THE LAST GOOD BY

The Last Goodbye 🌻

Every relationship begins beautifully. But some relationships, even if they don't begin perfectly, leave behind a lifetime of memories. Let me tell you about such a sweet, unexpected connection.

About ten years ago, in a small village, a girl named Sandhya was born. She was an excellent student, deeply passionate about learning. But over time, societal pressures pulled her away from her studies.

On the other hand, there was Aditya—not very academically inclined, but he had an unmatched passion for music. Sandhya faced discouragement from studying, especially from the so-called "elite" of the village. Though not conventionally pretty, Sandhya had an unforgettable presence—her dusky complexion, thick black hair, striking eyes, and a radiant smile made everyone turn to look at her at least once.

As time passed, Sandhya grew up. One day, a matchmaker brought a marriage proposal. The groom was a doctor from a good family in Kolkata, with wealth and status. Impressed, Sandhya’s father agreed to the match. But Sandhya didn’t want to marry. Her dream was to continue studying, get a job, and help uplift the underprivileged people of her village. Still, unable to defy her father’s wishes, she agreed to the marriage.

The wedding preparations went smoothly. Ravi, Aditya’s cousin, was to be her brother-in-law. On the wedding day, tragedy struck. Ravi (the groom), always busy with his medical duties, rushed to the hospital due to an emergency accident case. After wrapping up, while returning home, his car was hit by a bus. He was severely injured.

When the news reached Sandhya's family, their world collapsed. Her family worried that her auspicious wedding time (lagna) would be ruined. But later, they received good news—Ravi had survived with manageable injuries. The wedding was held in a small private ceremony among close family members.

A new chapter began for Sandhya. Ravi’s family, being educated, supported her academic pursuits. She resumed studying with renewed hope. Aditya and Sandhya grew close as friends—they even studied at the same college. Sandhya’s presence encouraged Aditya to focus more on his studies, much to the delight of the family.

One day, Sandhya’s father fell seriously ill, and she returned to the village with Aditya. There, Aditya met Sutapa, Sandhya’s cousin. From the very first meeting, he fell for her but didn’t express his feelings.

Later, after Sandhya’s father recovered, Aditya went to bring her back. He met Sutapa again. Even after returning home, he couldn’t forget her. Eventually, Sutapa came to Sandhya’s wedding anniversary celebration, where she and Aditya bonded more. Though it wasn’t love at first sight, their growing friendship blossomed.

Aditya confided in Sandhya about his feelings. At first, she hesitated but eventually gave her blessing. There were challenges at home, but in time, Aditya and Sutapa’s love triumphed, and they got married. Now, both women lived in the same house as daughters-in-law.

As time passed, Sandhya completed her education and started preparing for government job exams. But trouble brewed. Ravi believed it wasn’t right for her to work, even though he supported her education. They argued constantly.

Despite the tension, Sandhya passed a prestigious government job exam. The family was proud, but Ravi wasn’t happy. Their relationship grew cold. Meanwhile, Aditya and Sutapa had a baby girl. Pressure started mounting on Sandhya to have a child too, but she couldn’t open up about her broken relationship with Ravi.

Ravi started staying out more, spending time at the clinic. One day, Sandhya saw Ravi with another woman in a car. That moment shattered her world. She said nothing but withdrew emotionally.

Aditya sensed something was wrong, but Sandhya remained silent. One evening, she took Aditya and Sutapa out to dinner. They returned late and went to sleep. The next day, Sandhya was missing.

Everyone searched for her but couldn’t find her—until they discovered a letter in her room. It read:

> "I don't know what my mistake was. I only tried to keep my dreams alive. But in the end, I may have lost everything. So today, I’m setting out in search of a new way to live. Please, no one try to find me."

Ravi was devastated. It turned out, the woman with him was his friend’s wife who had come to consult him for medical help. Sandhya misunderstood and walked away from everything. As she left, she told Aditya:

> “Not every dusk leads to a new dawn.”

And with that, she took her last goodbye.