Can Love Happen Twice? Read Online Free PDF Page A

while, she lifted her gaze from the paper to the three friends. As her eyes followed them, she gave a knowing smile and spoke.
    ‘All right, I know what that silence means. You can start reading it. I will ask the programme scheduler to extend this show beyond the allocated time. We will have to take a few approvals, though. But won’t the publishers of Ravin’s book mind narrating the whole story prior to getting it published?’
    This question brought forth a smile on the three other faces.
    ‘Publishers won’t publish an incomplete book. When Ravin gets better and is in the pink of health again, he will complete it and get it published. Moreover, Ravin hasn’t signed any contract for this book yet. So, you see, we have all the liberty,’ Manpreet replied.
    ‘But for how long can it go on?’
    ‘Hmmm … Say about two hours if you do not play the music and advertisements in the middle. We may even skip a few pages which we know are yet to be edited.’
    ‘I can’t do away with ads for sure, but yes, I can reduce the number of songs to a great extent,’ stated Shambhavi.
    Meanwhile, Shantanu came in rushing with a pen and a diary. He knew that his madam was going to give him a dictation. Before the poor chap could say even a ‘Yes, ma’am’, Shambhavi scolded Shantanu like an angry lioness pouncing on a helpless lamb: ‘ASAP doesn’t mean that you appear after five minutes!’
    All Shantanu could utter was ‘Madam …’ after which his voice froze somewhere in his Adam’s apple and failed to come out. Only his lips moved and puffs of air mixed with strands of saliva leaked out.
    Happy wondered what made Shantanu not quit this radio channel.
    ‘Anyway, three things!’ Shambhavi dictated. ‘First, call the boss and explain to him that we are stretching this show for an unknown duration.’
    Shantanu again wanted to say something but, not surprisingly, was cut off before he could speak.
    ‘Just listen! Explain to him that it is very important for our channel. Feed him the fact that Superhits 93.5 RED FM is hosting a book reading of an unpublished book and the fact that no other radio channel has ever done this. Second, check with Siddharth in the broadcast room. Ask him to get in touch with our station in other metros and broadcast this book reading there as well. He has done the vice versa for us before, and this time we need other regions to broadcast our programme. If he asks for the boss’s approval, ask him to SMS me. Third, no one should leave the office before the show finishes: neither the technician, the broadcasting team, the scriptwriter, the creative department nor the ads department. I may need anyone anytime.’
    Shambhavi truly was the station’s star RJ, which probably gave her a lot of importance at Superhits 93.5 RED FM.
    In that dimly lit radio room Happy moved to the other side of the table. Shambhavi passed the microphone to Happy and switched on the overhead focus light which fell straight on the table. The radio room turned brighter. Under the beautifully falling beam of light Happy placed the diary on the table and opened it. This very act of opening that diary appeared both heavenly—as though the diary was a holy text—and emotionally charged as well. Everyone just kept looking at the diary for it was Ravin’s diary, their beloved friend’s diary which contained his handwritten thoughts, and which now compensated for Ravin’s absence.
    The next time when they went on air Shambhavi updated all the listeners that the show that night would continue for an indefinite time and that it was going to be the very first time in their history that a show would run for an unspecified duration.
    In the world outside the radio station, Ravin’s fans were very much willing to listen to Ravin’s story irrespective of how long the broadcast would last.
    Happy started reading Ravin’s second book—
Can Love Happen Twice?

Five
    A year and a half had passed since the tragic incident had