Love Short Story – Dear Sarah….
Photo credit: taliesin from morguefile.com
Who could have thought I’d marry Sarah? The circumstances were different and for quite a while, we had been just acquaintances.But I had realized the difference between Sarah and May. May had offered me one billion dollars and Sarah was sitting on a couch stitching my pockets. That very moment I realized that Sarah would strengthen me without emasculating me. She knew me inside out. But for a marriage knowing is not enough. Love and acceptance are the prerequisites for laying down the foundation stone of marriage.
It was spring when my uncle Ted died and I came in contact with Sarah. I was mesmerized by her looks in the very first meeting itself. Long curly burgundy hair and pale white complexion for a British woman was quite unusual combination. Her beauty belonged to a different category. She had come to my place to offer her condolence, as she had not been able to attend my uncle’s funeral. It was a little strange to see her without footwear. She said she didn’t need to waste her money for unnecessary accessories. Instead she preferred investing her money in buying clothes. She said, “they provide you a strong cover.”
She was wearing a black shirt and a long black skirt. Her hands were wrapped in black silk gloves. Her skirt was so long that I could see only her toes, that too, tightly wrapped in black stockings. It was very difficult to resist my feelings for her.
Meetings with her were mostly co-incidental. Mostly in gardens after sunset or in the forest at dusk. In all the meetings I noticed she never shook hands with me. But I had slowly come to like her enough to ask her out. But I was scared deep down in my heart of her reactions to my offer. That entire confusion of “to do or not to do” drove me bananas!But finally I gathered courage and proposed to go out with me. She seemed reluctant at first. But then she approved of my offer.
So then there we were sitting along the banks of the rivulet and most importantly sitting in silence. It was twilight. I made up my mind to take her hand in mine and hold it forever. But…
The moment I held her hand she transformed into water and joined the rivulet. I was gobsmacked. I was left with nothing but the droplets on my fingers. I wondered for a while that for all these months was I really attracted to something non-human. I woke up next morning in the hospital. I was feeling weak. There were wrinkles on my arms and palms. I asked nurse for water. The nurse was elated to see me awake. No sooner did she hear my voice than she rushed out calling out to Mrs Watson.
I was surprised to see Sarah all over again. This time in beautiful sleeveless lavender gown. Everything had changed. She looked very old and all wrinkled and paler. She came closer to me and I saw my reflection in her eyes. I looked weaker and older than her. I suddenly started smelling the odour of bitter pungent medicines. I saw some couples smiling with tears in their eyes and calling me papa.
“Finally God heard my ardent request. You are alive and do you know what you have woken up after 15000 days from a deep sleep on a very auspicious day. Today is our 65th marriage anniversary.” Sarah said with trembling voice and tears brimmed her eyes.
The doctor came in to examine me and said,”Mr. Watson you are lucky to come back to life from Coma that had lasted for a long time. You should thank God and your wife for that.”
I couldn’t say anything but smiled and held Sarah’s hand after all.
__END__
