The mystery of the shattered glass

Presents.

SUNSHINE.

RAINY NIGHTS ARE DAMN COLD.

I SAT UP AND LOOKED THROUGH THE WINDOW PUSHING AWAY THE CURTAINS.
IT WAS NORMAL. EVERYTHING LOOKED AS IT SHOULD BE. BUT IT WASN'T.
THE TRESS LOOKED FRESH AND HAPPY, DROPLETS HAD BEEN STILL POURING FROM OUR TERRACE AND I NOTICED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM FALLING, HITTING WITH A THUMP ON MY WINDOW SILL AND SPRINKLING FURTHER INTO A MILLION DROPS AND DISAPPEARING.

MRS LUBINTUM,ONE OF OUR NEIGHBOURS WALKED DOWN THE STREETS, HER SCARF FLYING AWAY IN THE FAST SLOW KINDA BREEZE THAT COVERED THE AREA.
LATER, I FORCED MYSELF TO GET OUT OF BED AND GET DRESSED AND FRESHEN UP.

7 DAYS TO GO. I SIGNED.

DATE :DECEMBER THE 25. MARKED “CHRISTMAS”
OH MY GOD! ITS CHRISTMAS! HOW THE HELL COULD I FORGET!??
WEIRD TOWN THOUGH. RAINS WHEN IT HAS TO SNOW.
I MADE MY WAY TO THE HALL FROM THE WORKING STATION.

AS EXPECTED. MOM HAD DECORATED IT WELL. THERE WAS A HUGE EMBELLISHED CHRISTMAS TREE IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM. LIGHTS AND A GOLDEN STARS HANGING THROUGH THE CEILINGS.

AND A GIFT WRAPPED PRESENT UNDER THE GRAND TREE.

“FROM SANTA!” IT READ.

MOM SERIOUSLY? I’M 15 YEARS OLD. I DO KNOW THAT SANTA DOESN’T EXIST.
NAH WHATEVER. THE PRESENT MATTERS. I SMILED CHEESILY.

I TORE OPEN THE SHINY PAPER READY TO GRAB OUT MY GIFT.

AS SOON AS I TOOK OUT THE GIFT, I WAS LOST INTO IT. I FELL BACK 10 YEARS.
IT WAS A APHOTIC FRAME. THREE PEOPLE. FAMILIAR FACES.UN  NOTED TIME. AN OLD OAK TREE BEHIND THE SMALL FAMILY WHERE THEY WERE POSING FOR THE CAMERA. FALLEN LEAVES ALL AROUND. A LADY AND A MAN, PRETTY AND HANDSOME GALS.

ANOTHER PERSONALITY,A BABY WEARING A BLUE AND WHITE LACE FROCK, GIVING A CHEERFUL SMILE. IT WAS HAPPY. OH SO HAPPY, SITTING MIDST HER DAD AND MOM.

MY HEART WAS IN PAIN BUT I WAS HAPPY TOO.
MY FACE TURNED TO A IMMENSE COLLECTION OF VARIOUS FEELINGS. LIKE A COLOUR BOOK.

“DAD” I WHISPERED. TEARS MADE THEIR WAY THROUGH MY ROSY CHEEKS.
I HELD THE FRAME CLOSE TO MY CHEST. I KNEW YOU WERE ALWAYS WITH US DAD.

I RAN UPSTAIRS TO MY ROOM AND SAFELY PLACED THE FRAME ON MY WORK SPACE, BETWEEN THE TWO DECORATIVE CANDLES. A SMILE FINISHED IT.
HAVING BREAKFAST, I WAS LOST IN THOUGHTS.COMING BACK TO MY PLOT.... WHERE WAS I? WAIT. I SNAPPED.

TODAY.....25TH.... AND TOMORROW IS....26!

OH SHIT!!!!!! GRANNY! OMG OMG....OMGGGGG

IT WAS TOMORROW! GRAN NANCY’S BIRTHDAY WAS TOMORROW!

PRESENT.....NEED A PRESENT! I NEED TO PACK TOO!
MY MIND DAD A FANCY FLASHBACK TO THE LAST TIME WE WERE AT GRAN'S PLACE.

“GRAN!!! LOVE YOU! I’LL SEE YOU ON YOUR NEXT BIRTHDAY!” I SAID LAST YEAR. HUGGING MY GRANNY AND KISSING HER CHEEK.
“TRING!!!!” MY PHONE MADE A LOUD SOUND VIBRATING OVER THE TABLE.
“HONEY PIE I’LL BE THERE IN AN HOUR....AND THEN WE WILL BE ON OUR WAY TO ROBINSTREET. IT’S ROUGH WEATHER SO WE NEED TO HURRY. SO PACK UP BABE.”
“UGH...MOM..” I STARTED BUT THE CALL CUT AND THERE WAS SILENCE.
RUN. RUN DOWN TO THE LAVENDERS (MY FAVOURITE GIFT SHOP RIGHT BY THE STREET)

AND I RAN OUT THE DOOR GRABBING A FEW DOLLERS FROM MY SAVINGS.
WALKING BY THE ALLEY, PLANNING WHICH COLOUR COMBINATION OF CANDLES WOULD GRANNY PREFER, I REACHED THE DOOR OF THE STORE.... A BOARD GOING LEFT RIGHT DUE TO THE WIND SAID,

“sorry,we are closed”
I stood there trying not to curse myself and the store most of all. But all that came out was,

HEAVENS.WHY ME?