She was sitting by the window, staring at the gate of their building. It was her birthday today, but she was not happy. How could she be?
The one, who was most beloved to her, one who was her only friend, who was the only one who knew the real her; wasn't with her today. This was the first time he was not there for her birthday. This was the first time when he was not there to barge into her room at 12 in the night and scream 'Happy birthday' at the top of his voice.
Her friends had tried to fill the void today, but it wasn't the same without him. Her birthday always seemed so special, maybe, because it was also his birthday. They had come into this world at the same day, and the strings of their life had been tangled that very day.
Their whole life had been a dream after that. They had played together, studied together, traveled together; and also married together.
Yes, she still remembered that day.
The joy plastered on his face, that day, can hardly be described. They had listened to each others marriage vows, and then; they had danced hand-in-hand. They both knew, how lucky they were, to get such nice spouses. Both their spouses understood them, and their relationship; and they could not ask for more.
But today, 50 years after they had seen each other the first time, here she was, alone. She had never imagined that this day will ever come. But she understood, 'everything was not in their hands'.
She took another peek into the past, and recollected how fate had played its trump card. The instance, which separated them away from each other.
She wanted to stop him and call him back with all her will but it was never her decision to make. The dice had already rolled from the hands of his boss and the result was the transfer letter he held in his hand. He was to go to a country far from here.
She hadn't cried that day when he went. But today, she couldn't hold back the tears. She had felt his absence everyday, but he had compensated for it. He had messaged her everyday; and they had talked almost every week. But from the last week, there had been no message from him.
She had left many messages herself, even called him today but there was no reply. This silence was killing her more than the distance between them.
She decided to make one more call to him, and took out her phone from the pocket. She opened the phone and found his name when that phone vibrated in her hand. It was a message.
A message, from his wife.
"Dear Sister,
I don't know how to tell you this. I don't have the courage to tell this to you over a call. And so, I am using this message as a lame excuse. But before you read this any further, promise me you won't do anything silly.
Dear Sister, I am so sorry to tell you; but he............."
She didn't need to read it any further. The phone fell from her hand, and those already diluted eyes began to flow the rivers. She wanted to scream and tell everyone that this wasn't true but all the energy had drained out of her.
Her mind was on the verge of becoming unconscious, when her phone vibrated again. It was another message from his wife.
"I don't know if this is the right time, but I have sent you a letter. He asked me to give it to you if something like this happened. I posted the letter yesterday, you may receive it anytime today."
And as if on cue, the bell to her house rang. She ran to the door eager to read his final message. She opened the door........
And there was a loud scream............
'HAPPY BIRTHDAY........'
***
cchinu (09/01)
"Sun - our most precious thing,
Was not going to be there anymore,
With Black the only predominant color,
They were forced to go Out no more."