She stood by the window, watching the glistening full moon. The day had a particular gist to it, and she couldn't contemplate why. Turning around, Grace walked up to the easel that stood in the corner. The easel held a blank, un-touched canvas; the one that has stood empty for 6 months now. She held one of the brushes that were splattered around the area. It was soft, delicate, and warm. It felt to her as though she was an amateur painter; holding a brush for the first time. Oh the irony of her life.
-Flashback-
"Damn it! I messed up again." Grace muttered some forbidden words; pent up with frustration that she had messed up for the umpteenth time. She had added too much yellow; and now the painting looked un-balanced. Still muttering, the petite girl ambled her way up to the professor to ask for his help; for this was a mistake she couldn't single handedly amend.
Grace was one of those people with hands that were gifted for the art of painting. It was one of those god-given gifts, the ability to transfer the beauty of nature and light onto a canvas. Her applying to the art school would have never come true if it wasn't for him. He was the sole reason she had started painting.
-Present-
A tear escaped her eye at the thought of him. When she caught a glimpse of the canvas, all Grace saw was white. There was a great amount of similarity between her life and the canvas. Both were blank; devoid of any colour.
Who knew one night would change her life to such a great extent?
-Flashback-
"Three more days" crossing the date on the calendar, Grace heaved a sigh. Their parents had whole heartedly agreed, the date had been fixed, and everything was going through with great speed. She, Grace M. Crede, was getting married. Turning her mere childhood crush from a relationship filled of love, into an eternal bond of promise.
As she stared out the window, she suddenly felt something pull. Something in her heart had changed? Fear over took her, for it was not a good sign. It felt as though someone close was going away from her, but who? Praying to the one above to keep her family safe and sound, she turned to go outside as she had heard her mother call.
Everything after that was a blur, the call from Gabriel's parents, her driving to the hospital, sitting for hours in the waiting room of the OT; numb. The only thing she remembered was his final adieu. His final words, where he had told her to stay the way she is. He knew she would stop painting after him, that's why he had asked her as his final promise to keep the art alive. To keep her gift alive.
It was after he left that Grace realized she had prayed to god to keep her loved ones safe; not her life itself.
-Present-
It had been 6 months; maybe it was time for a change. Looking around the little studio that he had gifted her, she saw colour again. Her perspective of the world had changed. The light was now visible, pure as always. It amazed her to see the world from this view again; the same light had touched him once, his body and soul. Grace felt fresh, it helped her to reminisce the old days. Remembering him had always given her a stride in everything. The hardest of the tasks seemed simple with him by her side.
Picking up a charcoal pencil and her pad, she drew her first line in months; the first of many that were to come under his memories. Gabriel, even non-existent, had taken over her in the form of art.
"I would give up everything for one moment with you; for one moment is better than a lifetime of not knowing you"
-Nitya
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
Members Lounge
