Audrey White-The Rise of Corona

Chapter 2: Funeral Mishap

Audrey White-The Rise of Corona

"Audrey, there is a mail for you."

"Where Mama?"

"There on the table, it's from Papa."

"Papa!" she yelled. Her sullen face was suddenly among stars. For the past one year, she has not seen her father. He is first to his nation and then to his family. Audrey knew that but was never able to absorb it. The sight of a happy kid running around with his father while the father would grab his child by his waist and throw him high up in the air. The child is not a bit afraid because he knows that his father will be there to catch him; he trusts him. But in Audrey's case...

She always falls.

And then when she ran towards the kitchen table, the pounding of her heart increased, the anticipation grew and the poignancy flushed out. She reached the kitchen table and firmly held the thick envelope between her hands. She carefully slit the stamp off with a knife. The beautiful peacock was likely to adorn her collection. Then she quickly opened the envelope. She unfolded the thick vintage paper and read the cursive font which was always steep and peaky at the tip of each letter.

Dear Audrey,

I especially pasted that stamp because I know that you have a certain knack for peacocks. You are most likely to paste on the front page of your collection, don't you?

Well, we have started descending from the Alps, not many soldiers are harmed. They are all planning to see their children and wives and take them for a long holiday in Hawaii, which we will too in due time. Tell your mother and pack your bags dear, we have a long way to go!

Now I must end my letter with love and care (I know this is sudden but I really need to use the bathroom!). Take care of your Mama and concentrate on your studies, okay darling.

With love and hugs,

Yours truly,

Papa

Audrey snickered. She knew that her father was in no hurry to use the toilet. He can never tell her directly goodbye so he used this excuse. Oh how she loved him! One can never tell. Papa is coming soon and soon their home will be lit with gusto and laughter. She envisioned him taking her in his arms and spins her rapidly till she goes dizzy. Then he would tell her about his encounters with alpine animals especially about the human-like laughing hyenas. Moreover when he tells her about his victory-

Just then the front door of their house swung open, Audrey's train of thoughts crashed when her mother came rushing in, crying. A tall man was standing outside, on the front porch. His face that was shaped like an egg was worn in agony. He looked like he was on the brink of tears, he tried hard to masquerade it on the pretention that something important fell off from his pockets. He picked it up but the tiny blotches on the ground were still visible.

The sudden outburst made the letter slip from Audrey's hands. She ran towards her mother and clasped her hands tight.

"What happened Mama, are you okay?"

Mama never answered, she kept on crying. She tried to indicate her sorrow by her gestures but Audrey couldn't comprehend. She kept on asking but never got any suitable replies. At last when she did, Audrey wished that she had never got.

"James...he..your father..he is.."

"No, no, please no." Audrey pleaded. She grabbed wisps of her fizzy black hair and tried hard not to receive the news of what she didn't expect.