Hello lovelies,
I know I'm going missing time to time.
my life is becoming so demanding and I'm trying to cope up with all the changes.
Here is a new story: A mix of real and unreal events.
Hope you all like it!
*******
Series of Reality!
Smile!
"I missed you so much!" he said.
"I didn't!" I whispered as I turned to face him but the sound of alarm got me to wake up to the void space of our bedroom.
No, for now it's only mine.
More than just mine, mine and his little princess's room. I thought as I caressed my hand over my growing tummy.
I smiled to myself waiting for the day I could see her face, see her father's reflection on her face.
I want her to be his replica. The exact copy paste of him! That would be cute and adorable.
As I picked the photo frame from the table next to the bed, a small drop of tear rolled my eyes as the void is still there.
Even if days have passed, I will not be used to this, being alone.
Passing my finger over his pic where he is in his army attire, I wished him "Happy Birthday!"
Getting up, I did my routine from bathroom to kitchen and then settled to get on my business.
My business, online shop selling international snacks and sweet items.
"I should have went to get back my laptop!" I'm talking to myself only.
I gave my laptop for repair last week and I forgot to get back. I think I will go this afternoon.
Feeling a bit cold today with rain outside. So going for the sweater to wear on.
Opening the cupboard, the first sweater I remark is the white one with a big heart-in in the middle and small ones all around and there I remembered the day I got this sweater.
***** PAST *****
"Yes!" Opening the door.
"Mrs. Madhubala Rishab Kundra?"
"Yes!" I said to the courier boy who was standing there with a box.
"Here is a parcel for you!" he said "Please sign here Mam!" showing me a tab to sign.
I didn't order anything! It's been really a long time since I ordered something on net. What could it be? Who could have sent it? Is it really for me?
"Can you please check if it's really for me?" I asked.
Twisting and turning the parcel and checking the tab and confirming the address with me "This is in your name only mam." he said.
I was hesitant if I should accept it or not. May be it could be the gift of someone I know, a surprise for my birthday as it's been 2 weeks only.
"Is there any return option?"
"No mam! Sorry!"
"Before signing I want to check what's in it!" I said.
"But Mam, I need your sign before handing over it to you!"
"Okay!" I told as I took the tab and signed it and took the parcel to open.
And the courier boy stayed with me until I opened it to find a colored packet with a letter.
Opening the letter, there was only one words written on it!
"Smile!" and unknowingly a smile crossed my lips as questions ran in my mind.
"Is it from someone you know Mam?"
"I think so!" I said as I showed him the paper and he smiled too.
I opened the package and found this sweet sweater in it.
A sweater covered with heart-ins in yellow and green.
And it confirmed that it was someone I know, may be my parents, my friends. But for sure, it is from someone I know.
***** PRESENT *****
It's been two months and I still didn't find who could have sent this.
My parents said they didn't order anything and my friends weren't the ones too.
And coming to present, I still haven't had worn this sweater once.
So why not today!
No one is going to come and question me!
Pulling it out of the cupboard, I wore it before getting his laptop to work on.
I'm working on it since one week and I got to know few of his secrets, I smiled to myself as I remembered all his small notes which were from the time we started to love.
There was exactly one that caught my attention and I still remember it well "She is the sweetest witch who can throw any witchcrafts on me to make me to do anything with her witchifying eyes!" Rishab and his witchifying words! I laughed as I logged into his laptop.
Time passed and it's already 11h.
Need to go to make lunch.
DING!
"A mail for him!" it's again me talking to myself only!
I opened it to see and it's from a shop named "Smile with us!"
As I read the mail, I understood one thing.
That this sweater is his gift.
His gift for me, for our 3rd anniversary, for our 7th valentine anniversary.
As the knitting took time, the delivery took time too and it got delivered one and half months later.
The mail is to apologize for the long wait and in order to correct their mistake, they sent back 50% of the initial amount of the order to his bank account.
I was thinking of everyone but I forgot to think it could have been him.
What a wife I'm I thought to myself as tears rolled down while hugging myself, feeling his presence in the air and imagining him to be here!
He also didn't say a word about it!
Of course it was his gift, surprise gift! I understand but then I would have been super happy if I knew that day itself.
***** PAST *****
"I will be back soon!"
"Why can't you say you are on leave and stay with me?" I cried hugging him.
"You know that I can't!" kissing my head.
"You came last week only!" I'm the kid here. With him, it's always been like this.
"I know! But you heard them! They need me at the border! I'm the one of the main force of the badge. As a captain and pilot, I need to be there."
"Next Wednesday is our"
Peeking my lips and there I lost my words "I know it's our anniversary! I will try!"
"Hmm!" and hugged him tight.
"Smile!" he asked.
