 Rosemarie’s destiny
by Caryl Nugara
The noon day sun melted in a
metallic-blue sky and tinged with silver the foliage of the one and only
tree that had been there for years. It was easy to observe that the
flats inhabited by a number of families were sort of intoxicated by the
closeness which generally emanates from such dwellings.
Rosemarie sat at the window of her third-storey flat pondering about
her life. She had turned out to be a lovely girl and at that time, she
met a young man, handsome and happy with his life.
He added to her keen poignancy of music and passion for dancing. It
seemed that he awakened something within her because they shared the
same interests. It was delightful to watch them dancing in the dim glow
of the dance hall. Her beauty was set off by the diaphanous green dress
and silver leaves adorning her hair. How he longed to win her favour
like the other men who were attracted to her but their proposals were
rejected. In some unspecified way, she perceived that they had fallen in
love.
The memory of the tune “I’ll be loving you eternally..” crossed her
mind. She could almost feel how tenderly he held her and that his
nearness had thrilled her.
It seemed to her it was just a vague dream. She had learnt to adjust
her lifestyle looking after her paralysed father.
One evening, a cool breeze persuaded Rosemarie to go out for a while.
Putting on a pretty, flowered dress she made her way to the ice cream
parlour nearby. Alone at a table, she was not aware that men aroused by
her beauty and graceful charm gazed at her.
  On looking up, she saw a sailor coming towards her. He was certainly
smart with his gold-braided tunic and peaked cap pushed back on his
head. “Hullo,” she said, “What’s a beauty like you doing all alone?” He
noticed a stray curl touching her forehead and how lovely she was. “I
don’t even know your name and where you live!” Rosemarie looked
startled. “In a flat over there,” she replied.
He intentionally accompanied her home as the stars began to glitter
dimly in the darkening sky. “My ship is leaving for Grimsby but we’ll be
back soon,” he confided in her. Rosemarie felt a tinge of sadness.
“Promise that you’ll wait for me and please answer my letters when I
write.” He bid her goodbye with a brisk naval salute.
He unexpectedly returned one day and stood in the diffused light of
her doorway. With a twinkle in his eye, he threw his arms affectionately
around her in an embrace. Rosemarie pulled away from him. “I’ve come
back because I love you, Darling but I realise now that it can never
be.” He turned and walked away dejectedly.
The sun slanted low through the window curtains, reflecting on
Rosemarie’s paralytic father drowsy in his wheelchair.
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