Love Actually

The wind blows in her face as she sits on the terrace of the chic café. Potted green plants cast an azure glow on the place; the setting sun throws a spectrum of light that dances on the glass panes that shimmer like lazy waves lapping in a euphoric blue ocean.

Her yellow chiffon sari glimmers like gossamer gold; it swivels gently in the cool breeze that washes over its folds like golden warm honey on pale burnished skin. Her hair is coiled in a loose bun and strands of highlighted hair scatter about her face like careless strokes of genius on a masterpiece.

Yellow and white bangles clink on her pale wrists. They clutter at one end as she maneuvers her hands to tuck the erring strands behind two soft, fleshy ears that are studded with thick gold hoops that catch the dying glint of a sleepy sun.

Her kohl lined huge eyes are pale and watery.

She looks into the horizon and her face is masked with a vague sense of longing that can be mistaken for a deep, disturbed dazed look.

There is a sea of humanity buzzing around her but she’s never felt lonelier. She traces the rim of the coffee cup with her long tapering fingers and she subconsciously cocks her head to the right; as if trying to hear the whispers that travel across the realms of time, from deep within her, from a place that longed for what she no longer believes can be hers to posses.

She sits there alone, with the sun setting behind her and the world milling around her. She sits like a painted Madonna, crafted by the hands of a master but chiseled a tad too sharply.

**********

He walks into the café, unsure and afraid. He no longer understands the scheme of things that happen around him; as sudden as a moment lost, as blinding as a flash of lighting.

He looks timid and frightened. He’s just lost something more precious that anything else he’s ever known.

He walks up to a corner table and sits there, sullen and silent. His companion tries hard to draw him out of his shell but he just looks away. He doesn’t feel better with the half truths that his companion seems to smear all over him practiced ease.

He stares away.

He looks into the setting orange glow and wonder about life and the little things that felt were so important; and now seemed so useless and banal. He stares unblinking into the darkness that slowly consumes the last traces of light and a little silver tear pools in the corner of his eye.

He doesn’t dab the tear with his sleeve and he doesn’t let it fall. He just lets it rest there, in the corner of his eye.

His companion orders coffee and fries, greasy burgers and rich dark brownies, right out of the oven. He doesn’t even glance at the assortment to delicacies piled on before him.

His companion nudges him and then pleads, he even tries to threaten him into trying out the food but then he’s something else. He doesn’t bother with the threats and the platitudes. He just stares out into the western sky, now splattered with shimmering stars than shimmer more brilliantly when watched, from the corner of his eye.

**********

It was from the corner of his eye that he first saw a golden splatter of color shimmer behind him, to his left. He tried to ignore the burst of the golden aurora but the constant sound of clink clink forced him to turn around.

He didn’t know what it was that caused that flutter in his heart; but he knew that something within him had just clanked into motion.

He stared hard at her with eyes that grew wild with wonder and as his pupils dilated, the little carefully hidden tear just rolled out his eye, from its corner and streamed down his face like a suppressed-now free torrent of season’s first warm-breezy rain.

He looked at her tousled hair and he stared hard at her pale heart shaped face. He didn’t know if it was magic but then the intensity with which he was drawn to her huge brown eyes made him believe that all those stories about magic reining the world with wand of stardust were true.

He knew that it was blasphemous, but he was in love.

He didn’t know if he wanted to run around in joy or crumble with sorrow. He didn’t know if he wanted to rejoice his discovery of love or he wanted to mourn the love he loved and lost.

He didn’t know anything else so he did what was most natural. He stared at her with wonder written all across his face and a strange love streaming for his eyes.

Strangely, he felt pain grow dim. It was a revelation.

**********

She watched him staring at her like that and something within her melted like butter on a dull flame. Slowly and tenderly, without malice and hurt; she felt all the sorrow with her release itself with gentle, lapping strokes.

She turned away and looked into the brilliant night sky. She didn’t want to love and lose again but then she couldn’t look away for long.

