Elopement From My Own - A real love story

It was the last day that Rebecca had to submit her admission fee to the college. Her

mother said no to it because she dreaded that if Rebecca received admission to the

college, she would take the opportunity to meet her boy friend regularly. Susan,

Rebecca's mother, knew that if that happened, her son Gary would not allow his sister to

go out of the house any longer. Rebecca had been seeing Robin for a year and half. She

had talked to her family, telling the truth that she wanted to marry him. Since both of

them had good jobs and David, her father, was looking for a good match for her, there

should have been no apparent problem. But, she had got rejection and no body wanted to

talk on the heated topic of Rebecca's marriage any more, which always led to arguments

and discussions never reaching any conclusions.

Her father stormed into Rebecca's room all ready to make a proud announcement of his

rock hard decision. He stroked his mustache which looked like a caterpillar on his lip and

said, 'I always wanted you to go abroad for higher education. I talked to Mr. Coleman in

Australia; he would take care of you'. Those words brought a crease to her forehead,

because her father was never in favor of sending her all alone to a distant land in the past.

She replied without losing any time, 'Dad, this is not happening. It would take four years

to complete my masters where as Robin and I have decided to get married by the end of

this year at the latest. The only way I am going abroad is as his wife.' Her father tried

hard to conceal his anger but she could see his face turn red and his fists clenching. He

slammed the door, but only after telling her that he would not let her marry Robin. It was

made clear to her that all the arrangements were made and she would be leaving for

Australia in two days.

She felt her heart sinking with the news from her father. She tried to catch her breathe.

She was determined that she would not deceive her love. She made sure that her room's

door was locked after her father left. She picked up her cell phone, which she always hid

in her closet in between her clothes, and made a call to tell everything to Robin. The

phone's ring seemed to her as a death bell, loudly announcing the destruction of their

peaceful love life. He picked up the phone on the very first ring and his smile could be

felt through the phone. After listening to what she had to say, he asked her to come and

see him tomorrow after her mother left to do the grocery shopping. Her eyes were wide

open all night in anxiety of the future. All she could hope for was a miracle. Her pillow

was all wet, partly with her tears and partly sweat, waiting for what was in store for her.

It was a long night, where the moon was not a symbol of beauty as depicted in poetry, but

a devil looming above as a harbinger of the coming day.

It was a cold, dry morning. She looked terrible when she walked staggeringly in her weak

body, towards Robin. Her hair unkempt and the dark circles under her eyes were telling

the true tale of her sleepless night. She was unaware of the wrinkles on her unclean dress

which seemed to have not been changed for last three or four days. Her favorite bag held

close to her chest. She did not kiss him like she always did on their every meeting.

'Are you ok?' he asked.

'Yes,' she replied; and then, continued to say, 'I want you to take me away,'

'Away?' he asked in surprise. Where?'

She said. 'I do not care where it is, but I want you to take me away. Today.'

He was confused by the way she was behaving and said 'I don't understand.'

'I shall never come back here any more,' was all she answered.

She went on telling him that she was fed up with everything, nobody seemed to

understand her. Her family's decisions had never welcomed the contribution from the

weaker sex, females. Her mother who always supported her knew her approval would

make no difference. At home people stared at her as if she was merely an object of

discussion. She was not allowed out of the house anymore without supervision, as a dog

on the leash. She couldn't receive phone calls from her friends. She felt like a captive

alien in her own house. She also told him about her parents visit to a well known

astrologer, who gave them more reasons not to approve of the marriage, telling them the

marriage should not happen because it was destined to be a disaster. Robin understood

everything, and could feel her pain. He understood how choked she would be feeling

amongst her own.

He looked up at her and asked 'Do you trust me? Do you love me?'

She replied 'I love you Robin'.

He could feel the love in the words. He asked her 'Do you want me to take you away?'

She did not say a word, the tug of war was on.

He touched her tender face with back of his hand and asked her again 'Are you sure you

want to go with me?'

She wanted somebody to assure her that it would be the only right thing to do at the

moment. She wanted everything to be fine again with just blink of her eyes. But nothing

of that sort was going to happen. She had to decide for her self at that moment only. How

much she hated this situation, to make a choice between her lover and her parents. She

would have erased this episode from her life if she could. She thought for several minutes

with her eyes closed, which held tears like pearls waiting to be released from the shell.

Robin held her hand and she opened her eyes saying, 'Yes, I want you to take me'. He

held her close and kissed her on her lips. 'I cannot live without your love,' he concluded.

She knew that this elopement would be with her throughout her life. In a form of regret

in leaving her loving family who could not understand how true their love was.