit her badly. The engagement news of Abhimanyu and Enakshi. She still remembered the frontline printed on those leading newspapers of India.

"Found my true love." That statement was passed by Abhimanyu over an interview when he was asked about his engagement. He threw a grand party and arranged a heavy function for his engagement. Enakshi was looking as usual good but Abhimanyu looked different. In the past two years, he had been changed somehow. If he was too happy to do the engagement the why didn't he just expose his divorce with a grand press conference? Why did he silently divorce her and never talk about that? Strange it was but she ignored that. She felt happy for him. At least one of them found the love of their life. Their loveless marriage was nothing but a joke to her. She was wondering if anybody had ever asked him about his previous wife. Did he speak about his divorce with her parents before? The day she signed those papers she left his house immediately. Within a week she managed her US student visa and left for Boston without letting anyone know even her family too. Even after coming back to the US, she used to follow Indian newspapers or television channels to know about him. She had read the news about his temperament losing incident during an interview when a reporter asked him about his previous wife. The reporter went too far by asking whether Radhica had other affair or not due to which he broke the knot. Instead of replying to that question, he threw out the reporter. But why? Radhica asked a lot of time in her mind. He had doubted her always, then why on earth he couldn't bear the same taunt passed by an outsider? Did it hurt? One day Miley saw her sneaking through newspapers and news channels and got to know about that. She didn't ask her anything but made her promise to avoid such things. Miley told her to move forward and if she couldn't leave such a habit of gulping down the news about his ex-husband she won't be able to succeed in moving forward. Following which Radhica stopped that and tried to avoid such things. With time she started losing her concern for that heartless monster. But somewhere deep in her mind, his presence was left. His impression and memories found their way in a small corner of her heart which she decided to not open further.

With time Ian and Austin's arrival in her life made her enough strong to face the reality. She stopped bothering about Abhimanyu and almost forgot him. But the fear of broken marriage always remained inside her. She couldn't get over the fact of being abandoned by someone once she chose to believe. She wouldn't even believe how could a person stoop so low; when she heard the real reason for her marriage. Still, she dreamt of having a family with two children and a loving husband. The only thing she craved from him was a little bit of love and affection with respect. But he failed her in every aspect. Neither he did respect, nor did he love. He did claim only and when the situation came down to his favor he threw her out. Sometimes Radhica asks herself,

"Would you stay even after knowing the truth of your marriage?"

"I wish I could if he would have at least told me, it was a mistake Radhica, I am sorry. Let's start again."

The rotation of this conversation with herself always happened in her pensive mood. But nothing came as a fruitful output. He never said and she never asked. They parted with their reasons. But she was guilty because her little teenage heart skipped a beat when she first saw him. Her innocence found its towards him when she married him. Her first wave of love touched the forbidden shore of Mr. Abhimanyu Awasthi. But her love grew in her and eventually died without even blooming out. And she promised herself that day not to love that man even for a second.

From where the time passed she didn't understand. Liam pulled the car in gave it a valet for parking. They came out and entered the cathedral. Jena was looking breathtaking as usual. Her sparkling eyes could easily share her inner happiness. Jena's boyfriend AKA would-be husband was standing in a black tuxedo. He was an investment banker. As they decided to sit on the first row for the ceremony Radhica looked at Miley to reconfirm whether she should be present during such an auspicious event or not. One hard glare from Miley and Radhica sat like an obedient child. Jena already hugged Radhica for coming down to her wedding with a bucket of thanks. She didn't know her presence could bring such happiness so easily. As the father was mentioning the vows Radhica remembered something from her wedding. Indian weddings are far away different than Christian ones. With each of the vows, she was remembering each "phera" (The circular motion around a small fire that the couple takes during their wedding). Did she miss one out of those 7 rounds (phera)? She laughed mentally. Maybe she took fewer pheras and that led her to the divorce. Sitting there she couldn't help but laugh a bit in her mind. Two years and she was still thinking that as her mistake even after knowing his true colors and lovely affairs. Brushing off her thoughts she gave a big smile to Miley and whispered,

"Thank you for bringing me here."

Miley looked at her with a big question but smiled at her.

"Told you already. You need to come out from your cocoon."

"Yes. True. Not everything could be my fault. I am not a victim of divorce. I am a survivor." Her confident voice shook Miley also but she was happy seeing her gathering confidence over her past trauma. She told her many a time to stop blaming herself. With time finally, she had learned something. Radhica changed a lot in these two years especially after getting Ian in her life. Miley would be the happiest person if Radhica just remarries again keeping her fear away. She just lost her faith in the marriage that she needed to gain back.

"I do," Jenna shouted in a way that Miley felt the whole Boston would hear it well.

Jena's boyfriend Ashton repeated the same thing thrice and as soon as the father stated,

"You may kiss the bride." Ashton jumped to kiss her.

Even during the ring exchanging Ashton was not letting go of Jena's hand. Miley taunt from the first row,

"Hold on brother, you have the whole wedding night."

The cathedral filled with laughter and happy moments. They all congratulated them. As per the rituals, the newly wedded bride threw the flower bouquet that she held in her hand without looking at the crowd. Everyone was standing there and waiting for that to happen. The least bothering person among the crowd was Radhica.

Jena threw the flower bouquet and Radhica didn't even pay that much attention. But suddenly she felt something coming towards her. In a fraction of a second, she just looked up and saw that coming.

"Ohh..." She just extended her palms as it was about to touch the ground and everyone hooted looking at the scene.

The bouquet landed on her hands and Miley was smiling widely seeing that.

"Seems like prince charming is on the way to take our princess."