Believing Love by Kalai Selvi Arivalagan (the unexpected everything .TXT) 📖

in, there were two more unions that also looked into the welfare of the employees. When Vel realized no one has taken the step in the correct direction, he was forced to take it up.

The first six months went without any issues. One day around 8 pm when he was starting from his Union office, one of his colleagues came with a petition requesting for consideration to work in one of the acclaimed AC buses that plied across the city. Vel explained to him that he may not be eligible to opt for it and he need to wait for another one year to get the opportunity.

“Don’t try to convince me. I am not ready to listen. Last week, Ratnam got the chance to work in those buses. How come he got it?” Sekar questioned him.

“Ok, then give me some time to find out and tell you the reason” Vel requested him.

Sekar went away grumbling. Vel decided to meet Sri the next day regarding this issue. But he never realized how that meeting would change the entire course of events.

The next day after his duty hours, Vel went to the office to meet Sri. Sri was much happy to meet Vel in person after a long time. After initial exchange of greetings, Vel handed over the petition to Sri and requested him to look into that.

“Why are you getting into this?” Sri questioned him directly.

“No special reason. It was brought to my notice and so I came to clarify it with you.” He explained.

“Ok, leave it to me. I will let you know in another two days” Vel thanked Sri and started to leave Sri’s cabin.

“When are you getting married?” Sri asked him casually.

“If you are in a hurry, go and get married” Vel answered him back.

“I am asking you” Sri replied him.

“Nothing of that now” Vel must have stopped here, but he sarcastically asked Sri the next question.

“So, you want me to move away from your way. Do you want to marry Divya?” Vel asked Sri bluntly.

“No way. What made you think so?” Sri was upset with his question.

Vel left the place without answering him.

At one stage, he realized that all the employees needed a warm-up training that will help them to rejuvenate their hidden energy and face the real life with hopes.

The everyday exposure to hardships of life gradually left their minds and hearts blank and it never helped them to get the spark to achieve something better during their career.

One day during duty hours, he happened to overhear the discussion of two women talking about the necessity for counseling at all levels. They were discussing how counseling can help people to analyze themselves and find a better solution for their problems. Vel decided to organize a counseling program for the people who were working along with him. When he discussed it with his Union President, he asked him to find a way out.

Initially, he arranged for a one day workshop on stress management and how to cope up with the work pressure that was exclusively arranged for the drivers and conductors. It turned out to be a huge success. Every one appreciated it and wished that to happen at least once in six months.

The workshop discussed various aspects of stress management in the day to day life and also at the work place. As their work place involved vehicles that were constantly on the move, the situations and the scenarios also changed constantly. The people who work in such a situation need to be alert always and a slight diversion from the alertness can bring in serious consequences.

Though getting through a First Aid certification program is a must in their job profile, a huge gap existed without constant update of the latest trends in the program.

The workshop gave way for new ideas and most of his leisure time got occupied with the planning and getting ready with the reports.

When some of the local newspapers carried reports about his active participation in these types of activities, the whole family rejoiced. Initially they were against his involvement in the union activities, but now they realized his potential and appreciated his efforts.

Divya’s father who was reluctant to accept him as his son-in-law changed his likings. He spoke to Vel’ parents about the marriage and the families decided happily to celebrate the marriage as soon as possible.

One Saturday he was asked to go to a far remote place from Chennai. When they reached the place, it was already 2 pm and they walked down the road to eat something that was available at one of the eateries there.

On the same day, the NSS camp organised by one of the local colleges was conducting the medical camp over there. When the volunteers asked Vel if he was interested in getting his blood checked over there for free, he accepted willingly.

The medical camp was organized at the local school and only a few people were there. Vel and his colleague Sarath gave their blood for testing. The volunteers took their addresses to send their test reports.

Sarath was married for more than two years and he wanted to know if the lab conducting the medical camp can help him to carry out the other required tests.

The person at the counter fixed an appointment and asked him to come to the lab in the city. As he hesitated to go alone to take the test, he requested Vel to accompany him.

Vel went to the lab along with him.

“Why don’t you take the test?” Sarath asked.

