LLC01: A Moon at the Shore

When I look through the foggy windows, I see my Grandma’s image. The cold wind brushes me, giving chills, which creeps through my heart, bringing the memories of my Grandma. I love my Grandma, and wish to live with her, in her beautiful village. I have visited her before 10 yrs from now. She’s a woman at her ninety’s, always wearing a simple gown mostly pink or green colored. Grandma looks very beautiful even through her wrinkled skin. I couldn’t even forget a single moment I have spent with her. My Grandma lives alone, after my Grandpa’s death. Many times our family, requested her to come with us. But, she never accepted our request. Among all, she shows lots of affection and care towards me. Her beautiful face is imprinted in my heart. Whenever, I close my eyes, I feel though she’s caressing me with her affectionate kiss. She used to tell me lots of stories. I still remember those moments.

“Lucy… Lucy… Where are you my little girl? Come here, its story time, sweety.”

I would run, searching her. “Grandma  … Grandma … where are you?”

The moment she sees me, she would lift me up in the air and kiss me in my cheeks. I could even now, feel her soft wet wrinkled lips on my cheek. Grandma talks with every plant, tree, flowers, while watering them. She would kiss them with love. She has a heart filled with lots and lots of love. Now, I’m on the way to my Grandma’s village. She would be waiting anxiously for my arrival.

The car stopped. I opened my eyes and saw a beautiful old woman standing in front of the large house. Driver opened the door, I got down. While stepping the ground, I could remember my childhood days, with her. My Grandma, saw me with such a happy face and spread her arms towards me. I ran towards her, she embraced me with love and kissed my head. She has never changed. Grandma is has become weak as, she’s suffering from cancer. But, her face doesn’t show any sign of it. Grandma’s face is always immersed in happiness. I don’t know how she’s happy in loneliness. Anyone, at her place would be filled with depression. But, she always looks happy and spreads happiness, everywhere, every time.

The sky has darkened. Bright, white moon is peeping through the busy clouds. I walked towards Grandma’s room and knocked the door.

“Come in sweety”

I pushed the door open and saw Grandma on the swing in the balcony. She was staring at the sky. Next to her was a golden box stuffed with precious stones.

“Grandma, what are you staring at?”

Grandma smiled and moved the golden box beside her and said “Sit here sweety”

I sat next to her. “Look at that wonderful sky, what do you feel about it?”

I turned my face towards the sky and looked at it. The breeze was so cold; it brushed my curly hairs, which fell over my face. I moved my hairs and looked at the sky. “I feel that the sky along with the moon is a wonderful sight, Grandma.”

Grandma kept staring the sky “No dear, the moon is bright but its world is dark and lonely. It hides the loneliness and shines bright to beautify the dark sky”.

I stared at Grandma. I understood what she said. “Grandma, have this milk”.

She kept staring and didn’t answer me. I too stared at the sky. Grandma got up holding my hands. She walked near the bed and laid on it. “Sweety, bring that golden box and close the balcony door, dear.”

I lifted the golden box, and closed the doors. “Grandma Goodnight.”

There was no answer, Grandma, was soon asleep. So I left the room, switching the lights off. I was thinking oven Grandma’s words. She’s really feeling very alone without Grandpa.

I walked to my room. Laid on the bed and closed my eyes. The next day, sun was so bright, it woke me up. I turned and took my mobile. It was 10 am.

“Oh, GOD I have slept so much” I got out of the bed and went for shower. In shower, I heard someone entering my room. As I got out of shower, I noticed a gown lying on the bed. It was pink colored, designed with flowers. I wore it, and walked downstairs calling, “Grandma … Grandma …”

Grandma stared at me, “Come my beautiful princess, let’s have breakfast”.

I sat next to her, and began to eat the bread toast. Grandma kept staring at me. After our breakfast, Grandma walked to backyard. I went along with her and saw her happily talking to the newly formed buds, flowers, plants and trees. She kissed the new buds, softly. I always admire my Grandma. She looks beautiful always. The sky changed color, became dark and gave roar sounds of thunder. Cold raindrops fell on my hands. Grandma called me inside. I went inside the house. Grandma took my hand and walked to her room. She bent to open a golden colored draw, which was near her bed. She took out a large album.

“Sweety, look at this album.”

I sat on the bed. Opposite to the bed, was an oval shaped royal mirror. I opened the album. The first photo had a caption “Bella’s first birthday”, it was Grandma at 1yr old. I kept seeing all her birthday photos. I turned the next page, which shocked me. I looked  up and saw my reflection and bend to see the photo. Both were same, the photo and me. The caption said, “Bella’s 22^nd birthday”.

“Grandma, I couldn’t believe this, look here”

Grandma smiled, “I know dear”.

The last photo was “Bella at 30^th birthday”. I closed the album. “Grandma, you didn’t celebrate birthday after this?” “No dear, there was no one, after that to celebrate or remember my birthday”. I kept silent.

After some weeks, Grandma’s health became worse. She was on her deathbed. I was the only one, there to take care of her. During night I would sleep with Grandma, in her room itself. While sleeping I felt a breeze, brushing my hair. The wind woke me up. I got out and closed the windows. While coming back to my bed, I saw the golden box on top of the table. Something from inside, said me to go near it. I went near the table and took the golden box. I walked towards the balcony and sat, where Grandma would sit always. I stared at it and slowly opened the golden box. Inside the golden box, was red velvet cloth, a paper and a dry rose. I took the paper out. I unfolded the paper, it was a letter. The alphabets in the letter were too tiny and unclear. I couldn’t read it. I took the paper to my room. I kept searching the magnifying glasses. I got them and sat on my reading table. Switching the table lamp on, I began to read the letter using the magnifying glasses.

