If Only Rains Could Heal.

It is 12:30pm by the clock and dark ghostly clouds have gathered outside. Her kids have gone to school and her husband is out of town on a business trip for a few days. She makes hot coffee for herself, opens the door of her balcony and feels the cool breeze brushing against her face and ruffling through her auburn hair. After a busy morning, she finally gets time to read the letter of her elder brother.

Hey

How have you been, my sweet little sister? Have you forgotten me or what? It’s been so long since you came and gave me a visit. How is my little niece and nephew? And how is Armaan? You told me about his new job last time. Did he make it to the Additional Director’s post?

You know what sis, Neha gave me a beautiful surprise on my birthday. She gave me a silver plated candelabrum on the base of which ‘T N’ for Tarun and Neha, is inscribed. Isn’t that awesome? I loved it, absolutely. She is such a sweetheart. And by the way, she was apologising for not being able to talk to you the last time you called. :)

So much has happened in the last few months. I have started working on a new project. Neha helps me in it. It’s good to have a supporting hand by your side all the time...right?

Anyway, I’ll tell you the details of my project only when you give me a visit as I hope that by then I would probably have made much progress on it to tell you more.

Hope to see you soon, Auraya. Take care!

Love,

Tarun

xoxo

She sighs and goes to the balcony. It has started drizzling and she hears the pitter-patter of the drops on her roof. She stands there for a while, closing her eyes and feeling the delicate scent of the weather.

A tear trickles down her right cheek. Like always, the bag of hope with which she began reading the letter, had worn to shreds. She folds the letter and keeps it in her pocket. “One day, everything would be okay. This is a hard time going and nothing lasts forever. It will pass soon.” She says in a soliloquy, wiping off her tears. She is confident that her brother would come to terms with reality and that he would soon walk out of that asylum which has held him in its claws since his wife, Neha died.

******

Written for: The Writers Lounge - Monsoon Madness

Word Count: 417

Her Father, Her World

Dear papa,

I don’t know how to start. So many fragments of memories are flashing before my eyes as I sit here to pen down my love for you. It seems so difficult to put it into words. There’s an over-whelming feeling in my heart which is all the more magnified because today's my marriage. And from tomorrow, your little girl would become a wife and a daughter-in-law too. But you know what Papa, I'm not scared. 

Yes! your girl is not scared and it's all because of you. You have taught me to face life's ups and downs with sheer dignity and confidence. You have always cradled me with your unconditional love and support. The way your teachings and morals have beautified my soul is actually incomparable, Papa and I really admire you. I admire you as a person of gravity and substance.

  

Every single day when I see your face and see that smile which you always have for me, I feel so so so blessed.

*Thank you, God!* 

You are and will always be my favourite man. And I promise that I will never let you down.

Love you more than you’ll ever know!

Your little girl,

Nisha.

P.S: This painting is an outlet for my infinite love for you. I hope you like it. :)

(Image Source)

**********

I have written this post in response to the latest prompt at Thursday Tales.
And co-incidentally, it is going with the occasion i.e., Father's Day. =)

Enigmatic Love - Part 2

Read first part here!

“I thought you loved me. Then why did you say NO?”

“No, Paolo. I never fell in love with you. But yes, I admit that I loved your company as you were really good to me.”

“But this was all so perfect. Where did I lack?”

“I know it’s my entire mistake. I should have told you this earlier. But I was afraid to confront you. I was afraid that you might not understand me and amiss this, one thing I was sure of that someday or the other I would have to face this. And that day has come.

Look, Paolo, I don’t want to marry you. In fact I don’t want to marry at this age.”

“It’s okay. I can wait for you all my life. I love you, Isabel.”

“No, Paolo. There is something more I have to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“Ever since my childhood days, I’ve nurtured a dream in my eyes.....to do something big. I never wanted to spend my life like every other woman, marrying and looking after children. I might sound weird but I want to take an active part in the revolts taking place all over Italy for its unification. And I know nobody would support me, not even you. But there is one person who will definitely understand me. He always did. Ah! Look....there he is.

Paolo...this is Taylor, my first and the last love.”

Paolo was dumbstrucked. He did not know what to say or how to react. Isabel was freaking him out. Of course, he had not expected a girl to say all this stuff. And what further kicked him in the teeth was the fact that he could NOT see any guy standing at the place where she pointed.

“Where? I can’t see anyone.”

“Oh c’mon. He’s right in front of you.”

“Is this some kind of a joke, Isabel? Do you think you can make a fool out of me? First you say that you want to take part in revolts. Okay..I would support you. But now you say you’re in love with an invisible person. What has happened to you, dear?"

