Broken Ballerina
by Kethmini Hasara Dharmasena
Guilt was written all over his
face. From the first look of his face, I knew that there was something
wrong. I felt that from the beginning. But I could not lose him. Why
were his hand shaking?
 Why were his lips trembling?
He was going to tell me today.
“Good morning, Darling, aren’t you so early today?” I asked him.
“Am I, yes, yes. I think so....umm”
He was a man with few words. I can still remember how he proposed to
me. He was not looking at me but at one of my paintings of a girl with a
puppy. He just started at it for many minutes. When I couldn’t bear his
silence, I interupted his mediatation. All he said was “I think I love
you, Lizzy.”
I remember that talk endlessly with an unconcealed delight. But after
a few minutes of endeavouring my speech, he was again in his reverie of
admiring my picture. Now I came to realise that he didn’t tolerate my
romantic notions.
“Dear, I want to tell you something...’
“Tell it straight away, David, at least then you’ll stop shaking your
legs as if you’re in a fit. I can’t bear that sight.”
“I wasn’t doing it purposely, Lizzy..”
“Go on...” I said.
“When I was coming upstairs this morning, I remembered this girl...”
he started.
Oh, I knew it! Now I’m perfectly sure. But who could this be?
Probably that girl who smiled at him in the park? I knew that even
though he told me that she was only his friend. She seemed to be
something more than that. No, I think this was the one with whom he
danced with in the club last week. He was looking straight into her
eyes. Oh! How much I wanted to take his hands from her waist! Or perhaps
it must be his secretary. She looks very sly and I don’t her
mini-skirts, indeed I even dislike her walk, just like a stealthy cat.
Or may be...
“My Dear, do you need some water or something cool? You look very ill
and you’re sweating as well..” he asked anxiously.
“No I think it’s going to rain. Please do go on, Dear”
“Yes, I was telling..Oh yes! I saw this ballerina dancer....”
My fiancé liked a ballerina dancer? Why didn’t I see this before?
From all those tiny, slim girls, why did I think that he would like me?
“This ballerina dancer...” he continued, “is very lovely.”
 If he wasn’t the only man who loved me, I would have slapped his
cheek and boxed his ears. But what to do, good Lord, but to listen him
and try my best to imprison the devil in the cage of my mind. I don’t
think he would ever come near me if he saw my monster!
“The dancer is very lovely but I’m really sorry to tell you, Dear,
but I was really captured with a desire to touch her and she fell from
my hand and broke into a million pieces...” he said with a doleful look.
“What!” I exclaimed in disbelief.
“I’m very sorry, Dear. I never thought you would take it so
seriously. I’ll...”
“Are you telling me about the crystal ballerina dancer in my living
room?” I asked still in a shock.
“Of course Dear, I know I shouldn’t have...” he seemed upset now.
“I don’t care a single bit for it, Dear. Don’t make a fuss about it.
It’s no big deal” I replied happily.
“If you say so but I’m really disturbed. Tell me, is it a present
from someone. I ought to replace it..” he said.
Would I ever tell him, looking at those deep blue trusting eyes, that
it was my first boyfriend’s present?
“No my love. It was a useless piece. I was thinking of throwing it up
in the attic but thanks to you, Dear, my hands won’t be dirty,” I said
with a smile.
“You are an angel, Dear” he said taking me into his arms.
I know it, I thought but asked innocently, “Really, Dear?” |
