STORY 2 :Lovena (Doobmanee) & Ashwin (Nunkumarsingh) Jul 05 2023

Lovena comes from a middle-class family. As the eldest daughter and the first grandchild, she was the one everybody turned to whenever there was any important decision. She found herself handling a lot of responsibilities early, especially after her parents started having health issues. She, in fact, found a job and started working even before she finished her HSC.

Even though Lovena believed in love, her responsibility towards her family came first. She considered her relationships with others as a duty towards them and often felt taken for granted. Sadly, she earlier met someone who shattered her faith in relationships, and it came to a point where Lovena felt hesitant to accept anybody in her life. All her younger cousins were married, but Lovena had still found no reason to marry.

Ashwin grew up with his grandparents. His parents were working, and there was nobody to look after him, so he stayed at his nani's place till the age of 16. After that, he studied at Ecole Hôtelière and later found a job in a hotel. At that time, Lovena's brother-in-law was also working at that same hotel, and the family thought Ashwin and Lovena could be a match. Ashwin accepted to take Lovena's number and sent her a message, mostly out of obligation. He was also not so keen on getting married.

Lovena took some time before replying to Ashwin. She was, by then, working on night shift for an offshore company, and Ashwin had quit his job at the hotel and was now working on a cruise as a pastry chef and was travelling far away to Germany and Belgium. This relationship initially felt like it was going nowhere. The time difference between Europe and Mauritius made it difficult for them to communicate with each other. They both, moreover, had demanding jobs and were finding it hard to accommodate space in their lives for a relationship. It felt more like a long-distance friendship than a relationship. In fact, they even stopped being in touch twice and restarted texting again without realizing that a seed had already been planted, and it was only a matter of time before it grew into something.

After four to six months of conversing with Lovena, Ashwin's interest for Lovena grew into something deeper. He realized that he had developed feelings for her. Having grown up away from his parents, Ashwin shunned social connections and tended to be self-reliant and independent. He never had somebody to confide in when he came back home, someone to ask him how was his day and make him feel like his life mattered. Opening up to another person was a totally new experience for Ashwin and speaking with Lovena became a source of comfort and solace. Every day after he finished work at 10 p.m., he would call Lovena to talk to her, and when he could not, he felt restless, as though he was missing something that had become essential to him. He started doing whatever he could to connect with her daily. Some nights, he was so exhausted that he would drift off to sleep mid-conversation, only to wake up and continue where they had left off. Lovena was always patient and waited for him. They would chat for hours, even as the rest of the world was asleep; two lost souls connecting across oceans and continents.
Lovena could see the effort that Ashwin was making for her, and she was not indifferent to it. She could also see that Ashwin was trying to make something of his life, and she was sympathetic to that. She grew up seeing her parents handle various situations that they faced and show their love by supporting each other. Her father had a hectic life, working hard and coming home late, and at times, she would not see him for long periods. Yet, her mother kept the relationship going through her efforts to support him. Eventually, when her father suffered from health problems, her mother was there for him.

However, Lovena's idea of an ideal relationship was not with someone who worked odd hours in a hotel or on a cruise ship away from home. It made her feel insecure, reminding her of her father's absence when she was growing up. Moreover, as their relationship was an arranged relationship, there were always some elements of doubt as to whether she had made the right choice. However, Ashwin reassured Lovena and gave her reasons to keep believing no matter the situation. Since he wasn't in Mauritius, he knew he had to give the relationship time to grow by constantly nurturing it.

For two years, Ashwin and Lovena corresponded only by phone and WhatsApp messages without getting to meet each other. Then in July 2022, Ashwin finally quit his job and came back to Mauritius to find work. This ship that had sailed for so long in rough waters finally needed a safe harbour in his life. He contacted Lovena to meet her and on their 1st day out, they went to 'La Vanille Nature Park'. On that day, they sat and chatted for hours without paying attention to the time. They realized on that day itself that the feelings they had for each other were for real. They didn't wait long to let their parents know about their relationship. This good news was welcomed with joy and, probably, relief also by their respective families. Within a few days, they contacted a priest to set the date of the wedding which will be for later this year.

Lovena and Ashwin are now working hard and saving each penny they can to make their budding relationship work. But first, they must overcome the ups and downs of their relationship. Since returning to Mauritius, Ashwin has taken a job in school administration to be able to earn a living. He also works part-time at KFC from 5am to 10am as they need the additional money. Lovena asked to change her work schedule so that she doesn't work overnight and can at least be there when Ashwin comes home from work. She also does extra work to be able to earn a little more money. They, however, prioritize each other's needs and make time for each other despite their busy schedules. The most cherished gift Ashwin received from Lovena was a cell phone which is essential for them to stay in touch. They try to make the most of their time by calling each other between jobs, on the way to work or on their way home. They also make sure to greet each other with at least a hello in the morning and a good night in the evening.

One thing that persuaded Lovena to give the relationship a chance is the simplicity shown by Ashwin since their first conversation. He is always respectful towards everyone. Lovena considers a person's character to be really important and appreciates that she has found in Ashwin someone who is deeply caring. Ashwin is always asking her whether she ate, what time she slept, or whether she took her medicines. Lovena grew up taking responsibility for others and probably secretly longed for someone who would do the same for her and make her feel valued. Ashwin cares for her as she is, even when she has the occasional meltdown or throws a tantrum due to the responsibilities on her shoulders. This, to her, is a unique gift that sets Ashwin apart from other people.

Ashwin loves that Lovena is a woman who knows what she wants but is also simple, humble, and down to earth. He finds her very beautiful but their love goes beyond appearances. They share a unique bond and complement each other. Lovena is also very caring towards Ashwin, making him feel like he matters, which is something he probably missed as a child growing up away from his parents.

They started out as two people who initially did not believe in marriage. They took hesitant steps, neither of them believing they would reach this far. It is said that believing in love may be hard at times, but not believing in it is even harder. So they chose to believe despite unfavourable circumstances. Love, as it turns out, is a journey of small steps taken together. Relationships take time, effort, and patience to grow, but with dedication and commitment, they can flourish into something beautiful.

Ashwin will be embarking on a new journey in November this year, this time it will be a journey of love and commitment to Lovena, the woman who made him believe in love.