“No need. What is the hurry?” Vel replied.

“Any way you are going to get married soon, better check now itself. Even if there is any
problem you can get treated soon.” He encouraged Vel to take the test.

A week after that both of them visited the lab to collect their results. The lab assistant handed over their reports and asked them to wait and see the doctor.

Vel opened his report and read through the report. He could not understand anything from the figures given there and so decided to wait till he met the doctor.

The doctor told Sarath that there is nothing to worry about the reports, and prescribed some medicines to be taken for a month.

He asked him to repeat the test after one month. When Vel handed over the report to the doctor, he went through the report silently.

Vel could not judge anything from his facial expression.

“Are you married?” the doctor questioned him.

“I am getting married soon” Vel replied.

“Good, you have come now. You may need to take some medicines for a while. It will improve. Then
you need not worry about anything.” The doctor then explained in detail the report.

Whatever the doctor spoke hit hard on his ears. It took sometime for him to understand the real dimension of the problem. The sudden findings hit on his ego sharply and his pride of being a man shattered into innumerable pieces.

His eyes were filled with shiny drops of tears and tears brimmed full touching the eye lids. He could not avoid shedding a few tears in front of the doctor. The doctor patted on his shoulder and expressed his support.

Vel looked away from the doctor. For a few seconds some of the tear drops escaped down his cheeks and dropped staining the floor beneath the chair.

One of the tear drop got on the hair of his well trimmed mustache and glistened on it like a dew drop on the grass. With his right palm, he brushed it aside and wiped away the tears.

“It is nothing. Every one is facing such a problem now. It can be set right.” The doctor repeated once again.

The doctor asked Sarath to bring Vel along with him after one month. He reminded them once again to take the tablets without fail.

With the marriage date to be fixed, Vel did not know how to handle the situation.

“How I am going to handle this situation?” Vel’s hands trembled with nervousness.

Sarath gripped his hands tightly and held them for a while.

“Calm down. No need to get worried. Things will be fine. This is a common problem that affects men all over the world.” Sarath pacified him.

“My parents will not wait anymore. I could not explain these things to them.” His voice choked
with unknown emotions.

“No need to talk with anyone. Forget this problem for the next ten days. Things will slowly fall
in place.” Sarath assured him and left Vel in his home.

A week went on as if in a trance. He could not associate himself to the routine life but carried on with his work as usual. He took the maximum care to be normal before his parents and never told his mother or father what happened.

Even though they noticed the worried look on his face, they took it for the tiring days of summer. He deliberately avoided meeting Sri and Divya.

Yet, Divya could sense the disturbance within him and wanted to ask what happened, she hesitated to do so. When one of her friends in the college told her that she saw him in the lab along with his friend, she connected things.

She identified something wrong within him. The way he dressed, the way he talked and the way he moved around clearly showed the difference. Divya decided to break the ice as soon as possible and get all the clutter cleared.

Divya reached the Shiva temple around 6:30 pm. The day light was still there and there was little crowd in the temple. After lighting the lamps in the sanctum, Divya started to circumulate the temple.

After completing her usual number of times, she walked to the pond within the temple. Watching the fish swim in the water, she sat down on the steps of the pond. She could see the reflection of rising moon on the water.

“Divya”

She turned around to see who called her and was surprised to see Vel at that time. Instead of smiling at him, she blushed immediately. Vel could not help smiling to see her blush. Nowadays girls rarely blush and to see Divya blushing made him feel happy at heart.

“Thank God, I met you here. Just want to know why did you go to the lab last week?” Her sudden question shocked him.

“I went along with my friend. Nothing special” Vel replied her.

“But I heard something different. And I don’t want you to hide anything from me” Divya looked at him.

Vel looked at her for a while. He was still hesitant to tell about the report.

“If there is nothing wrong with you, what is the need to be so sad always?” Divya questioned him.

“I know about you and there is no need to hide anything from me. I have already checked with the lab and I know everything in detail.” Divya spoke to him in a firm tone.

“Whatever it may be, we will start our life. We will handle other things afterwards” Divya assured him.

Vel felt relieved and happy. He took