He woke up to the cramps of his back owing to the acquaintance with the couch that assisted him after the previous
night’s fight with her. It was 5.30 am. He checked his watch again and rubbed
his eyes and sighed loudly as if he’s late to some important meeting at work.
Indeed it was something important. Unlike this time, its more personal rather
than professional work that needs his cent percent deliverance. And he’s late
already. Moreover to worsen the situation, he’s had an argument with the boss
of his life -Meera!
It was the anniversary Anant was planning meticulously to
surprise his dear wife-Meera, from the time they both came to the guest house
for a vacation.
Anant quickly changed into sweatpants and hurried to check
whether the preparations at the lake behind the guest house were done as instructed.
The boat with flowers and a cake with “Happy Anniversary Dear Wife” written on
it and he specifically asked for roses, for his lady-love prefers nothing other
than the rose! It took a good one hour to decorate the mosaic flooring till the
lake with rose petals and meanwhile at the back of his mind he doubted whether
their SUV is in good condition if her highness would wish for a tour in the coffee plantation near guest house. Anant just couldn’t wait to see her expression
when the tickets to Norway would be delivered there; for Meera always wanted to
go there. He even made sure of calling the travel agency about it the previous
night.
And suddenly he was worried about the little argument they
had.
‘Meera looks best when
she’s mad at me’ he thought playfully
and continued pumping the jack while he remembered their little fights and
suddenly an image flashed in his mind of her wearing a sari! He stopped with a
jerk only to find that the car raised enough that the flat tyre is facing him
with its sad face. He swiftly loosened
the nuts with the wrench while he thought about the time he left her the first
time without any notice. And the painful memories that followed after almost
losing her.
Two months earlier, Anant took Meera out for a dinner which
went pretty boring owing to the un-ending texts and emails from his work. It
was the workaholic Anant that met Meera’s eye in the first place, but when the
marriage went on with the lame excuses of work and pressure, she couldn’t
tolerate and erupted at the table in the public. The fight continued till they
reached home and Anant in a fit of emotions, left her the next morning thinking
that their marriage was after all a big mistake. Only after it was late enough
to break her heart did he realize what he’s done to himself and her.
While the mutual friends of the couple suggested they take a
break and go for a vacation, they arrived at Coorg hill station where the guest
house with the lake continued their existence since 50 years. The previous
night, they again had a fight after all the preemptive efforts from him about
the day he left her. It was inevitable and they both knew that the tension had
to come out in some sort, and it did. But he didn’t want to ruin their
anniversary by sulking all day about the past and hurriedly prepared for the
BIG surprise. Only while tightening the nut of the new tyre did Chotu-the guest
house worker’s son scurried to tell him that Meera has cut her palm.
Anant took to his feet and feared all those 20 seconds till
he reached kitchen thinking if she’s hurt badly, if she’s cut herself too deep
or if the blood loss was too much. It was heartrending for him the moment he
saw her sitting on the floor with hand held far and eyes closed with pain and
the blood dripping off her delicate as a petal; pale palm onto the shining white tiles. And the next moment
he had a severe urge to slap her tight for letting such thing happen; for he
knew Meera isn’t among those who could fumble with cutlery and the wound said a
different story. Controlling those freakish emotions, he rushed off to get the
first aid kit and swiftly did the bandaging of the wound.
He just couldn’t fathom the reason behind all this. And when
he asked, her rather quick answer made him dumb-struck!
“Because I love you!” she said.
And she continued. “You weren’t talking to me, and the past
few days have been awkward between us. It was like we were strangers and I
could see the past repeat itself. On top of that, I heard you talking with
someone about ‘leaving as early as possible’.
Seeing his wife making a potpourri of events and connecting
dots rather sheepishly that doesn’t make sense, and cutting her hand thinking
he’d leave her again made him go berserk with anger. But at the same time, to
think she could cut herself at the thought of him leaving her, made him realize
the crazy, stupid love of his wife. It was a mixed emotion; the kind where you
wouldn’t know what to do other than just stare into those unfathomable eyes and
get lost in their depth.
Gasping a moment and assuring himself that the situation is
under control, Anant explained her frantically the ‘true’ significance of the
phone call only to be interrupted by Chotu for the part of surprise he planned;
the Norway tickets delivery from the travel agency.
“Happy Anniversary Dear Wife”, he whispered in her ears,
rather lovingly.
When she didn’t budge on the idea of taking her to the
hospital, he lifted her with full force for which she let out a sigh of relief
that she’s in safe hands. And all was well again.
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| Image Courtesy: deviantart.net |
