Love - till the last breath

by H. Luthufy

It was a lovely day. Sunday music was blaring around in the neighbourhood. The sun shone brightly, smiling at the breeze that gently brushed against the trees. The smell of freshly blossomed flowers wafted around in the air. Reena came out of the room and lay down on the sofa for a while her thoughts far away into the future. She was smiling to herself when she heard her husband riding his bike to the garage. She stood up and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked perfect.

“Hello, anybody at home?” called out a voice. “Oh yes! I’m right here Mr. Jacob.”

Steve came with his arms wide open, motioning his wife for a warm hug as he kissed her slightly on the cheeks. He looked at her and something made him love her even more. It was nearly five months since they got married and only two months ago did they move into their new house. A large one, furnished luxuriously and there was room for five people. They intended to have many kids, as they had planned before. Steve thought that Reena looked special that day. Her eyes seemed to be gleaming with joy and she kept smiling like a mischievous child. He remembered the day they got married. It was an unforgettable day. The bride wore white. The silk dress was simply cut but exquisitely fashioned for her slender figure. Her eyes were glowing, testifying to her happiness.

Her soft black hair hung straight down below her shoulders, framing her face which was so delicate, that she looked ethereal. He came back to the present, showing away the thoughts that crossed his mind. Suddenly she looked serious and for a moment angry too.

“You are the one responsible for this,” she said folding her arms.

“ ‘Cause for what,” he asked totally confused.

“Just look at me! my face is flushed and I’ve been feeling dizzy for the past too days. Bouts of nausea too!,” she said.He scratched his head, wondering what he had done to cause such symptoms in her.

“I didn’t bring any fast food for the few days ago, did I?” He asked her with a worried look on his face, wondering if it was food poisoning.

Reena let out a moan.

“You’re such an idiot!” That remark made him frown. “Okay! one last time, you give your best shot!,” she said, “right now; I’m two souls in one body.” It took him sometime to figure it out and suddenly, he burst out joyfully.

“You’re pregnant! Wow! you’re pregnant!” he shouted. She laughed and nodded like a small kid. He lifted her up in the air, and swirled around. The world seemed to be brighter that day. Finally, after laughing so much, he had to gasp for air. He looked at her and whispered, “you naughty girl.”

“Look who’s talking about being naughty,” she said with a wink.

He hugged her tightly, closing his eyes, picturing his baby girl in her arms. He wanted a girl. A cute one just like her, with soft brown eyes, circled with long, beautiful lashes. He opened his eyes and noticed tears rolling down Reena’s cheeks.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

“I love you,” she whispered and hugged him tightly again, clinging on to him as if she was afraid to lose him.

A few hours later, she called her mom and chatted with her for a while, when finally with a smile on her face, she said.

“Mom, I think I’m... pregnant.”

Her mom was extremely happy and said that she’ll be there right away, but Reena asked her not to.

“No ma, I’ll be going to the gynaecologist and I’ll call you after it’s confirmed,” she said.

“Be careful, and I hope you’re not going to travel in that bike!” she told Steve.

“Yeah, Michelle,” he said.

“Steve, why don’t you take Reena in a taxi.”

“Michelle, Don’t worry, she’ll be fine.”

“No! I mean... to be on the safe side,” she protested.

“Nothing’s gonna happen and even if it does, we’ll die together,” he said and placed the receiver down.

After an hour, they got on the bike and rode away. The streets were crowded and the main road was blocked with traffic.

“I guess we’ll have to take another route, what do you think?”

“Hmmm... ok!”

It started drizzling, when Steve’s phone started to ring.

With a lot of effort he managed to pull it out from his pocket.

“Hello,” he said.

“Hey, Steve, watcha doin’ man?” shouted Mike into the phone.

“I’m on my way to the doc.”

“You’re riding? then keep the damn phone down!

You wanna get knocked by some truck?”

“Okay, okay!,” Steve said, smiling and ended the call, he made a turn. Someone let out a shout.

A large truck had just rounded the corner at a maximum speed, the tooting of its horn deafened them both. Then there was the endless noise or metal grinding and crunching. Everything went black.

It was too dark. Steve could see Reena standing next to him in a black silk dress, when he with all his might said “Will you marry me?” with a diamond ring in his hand. The scene changed. She was wearing her wedding gown with a bouquet in her hand... Then he saw his baby in his arms, her eyes just like her mother’s.

“Wake up, boy! wake up!” he heard a voice calling out. With great effort, he opened his eyes, gasping for air. He then saw her.

She was lying in a pool of blood, her body drenched in the red fluid. He wanted to touch her, drag himself towards her, when suddenly someone lifted him up.

“Whats your name son?” asked the man who was carrying him.

“He couldn’t answer. All he thought about was Reena and their baby. He felt his soul being ripped out of his body and finally he knew that they both had come to an end. He mumbled, as his soul left his body.

“Honey, I love you.”

(This story is based on a true incident which took place on November 6, 2009. The names of the characters have been changed due to personal reasons.)

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