MANIK
Minutes turned to hours; hours to days; days to weeks and weeks to months but my heart was still left open and untouched. I stayed quiet for so long that the desire to speak was adrift. How I wish if only time could turn around permitting me change only a fraction of seconds of my life then maybe I could've saved myself this misery.
She brought storms to my entire life but kept peacefully sleeping on that wooden bed. We two also could have an ordinary life like other lovers and lived happily in a little home of our own but with her lying lifeless on that bed, I almost forgot I had a beating heart underneath my chest that still ached silently.
Each day she killed me and each day I gladly accepted it and was ready to embrace all the pain if it could save her the distress.
She told me one night that we never know who do we see for the last time. She lied when she said it was most painful losing your loved one to the hands of death because never did she mention how much can it hurt seeing your lover living like a dead yet not dead. She perhaps was testing me, seeing how long could I wait for her like this but little did she know I was testing her that how long could she stay aloof.
Everyday I watched her, not with any hope but only to absorb the pain within myself. I watched her as she slept peacefully all day and all night without any demand or complain and I never realised when exactly I got so intimate with the pain that she gifted me. It was all her love. I used to sit on the bed beside her and watch her in between moments of my blankly blinking eyes and thoughts full of voidness.
Tying the band of my wristwatch around, I looked up at my impression for one last time before grabbing the white satin handkerchief to fix in the pocket of my black tux. The piece of cloth felt so soft in my rough palms which was almost the colour of moon and tried draping it properly until it slipped from my hand.
The door swung open and leaning on my knees in an attempt to pick up the cloth, I twisted my head towards the door where stood the most beautiful bride dressed in white Vuitton with a matching netted headpiece tucked under a little diamond crown on the middle of her head. She grinned walking towards me watching me return the smile to her. I stood up in a straight posture holding the handkerchief as she took the walk of grace towards me. Her cheeks glowed and eyes shone sending the epitome of her cherry red lips to some other level.
"You look beautiful." I smiled complimenting her while fidgeting the cloth with my fingers. She blushed turning crimson.
"Thank you Mr. Malhotra. You look very dapper in the black tux and this white shirt." I bowed down before her and she laughed.
Her eyes descended from my shoulder down my chest till my hands near my gut.
"May I help?" She asked eyeing me the handkerchief.
"All yours." I extended both my hands sideways.
Taking the silken cloth in her grip, she stepped closer making me breath her expensive cologne.
"Nervous?" She questioned with eyes flickering constantly between my eyes and pocket where her fingers were busy tucking the handkerchief making me look a man with no flaw.
"How the tables have turned! Shouldn't I be the one asking you this question?" I danced my brows observing her beautiful lips curve into a shy smile and then converting to a pleasant giggle.
"Have to take the best care of my Best Man, for today at least." She winked.
"Ohhh...." I threw my head a little back parting my lips in a 'O' understanding everything she said. "So I'm being esteemed only for a day, heh Navya?"
