The Gift

                                Image Prompt@: Magpie Tales

Chilly wind was blowing outside. Snow shrouded the surroundings like a bed sheet. All trees were stranded, eagerly waiting for spring season. Her beautiful home looked somewhat deserted.

She sat on a rest chair with a magazine to kill her solitude. Rest was the only thing she was doing now days. For the last 15 minutes, she was stuck to the same page. Her eyes fixed on the page but her thoughts wandered somewhere else.

Today was her 50^th birthday but no one had bothered to wish her. It’s been 27 years; she never failed to fulfill all her responsibilities towards her family. She applied all her strength in bringing up her children nicely, in carrying out all the expectations, in making this house “Home”.

Be it the parent teachers meeting in the school her children, shopping for any festival or studies and desires of her children, she found herself alone. Yes, her wallet was always flooded but her husband always remained busy and ignorant

It’s not that she wanted to shirk her duties but the only thing she wanted was the time and support of her husband. Need is not just getting all the luxuries. Is it?

She wondered how time rolls on swiftly. Her son went for higher studies and slowly limited himself in his own world. She married off her daughter who settled abroad with her loving husband.  Even on the wedding day of her daughter,  her husband just registered his presence, perhaps performing the duty of a father. How she managed all the arrangements, only she knew.

She remembered how her children always celebrated her birthday. Bringing surprise gifts spending all their pocket money. Her heart used to fill with immense pleasure. But now...Maybe they are too busy in their world to think about her mother.

For her husband, this day was just like another day. He never remembered anything special about this day. A painful smile formed on her face, and eyes welled up.

Suddenly, the door bell announced, that brought her back from the memory lane. She opened the door to see a young boy holding a colored packet and a bouquet in his hands.

“Good morning ma’m and happy birthday.” He said chivalrously.

She was totally perplexed. Before she could ask anything he was gone handing her the packet.

Her heart fluttered as she opened the gift pack. A burgundy coloured velvet jewelry case carried a beautiful sparkling diamond set. There were two pink envelopes. A note slipped down as she took out a beautiful birthday card.  It read:

Dear Kavita,

I hope, you’ll be surprised to see this as that exactly I wanted to give you today. Surprise! I know, I’ve always been ignorant towards our family hoping that you can manage everything, never knowing how? Always busy in my professional life trying to make a niche in the business world.

I faced a strained financial condition in my life. I did not want you all to face that. You must be thinking that I don’t care for you. But believe me; I’ve done everything for you and our children. The only thing I could not give you was time.  It’s enough, isn’t it?  From now all my time is your’s.

I want to tell you from my heart that “I have always loved you and I always will”.

Wish you a very happy birthday.

She hurriedly opened the second envelop. Two flight tickets for Singapore! There were no return tickets. Tears sprouted and refused to stay in her eyes.



Shared @ Sunday Scribblings