Crimson !

It was a strange sky, crimson, bold and questioning the drizzle that just passed by. The rustic smell of earth was still ripe in the air but the crimson hues of sky seemed to play with her senses. No matter how much she loved the petrichor, it always vehemently brought back a not so lovely memory. Today of all the days, she did not want to remember what happened that day but the crimson sky threw it boldly in front of her eyes.

“I'm making Raman’s favorite dish today”, Sia told the cook and dismissed her from the kitchen. Raman was coming back home after 3 months from his sailing assignment. Sia touched her lower abdomen and whispered to herself, “We’ll meet papa today”. She had not informed anyone about her pregnancy and wanted it to be a surprise for entire family including Raman.

She heard some noises downstairs but thought it was out of excitement as Raman was coming today or maybe he already is home. She thought and quickly completed her chores to run downstairs. The noises grew into heated arguments and she overheard housemaid saying,”Sir every night while you were away, madam was not in her room. She was always outside house and talking on phone whenever she is home.”. Her mother in law added, “See we are not lying. Even servants know about her. It's high time that you divorce her. Only if you had married the girl I chose this would not had happened.”

Raman was still in his uniform. He saw her, some tears welled in his eyes and he said, “If what they say is true, my pride and principle doesn't allow me to live with you. It's up to you what you want to do”, saying that He Left the house but not before giving her a long last look. Through his tears, the pain was evident but he had chosen family’ pride over everything else. She said nothing, packed her bare essentials over the bantering of her in laws and stepped outside to a clear crimson sky. Far from the prying eyes of her spy's, she bent down in the dry mud and started crying. When she got up an hour later, the earth around her was completely wet and it was oozing out the earthy musk. She found strength in the power of her tears for transforming the earth around into a beautiful petrichor. She then moved forward.

It had been 18 years since that fateful day. She had worked harder than before and brought up the twins alone. Her office night shifts only helped her further in taking care of kids during day time.

The phone rang and jolted her from the memories. The call was from her kids school, her twins project has been accepted and they would soon be travelling to work under supervision of an Expert in the field. However they wanted to solicit her as well before leaving. She agreed to meeting them for dinner.

She looked out to the crimson sky, and said out loud, “On one such day, you took away from
Me all that I thought precious to me. Today you have come again. I don't know what will satiate your hunger but You cannot harm me anymore”.

Adorned in her precious attire, she went to the Reception. She steered clear the crowd to reach to three clear figures. Her twins standing tall, matching shoulder to shoulder with their solicitor . They all turned to acknowledge her presence. The twins gleaming with happiness. Raman and Sia looking at each other, shocked. Their eyes broke to look back to the twins who were the younger version of Raman.


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