 

“ Bella (my moon, my wife),

The wind was very strong; the waves fell heavily over our ship twice. Yet, our ship stood still on the ocean. I was on the top with the binocular. We were in search of a shore. There, I saw a shore. I informed the cue about the good news. I still kept my eye on the shore. There’s where, I saw a moon walking along the shore with long pink gown. The wind was so terrible, that it covered her face in her blonde hair. I kept trying to see her face, but wind was my enemy. We reached the shore; I anxiously searched the moon everywhere. But, the moon disappeared in clouds.

After, two years, I came by chance to the same shore, were I saw that moon crossing me. I know it was her, because my heart for the first and last time felt cold, only by sighting that moon. Even now, wind plays a game. I tried hard to look at her face. But, I couldn’t  But I know, she is the most beautiful women, I have ever seen. She conquered my heart deeply. Every night, I would come to the shore, to just look at my moon. I would pair her lonely foot prints with mine. I began to go crazy over her.

Once, while she was walking a chain fell off. I ran to pick it up. The silver chain had a black round embossed stone, with a carving ‘Bella’ written into it. There’s how I came to know her name. Next day I waited for her, she came. On the sand I drew a heart and placed the chain in middle of it. While walking she noticed the chain and the sand heart, she took the chain and turned around to find who did it. There’s when I saw her. She has a very beautiful green eye. Her eye captured my heart, at the sight.

Bella looked very beautiful. I just couldn’t take my eye from her face. I kept admiring her. Bella it was none other than you, I’m talking all about. I’m writing this letter as a proposal. This is not love proposal, its marriage proposal. In my dream, we are married and living happily. Whenever, I see you, my heart freezes in cold, chill runs through my soul. I have never felt such a feeling before. I know, I’m not handsome enough to match your beauty, but my heart is handsome enough to beautify your life. Bella, I wish to marry you. I want to be your husband. I want to take you to my world. My wish is to always wake-up looking your face. I wish to hold your hands tightly and would never let it go. Bella, my heart says that you’re my soul mate. It’s longing for your reply. Bella, if you accept my proposal, please come to the shore, let’s get married tonight. Because, I have to leave tonight, and I don’t know, when I would see you again.

If you accept or not, remember you’re the queen of my heart, princess of my life and always my wife.

With Love (You’re Husband)

Robert Samuel “

Tears rolled from my eyes. I kept the letter in the box and placed the box back on the table, where it belongs. While getting to the bed, I head Grandma’s voice, “Did you read the letter?”

I said, “Sorry, Grandma.” I could see Grandma’s smile even in the darkness. “It’s okay dear”.

“Grandma, tell me what happened next? Please.”

Grandma began, “I accepted your Grandpa’s request because I too loved him. I walked on the shore, just to see him. He was a wonderful gentleman. That night I went to the shore. I waited for him. I saw him approaching the shore from a long distance. He was coming on a ship. I waited till the ship reached the shore. He held my hands and wore a platinum  ring with blue diamond in my fingers.

He said, ‘Bella your my wife now.’

His shipmates called him. He said, ‘Bella, I’m going, I don’t know whether I would return or not. Have this key; I have built a house for my moon on the West-land. Go and stay there, if I’m alive I would come to meet you, if not think I’m dead. Even if, I’m dead, I would leave the world not your heart. My only home is your heart. Take care of it my wife. Remember, my heart can’t bear a single tear form your eyes’.

With these words he jumped into the ship and disappeared into the ocean. From, that moment I wait for him in the coast, he never came back. Everyone said that he’s dead. But I know he’s alive in my heart. My family compelled me to get re-married, but I never accepted.

Slowly, everyone disappeared from me. The world thought I’m in dark and alone. But that’s not true. I have lived and I’m living my life happily with the memories of your Grandpa. No one could replace it. Now, I’m counting my days. Anytime, my breath would stop. But, my love for my husband would last forever in the shore.”

Tears rolled from Grandma’s eyes. I have never seen her crying before. I wiped her tears. I said Grandma to sleep. Soon she fell asleep. The sun came up the sky. I woke up and saw Grandma sleeping beside.

“Grandma, Grandma, wake-up” there was no response or movement. I kept calling her name, she didn’t even move. I immediately called the doctor. Grandma was taken to the hospital. She was kept in Intensive Care Unit. I peeped through the glass, and saw Grandma lying on the bed with the oxygen mask.

She woke up, and called me towards her with her hands. I opened the door and entered. I could hear Grandma struggling to breath. She removed the mask, to speak to me. Grandma touched my hand, her hands were cold. Grandma spoke, “Lucy tomorrow is your wedding. I want to say these last words. Love your husband more than anyone. Whatever, happens never lose that love. Try to conquer your husband’s heart. Love doesn’t mean to live together. Real love lives and grows stronger only through distance” saying these words Grandma took her last breath.

Grandma and Grandpa are living happily in the shore with everlasting love, care, affection and happiness……

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