Cassiopeia | ✓

i n f i n i t y

1959, 5th January

Cassie's fingers clawed the window of the vehicle that was taking her to an unknown world, far from the known paddy field, apple orchard, slow-flowing river and old brick houses.

There were tall buildings, glass shops and restaurants everywhere.

"You look awestruck," Mr. Taylor laughed while smoking a cheroot.

Cassie loved to remain silent. The less she talked, the less she could feel anything. It was good not to feel anything.

"You hardly talk to me," Taylor sighed. Cassie could sense the displeasure in his tone. "The scenery seems to enchant you more than me. What is it that I'm not doing right?"

Again Cassie decided to remain silent. She traced the glass, not quite interestedly. The chauffeur could not interfere in their conversation because of the partition in between.

It was past evening, a few street lamps have already been lighted up. The sky was changing from yellow to purple, garnished with white accessories. A few alien trees stupefied Cassiopeia; those which had tinsel heads.

"Answer me, please," Mr. Taylor spoke once again.

Cassie reluctantly turned to him.

"You shouldn't have married me, Mr. Taylor," she muttered.

"God! Call me Ezra please," He rectified her. "And why do you think so?"

"I might not be able to keep you happy."

"Are you infertile? Oh, that's no problem sweetie. I'm not a demon that you think me to be."

"No, it is not that. There is a thing I must tell you, but," water succumbed in her eyes.

Taylor placed his big, sweaty palm on Cassie's shivering ones. "What's hurting must be a dire thing. There is difference between must and want to. I don't want you to do anything because you must, please tell me whatever you think when you want to."

"I will never love you Ezra. Never ever. I hate your kind." Cassiopeia unleashed the fire she had been hiding.

Taylor froze in his place. His once happy smile slowly disappeared.

The honking of traffic outside was quite audible. They had reached Kingston upon Thames, Ezra's home town. He could not say a thing, as if Cassiopeia had taken how his speech ability.

"I... I..." He stuttered to find words. "I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry."

"May I know the reason for your distaste in me?" He held down the rising sob.

"That would be another day's story."

"So, what is the verdict?"

"However you decide."

"What if I decide to stay?"

Cassiopeia looked dubiously at her man who was sadly watching the yellow light out of the window.

"I'm an unchaste woman, Ezra. I've been with men who never loved me. I've ripped my heart in two for a man who I thought was my forever."

"What did you get in return, Cassiopeia?"

"A bleeding heart and lots of disgust."

"Cass, I have fallen in love with you." Taylor spoke softly. "I don't know how to kill this emotion right now."

"You want to spend the rest of your life with a slut?" She smiled sadly.

Taylor laughed as well. Suddenly his laughter increased. While giggling like a maniac, he said with hiccups,

"Oh motherfucking love! Love! I'm ready to die a thousand times out of your love, Cassie. I'm ready to die out of love!"

A single stream of salt water ran peacefully down Cassiopeia's red cheeks. She could not get herself to wipe it off.

With her husband laughing like a little child for no good reason in the middle of an unknown world, Cassie finally found out what death out of love was.

Cassie realized that all these years, Grandma Aster had been talking about the soul and on the the body. And there she was, a walking talking corpse of a long dead woman.

It was chilly inside the vehicle yet Cassie opened the window to let the cool breeze get inside her bruised heart and some to Ezra's as well. She wrapped her arms protectively around his broad shoulders and he gave in.

A dulcet, melancholic tune lightened up the leafy boulevard. The street lights flickered due to less maintenance.

Today, if a star fell down from the empyrean, Cassie knew even if nobody noticed, Ezra would.

That was one last hope after all.

The End
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