Jiaplays...: After all this time

She turned the key in the lock and opened the door with goosebumps and a helluva hesitation.

Linda was simply sent the house keys through the driver who picked her up at the airport and everything seemed hard to decode. He’d promised to be there right from the moment she stepped in this unknown city of peace and tranquillity, but there she was, all to herself and travelling like, as if she was on pins and needles, through the countryside for almost two hours.

There was a whirlpool of emotions and thoughts going through her soul. Those etched memories were irreplaceable and had been her driving force for all these years. She fed on them more than the primary necessities of life, hoping that one day she will reunite with him and go back to those delightful days of her life which only trumpeted of happiness accompanied with sweet nothings. At the same time, she also feared of those dreadful phases when he had completely disappeared, a couple of times, without a word of notice. It had left her shocked and bewildered, wondering what on earth went wrong…? Linda could never really fathom out the reasons why he resented her just out of the blue, coughing up lame reasons to their friends but she loved him way too deeply to even consider and retrospect on them. Nevertheless, the fear of the unknown still lingered, though it was a no looking back decision, but somewhere she knew that she was skating on thin ice. His absence gave her a zillion reasons to think to the ugliest of things but the thought of second bite at the cherry, kept her going.

Linda had worn her favourite travel friendly kurta, paired with an ankle length jeans which highlighted her beautiful body. Her feather cut, shoulder length hair was left loose and she had her favourite red lipstick complimenting her dusky skin and deep big-brown eyes. She was 45 years old but looked around 25, age had not dared to touch her. Nobody could defy the fact that she was as prim as a young girl. The cab stopped outside a beautiful cottage, the driver gave her the keys. Still, there was no one to receive her. She trudged in with heaviness, allowing the feeling of betrayal to take over her heart.

She turned the key in the lock and opened the door with goosebumps and a helluva hesitation.

To her utter bafflement, it was a joy to behold…. he was right in front her eyes. She couldn’t believe that he had aged so gracefully, few strands of silver hair made him look matured but oh so manly….! He grinned like a Cheshire cat, bursting with delight and waiting for her at the dinner table, meticulously arranged with scented candles and fairy lights all around the living room. The aroma of food was overflowing, and Linda couldn’t wait to give him the most affectionate hug in the world. He had finally won her heart by keeping his words, never to leave her and be with her for eternity.

Loneliness and sickness had drawn them closer, they had decided to leave their dissatisfied worlds behind them, to be with each other, for their days were numbered. Linda and Glenn wanted to spend their last phase of lives together, taking care of each other and more importantly to do justice to their emotions and heart.