Harsh Love

The soft patter of the rain thundering on the window panes was the only sound being heard. Not the tick of the clock, or the buzz of flies. These unlikely conditions being amplified by the fact that the time was 3; 3 in the afternoon. Punctuated by a soft hum, the rain continued incessantly. The table shook mildly and subsided to its original position. The hand moved away from the open pile of books, and moved knowingly towards the object sitting at the center of the table.

Picking it up, he browsed through the contents of the message he had just received. Reading it several times did not make things any better and he just froze. The world he had been happily in returned to him; those moments of happiness; of shared passion; shared time; and, the shared love. But for him, there was no way to forget the last conversation they had had. He still could not believe what he had said. The ridge it had created between them, and the hurt he had caused her. But now, here she was again. What had given her the will, the strength and the courage to return back to him? He could not believe his own eyes as he slipped into the bowels of the past; to the moment when he had destroyed all those moments of happiness, love and passion.

The Friday morning air stirred the whole environment. Hot and humid, direct from the tropics.  The air conditioner spewing cold air in torrents but not having an effect on the temperature in the room. The solo figure laying on the bed, with fingers moving soundlessly on the screen of the tab held in his hand. A smile lingered on his face as he kept moving his fingers; talking continuously to his best friend. The friend he never wanted to lose, never wanted to hurt, never wanted to see in pain. The one person he cared about the most, the one person he wanted to see happy- Sally.

Open the door, she replied to him. Surprised at this sudden command from her, he walked to door of his flat and slowly opened it. She rushed into his arms, and threw him off his feet. Hugging him tightly, she held on to him as he deposited her on the sofa which lay at the corner of the room.

Sitting next to him and clasping his hand, she said,” Why is my Sam looking so tired today?”

“No Sal, it’s nothing. Just having a bad day. But now that you are here it will all change,” he replied with a slight echo in his voice. Sensing the stutter and lack of composure in his voice, Sally turned Samuel towards her.

“What happened dear? You won’t tell me as well,” she asked him while he just looked into her deep eyes and fell deep into them.

“It’s nothing. I’ll manage sweety, there’s no need for you to sleep over this.”

“I anyways won’t be able to sleep if you like this,” she replied sternly with a slight temper visible.

“i’ll be fine love, I just need some time.”

“Then i’ll get going. You stay alone, and after that if you feel you can talk then call me. Anyways, I just came to tell you a sweet little good bye.”

“Why good-bye? You going anywhere,” he asked with a slight irritation.

“Great, you forgot this as well. I am off to New York for a week. I have my job interviews there,” she exclaimed.

“I am stuck in this deep problem since a week! I don’t know what day it is. And yeah, go on to New York. Get a job there, find a great guy also and get settled with him. Anyways all i’ve done is to forget all you say, haven’t I?”

“You are getting me wrong! I just came here to be with you for some time. It will be a week before we can meet again that’s why. I didn’t want anything else.”

“Just go and leave me alone. I don’t want to be with anyone.” Taking her by the hand, he walked to the door and opened it. Sally’s eyes welled with tears at this action by him and she obeyed. She ducked through the doorway and stood facing him.

“Don’t start with your crying stuff. I can’t take it anymore. You got a job, and stuff to do and enjoy. What will you get from a loser like me? Nothing. So just go and live your life. Get a guy who can earn and be like you. That will be exactly what you want from inside, you just won’t tell me.”

“Fine. Now I’ll do what I feel is right. Enjoy your day. See you later,” she replied. Choking on her tears, she turned her back and ran away, far away into the distance.

But now, here she was. Back again to be talk with him. He knew not what to do; he didn’t want to hurt her again; not repeat all he had said to her. But his heart made him pick up the phone again. He typed in the words, and there started their conversation again. But the question kept reverberating in his mind, what was the source of her strength to return back to him? He did not have any idea about the answer, and he never would know it. But all he knew was that he would be hurting her again, and he wished that love would not be so barbaric and cruel.