Whoa, the last chapter already! I cannot believe I have completed another story of mine. Just a couple of months ago, I didnt know I could even write and here I am completing one story and starting another. And you are all still here, reading and loving my stories. I cannot say how much it means to me!
And so, I hope the confession doesnt disappoint you! Its not too many words, but feelings that I have tried to put into it😳
I am blabbering again, so here you go.
Chapter 9 - The Last Wish
Arjun
My heart beats fast as I knock on her door. I don't even know why I am knocking when the key to her flat lies in the pocket of my jeans. I wait for the sound of her approaching footsteps, but there isn't any such sound. I wonder if she is as nervous as I am. I wonder why I am nervous when I know that she loves me and I love her. I knock again, this time a little louder. Something tells me she isn't in her flat. I shuffle my feet and look down upon them, wondering what I would tell her. What if I cannot find the correct words?
My eyes fall upon a white note peeking out from under the door. I reach out for it and see her familiar handwriting upon it. Another note. I smile as I read what is written on it:
Arjun,
You must be wondering where I am when you have got so much or rather, so little to say to me. Don't worry, the words will be there for you when you need them. If not, let your eyes speak. Like they always do. You have fulfilled every wish, every desire of mine, Arjun. I have one last wish and you know what that is. The place has to be a little special, right? This time, I have chosen it. I will be waiting there. A blind girl, waiting for her eyes. You.
Meet me there. Amongst the flowers, in the garden I have named below.
Sakshi
***
It is nearly dawn when I enter the garden. The sun still hasn't risen and the sky is a shade of turquoise, waiting for the sun to brighten it up. The leaves and flower petals are covered with tiny dew drops and the morning air smells so fresh, so pure. Birds are starting to chirp in the trees and the sweet melody echoes through the garden. It is just nature and yet, everything feels different at this moment.
When I see her standing in the distance, my breath catches in my throat. I see her everyday and yet, today, it feels different. I wonder how some words can make such a difference. She stands there just beyond the bed of roses, clad in a pale yellow churidaar kurta. The translucent yellow dupatta that drapes across her neck flies in the slight breeze in the garden, and it almost feels like she is wearing the sunshine. She turns around to face me then, her face bearing that beautiful smile. She probably felt my presence, as always.
I approach her, my eyes not moving from her eyes. She looks breathtakingly beautiful, set against the backdrop of the colourful flowers. Like a ray of sunshine in the garden.
I have forgotten my nervousness at the sight of her.
"You don't have a very pretty handwriting," I say, in a teasing voice.
She grins and says, "After all that effort, all you notice is my handwriting!"
I edge closer to her, and say, "I noticed a lot more."
Her face glows in the pale light around us. I keep getting closer.
Closer. Until I can feel her warm breath on my face.
Sakshi
He is too close to me and I can feel the world around me shutting down. The flowers, the trees the sky that slowly turns from turquoise to amber slowly fades out around me, until there is only one thing that remains visible and prominent in front of me. His eyes. I close my eyes as he touches my face, his fingers slowly brushing against my cheek and into my hair. I forget what I came here to say. The three words that were waiting to escape my lips are now lost somewhere within him. I hold his hand closer to my face and my lips curve into a smile instantly.
His lips gently brush against my cheek as he brings his mouth closer to my ears and whispers, "I thought you wanted to say something."
I smile and open my eyes to look into his deep, expressive eyes once more. The eyes that have always held nothing but pure and selfless love for me. The love that I always felt, despite not being able to look into them all this time.
This time, I don't hesitate. The words finally escape my mouth, "I love you, Arjun."
I cannot say anything more. The words linger around in the air around us, and everything feels different. It is the first time I ever uttered those words to him, even though my eyes probably confessed it every single day.
He is quiet, just like me. Probably feeling the words around him too, just like me.
Then he smiles and says, "I want to make this magical for you. But I don't know how to. Your diary, your words..." He falters, searching for words.
"Don't you think your presence makes it magical enough?" I say and reach out for his hands.
I grip his hands tightly and say, "We don't need magic, Arjun. There is enough magic in your touch. In these fingers that always held mine. In those eyes that showed me the world, the colours in it that no one ever could. There is enough magic in your presence. And it is all real. Not an illusion."
His eyes look back into mine again and this time, I hear the words even before he utters them.
"I love you, Sakshi. I probably should have said it sooner..."
My fingers rush to his lips, stopping him from saying anything more.
"You didn't need to. And we both know that." I say.
He smiles, slowly kisses my fingers and then wraps his arms around me. I can suddenly feel the world again as I rest my head against his chest. I can hear the birds chirping again, the slow and gentle sound of the wind blowing through the leaves and the gentle beating of his heart. I feel the world in his arms.
Yes, he doesn't need to say anything. His touch says it all.
***
Dawn arrives and a pale yellow glow creeps stealthily into the sky. We walk through the stony path that winds through the garden, our fingers entwined. My free hand brushes against the flowers that bloom in the garden and the wet dew drops are left behind on my fingers. I sometimes gaze at the transparent drops that stick to my fingers and stare at it as it slides down into my palm and down my wrist.
