Family Short Story – My Prince Charming. Was he ?
© Anand Vishnu Prakash, YourStoryClub.com
Baba please, one last story. Please, I would plead my father every night.
Okay, but you will sleep after this. Promise me, he would tell me.
I would nod my head as I eagerly awaited him to begin the story.
Long time ago, there was a preety girl who had lost her way in the woods. It was getting dark and she knew not where to go. She was scared of the monster that lived in the woods who ate little preety girls for dinner. Father would mould a scary face pretending to be the monster.
I would grab his strong arm terrified. He would laugh and take me into his arms like he did every night.
The monster saw the girl crying. He was hungry. So he silently crawled towards her. I’m going to have you as my dinner, preety girl, he roared at her. Father would mock a scary laugh and pretend to be hungry. I would grab him even more tighter. Even more frightened.
But then, out of nowhere came a Charming prince. He slew the monster with one swift blow of his sharp sword and killed the monster. Father would motion his right hand high in the air pretending to hold the sword. I would clap excitedly at the Prince victory.
What happened after that baba ? I would ask him.
And they lived happily ever after, he would say.
Now go to sleep, my dear. You got school’s tomorrow. And baba needs to go to work.
He would then tenderly kiss me on my forehead.
Goodnight baba, I would whisper into his ear.
Goodnight, he would whisper back into mine.
Baba, am I pretty ? I would ask him.
Yes, you’re. You’re the prettiest girl ever. My princess.
Will I get a charming Prince like the one from the story? I asked him curiously.
Yes, the most charming Prince of all. He would tell me proudly.
And I would live happily ever after ? I would ask him with even more curiosity.
Yes, the most happiest, you’ll be. My father would tell me.
This was my favourite bed time story. And I grew with it. Every single day of my life.
I awaited for that day when my Prince Charming would come riding a horse and save me from the monster. Well, I had dropped the idea of the monster. The logic behind ? Where would I find one in this urban land ? Baba had long time ago told me once that the monster had ran away into the deep dark woods, away from the city. Maybe to the amazon, you never know, Baba had told.
But my Prince still stayed in the city. And baba had told me he would come . But when ? Well, you will have to wait and see, dera. He would tell me everytime I would confront him.
Maybe he would come when the ice cream man would not let me have one more extra cone. Or maybe when the grouchy Sethji would not give me that extra chocolate while buying groceries. Or maybe when those ugly men would oggle me as I waited for the city bus everyday to college.
And finally the long awaited day came, when my Prince Charming came. It wasn’t like in the story. There were too many contradictions. For instance he didn’t ride a horse. Instead he rode on a Royal Enfield Bullet 350 Twinspark. He didn’t had a sword dangling from his waist belt. Nor did he wore rich silk fabrics or jeweleries adored his frame . He wore a ordinary blue denim and a grey T-shirt. He was nothing like the Prince from my story. But I fell for him. Why ? I never knew. Nor do I know it now.
Life seemed to beautiful to be true. It seemed like a fairy tale. Yes, like the one baba had narrated to me when I was a child. Suddenly I start believing that I was indeed that preety girl from the story. And he, My Prince Charming. I loved him, no doubt. But did he ? Well, this was yet to be known.
Two spoon sugar and three spoon coffee . Sweet yet little bitter. That’s how I like my morning coffee.
I stare at the paper that lay at the table infront of me. He wanted a divorce. He had couriered me the papers the other day. Surprisingly he didn’t bother to give it himself. It seemed a little awkard after a five years marriage. But what difference does it make, when there is nothing left ? Five days or five years, it was the same after all.
Didi, what should I cook for lunch ? My maid stood wiping her hands in her sari. The sari had a little hole in it’s edge. And it’s red paint were fading away. I never had before noticed it. How could I ? I was too busy being the preety girl from the story.
Sarita, take a saree or two from my wardrobe when you go home today. Will you ?
She look baffled. She might have wanted to ask why but she dared not to. Hajur, she replied and turned to go to attend her chores.
Sarita, I called her again.
Yes Didi, she responded swiftly.
Have you ever heard the story about that preety girl who lost her way in the woods.
No Didi, Sarita replies flummoxed.
Okay come sit thenShe takes the Chair adjacent to me.
Coffee ? I tell her.
She hesitates for a while. Hajur, she replies finally.
Okay, so it begins like this. I tell to her.
Long time ago, there was this preety girl who lost her way in the woods…I begin slowly.
I stare at the divorce paper yet again.
Oh, My Prince Charming, I cried silently.
–END–
