by Chintha Hewage
 Allowing the cold December breeze to ripple her wavy hair I fancied
so much, she ambled towards the road. It had been only a month since
they had occupied the vacant house which was next to ours.
In most of the evenings she was seen walking carrying her baby girl.
Yes, my lovely next door neighbour had a beautiful baby girl.
According to my sister her husband lived abroad. First few days I
watched this graceful sight adding colours to the dusk and later I made
it a habit to get out of the house to meet the mere pleasure of smiling
with her or to say ‘hello’.
Every day she smiled. Knowing or not knowing that I came to see her.
However, for few days I had not seen her for I had been busy with my
work. My band had to play for several Christmas parties since December
was the party month.
The sky was lamenting on one evening and the wet breeze was blowing
the trees, every man and woman, cat and dog walked on the road.
 I, though craved to get wet and jump in a puddle, pulled my hardly
earned CBR 250cc under a shelter. To my utter joy and astonishment, my
lovely lady stood next to me she was drenched, looking anxious. “She is
with my in-laws; I can’t go there like this. I have to go home.” Her
eyes were filled with tears though the rain concealed it; but not from
me.
She had gone to see her friend who is very ill keeping the baby with
her parents-in-laws.
I was compelled to pull my precious bike out in the rain as my heart
craved for a moment with her.
I took her home, on my bike. “Thank you.” her beautiful eyes blinked
looking up at me. I didn’t utter a word. Then she touched my water
dripping arm with her pale cold wet fingers glaring at me. For a
fraction of a second the world seemed to have dissolved leaving her
smooth touch on my arm. I unfolded my fingers to feel her but the next
moment she had disappeared in the rain.
The next day I caught flu and suffered nearly a week in my room,
though my heart yearned, unable to go to her. However, a week later my
sister announced that the family who lived next door had moved to
another house. |