He watches me intently, from the corner of his eye as I play with the dew drops.
As the sun comes up in the horizon, he stops me from walking further.
"Give me your hand." He says.
I smile and say, "It is already in yours."
He laughs at me and takes my other hand which is now wet from the dew. He slowly brushes his fingers against a nearby flower petal and then touches his wet finger to mine. The little dew drop from his finger bonds with the tiny one on mine and a bigger drop clings to my skin. He then raises my hand towards the sky, my finger just about touching the sun in the distance. Virtually, of course.
"Look through the drop." He says.
I glance at the little dew drop that rests on my finger and gasp. The sky seems to have been squeezed into that tiny drop and it now looks like a little drop of the sky. The sky that glows golden and orange by the minute now rests on my finger. And so does the sun. Small, but yet still there, within that little transparent globe. The world, in a dew drop.
His voice is soft when he speaks, "There are so many things in this world that we fail to notice, right? So much of beauty to be seen and appreciated. And yet, we get caught in our busy lives and fail to notice the minute things that behold such beauty."
He glances towards me and says, "Somehow, every simple moment seems to transform into a beautiful one when I am with you, Sakshi."
I smile and reply, "That's because our togetherness makes it so special. And because, we see the world through each other's eyes."
***
Arjun
The sun has now lifted itself from the horizon. It still glows a bright orange in the sky, splattering yellow and orange all around it. Slowly, the sun will lose its colour and become a bright ball of fire in the sky. So bright that you cannot stare at it anymore.
I see her walking amongst the flowers, her eyes reflecting the several colours that lie around us. I spot a butterfly fluttering its wings just beyond her and the wish list we created just before her eye surgery suddenly passes through my mind.
Butterflies with colourful wings.
One last wish. The last one that remains unfulfilled.
I slowly approach her, so as not to disturb the butterfly behind her. I see it settling down on a flower, its bright black and yellow wings standing out amongst the white petals.
"What?" She asks.
I place my finger slowly on her lips and say, "Shh. Your last wish."
She raises her brow at me, questioningly and I place my hands on her shoulder.
"You will see." I say, and move her slowly towards the butterfly.
She gasps at the sight of the butterfly and clutches my hand that rests on her shoulder.
"Is that..." She asks.
"A butterfly. Your last wish." I whisper close to her ear.
I look at her unblinking eyes as she gazes in awe at the butterfly, her hand still on mine.
As we gaze transfixed on the butterfly, I put my arms around her and rest my chin on her shoulder. The sun's rays now slowly creep into the garden and onto us, slowly spreading its warmth through us. I feel warm and happy as we stand there together, amongst all the colours. Perhaps it feels too perfect. Too right. But then, things always feel right when she is with me.
Sakshi
I have a smile stuck to my face as I gaze at the little butterfly on the flower. Not because the butterfly is even more beautiful that I had imagined. But because, he remembered my stupid wish list. When I think back to it, he actually did fulfil every single silly wish I had put down on that list. I sometimes wish he didn't love me as much as he does. Then I feel scared. Scared of losing him. Because if I ever lost him, I wouldn't just be blind. I would stop living. He is now a part of me, a part of my soul, my happiness. Without him, I would be a blank, empty space. Hollow and empty inside.
I shiver at the thought and wrap his arms tighter around me.
Perhaps he senses my insecurity, because, I feel him gently kissing my hair.
And then, he says, "Don't worry. I am not going anywhere. I will be here with you. Always."
I smile and say, "I will never let you go."
"I will never let you go." He replies back with a smile.
Another butterfly flutters its wings in front of me and I spread out my palm towards it.
For a moment, it flies by, ignoring my outstretched palm and I sigh in disappointment.
Then to my surprise, he places a bright yellow petal on my palm and says, "Wait and watch."
I gaze at the butterfly, its blue and white wings fluttering away from me. And then suddenly it does an abrupt turn and flies back towards me.
When I feel its little delicate legs landing on my palm, I gasp. I stop breathing as it freezes there for a minute, probably debating on whether to stay or not. I admire its bright blue wings as it sits there, opening and closing its wings.
"It's beautiful." I whisper, as low as I can.
"Yes, it is." He whispers against my ears.
As the butterfly flies away, I look into his eyes once more and say, "You know what is more beautiful though?"
"What?" He asks.
"This moment I am spending with you. The colours aren't the same without you. The world isn't the same without you." I say.
He smiles, his face beaming brighter by each passing minute, like the sun. Even though he doesn't say anything back, I know what his eyes say. His eyes hold that silent promise that we make to each other every minute we spend together. The promise of always being there for each other. The promise of loving each other. Always.
And then he asks, "So what is your favourite colour?"
He probably knows the answer and yet he asks. I know it is because he wants to hear it.
And I don't hesitate in answering back.
"You." I say.
*****************THE END*****************
Hope you enjoyed the story! Please do leave your comments one last time for this story!😳
And thank you sooo much for reading!
Anupamaa
Real Estate
43