A familiar ache pounded inside her chest as her hand involuntarily rubbed her flat stomach that breathed in-and-out with gentle labored breaths.

She watched him staring at her with adoration and she killed the urge to run to him and cradle his head to her bosom. It was wanton but that instant of total surrender pounded in her the urge to love him and tear at the pain the peeped out of blue oceanic eyes that stared at her with utter adoration.

It was strange but love happens at weird places, weirder times.

Love, it actually is a weird emotion.

While she was lost in him and him in her, a strange thing happened.

Her husband, who’d cancelled their date, appeared out of nowhere; like the malicious villain in the dopey love stories, he hushed and hustled her and took her away from there. As she gathered her purse, she fumbled and turned around to look at him for the last time. A deep ache thudded in her chest as she saw him half rise in anticipation and then fall back on the cushioned chair with resignation.

The light died in his eyes as she was led out of that little paradise, into the world where angels didn’t play harp but they played with little lives.

Maybe some good angels loved to work over time.

**********

A long summer spread before them as they dwelled in their personal worlds, so away yet so close in thoughts.

Some nights she would close her eyes and visualize him sleeping next to her; she would cradle his chest to her bosom and she would dig her face in his hair. She would feel his heart beat close to hers and she would be thankful all over again.

At least she had the memory.

He would lie on his bed and he would toss and turn. Since he’d lost her he’d been having difficulty sleeping. The only thing ever that could put him to sleep was the gossamer golden image that cradled his head to her bosom while his heart thudded wildly, next to hers.

He would smell in the trace of her perfume that wafted silently into the night air and he would feel sleep crowd his mind, slowly, gently.

It was with that memory that he slept, his kneed hugging his chest; with a smile and small tear that glistened in the corner of his eye.

He was thankful; at least he had the memories.

**********

 She hurried as she crossed the courtyard. It was the first day of the new term and she was already late. She almost walked-ran as the bell rang announcing the commencement of the new session.

She walked into the class, clad in pale yellow Sari that clung to her curves like a little lithe boat on the restless Sea.

As she settled herself in the chair she looked around and watched forty pair of eyes look up at her with anticipation that bordered awe. A small smile crept on her face as she saw the cherubic face of fat little seven year olds who thought the most important thing in the world was the first day of First Grade.

She opened the attendance register and began glancing through the names. Maybe roll call was a good idea for the preliminary introductions.

She began calling out their names and they rose and answered, one by one, like a seamless wave that romped across the class room like a little torrid elf in throes of mindless notoriety.

She didn’t notice it first but when he stood up and answered her call she almost choked on her next words.

‘You!’ she gasped as she watched him smile sheepishly at her, his little seven year old hands locked behind him and his little pink lips going all crooked trying to control the smile that struggled to break free and dance all over his face.

‘You…’ she said again and then she let it all go. She just stared at his face and he at hers. They both looked each other, from the corner of their eyes… all over, all around.

She knew that it was a chance in a million but then she knew that it was nothing, but Love actually.

She chewed on the pencil marker and a smile of anticipation crept on her bright red face. She knew that the good times were just a beginning.

Her hand crept to her stomach involuntarily and she remembered the little kid she lost just months ago.

This time she pain dimmed strangely as she nodded at him in recognition. This was a revelation.

He settled on his bench as he couldn’t believe his luck. He knew now Daddy didn’t lie when he said that munching on greasy burgers brought good luck! He knew for sure he was lucky!

He couldn’t believe he’d found her again! An oddity such that it bordered a miracle! He smiled as he acknowledged her nod.

He knew, it was the good times calling. He looked out of the window into the clear blue sky and he could his Mama; well almost, she smiled at him and mouthed, ‘Don’t you see I’m back again!’, and an airy, spectral finger hinted at her as she sat there, taking roll calls and smiling to herself.

He knew then, it was Love actually.

Maybe some angels somewhere, they did work overtime.