Every night!

By Vibhuti Bhandarkar on December 16, 2020 • ( 3 )

Every night, the shutters downed at 11 pm.

Save for one, the boys cleared all the tables in the café and left. In the silence he could hear his chest wheezing. He slowly rose from the counter, shuffled to the fridge, fetched a bottle of her favorite syrupy sweet raspberry soda and put it down on the red chequered table cloth. His Delnaz looked at him so lovingly! He popped the cap with shaky hands, and tried to add two plastic straws. Missed once, twice, succeeded the third time after concentrated effort. He then sat down in the chair opposite hers. The fizz quietly died as the electric red drink went untouched. It had been 20 years and every single night he’d popped a soda for her. Every night he’d been thankful for being able to see her. That sharp aquiline nose, fair chiseled face and big toothy smile.

However tonight, she didn’t smile. She simply said, “It’s time to go!”

He looked up at the photograph of his dear departed Delnaz hanging on the wall, adjacent to their table. He imagined his own photo-frame next to hers, and replied, “With you by my side? Gladly! Let’s go.”

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