I was crying but I smiled.
"I don't want smiling lips, I want smiling eyes!" he demanded as he tickled me.
"Rishab! Stop! Please!" as I laughed, he joined along "Come soon!" I hugged again.
"Love you a lot!" he said kissing on forehead.
"Love you to infinity!" as we broke the hug.
"Smile!" he mouthed as he left from the front door while I was standing there watching him go in his car.
***** PRESENT *****
I have smile in my eyes now as my hands passed over the heart-in and my tummy and even now I'm crying.
I didn't know that was the last time I'm seeing him.
I didn't know that was the last word of his.
Three days later from his departure, I got a call from his office.
I was called there. And I was informed about a life changing event.
He was no more. My life! My smile! My happiness was no more!
The aircraft met with an accident and he lost his life along with 4 of his other co-workers, army men.
I broke down there itself, I broke into pieces!
This is not happening! This can't be!
But it happened.
He was no more there!
"Be strong Mrs. Kundra!" his co-worker/friend said.
I tried and I'm still trying.
He used to say that if something happens to him, I should let the army take his body and do the necessaries and let them burry him in the army's graveyard.
I used to scold him for talking like that but then that is what happened. I let him be a soldier forever.
I was back to home on the day of our anniversary.
I was back to home but alone.
Families and friends supported me, my parents asked me to be with them but I want to stay here.
His memories, his smell, his presence is here.
Everywhere in the house.
I wanted to be here and I 'm here.
Time passed but nothing changed.
I miss him terribly. I'm missing him every moment.
Our marriage and love anniversary passed.
One week later, my birthday passed.
Then, I got the parcel.
And one fine day, I got the sweetest surprise of my life when I fainted in the train.
***** PAST *****
"Mrs. Kundra! How are you feeling now!" from the air, I can say that I'm inside an ambulance. "Mrs. Kundra! Are you doing well?" the man asked me.
I just nodded as I felt my tongue to be dead and my mouth dry.
How does he know my name! Oh yeah, my ID card.
I tried to sit and he helped me to be comfortable by adjusting the stretcher.
I pronounced water but words didn't leave my mouth, my action made and the time I got water and had it, we reached the hospital.
I was took in charge immediately and was presented with a surprise.
"We need to do another checkup Mrs. Kundra."
I just nodded as I don't know why and what's happening.
And it's also because I'm no more interested in my health.
Tests were made and I passed almost 6 hours there and finally the lady doctor came with a file and a smile.
"Congrats Mrs. Kundra! You are pregnant!" And there I felt to be new. New in my own self and new in my own world.
He is with me, not only with closed eyes but there living inside me.
Happy tears accompanied with a smile made their way.
***** PRESENT *****
And that day, the world changed again for me!
A life of his is inside me!
A life I will treasure and ensure!
A life full of smile!
"Smile!" I said to myself once again, getting up and making my way towards the kitchen, with hands on my tummy.
Feeling her presence made me always feel safe.
The baby is a she as he used to wish!
You can be asking how I know!
I really didn't want to know but I heard the doctor talking with the nurse last week after th 14th week checkup.
So it's a she and I know what her name is!
I stopped suddenly as I passed the mirror, on the way to kitchen.
I turned and got back in front of it.
And noticed something that I haven't before.
The heart-in has a smile!
The mix of green and yellow wasn't really a mixture.
It's a green heart with yellow eyes and a smile.
As I passed my fingers over it, I noticed another thing.
The big heart-in is made of our initials.
Why haven't I noticed all these before?
What all he did to make our anniversary special.
"The best gift I got from you!" I said as my eyes landed on my little girl growing inside me.
Days passed and my mother came and lived with me.
"I want to be with you! At this moment of your life!" she said adamantly. And I couldn't say anything to her. She cares for me as much as I care for the little being inside me. So understandable.
Time passed and the special day came and the love of my life born in a new form and new life.
She is for now a small mix of us but I can imagine her already growing and looking like her father, my happiness!
I miss him a lot, I wished he was here with us but then she is he. His replica! He and He only!
"We need to give her a name for the hospital register dear!" my dad said as I was holding her in my arms and looking into her eyes as she smiled at me and captured my whole life in it.
And I joined in smiling with her as I said her name as. Her name is "Smile!"
*******
Thank you for reading!
If you liked it, let me know through likes and comment.
Any mistakes, let me know too.
And a small information!
This is kind of a true story that I read somewhere in Youtube comment.
What is real?
The unknown gift part.
The death of the man.
Birthday gift.
And the gift is a tee-shirt.
What is not real?
The duration of events.
Profession of characters.
Pregnancy, marriage anniversary ...
Sweater is the gift.
See you all soon with something new and the next is Viraha!
- Maithili