“Oh, I see. So now you are also not going to believe me huh? Would you also think that I am mad? Fine! Think whatever you want to. I don’t need to prove his existence to anyone. All I know is that I love him and he loves me. And that he supports me in my every decision.”

“Isabel, come back to reality. You need to understand. There’s no Taylor. If there would have been one, why are we not able to see him? Why only you see him? Think about it.”

“I know. And it is because everyone wants me to marry you. Even you want this. So why would you believe me. Look...Taylor is also saying this.”

Things were hard for everyone, especially for Paolo. First, the love of his life rejected his proposal second, she wants to support the revolutionists for Italy’s unification and lastly, she was in love with an imaginary person whom she called Taylor. That was indeed frustrating. Isabel had built a world of mirage. It was impossible for anyone to bring her out of it.

And then one day, Isabel left. She absconded....without saying anything to anyone.

Three months later...

After trying hard to look for Isabel, everyone gave up the hope that they would ever see her again. They had learnt to live without Isabel. Even Paolo went back to work and things were getting quite normal until one day, a news in a daily local perplexed him and shook him to the core. It read:

“After a civil disobedience strike in Lombardy, the rage of unifying Italy entered the nerves of Tuscans. A violent revolt which broke yesterday i.e., 12th February, 1848 in the streets of Tuscany marked it's beginning. Many people including women took an active part in it, demanding a constitution and republican provisional government for Tuscany. Two women viz. Marianna Attino, age 23 and Isabel D’Angelo, age 19 and a man viz. Taylor Corradi, age 24 died and many others were badly injured during the...”

***********

Writer's note: I know you must be wondering how is this possible and how can Taylor be for real. Well, there can be many possibilities. One, that Taylor Corradi was just another person who took part in the revolt and it was a mere co-incidence that his name appeared among the deceased s along with her name. Second, that Isabel might have befriended Corradi during the procession as his name was same as her imaginary lover's. Also, there is a chance that Isabel acted to be a schizophrenic in front of others so that they wouldn't force her to marry Paolo but when she saw that things were still not turning to her side, she escaped.

Now it's up to you, friend. You can churn your mind and decide the end of this time-pass story. I have already helped you a lot to solve the puzzle! :)

Enigmatic Love - Part 1

Once upon a time, somewhere in the 1830s, there was a young girl called Isabel. She was a seven year old and lived with her parents and one brother in the outskirts of Florence, the then capital of Italy. Her family originally belonged to the suburbs of America but had moved to Florence in search of work.

Isabel was a simple-looking girl who did not have any friend as there was no child of her age in that colony. Also, she was usually left ignored by her parents for some or the other reason. This made that little loner, create an imaginary friend, Taylor. She spent her time sitting in the veranda, playing with dolls, toys and Taylor. None of the other family members took much care of Isabel. Her mother was always busy doing the household work, her father worked in a small rug-making factory along with her brother who was six years elder to her.

Young Isabel

Isabel loved her fantasy land as she was not a loner in it. She had Taylor by her side. Whenever her parents scolded her for any kind of mischief, Taylor was the one who used to console and support her. She used to played with him, fought with him, had long talks with him and most of all, carved dreams with him. Over the years, Taylor became an important part of her life and she loved him, much!

Once, when she was fourteen years old, a family moved to their neighbourhood. Due to all the unrest caused by the liberal revolutions in the city, many people were displaced from their native places and took refuge in the outskirts of the city and so did their newly shifted neighbour. They had a sixteen year old son, Paolo. He was a handsome-looking boy having light brown hair and big eyes. The family was a decent Italian family and Paolo’s parents easily gelled with Isabel’s. But both Isabel and Paolo were a little reluctant in the beginning, to befriend each other. Isabel was not in a habit to talk to any other male and Paolo found Isabel beautiful but weird. They both used to get really awkward with each other.

Young Paolo

But as the time passed, the sheet of uneasiness between them began fading and they became good friends. Like all other love stories, the boy fell in love with the girl. Yes! Paolo, by the age of twenty, fell madly and deeply in love with Isabel. On the other hand Isabel still took him as her good friend. She was not absolutely sure of Paolo’s feelings but she had a hint that he loved her. She could tell this by the way he treated her and made her feel special in every possible way. She liked it too. Who would not like to be treated special, anyway? But she did not let him come very close due to her self-made boundaries. Even Paolo, at times, felt that there is a part of Isabel of which he is unaware.

