Beauty Is A Fragile Gift! - A Short Story

She woke up to the screeching sound of the alarm clock, eyes wide open, and she stared into nothingness, arms crossed on her chest. On any other day, that would be how she would decide the menu for breakfast and lunch, but that day she couldn’t muscle up the energy to drag herself from the warmth her woollen bed sheet offered. Pulling the sheets over her face she drifted back to sleep.

“Is the breakfast ready? What am I having for lunch?” he asked, although there was a demanding tone to the phrase.

“Sorry, I couldn’t prepare anything as I woke up late, will you eat out for today?” she said apologetically.

He could see the tiredness in her eyes not only today, but for a few days now, but couldn’t help the frown and walked out of the house mumbling.

She felt the rush of guilt cutting her in half, but thought of making up to him that night.

She ran her hand over the dresses she had in her closet, with a dry smile she shut the closet. She couldn’t remember the last time she dressed up, coifed her hair, put on some jewellery and walked in to a movie theatre or a restaurant oblivious to the secret admiration that lingered around her. Soon reality hit her and she managed to bring herself together to do the household chores.

“I’ll be late, don’t wait up for dinner”, he said the second time he called that day, the first being an inquiry about her having lunch, which she still felt glad and happy about.

“But, I was preparing your...” and the line went off. “...favourite dish”, she murmured to herself staring at the recipe book she was clutching in her hands.

She was in her bed nicely tucked, when he came home in the night.

He walked in to the room to check on her then murmured a little louder than usual, which she figured out was an admonishment for her failure in the morning.

“Do you need anything?” she asked.

“No, go back to sleep” he said, and shut the door behind his back on his way out of the room.

The sound of the alarm jolted her, morning hysteria greeted her, but she managed to muscle the energy and dragged herself from the cosiness of the bed, she felt like she was swimming upstream. But she didn’t want him to walk out of the house empty stomach two days in a row! She just could not afford it.

Breakfast was on the table and the packed lunch sat pretty on the shelf beside the table.

He was sorry for the previous day, but he saved the apology and sympathy for some other day, savouring the breakfast and devouring the morning daily, unlike any other day, to her dismay he told her about previous day at office. Nothing great, just the normal he thought. So much goes transpires in one single day she exclaimed!

He ended the conversation abruptly, got up, took his lunch, said goodbye and headed out.

“Do you have some plans during the weekend?” he asked.

“Not that I can think of” she said, uncertain of the reason behind his asking, yet curious to know.

“Okay, we are going out”.

“Where, why?” she blurted out.

“See you in the night” and the line went off, before she could protest any further.

The weekend arrived, her curiousness grew. “Are we visiting someone?” she asked.

“You’ll know”, he snapped back.

“Wear your favourite saree, you know which one”, he said.

Uncertain whether to wear it or not as she had hung up memories in the very closet when she hung that saree in the closet 4 years back”, she felt the rush of guilt when she donned the light green saree.

They walked in to one of the restaurants, no sooner had she walked in, and nostalgia hit her. It took a couple of moments to shun the tremors of nostalgia before she could take any step further. She could sense and notice the small tokens of admiration around, she felt awkward.

He had already pre-ordered everything, so that they could talk more, rather than indulging in the mundane activity of going through the menu.

He spoke about what was going in his life, and she devoured every bit of it. He told her tales about his workplace, friends, the kind of fun they have. She was amused by few and frowned at few.

The food arrived, just when she thought the bouts of nostalgia started to sink in, she was being knocked out with a few more. She devoured the food, all of it pleasing her taste buds like before! He soon realised they were already late for the matinee he had booked tickets for, nevertheless they headed to the cinema, they wound up 1 hour late, but still walked in.

He took her for a long drive, as none of them had the appetite for supper. They drove till sunset, trees passing by, and soon every mile seemed to be just another number. On their way back home they had ice-cream, “nostalgia she thought” .They laughed, argued, and teased each other until the dreading silence engulfed them, none of them wanted what was transpiring between them to end. But, everything comes to an end, sooner or later.

When they got out of the car to get some fresh air, she broke the silence.

“What was this all about? Why did you have to try so hard, did I appear so fragile?

“Beauty is fragile gift, and I could sense it was being snatched away from you.” And, I realised it was time I restore what you are worthy of, it was time; he chose his next words carefully, to fill in my father’s shoes, and walk the rest of miles with you!

“Shall I believe today was just a coincidence? She asked.

“I’ve read Dad’s diaries”, every day from now on shall be a coincidence, nothing more and nothing less!

She nurtured the promise she wore on her finger 20 years back, a tiny tear started rolling down her cheek, and then she smiled, assured of the fact that the promise has not been broken.

He could see her exude radiance like never before, her eyes sparkling, the tear rolling down her cheek twinkling and the grey hair shimmering in the moonlight, a sight that made his heart skip a beat, and a sight that etched deep into his heart!

The next day morning she woke up a couple of minutes before the alarm went off, crossing her arms she decided the menu for breakfast and lunch, and with utmost zealous she found herself heading towards the kitchen!