HER LAST WORDS

It was a Sunday morning. The breeze was cold. The Sun slowly started to make its way to dawn. The roses in the lawn were starving for their breakfast. In the porch, the duo, cozy chair and the table were waiting for their friends’ arrival. A few minutes later, the main door of the house was wide open. An old man with grey hair and wrinkled skin turned up from the house, wiping his specs with his kurta. He fetched the watering can and filled it with water from the tap near the lawn. As he took care of each and every plant and watered it with love, time started its journey.

It was quarter to seven. He sat in his chair and looked at the gate. As every minute passed, his anxiety also grew. For every second, he was cautiously and constantly looking at the gate and the clock. YES! He was waiting for someone.

It was seven and at last the gate was open. His bliss state was reduced to happiness, as it was the local newspaper boy with the newspaper. He greeted and handed over the newspaper to him.

“Grandpa!” he called and stretched his empty hand towards him.

Puzzled by the boy’s facial expression, he thought for a moment and recalled his memory. He went to the table to fetch him something. He took a chocolate from the jar which was placed on the table and went back to him.

“Thank you, my son!” he hugged the boy and gave him the chocolate.

“Remember the count Grandpa, it is 313!” he said and left with a happy face.

He bided him with a feign smile.

He went to his spot, made himself comfortable and started to read the newspaper. From skimming the sports page, he fell into the hot topic of the front page. When he was about to finish reading, his phone rang. It displayed “Son” calling. Without waiting for the next ring, he took the call instantly. His excitement took a U-turn when his son postponed his arrival to next month.

The aroma of coffee from the kitchen filled the entire building. His wife came with a cup of coffee from the kitchen and placed it on the table. On seeing his sullen face, she started shooting questions for which he answered in a low tone. Hearing their son’s postponement of plan, she too grieved.

The clock struck eight. As it was Sunday, they both started cleaning the house. He was cleaning the photos in the living room and she was neatly arranging the clothes in the closet. Underneath her old silk saree, she found their wedding album. An idea struck her mind with a super-power to heal him temporarily.

She shouted his name aloud. Frightened by the shout, he took his speed to the bedroom.

“What happened?” he asked.

“See what I have found. Our wedding album!” she said with joy.

His dull face fumed with rage.

She calmed his anger and made him to sit beside her.

She flipped the wedding album and both started to time travel to the past.

“Date: 13.10.1983”  

“Chandru weds Mounika”  

The album displayed.

As they flipped the album, they came across the picture of their wedding ring.

“Do you remember how you proposed me?” She asked.

“I still regret that incident. It is the biggest mistake of my life!” He teased her.

She got up from the bed ferociously and was about to leave.

He caught hold of her hands, went down on his knees, took the wedding ring from his finger and said “Will you marry me, my love?”

Not only his spontaneity, but also the way he proposed, flabbergasted her.

Reminiscing their precious moments, the time flew from morning to afternoon. 

As the album was about to reach its end, his face turned dull once again. She connected with his eyes and started to console him.

“Look at this album, there are so many people but no one is with us now. Even if no one is there for us, I’ll be there for you until my last breath.”

“I love you”.

The album ended and a silence prevailed. 

Shattering the silence, the couple heard someone banging the door. Afraid by the sound, both went to open the door. As soon as the old man opened the door, a masked guy grabbed him and held a pocket knife to his throat. Frightened to death, she offered a ransom for her husband’s release. The robber thought for a second and demanded “a cup of coffee” as ransom.

Hearing the robber’s ransom, the old ones wore a clueless face.

Slowly, the robber removed his mask and said:

“Hi Mom! Hi Dad!”