Everything else was so typical and perfect. Their family members began thinking of their children’s marriage. Mothers indulged themselves in the art of planning the wedding and fathers got busy in discussing the dates and finance. But things were not meant to be this way, as far as Isabel’s life was concerned. And an unanticipated and unturned stone came to light, the day Paolo confessed his feelings to Isabel.

Read the next part here.

A Tune That Defined Love.

He played their favourite symphony, that day.
The room was small. It had a few lights and all of them were dimmed. She stood there, right in front of the mantelpiece. She had just finished lighting the candelabra which he loved the most and placed it on the table, near the deck. The music filled every nook and cranny of the room. She smiled coquettishly and he smiled back too.

He came closer and inter locked his fingers with hers. Holding by the waist, he took her to a different land...to their cloud-cuckoo land. The symphony was their swing and they both took a ride on it, tasting all the dreams they had weaved together. She swirled around. She was proud and happy! Like a painter’s brush, he moved her artistically. She was his muse and he was carving the most beautiful work of art. The music was going through their each and every nerve. It was all over. It was ubiquitous. Curtains draped on the sides of the window, the floor beneath them, greyed walls all around, played the concerto. It was their time and they both began losing to its beauty. Everything appreciated their love. The whole aura genuflected to its invincible purity and divinity. A new song was being made. A song which could heal a bleeding soul, caress an unloved heart and splash colours to a dried life. Their moves, their feelings and their love were striking. It went on. It never faded. And like their last dance, their love lasted forever and beyond eternity!!

*********

P.S : Do listen to the above link!!

And She Lived..

She saw the curtains in her room sway. Those pale blue pieces of cloth with white beautiful flowers adorned by the small window in her room, rocked slowly. It was dark and silent. She was trying to sleep but just could not. Her mind was pre-occupied with the anxiety because of all the complications which might occur during the course of her surgery (as the doctor had said).

She was uneasy. And what diverted her attention from this fretfulness was a big thunder sound. She looked at her window and saw lightening flash every few seconds. But being pretty tired, she turned her back and continued struggling with her thoughts. Seconds later, the thunderous roar was there again...like it was calling her name, asking her to put her feet forward, keep her worries aside and just live by the moment. And that moment was there, rather HER moment was there. As she always believed that only ONE right moment is required to make you feel that you can break the chain, break the bonds, look beyond the closed boundaries, chase the horizons of your mind and take a step ahead.

She removed her blanket, stood up, opened the door of her balcony and took a deep breath filled with the smell of wet earth. Oh...there was surely some kind of drowsiness in the way serene breeze ruffled through her hair! 

She smiled. She hummed, stretched her arms, shut her eyes and went a step forward.  All her qualms had taken the back seat. The weather veneered the cloud of negativities in her life. She forgot her sickness, her surgery, her minimal chances of survival and that she might have only a few more months. She was deeply lost in the aura. She could feel the lightness in the drops pouring on her palms. She danced to the music played by the trees, by the zephyr, by the dark ghostly and thunderous sound and by the whole amazingly fresh environment. She felt alive and peaceful cause at that particular moment... she LIVED.

A Stranger's Gesture

It was a long and a tiring day. She was completely worn out due to the stressful assignments given to her in her college and what also added to her worries was the upcoming presentation. Thanks to her oh-so professional course. So with the bag of all such tensions, she stepped into the metro and headed back home. As always, the metro was heavily crowded and she did not get a seat. She made her way and stood near one of the train's door with some people staring, some listening to music, some talking on phone and some having a restless nap.

After two stations, few punk looking boys boarded the train and on seeing her standing all alone, they started passing lewd comments. For her it was not the first time that she was being a victim of eve-teasing, but by looking at the cheap expressions which they gave, she felt that this time it was going a little over the top. Those four boys made her nervous.....really nervous. She tried to deviate herself by turning around and when she did turn, she saw a decent-looking boy wearing a red tee and jeans, sitting in front of her.....and observing what was going on. She gave that boy a jittery and a 'please-do-something' look and then turned again.

Things were now getting even worse as she saw one of those four boys was moving towards her with a wicked smile on his face. And the other three were giggling and enjoying the show thoroughly. Just as she gasped some air and felt her heart beating faster and faster, the boy in the red tee stood up and came between the girl and those goons. He faced the girl and whispered..."Don't worry, I'm here". She took a deep breathe and felt comfortable with his words. He then turned his head to those four men and gave them a get-back-or-I'll-thrash -you-up look . And with such a simple step by the stranger, those four boys did stop doing all that nonsense stuff. The moment was intense for the girl and this boy but subtle for others as nobody noticed it at all. Nobody noticed the way this boy, though being a complete stranger, helped and protected her, made her feel that she need not worry at all. And this sweet gesture, left her awe-strucked. She kept looking at him, wanted to thank him a million times, but was just not able to say anything.

