| Creative Writing Competition 2012 India | |
| CODE | 485 |
| SETTING | Terrace OR Bedroom OR Living Hall |
| OBJECT | Chocolate |
| THEME | Remorse |
Family Short Story – The Unexpected Turns
Photo credit: Alvimann from morguefile.com
Emily rang the bell. She said a small prayer to herself as was her habit before she entered the house. She never knew what to expect. The door was opened by Maria. Emily stepped inside and her shoes made a crunching noise. Glass pieces all over the living room!What a mess! Bigger pieces lay near the sofa. The glass vase on the coffee table was missing.
Emily looked at Sophia. Sophia hastened to explain.
“I didn’t break it. He broke it. I told him not to handle it.”
The cell phone in Emily’s bag rang. It was aunt Rebecca. Her calls were always soothing for Emily. After her mother’s death it was aunt who had been giving her a feeling of security. But unfortunately she fell from the staircase six months back and her broken leg would not heal. Doctors doubted if she could walk again. Now bound to a wheel chair, she could not visit Emily, as she used to, for a chat or for sharing a recipe or two.
“Hello, how are you?” Aunt called everyday, either at lunch or after she came back from office.
“How’s Ryan?”enquired Aunt Rebecca as usual.
Emily,”Oh, auntie, he has broken the glass vase today, Victor’s gift on our first anniversary, you know.”
“Victor’s gift? Do you mind?” Aunt queried.
“Not that I mind because it’s Victor’s gift. The mess, you know. I have to clean it up. Of course Maria is here,”
She smiled at teen aged Maria. Emily had employed her only a few months back, after she started working full time. She needed the money. After her separation from Victor, she had to run the house.
She thought she would not be able to survive the separation. She was shattered when he asked her for a divorce.
“You are breaking my heart, Vicky,” she sobbed.
“I’m sorry, Emi. I have given it a lot of thinking. It’s not going to work, our staying together.”
“Are you leaving me for some other girl, Victor?” She asked at last.
“No,” was his reply. She could not believe it. He left. She thought the sky would fall down; it didn’t.
When Victor had proposed her, she thought her life was set, she would bear him a son and they would sail smoothly. Victor was a silent person and Emily liked it. He also was not much of an outdoor person. In fact, a good part of the four years they spent together, he sat on the sofa, watching TV, drinking coffee or beer, snacking or sleeping on it. It amused her when she thought of it now.
Aunt enquired,”Ryan is getting on well with Maria?”
“Yes, auntie. But he would have preferred me to stay.” Emily looked at him.
He was staring sheepishly at her while he mumbled, “Sorry for the vase.”
“Poor thing. Does he talk about Victor?” Aunt wanted to know.
“No . I didn’t tell him about Victor. I didn’t want him to get upset. He liked Victor, you know,” Phone in one hand Emily started sweeping the pieces of glass with a cloth.
“You didn’t tell him! How do you explain victor’s absence to him?” Aunt sounded surprised.
“Victor went on tours often. So he’s not missed. OK auntie, talk to you later. Got work to do,” concluded Emily. “Right, sweetheart, take care,” said auntie and hung up.
The next day, Emily was so busy in a meeting, she could not attend Maria’s calls. Emily had just got out of a meeting, the phone rang again. It was aunt Rebecca this time.
“Auntie, I am really so busy now. Can you talk later?”
“Honey, it’s about Ryan. He’s eaten chocolate and has fainted. Maria tried to call. .. ……..”
“What! What do you mean eaten chocolate? I never keep chocolates at home, knowing his condition.”
” Apparently, this girl Maria had some and as she didn’t know about him, must have given him one. He loves milk chocolates. mm……You hurry home. I think you will have to admit him in a hospital,” she could sense aunt’s agitation.
The ambulance rushed through the streets and reached the Good Hope Nursing home. Maria was crying bitterly.
“I didn’t know, mam. I didn’t know he should not eat chocolate.”
Within a matter of five minutes the stretcher was wheeled out.
“Sorry mam, the patient has had a fainting fit and has passed away a few minutes back. Could you please fill up this form?” The hospital official extended a form.
Emily looked at him incredulously. Her hands were shaking and she could not even hold the pen.
“Sorry mam, I shall do it for you,” he said kindly.”What’s the patient’s full name?”
“Ryan D’souza.”
“Age?”
“Sixty Five.”
“Your relationship to him?” Why did you bring him here?
“He’s my father. I brought him here because he ate a large chunk of chocolate and fainted. He was allergic to chocolates.”
The phone rang. “How’s Ryan, Emily?” It was aunt Rebecca. Emily sobbed.
__END__
