Congratulations, Lieutenant General Karan Singh, the happiness in the voice was clearly visible.

Thanks so much. I really didnt think you would be able to come for the party, my heart was
beating really fast as if it was going to break through and jump out. Well today was a big day. A really
big day for me. I had got a new position and now I was going to add a new chapter (or you could
even say that the constitution of my life was going to be changed). Yes, finally after days of
contemplating as when it would be best to spring the ring, I had made up my mind that it had to be
today.

Riya, you dont have to leave early today. I need some really important help from you. As you know
I have to leave tomorrow for my new posting and the packing

I know Karan, if I leave the packing to you, you wont be able to pack even a sock. We will do it after
the party. Well Riya was exaggerating it, I know I have a little problems packing but I am trying to
learn.

Once the party was over, I drove Riya to my place. I asked Riya to open the door as I had to make an
important phone call. Riya is usually really good at picking lies, I was just hoping that she would buy
it. I guess she was really tired, so without giving it much of a thought she unlocked the door and
walked in.

Karan why cant you just leave a small light on. Its so difficult to reach to the switch board. The
talkative Riya fell quite. I knew she was going to like it. I had put in a lot of efforts in placing the rose
petals, the balloons, and a bottle of champagne.

So, Miss Khandelwal, got something to say, or the cat got your long tongue.

You have a date with someone. And you didnt tell me. Girls, what can anyone do. Isnt the whole
setup clearly indicative? They just love it when you say it to them.

Yes, I am expecting a date tonight, and as a matter if fact she has already arrived and spent the
evening with me. And now before you ask anything more, just listen me out.

I reached to my coat pocket and knelt on one knee. I know I am an army man so I will be on duty,
on the border saving my first love from any intruders. Would you like to share me with my first love
and help me make our lives eventful and happening so that I forge my first love when you are
around.

The expression on Riyas face was not the one I had expected. Instead of jumping up with joy, she
was staring straight into my face with sneaky eyes as if she had smelt a rat.

The army has completely beaten the romance out of you. Never really expected that you could be
so romantic. And to answer your question, she was knelling too, I would mind changing my name
from Miss Riya Khandelwal to Mrs. Riya Singh.

Life took a beautiful turn. Within three years I was posted in Gujarat and Riya and I had a little son
named Rehan. The choice of make was clearly her as it clear from the name. I was on my vacation
when I got an urgent summon to Jammu and Kashmir where there was some border tension and I
had to leave immediately.

Karan, dont worry about me, I am fine. You really need to go. They need you. Just remember to
come as soon as you can. Rayan also needs his companion so does his mother. Riya has always
been really very supportive. She is my guarding angle.
Its not possible. There definitely has to be some mistake. No this cant happen. Riya fell to the
floor. Her world was torn apart. Karan had left four months ago and today one of his cadet mates
had come to inform her that Karan was no more. He was killed while fighting for the country.

Even if the gods were to say it, Riya wasnt going to believe them. She was sure that Karan would
return, come back home, come back to her. They had found his watch in the snow, the watch that I
had given him as a present on his last birthday. It was enveloped in blood. Slowly the fear of losing
Karan settled and my new and only hope of living was Rehan. Riya was determined to show him
what a fathers love was and let him feel lost.

Time flies really fast. Rehan grew into a charming, and bold boy. He had inherited his fathers
firmness when it came to taking decisions and was irresolute when it came to changing them. Rehan
had took one such decision that changed our lives for ever. As a little boy he had seen me drenched
in the glooms of losing Karan, and now on this twelfth birthday he decided to give his mom a
birthday gift. A gift which Riya had never expected or asked for. Riya was both shocked and touched
by this. Shocked because she had never thought that anyone could take the place of Karan and
touched because even at so young an age he had decided to give his mother her share of
companionship. He had decided to get her married to one of my old friends, who had secretly liked
her and had never married for the same reason.

Rehan, do you even understand what you are saying. You dad was the best person to spend a life
with. How can you even think of replacing him by someone else? I was really very furious when
Rehan had initiated the conversation.

Mom, please try and understand. I am not replacing dad with someone else. It is impossible to do
so. But mom I want you move on. I want you to embrace life. I want you to live the life for both dad
and you. Please mom think about it. Rehan looked at me with pleading eyes. The coffee brown
colour of the eyes which he had inherited from Karan was heart-melting.

Ajay, how could you agree to the idea? Its been so little time since Karan passed away. I cant really
think of getting married again. Rehan had tried really hard and had got Ajay and me to meet. I could
convince Rehan to drop the idea so I had decided to tell Ajay that I was not ready for the proposal.

Riya it been almost eight years now. It is the correct time to embrace life and live it. I am not forcing
you to marry me, I just want you to think over it. It wasnt your fault that we lost Karan. Please dont
punish yourself. Karan wouldnt be happy to see you so sad and lonely. Ajay had guessed the truth.
Over the years I had blamed myself many time for the incident. I wondered why I had been so
accommodating and let him go. How I wish that I would have been able to stop him.

Riya knew she was fighting a lost battle. After much reluctance she agreed to get married. The date
of the marriage was set and they had decided to have a quite court marriage. Riya didnt want much
of a pomp and show. They agreed on inviting a few close friends for a get-together in the evening.

Its been eight years, four months and ten days since the last time I saw Riya and Rehan. I dont
know if they will recognize me after the misfortunate injuries I have suffered. I dint die in the
shooting but was terribly injured. The enemy forces found me in the snow and took me away for
inquiry. They tortured me for months, but when they couldnt get anything productive out of me,
they sent me to prison. Every day was like years for me. I took me really long to make this far, but I
really cant stay without meeting Riya and my son Rehan. He would have grown up by now. I wonder
if he will recognize me. I, Karan Singh, had finally managed find my way home after being in terrible
situations for years. I did think of trying to inform them that I was still alive, but it had been so long
that I didnt think it apt to do so. I decide to meet them personally and explain everything.

When I reached home, the scene was really different. The lawn was covered with tables and chairs
for a small party. From a distance I could hear the voice of Kajal, Riyas dearest and oldest friend.

Riya, arent you going to wear something colourful, after all you just got married today. I think I
should see the arrangements outside, saying this Kajal started walking towards the lawn.

I couldnt believe my ears. My Riya had got married. How was this possible? I tried to attract Kajals
attention so that I could get to the bottom of the whole story.

Kajal was really shocked to see me alive. She went speechless. After several attempts of calming her
down, her heart beat had finally got smooth. I asked her about Riya and what Kajal had said about
Riya getting married. Kajal drew a deep breath and started telling what all had happened after Riya
had got the news of my dead.

For the first few months she had been unable herself down. But soon she decide that she couldnt
go on this way. She had to become a mother and a father for her son, the last living memory of you.
Rehan has inherited many of your qualities, especially your decision making abilities. Rehan took a
decision why changed everything. He decide to get Riya married and decide to give his mother a
second life.

I had really failed as a father. But in spite of this I was a really proud person. I such a young age my
wife had given him a really strong moral base, which enabled him to think about others. After
thinking for some time, I decide that Riya had had her share to sorrow for the complete life and now
all she deserved was happiness.

A took a pen and paper and wrote, Have a happy and successful married life. All the best. I had
decide to move on. I wanted to see Riya happy and there was no way she would be happy to know
that I was alive after getting married. I had decided to give her the gift of love by moving away from
her. This the really sense of Lamour.

Lamour LOVE (french)