A few moments later, an announcement was made. Her station had come. She stepped out, turned back, smiled and lip-synced a big 'Thank you' to the boy. He nodded and smiled back and the door closed.

Few Words Do Wonders!!!

She looked at her watch; it was 7:45 pm. She was all set to go but was very nervous. Having tried four to five outfits, she still lacked contentment.

"Oh dear God, I wish everything goes well tonight. You know na I've never been to such parties of elite and this is not just a party, it’s a big night for me…and for Brian specially. Please God, give me some strength to face his entire clan. I've never been a cynosure of all eyes and this is my first experience. I don’t want to give them a chance to reject me. I don’t want them to say that Brian could find a lot better girls than me. What if they call me down-market or say that I don’t deserve to be a part of them. No...they can’t be so contemptuous. Ok now Audrey....stop pondering over it....stop being a pessimist jerk...just relax...*phew*..."

*TING TONG* the door bell rang.

She quickly raked a comb through her hair, checked herself in the mirror and went to open the door.

"Cor! Look at you. You look so gorgeous....*sigh*...I think I’ve fallen for you again." Brian said
She gave him a jittery look and hugged him fervidly.

"Hey... don’t be nervous. My mom is not a Hitler. In fact she's super excited to meet you...asked me for your photograph but I said no you'll meet her at the party only. And don’t worry I won't leave you even for a minute... I'm here with you always." He said kissing her forehead.
"By the way girl, now I’m getting nervous 'coz I know nobody's going to watch me when I’ve such a pretty lady by my side." he giggled

"Oh Brian...I love you...and thanks for supporting me." she said and gave a big confident smile.

Sometimes the only way you can take a really good look at yourself is through somebody else's eyes!!!

A Never Ending Hope.

It was ten in the morning. For the past fifteen minutes, she'd been standing in front of her cupboard, rolling her eyes up and down to select a good attire. It was a special day for her and she, obviously, wanted to look good and make the evening perfect. After a few more minutes of selection and rejection, she finally found a peach colored suit and in another fifteen minutes, she was ready. 


                                Previous Day-23rd December, 2004

" OK now let me tell you the details once again. My flight AI 008C will leave at 3:15 in the afternoon and i'll reach Delhi by 7:00 pm. From there we will go to your favorite restaurant and will celebrate our anniversary"

"Anniversary? oh yeah...its been 1 month since we tied knots. You remembered it. That is so sweet"

"Of course i did. And ma'am this is the reason i'm coming two days earlier...just to be with you on the special day. OK now I've got to go. See you tomorrow"

"I miss you."

"Miss you too. take care."

Before going to the airport, she thought of buying a present for him. Having plenty of time in hand, she went to a store, bought a nice antique photo frame, selected a photograph which they once clicked during their courtship period and got the whole thing beautifully packed.
On reaching the airport at around 6:15 pm, she decided to have a cup of espresso but before that she went to check the status of his flight. She had no idea how the the next few minutes would change her life forever...


Flight No.               From                             To                          Status
AI 008C                Indonesia              New Delhi             Cancelled


It was hard for her to believe and she was still tingling with what her eyes saw when something even worse came out. She heard someone saying something about TSUNAMI. On turning her head around, she saw many people rushing in and out, frantically talking on phone, to their relatives may be, but she was still not able to make out what was going on till she saw the news herself


"A devastating tsunami has struck the Southern Asia and parts of East Africa. Lacs of people have been reported dead and missing and the major impact is seen in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Maldives."


The news came as a bolt from the blue. She immediately dialed his number but it was not reachable. She called on a few more numbers which were of his colleagues but all were not reachable except one.


"Hello.....hello??.....", someone did pick up but his voice cracked and before she could even say something the call lost. She tried again and again....for hours. And after trying zillion of times, she waited...in despair...waited in vain...for her phone to ring. She waited for her husband to call and say that he's in the pink of his health and there's nothing to worry. But she never got any call from him.

Its been more then five years since her fate did a somersault and jolted her inside out. But as we say, life goes on, so has she. And going on doesn't only mean re-marrying. For she has found other ways to keep herself busy and to keep pace with her life.


Her husband's name was no where among the deceaseds'. He was still counted among the 37,000 missing people in Indonesia. And somewhere down the line, she believes that he'd show up and when that day would come, she would give him his present which she has kept safely with herself, packed with their beautiful memories.