Mona - A Story (Chapter 7)

Index of Journals

I trust him deeply. I’ve even left my jewelry with him, in his room. He’s a good person. In the beginning, I would just come, cook, and leave. I don’t know how our friendship became so strong. It’s gotten to the point where I won’t even eat a piece of chocolate without asking him, “Should I eat it or not?” If he says “Go ahead,” I eat it; if he doesn’t, I won’t. Even if I want to buy a dress, I ask him, “Should I buy this?” If he says yes, then I do—though I’m spending my own money.

Ashish has never bought me anything with words like, “Here, take these clothes, it’s my treat.” Yet I don’t mind at all. One of my friends says, “You do so much for him, but if he buys something worth even 100 rupees, he sends you a screenshot about it—imagine that!” I tell her, “Let it go. I don’t like taking anything from people.” Still, she keeps bringing it up. I explain that he (Ashish) respects me a lot and encourages me.

Now it’s at a stage where if I want to do something, I think, “I can do it—Ashish is there!” He cares for me a lot. I feel like he truly worries about me. If I ever fall ill, he’ll bring me medicine and tea or water without even being asked. That alone means a lot to me. It’s not all about money—affection and concern matter, too.

It feels like the friendship between Madhuri and Salman in “Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam.” We don’t have just one kind of bond; we share many—friendship, a sibling-like closeness—and these things really matter these days. I’m a woman, he’s a man, and we’re about the same age. I work, and he still supports me and boosts my confidence. It’s like God himself made us cross paths.

I’m usually fine, but when he talks about going away from me, it really hurts. I wonder, “How will I manage?” But whatever is meant to happen will happen. We’ll stay together as long as we’re meant to. Who knows whom I’ll meet or what will happen down the road, yet I’ve always encountered good people in every journey. My sister asks, “How can you trust so easily? It’s a big risk.” I tell her, “My whole life is a risk—wherever I go, whatever I do, it’s always a risk.”

I once heard someone say, “Courage is manliness; being a man is not just about being male. Whoever has courage is the real man.” I keep that in mind and move forward: “Courage is manliness—let’s go.”