by Atul Todi
I am Abhay Bakshi, the tragic writer called Bugsy, and I love you Tia. If you are out there watching this, please end my tragic story and give me a reason to live.
Seventeen years back, we went out for dinner on Valentine's Day. That night, I could not say this, but I am not going to make that mistake again. Today, it's February the 14th again, and this time I am going to say it in front of the whole world what I should have said that night.
Bending on his knees, he said:
You are the most beautiful person in the whole world; your smile gives me a reason to wake up every morning. The twinkle in your eyes lets me know that everything will be all right.
I promise to keep you happy till the end of time. So will you go out with me? Tia will you be my girlfriend? Will you give me a chance?
Dressed in a traditional Indian wedding dress, Tia sat in her room crying to every word Abhay said. She knew that Abhay meant what he said and remembered that painful Valentine's Day. She was crushed that night in college but did not show Abhay how she felt.
Khushi stood beside her mother, holding her hands. She could not have been happier; her mother deserved all the love in the world. Smiling at Tia, she said, "No one can love you more than this guy mom; he is completely nuts and I really like him. So please go mom; go tell him that you too love him."
Crying inconsolably, Tia took a cab to the CBS studio where Abhay waited with his heart in his hand.
Breaking into the studio, with tears falling off her cheek, she rushed towards him. Grabbing him by the collar, she kissed him.
Finally, pushing him back, with a glimpse of a smile on her face, she said: "You think I didn't know who Bugsy was for all these years? I have been waiting for you to come back to me. I have been waiting for you to say that you love me. What took you so long Bugsy? I have died a little everyday waiting for you."
With tears rolling down his face, he said, "Like a fool, I was chasing dreams, but all that I really wanted was happiness. You are happiness Tia; you are everything!"
No heart stays broken forever!
EPILOGUE
Once Bugsy revealed himself and found the love he was looking for, he never wrote again. He sold off his vineyard to Anna’s father for a fortune and moved with Tia to some remote corner of the world. He liked his anonymity too much and kept a low profile.
We at Wordhouse Publication lost our most lucrative writer ever, but, on a personal level, I could not have been happier for a friend. We continued to resell Bugsy’s old novels and got movie deals for most of them. His royalty continued to be sent to his secret account.
Last I heard was that he was travelling the world and finally working on the Bucket List he made back in college with Tia.
Then one fine evening, as I was working through a long list of writers who claimed they were going to become the next Bugsy, I got a pleasant surprise. The little girl, with eyes filled with life, returned to my office.
As part of my deal with Khushi, for my helping her out with finding Abhay, she was going to tell me the true story behind Bugsy. She narrated the whole story to me and wanted Wordhouse Publication to publish a novel based on her doodles.
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About the Author
Todi runs a technology company called 10Times. Before his ongoing venture, he left the US to start a new journey where he failed miserably multiple-times. This journey included a few failed startups and a heartbreak. To reflect on where he went wrong and to share his experience with others chasing a dream, he wrote this novel.
Failure taught him that life is not all about big dream and monumental events; it’s about small gestures and little pleasures. We have to choose to be happy and stop chasing. Happiness is no rocket science.
When Todi is not writing, he is busy running his new startup or painting. To know more about him visit: www.atultodi.com