The Soul – Deepa Joshi, Runner Up, Wordism S3, Magh

The garden full of flowers, in between stand a single tree. The people named it ‘The soul’, as the rumor said, it absorbed people sadness. People believed it had been there since anyone could remember it. It was old and mysterious like its name. The garden could be seen from the patient ward, where an old lady resided, who was on her death bed waiting for a miracle. She loved watching the tree as it danced with the swirling wind. Two months since her hospitalization, diagnosed with throat cancer last phase. The doctor said she had barely any time left even with all the treatment she was receiving. She had strong will despite her age and illness, to live with her family but what she didn’t have was the time. She was encaptured in the room with a bared window and her only solicitude was the tree. She wished to be free like it, dance in the swirling winds, change color like the leaves.. She envied the tree “The soul”.

Like every day she imagined herself lying in the flower bed under the shadow of the soul. She flinched when her son, Rajesh, called her. “Mom.” A 35-year-old man standing by the bed side staring at her. A sad smile broke when he asked, “Mom, wanna eat anything?”. Her neighbor Mr. Chettri had fruits all over his table. But she had been craving for the red apple which was just brought this morning. Her son replied, “I am going to buy some”. He ran towards the door. She continually gazed towards the door hoping her son would come back fast. Nevertheless, he was quickly back. He cut some and gave to her.

She could hardly swallow solid foods, so her son brought apple juice. He said, “The juice has the same taste why don’t you taste it.” She was touched by his gesture. Her son poured some on the glass and she slowly drank it. “MOM” a loud voice boomed to her. It was her daughter, Sneha. She came running and hugged her mom tightly in her arms. Her house being far from her mother’s, she had missed the opportunity to come visit her. “Mom, I brought you, your favorite cake”, she opened the box. “Is it okay to leave your children alone?”, her brother who was sitting by the bed side asked. “He is back today so yeah it’s okay.” She replied putting the chocolaty cream cake on the paper plates, “Here, have some.” The cake had been their favorite as their mother would bake the cake in the house when they were kids. They ate the cake but their mother could barely swallow it, only she could do was taste it. Sneha and Rajesh, they both had tears in their eyes watching their mom struggle while eating the food. “Mom.” Sneha started crying. She cried so loudly that it seemed like all this time she had been struggling not to. Her mother hugged her, like a little baby she held her in her arms and patted her head.

Slowly getting calmed by her mom’s gesture, she unpacked her bag. “Mom, today’s your date with dad right.” She took out her makeup bag and said, “you are going to look fabulous, dad would not be able to blink an eye. She smiled at her mother blushing face. After a whole hour of make-up and their chat, they left their mother with a letter on her hand. Rajesh, as they left, said, “Dad will be on time, wait for him and that’s from dad.”, he gestured towards the envelope. She was blushing and gazing towards the door they left. She opened the letter, that’s when Mr. Chettri spoke, “Well, a love letter at this age”. He was smirking as he said. She glared him, then he just looked away.
The day has come to an end. The tubelight in the room was sparkling. She sat on the corner and opened her letter;
My Sweet love,
I have never lied to you and never hid a thing from you but still I have something to confess. You never knew but my heart fell for you when you were singing on that stage on our college farewell. I got to know that you were a junior. It was love at first sight but a lot of boys fell for your voice that day. So, I thought I would never have a chance with you. But coincidence hit hard, you were there as my bride. Remember our first marriage date, you never looked at my face. I thought you hated me. Well a beautiful girl must have a boyfriend, I thought. So, I decided if you say no to the marriage, I would as well decline it. But to my surprise you were there with me on my marriage. My heart skipped ITS BEAT when I saw you on that red sari with sparkling stars around you.

Living with you, my crush for life, I wanted to make you the queen of my life. While you were away for your singing programs do you know how much I missed you. So, I thought I would confess to you the time you will return. But never in my dream had I expect you confessing me. The surprised candle light dinner and your sweet confession turned my whole world. I wanted to look at that girl who used to peek at me during my canteen lunches, that girl who became a statue just because I passed by her and to that girl who loved me from my senior level in the college. I wanted to return to that part our life and start again. If heaven permits,
“For my every other life I want to fall in love with you. I want to live a life with you till eternity. Not even death would tear us apart.”, her husband entered the room. The whole ward turned silent. She was surprised as her husband entered the room with the guitar in his hand. “What youth is he dreaming in this old age?”, Mr. Chettri spoke. She was on cloud nine, behind her happiness she ignored his comment. “For my sweet love”, he said and sang her favorite song. The whole ward clapped his singing but she had tears in her eyes. She wanted to sing with him. For their old days, they had wished, they would always sing together, away from reality they wished to live in their dream together. He came near to her, hugged her. She cried but her disease had eaten her voice. He calmed her and they slowly walked away to the garden where she desired to lay on. They leaned on that tree which soothed them. Then with the quivering last voice she said, “I love you dear.” And with a kiss they bid farewell to each other. The kisses poured each n every emotion she had longing to share with him.

Everyday he comes over, leans on the tree where he could calm himself and fell his wife dancing and singing on the garden around him. “Yeah, she is happy there.”, he said.

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