The Unventured Passions

Mending a broken heart

Perspective is the way one sees things when they look at them from a certain distance, and in turn they understand to empathise or in a way relate to their true value. Sitting in the stone-cold darkness inside the governor’s mansion, Batuk felt the sadness that Marietta’s heart reflected. He had felt the depth of darkness to which she had descended, and in a way it made him realise the depth of affection that her heart had for his brother.

"Marietta..." He had called her, a gentle softness of empathy had laced his tone, and Candice looked up at him, an emptiness in her blue eyes, and even in that all enveloping darkness Batuk could she the pearls of sorrow in them.

"He used to call me Candy!" She murmured, almost inaudibly, her voice had a crack, and Batuk felt a sting in his heart.

"Candy... " He called her again.
"Come here."

His arms were stretched, inviting her, and without any inhibitions, Candice moved a little closer and kept her head on his shoulder, her arm lightly wrapped around his neck, their heads leaned against the stone wall of the hall.
This was what she lacked in life, the warmth of another human, the warmth of being understood, and sitting close to the young man who resembled the man she pinned for, made her heart full of emotions.
It's wasn't any inhibition that she felt, nor a sense of guilt, but an overwhelming sensation took over her broken loveless soul.

"I waited for him, you know, just for one telephone call..." Candice was weeping silently, and Batuk clutched her hand and held her fingers entwined in his.
"But, he didn't call, not once... Just one letter, Batuk, just one letter and, it was all over."

"He didn't marry out of choice, Candy, if that's any consolation."
Batuk hushed, his voice was soft.

"But, couldn't he just speak to me once, just once?" Candice gripped his fingers tighter and brought their joined hands to her forehead, her silent tears drenched that convergence.
"Before he left, he had kissed me, right here..." She moved down Batuk's fingers and made him touch her lips, "and he told me that once he's back, we shall be together."

"Did he promise to marry you?"

"No, he didn't... But is it always about verbal promises, Batuk?" She wiped her tears with her free hand and looked at him longingly.
"He didn't say that he loves me either... But, when I had told him the contents of my heart, he had smiled... Isn't that supposed to be considered as acceptance in law?"

May be in law, but probably not in the whirlpool of life, Batuk wanted to say, but instead he chose to be a quiet audience.

Candice went on...
"You know if you ask him, he'll probably tell you that we met in high school," she chuckled amidst tears, "but the truth is I've known him all my life, I don't remember since when, may be in middle school, or before..." She paused, thinking, and Batuk closed his eyes, sighing at the pitiful emotional state of the woman.
"He was the only Indian boy, dark eyes, dark hair, the tallest in the lot, and I fell for him the moment I saw him."
She smiled, remembering old memories.
"But I don't think he ever noticed me, not until high school, not until our fathers had started to do business together."

"Yes, the Thompson-RC-Constructions." Batuk sighed, "I'm aware of it."

Candice smiled, tears rolling down her eyes, and she snuggled closer to his body, letting Batuk wrap his arm around her shoulder, pulling her in the comfort of his chest.
"So, our father's wanted us to marry, and Roy never objected... And, when I had confessed my heart to him, right before his visit to India, he had kissed me in return..." Candice started shaking as the intensity of her silent sobs made her body cold.
"But... But he never came back, Batuk... How can I forget those eyes, those lips... How can I forget that warmth that I had felt in his arms?"