Destiny's Gamble

A Hollow Victory

"Manik, wake up." Angel says, her hands gripping my arms to shake me into consciousness. 

"Five more minutes," I murmur, turning onto my side.

"Oh for God's sake, Manik, it's happening." As soon as her words register in my mind, I sit up with a jerk, all thoughts of sleep exiting my head in a second. At once my eyes travel towards the aesthetically coloured sky. 

"Wow," I gasp in awe. "Your Aiyappa is one hell of an artist," I comment. Angel's arm wraps around mine, squeezing it. 

"Manik, I don't have words to express the beauty that we're witnessing." My eyes land on Angel's face; her expressions portraying pure amazement. The grin that's stretching across my wife's face makes these Northern Lights shy away in shame. "Manik, this is beautiful." She tosses her head back, the wind playing with her loose strands of hair. 

"Indeed," I agree, unable to tear my gaze away from Angel's face. If moments like these could be captured, so that I could keep reliving them, then this would be my favourite one.

"Manik!" The sound of Angel's voice snaps me back to the present. 

"Yes?" I say, raising my eyebrows questioningly. She nods her head towards the end of the street.

"Come, let's head off." She says, turning her cycle in the desired direction and pedalling away.

"Oi!" I call out, kicking against the curb to get going as well. "Wait for me." Laughing, Angel glances at me over her shoulder, shaking her head.

"Who's the aged person now?" She teases, picking up speed. One minute this woman is shying away from the mere thought of riding a bicycle, and the next, she's beating me at an activity that I have been consistently good at for the better part of my life. I don't know much about what the future holds for Angel and I, but I do know that she will never allow a dull day to pass as long as she's with me.

"Slower around the curb!" I warn, as she makes a wide arc. My heart skips a beat as I begin to pedal at a faster rate. It's better if I stay close behind Angel's bicycle, before she does something reckless and ends up injuring herself.

"I've got this, Manik!" Angel yells, gaining even more speed. 

"Not so fast," I call out. As usual, my wife pays no heed to my words and continues at her desired speed. 

"Oh, Manik, not so confident anymore, now are we?" Angel continues to tease.

"Okay, that's it," I murmur, increasing my speed as well. If she wants a challenge, then I sure as hell will give her one. The sound of Angel's laughter wraps around me as she turns her bicycle towards mine with a jerk. Missing my two-wheeler by an inch, she turns hers in the opposite direction to where we're supposed to be headed.

"Not there!" I yell in alarm, as Angel's bicycle heads down a slope that leads straight towards the main road. My heart pounds as I swerve in the direction my wife's headed in. 

"I'm fine, Manik." Angel says, her fingers wrapping around the brakes. 

"Don't you dare press on the brakes," I warn. "Taking into consideration the speed you're at the bike will propel you in the forward direction." 

"Then what do I do, Manik?" Panic has now set into Angel's voice.

"Just keep going." 

"No kidding, Manik!" Angel yells, her voice wavering. As soon as my cycle is beside my wife's - a few metres left for the street to end - I wrap my arm around her waist, hoisting her off the seat. At the same time, I kick my legs off my cycle, tossing us onto the tarmac.