Tag: divorce


Feb
2024

Part 39: “Whispers of Dinner: Igniting Romance”

categories: Trisha's Life - Weekly Column

 “I am asking you to have dinner with me.” He said in a whispering tone.

“Erhmm, I don’t know you, Luca.” Her voice was hesitant.

Luca took his wallet out and handed Trisha his business card. Trisha took the card. He worked in sales and marketing for a big oil company.

“Now you know what I do for a living. If you want to know more about me, you can check my LinkedIn page.  Can I now take you to dinner? Please.”

 “Dinner sounds great”. She could always make something up later and cancel, she said to herself.

 “You made my day. Can I have your phone number, please?”

Trisha hesitated for a few seconds, then gave Luca her number. She could permanently block him if he turned out to be a psycho. In the worst-case scenario, she would have to change numbers.

“I will call you later today. They have planned some dinners with clients I must attend to.”

Two hours later, Trisha was in her hotel room. She flipped onto the bed and felt tired. The commute to the hotel had been easy; there was a direct line to where her hotel was.

Trisha looked through the brochures she had picked up at the front desk.  Then she walked to the window and opened the net curtains. There was a small park across the street; children played while their parents sat on the benches and looked at their phones. Trisha loved the white terraced  Victorian houses. Her hotel was in a Victorian house with a beautifully high ceiling. Her room was small but had everything she needed. The bed had a white duvet with a charming grey bedspread. There was a nightstand with a complimentary water bottle, a small desk, and a modern bathroom stocked with plush, fluffy towels and luxury soaps.

Trisha heard her alarm going off. Since she was tired, she had decided to take a nap. She turned the alarm off and looked at the ceiling. “Five more minutes, Trisha,” she said, rolling on her side. She heard a car honking and someone shouting and cursing.  Her phone bleeped; she had received a text message. Trisha picked up her phone, expecting it would be her mother sending her a text message, but much to her surprise, it was a message from Luca.

“I am thrilled to have met you today. Can I take you to dinner tomorrow evening?

Luca.”

Trisha read the text message a few times. She hadn’t expected a text from him this soon. She rolled over and looked at the ceiling. Should she go to dinner with him? What if he expected something more than having dinner? He wasn’t her type. On the other hand, he seemed to be friendly and sincere, and he did behave like a gentleman. Having dinner with someone instead of eating alone at a restaurant did appeal to her. She added Luca’s number to her phone when she noticed he was texting her with an American number. ‘So he is an American-Italian,” she said to herself. She decided to freshen up and text Luca back later. She didn´t want to come over as desperate. 

Trisha exited the hotel and walked past the Victorian houses to the left. Across the street was another hotel. Trisha walked straight into a busy street. On the left, there was a bar, and at the left, there was a bakery. The bakery was full of people since it was around lunchtime. The sandwiches looked appealing, and Trisha decided to buy one for later. She crossed the road to go into the Tube and chose to go to Hyde Park. “Trisha, we are going to find the sparkle,” she told herself.

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Oct
2023

Part 36: “Trisha’s Sparkle Quest”

categories: Trisha's Life - Weekly Column

A month had passed since April’s wedding, and life had settled into its usual routine. During this time, there had been no word from Sid. Thoughts of reaching out to him had crossed Trisha’s mind, but she found herself at a loss for words.

Trisha’s mother was delighted to see her daughter getting back on track. However, she couldn’t help but worry about the long hours Trisha was putting in at work. She viewed it as a sign that her daughter needed a break, and so she invited Trisha to join her at a family gathering. “Trisha, everyone will be thrilled to have you there,” her mother said. “When was the last time you spent time with the family?” In an attempt to please her mother, Trisha agreed. She loved her family, but there was one aspect that never failed to irk her – their persistent attempts to turn her single status into a married one. She had grown weary of explaining that she led a fulfilling life even without a husband, but they just didn’t seem to understand particularly her mother’s generation.

As they gathered at the event, Trisha’s mother sat with her aunts, sharing laughter on the couch. Trisha was seated next to her cousins, who were animatedly discussing their recent travels. One of her cousins chimed in, “You know what you should do, Trisha? Take a holiday and add some sparkle to your life. There’s no one waiting for you at home, is there?”

Trisha chuckled at the notion. “Add some sparkle? That sounds like something you’d find on Pinterest.”

Jaya, her cousin, looked at her, her beautifully made-up eyes beaming. “Trisha, you used to have that sparkle, but it seems to have dimmed since your divorce. Don’t you think it’s time to reignite it?”

Hema joined in, “Jaya’s right, but I say aim for fireworks, not just sparkle.”

Jaya smiled, “Well, first things first, she should find her sparkle.”

Trisha looked at them both and admitted, “You’re right. I lost my sparkle when Karan betrayed me. I felt so hurt, so angry, and full of resentment.”

Jaya offered a reassuring smile. “I think you’re on the path to finding that sparkle again, Trisha. One step at a time.”

Their conversation was momentarily interrupted by Jaya’s son, who politely asked for a drink. Trisha observed as Jaya attended to her family, her husband, and other cousins. It was a bustling party with around 50 guests celebrating her uncle’s birthday.

“He’s adorable,” Hema remarked. “I want to take him home.” Trisha smiled “he sure is”.

Jaya returned with a plate of samosas, which she shared with her cousins. As they indulged in the snacks, Jaya offered some wisdom, “Wounds take time to heal. Take your time, but remember that time doesn’t wait for anyone. At some point, we have to move forward, or we’ll keep going backward.”

