Her Love Notes…- Short Story of Husband and Wife
Photo credit: hotblack from morguefile.com
“This canteen food is getting boring day by day” Rishi grumbles , trying to settle down his plate on the table next to his friends.
Manish added “ Let’s leave this and order Pizza, what say?” and looked at everyone with anticipation.
Shikha was the first to turn down his idea “But I have got my lunch today. Can we keep the pizza plan for tomorrow, guys”
“Done ! Lets have a pizza party tomorrow” Mohit announced and began opening his lunch box. He checked his lunch bag again but there was no note for him today, he noticed.
Neeta has a habit of leaving notes for him daily. Sometimes a love note, or a joke or anything she feels like writing for him. She keeps this notes anywhere he can possibly find them, in his laptop bag, on his car seat, in the wallet and similar places . Everyday at the lunch table, there is a note from her waiting to drop out of his lunch box. She has been doing it since the day they got married 3 years back.
Coming back from lunch, Mohit scanned this laptop bag ,then took his car keys and moved out of the office towards the parking. He checked his car…dash board, driver’s seat everywhere but there was no note from her. He checked again for his satisfaction and returned back to his cabin . It was not that Mohit was excited to read her notes, in fact, for last few months he had not opened any of her notes but collected them in this drawer for a few days to dispose off later. Mohit had an important meeting to attend today evening but he was not able to concentrate on his work. The incidence that happened today morning revived in his memory .
He was sleeping in his bed while Neeta came almost running into the bedroom. He was disturbed by the bitter noise made by her footwear.
“What the hell is going around here. Is this the time to run around in the house wearing heels you idiot. Can’t you see I am sleeping. I don’t understand how they make you work in the office, you brainless woman. Now get out of the room” Mohit shouted on her. Without saying anything she had left the room, he recalled.
I should have been polite to he, she must have come to collect her stuff before leaving for office, he was talking to himself..
He takes his cell phone and dials her number.
“Tring, Tring, Tring……”the phone was ringing at the other end but there was no response.
At 6:00 PM, Mohit calls her again but her phone was switched off. Thinking for a moment, he gets up and leaves office .
“This is what you want me to eat, these burnt chapattis.” he was yelling at her “ If you can’t cook properly, don’t cook for me , I can manage in the office cafeteria. They serve much better food there. “
Mohit was lost in thoughts when horns blowing behind pulled him out of his memories. It was 6:30 PM, thinking Neeta must have left office by now, he drives towards home planning to catch her favourite pastries on the way.
Neeta is aware of his disruptive nature and she never minds his rather rude behaviour at time, Mohit is assuring himself. Series of incidences one after the other are hitting his mind. He remembers how once he had scolded Neeta in front of his parents when his father had pointed out some dust on the dining table at dinner. She silently wiped the dust away, without complaint.
He never felt the need to apologies to her or feel sorry for his behaviour because she never complained. In last 3 years, their marriage had been more of a routine affair for him while she was always hoping to discover that hidden love by writing those notes for him everyday.
He stops at a bakery store to buy pastries for her. While waiting for his turn to place order, he dials her mobile again but her mobile was still switched off. It must be out-of-battery, he thinks.
It was 7:00 PM when he reached home. The door was locked, Neeta had not arrived yet.
Waiting for her to return , he relaxes on the couch. He was looking for the Television remote when his eyes fall on a piece of paper kept on the table before him. His feet tremble as he reads the message but he is still standing there motionless, fixed, frozen…. Recollecting himself , he takes out his mobile phone and dials her number again in desperation but same response – “The mobile phone you are trying to reach has been switched off”.
He rushes in the bed room and opens her closet. Everything inside was gone and he was standing besides an empty cupboard with her last Love Note in his hand which reads….”GOOD BYE”
__END__
