Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Cristiano opened the door to his house and even though he had entered countless times for years into empty houses waiting for him after a day's work, the silence this time was deathly, wrapping itself around him. He realised with a jolt to his heart, he was used to Zarine's presence here.
He walked up the stairs slowly and unhesitatingly opened what had been until the morning, Zarine's room the bedsheets was creased and by habit he smoothed it out. The pillow was beside the bed, propped against it and he found himself smiling as he remembered that Zarine slept without a pillow but used one for backrest when she sat on the floor and leafed through her books. He never got to hear what happened in that book she used to read when she had trouble sleeping. What was it called? The Chronicles of Narwal? No, the Chronicles of Narnia.
He put the pillow back on the bed and stopped to pick up an opened package from the wastepaper basket. He smoothed out the crumpled paper and caught the hard packet that fell out of it. It was a grey edged photo, freshly cracked frame, just like the ones he had in his room for his wall that was covered with pictures of his close friends and family.
He ran his fingers over the now-cracked glass that covered the photo. He didn't even know how she'd got hold of the photo or arranged the exact frame but it was perfect. It was from Perez's party. They were dancing, well, she had stepped on his toes and he had had held her warmly, telling her it was okay and then they'd burst out laughing for some reason. Their laughter seemed cracked along with the glass.
He turned it over and read the words written in black marker, "So that whenever we are apart, you can look at this and know that I'm thinking about you too. Love, forever and always duh, Zarine."
He slipped down beside the bed and the photo blurred before his eyes, his muffled cries ringing across the room.
***
"You've been really quiet during the whole car ride," Firoza said. "Is everything okay?"
No. "Yes, Mummy, don't worry," Zarine gave a watery smile to her mother. "I'm just tired. It's been a long day."