Trisha nodded in agreement. “You’re absolutely right. I’ve already taken some small steps, like signing up at the gym.”

Hema complimented her, “Is that why you’ve lost weight? You look great, not that you didn’t look great before. There’s life after a man, you know. Show them, Trish! Find your sparkle. It’s hidden somewhere, it can’t just disappear like that.”

Trisha nodded with determination. “I’ll try, I will.”


Oct
2022

Part 25: “Why Was he grinning like Batman?”

categories: Trisha's Life - Weekly Column

The wedding venue is beautiful, Meghan,” said Trisha. “And the garden is death gorgeous. It amazes me how peaceful it is even with all the guests.”

“It is isn’t it,” Meghan looked at the garden as if it was the first time she had seen it. “April took us venue hunting every weekend but it was worth it.“ I better check where my children and husband are.” She looked around to see if she could spot her children. “Girls, dinner will be served in fifteen minutes, don’t be late. I have been on a champagne diet since this morning, I could eat a horse!” She winked at her friends. “Don’t be late girls.”
Trisha watched Meghan walking towards her husband. She had always been the sensible one between the four of them. It was Meghan who looked after them when they went out.

Dinner Time


They all sat down at their table which was set for 8 people. A couple joined them a few minutes later and introduced themselves as Jen and Peter. Trisha guessed that the age difference between Jen and Peter was at least 30 years. What brought these two souls together?


The seat next to Trisha was still empty. She was having small talk with Jen when a familiar voice distracted her.


“Hi, seems like I am seated here, nice to meet you all.” He looked at Trisha with a surprised grin on his face.
What was he doing here? And why was he grinning like ‘Batman’? Mr. ‘Eyecandy’ looked dead gorgeous in his navy blue designer suit.


Meera gave Trisha a thumbs-up when Sid was shaking hands with her husband. “Gorgeous” she mouthed at Trisha. Trisha kept her face straight and continued talking to Jen. But was distracted by the fact that Sid would sit next to her probably for the whole evening. She felt excited and nervous at the same time.

Mr. Eye Candy


“Hi, nice to meet you,” Sid said to Jen as he stretched his hand to greet her. Jen looked at him and Trisha noticed the flirtatious smile on her face. From the corner of her eyes, she looked at Pete but he was in conversation with Fan’s husband.


“The pleasure is all mine,” she said and pressed her red-painted lips. Sid smiled at her showing his perfect white teeth, released his hand from Jen’s, who still holding onto his hand, and looked at Trisha.


“If only I could wrap my arms around him,” she said to herself. “Trisha, don’t get any ideas. Girls must be lining up for him. Jen is already all over him.” It was Trisha’s inner voice.


Trisha noticed Jen staring at Sid as if she had found a treasure she was not willing to share.
“I didn’t expect to see you here, Trisha. It is a small world.” He said while he sat down.


Dec
2021

Part 8: Why did she still cry over that scumbag?

categories: Trisha's Life - Weekly Column

Trisha stood up and walked towards the window. Her modern two bedroom apartment was located on the first floor, overlooking a small park with a big pond in  the middle.  She strolled to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water and sat at the  breakfast bar which divided the kitchen and the living room. 

Why was she feeling restless. Had it something to do with Sid? Just thinking about him  made her heart beat faster. What was he doing now and with whom? Trisha shook her head and decided to watch some TV to take her mind off him.

She plopped down on the couch,  indecisive  whether to watch ‘Say Yes To The Dress’, Netflix or a Bollywood movie. Trisha decided on the latter to  lighten up her mood at which she succeeded.  She was enjoying the movie until  the marriage scene. Her heart stopped beating for a second. The red Indian wedding gown reminded  her of her own wedding gown.

Dreams shattered

Trisha remembered her wedding day clearly. That day like many brides, she had felt as the happiest woman in the world on the  most beautiful day of her life.  So she had thought two years ago. But her dream was shattered abruptly. At times she still felt the pain deep inside her. How she wished  for, that the sharp pain would go away forever and let her be. Just as she thought the pain disappeared it appeared, unannounced.

At one of her cousins’ wedding she had met her ex-husband. They had kept in touch via text and started dating soon after. Three years later he proposed to her on the Eifel Tower. A  magical moment which took her by surprise. She had hugged and kissed him. Of course she wanted to spend the rest of her life with her soulmate.

They had a big fat Indian wedding and a small wedding reception for close family and friends. For their honeymoon they went to Mauritius where they stayed at a five star resort with a beautiful private beach. The  perfect place for a newly-wed couple. She had a wonderful time, the sightseeing, the food,  watching the sun  go down with her soulmate on  her side accompanied by a tailor made cocktail. A honeymoon as it should be, just perfect.

Lonely and sad

Trisha took a sip from her wine and looked at the woman on the television screen.  She looked beautiful and immensely happy. Overwhelmed by her emotions, Trisha gulped her wine down and turned the TV off.

She stared at the book on the coffee table questioning herself whether she would pick it up. Trisha felt lonely and sad.

Come on Trisha, do not let actions of others control your feeling. You are your own boss.  You have to make yourself happy. You cannot depend on others to make you happy. It was Trisha’s inner voice, trying to  encourage her.

She had thought that Karan, her ex-husband had loved her deeply, just as she had loved him deeply. She refilled her glass while thinking about that dreadful day.  The day she found out that their marriage bond was not a sacred bond to him. Trisha felt her eyes welling up, why did she still cry over that scumbag?

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Part 7: She refused to be a charity case