A Friendship Fractured
By Lokanath Mishra
Sunita and Bandita’s friendship blossomed in class four and endured through the years. They pursued engineering, landed IT jobs, and eventually started their families. Sunita settled in Houston with her husband and two children, while Bandita built a life in Bangalore with her husband and daughter.
Twenty years of silence followed, but fate brought them together again when Bandita’s husband’s job relocated them to New Jersey. Sunita extended an invitation for Bandita to visit her in Houston, and their reunion was warm and joyful. Sunita’s mother, who had come from Dallas, added to the warmth of the visit. The visit concluded with Bandita receiving a fox fur coat as a gift, and Sunita inviting her back.
However, the warmth was short-lived. After Bandita returned home, Sunita called her, accusing her of possibly taking a missing necklace. Bandita was taken aback and assured Sunita she hadn’t taken it, but Sunita seemed unconvinced. The conversation marked the beginning of a rift in their friendship.
As the days went by, Sunita became distant and stopped responding to Bandita’s calls and messages. Bandita reached out via text, expressing her confusion and missing their friendship. Sunita’s response was unexpected – she believed Bandita had taken the necklace and wanted her to confess.
Bandita refused to admit to something she didn’t do, and the situation became increasingly complicated. She wondered if Sunita regretted giving her the fox fur coat, considering the accusation. With Sunita not responding, Bandita was left pondering the strange turn of events and questioning if there was more to the story than she knew.
The once-strong bond between the two friends now hung in the balance, leaving Bandita uncertain about the future of their friendship.
The truth finally came to light when Sunita’s mother returned to India and was stopped at Mumbai International Airport. During the scanning of her bag, the stolen necklace was detected by customs. Weighing 200 grams, the necklace’s value was substantial, and Sunita’s mother couldn’t produce any documents to prove its legitimate ownership. The customs authorities demanded import duty and penalty, which Sunita’s mother couldn’t afford to pay.
In a desperate bid to resolve the situation, Sunita’s father reached out to her, explaining the predicament. Sunita sent the required money for the deposit and, in the process, discovered the truth about the necklace. Feeling embarrassed and regretful for accusing Bandita, Sunita tried to contact her to apologize.
However, Bandita didn’t respond to Sunita’s calls or messages. Sunita sent a heartfelt message, begging for forgiveness, but Bandita’s silence spoke volumes. It seemed that the damage to their friendship was irreparable, and Sunita was left to ponder the consequences of jumping to conclusions.
The incident served as a poignant reminder of the importance of trust, communication, and empathy in relationships. Sunita’s hasty accusation had put an end to a lifelong friendship, highlighting the need for caution and understanding in our interactions with others.
In the end, Sunita was left with the painful realization that some relationships may be beyond repair, and the only thing she could do was learn from her mistakes and move forward.
