Memory Lane

I was taking a day nap when I heard knocking at the door. I went downstairs to check who it was. It was my husband. I was surprised by how he came so early that day. He said that he had taken half a day. I went to the kitchen to prepare the tea. When I was preparing tea, he asked me to prepare one more cup. I asked him for whom it was? He just replied," you bring na." I prepared one more cup and brought it. I saw it was Rahul, my son. He was drunk again. I scold him and that daily shit started again. I told Sumer to control his son. He scolds him and went to his room. I forgot, with whom I m shouting. It was of no use. Had he controlled him at the right time, we won't be facing this. Rahul didn't like the tea and thrown the cup on the floor. I could not control my anger and I shouted at him. In return, he slapped me. I was awestruck. What just happened? My only son slapped me. Did God keep me alive for this day only? I couldn't control my tears.

 I went to the Garden. Those budding flowers, birds, butterflies, playing children calmed me down. I was observing this only when I saw a beautiful butterfly sat on my hand. I immediately shouted, "Manish! See, I got a butterfly. I won the bet. Come here na . See it's beautiful wings. I told you na."

I was so happy seeing that butterfly that I forgot that I was not the only one in the park. Everyone saw me. Suddenly I realized what had I done.

Manish, that name came to my lips after such a long period of time. I was amazed at myself. I could easily recall all the memories. They were as fresh as happened yesterday. 

[She recalled her bet with Manish, to have a butterfly sitting on her hand. To which he said that he could believe her only when she had a piece of evidence. She was sad because she had no one who could have her picture clicked. Then, she started to memorize their moments. She wished she could live those moments again. Their first meeting, the first exchange of glance, first movie, first hand-holding, first bunk, first mischievous acts, first sharing of food, first traveling, many more things that happened for the first time. She still remembered the day when he purposed her. She was elated that she said yes and hugged him in front of the whole campus. Slowly slowly, their intimacy had grown. She was addicted to him. And he was too, for her. Everybody gossiped about them but they do not pay any heed. Slowly, two years had passed and her family came to knew about her. They warned her but she didn't leave him. One day, she was in college when she got a call. It was from her mother. She told her that her father had met with an accident and was admitted to ICU. She immediately left for the hospital where her father was being treated. Her father was taking his last breaths and took a promise from her to marry the guy whom he had chosen for her. She couldn't say no and was devastated. She lost her father and Manish at the same time. The next day, she went to college and broke all ties with him. He pleaded but she didn't turn back. ]

Her cheeks were wetter now.

I came back to her present. 22 years after that. I saw a remote like something. I pressed it and reached 22 years past. I knew the day when my father met with an accident. So that day ( in the past) I didn't let him go anywhere and spend the whole time with him. He was amazed that I had missed my college that I didn't do usually. After a course of about one week, my father himself got to agree to marry me to Manish. I was stunned.....More than stunned. I asked for the reason. My father told me the whole scenario that he was meeting him with some excuse and he was really a gentleman. We got married after one and a half months. We were in bed on the wedding night. It was like our dream come true. We were just about to kiss when somebody called my name.

It was my husband. He asked me to prepare the tea. He had taken his half-day off. 

I am still searching for that remote.