At this juncture, Martha’s stomach growled with immense
hunger. She rose and went to make coffee
and see what the fridge held, to halt her hunger pangs. As she casually glanced at her bedside clock,
she was surprised to see that it was 4 a.m.
She had written non-stop for hours.
Surprisingly, she wasn’t tired at all!
In fact, she wanted to pursue her story and Myara’s expedition. Only her stomach had howled in protest and
temporarily put her writing to rest!
She hurriedly heated the milk in the pan and
was about to open the fridge, when the phone rang. Surprised that someone remembered her at this
hour, she went to pick up the receiver.
The voice on the other end was robust, yet tender. As she wondered about the voice being so
manly and sexy, it said, “Good morning, Sara.
I hope I haven’t disturbed you!” Wait a minute, she thought, “I’m
Martha, why had the caller said Sara? “I’m Martha, by the way, not Sara!” she said
peevishly as the voice said patiently.
“I’m sure that I called you Martha, dear, not Sara. May be you heard it wrong!” Hurt that that
voice insinuated something amiss with her hearing, she was about to disconnect
the call, when the voice said “I love you Martha. I just wanted to tell you that
I’ve been thinking about you all night and haven’t slept a wink!”
“Are you
Norman?” she asked testily. “Yes of
course, darling, who else would dare to call you at this unearthly hour?” he
laughed into the receiver. She had a
feel-good sensation and felt it coursing through her veins till all her grumpiness disappeared and she felt very happy.
Very ecstatic! Which woman
wouldn’t want to be loved so much?
“I’m sorry
Norman. I really am! I must be really out of sorts to get upset
with you. But will you forgive me if I
confess that I don’t recollect you at all.
Can you fill me in on who you
are and how did we happen to meet and……”
Worried, Norman
told her in a calm voice “I’m the publisher of all your writings. We fell in love 3 months ago and even went on
an outstation trip to Shanghai for a writers’ conference. We shared a room there. I had to suddenly come here to Scotland when
I received a distress call from my ex-wife Nancy, who has been diagnosed with
cancer. You had agreed to wait for my
return, in Yorkshire and turned down my proposal to accompany me to Scotland as
you didn’t want to cause any more suffering to my already suffering ex-wife. I hope that you recollect everything now!”
“And yes, I had
given you a brooch, bought in Shanghai.
Remember how the shopkeeper had admired us as a couple and remarked on
how good we looked together?”
As Martha tried
to tax her brain and recollect that incident, she felt a migraine
starting. Hence she fibbed, “Of course,
Norman! I remember it clearly now! I’m sorry to have troubled you with my
forgetfulness. I hope that you aren’t
put off by my absent-mindedness. I pray
that your ex-wife recovers soon and you come back soon!”
Relieved no
end, Norman happily said “You bet, I’m dying to see you and hold you in my
arms, darling. See you soon. I’ll not take any more of your time. Bye! Have a nice day!”
“Here’s wishing
you alike,” she said with forced gaiety and ended the call. Then she sat down with a thud on the chair at
the dining table. Her coffee had grown
cold. She got up and started re-heating
it, her mind in familiar turmoil; her head whirling with misgivings. Should
she visit a psychiatrist? She
wondered.
A happy Norman
had immediately phoned his dear friend Arnold and briefed him about the latest
development. “Martha remembers
everything! We needn’t worry. Besides, there will be no need to take her along
to a psychiatrist,” he exclaimed over the phone.
Relieved of a
huge burden, Arnold decided to visit her that day and reassure himself.
When Arnold
reached her cottage, it was evening. The
wind was biting cold as he got out of his car, unlatched the cottage’s gate and
let himself in her garden. He was
delighted to see Martha seated on the wide swing on her porch, but worried on
seeing the pensive look on her face. She
seemed far away and unapproachable. She
looked at him and merely said “Good evening, Arnold!”
He was
pleasantly surprised to hear his name.
He had sort of got used to being called Norman!
“So how’s life
Martha? Just came to pay you a visit and
have your splendid tea. The weather’s
turning nasty, isn’t it? Looks like
there’ll be a shower anytime. Why don’t
we sit beside the fire-place? I could do
with some warming up. I’m chilled to the
bone,” he gave a half-laugh as he sheepishly realized that she was as silent as
a rock! Immobile too! She just kept staring at him as he jabbered
on.
Frightened and
nervous, he slightly jolted her swing from the top. She came out of her trance and got up. “Yes, let’s go in. I’m glad you came. I want to discuss an important issue with
you. But first I’ll make a pot of
tea. Would you have some cup-cakes? I baked them myself this afternoon.”
“I wouldn’t
mind it at all! Come to think of it, I’m
a little hungry. Just came straightaway from my office,” he said amiably.
As she went
into the kitchen, her shoulders slightly sagging, he pondered over what she
wanted to discuss with him. His thoughts
strayed to Norman who had, just that morning, assured him of her recovery. He hoped that his friend was right just as he
instinctively knew that he wasn’t!
Something about Martha’s demeanor suggested that something was
definitely amiss. Well, he’d soon
know! He looked around the cozy room
gazing at the fire roaring merrily in its hearth and wondered at its
neatness. His wife Joan was so careless
and untidy. Perpetually in a hurry to
get things done, neatness be damned!
But Joan was a
dear! Lively and witty, there was never
a dull moment with her around.
To be continued....
The copyright of this novel is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please send constructive feedback only.