Fool's Paradise - N.N A hunter came across a human skull in the forest. ‘What brought you here?’ he exclaimed. To his horror and amazement, the skull began to speak! ‘Talking brought me here,’ it said. The hunter ran to the ruler of the country, and said he could show him a talking skull. The ruler was skeptical but accompanied the hunter into the forest. When they came to the skull, the hunter commanded it to speak. ‘Tell us what brought you here?’. There was no reply. The hunger pleaded and pleaded all in vain. The skull remained silent. The ruler was furious. ‘Behead this liar!’ he roared to his soldiers. This was quickly done. When they had gone, the skull said to the dead man’s head, ‘What brought you here?’
‘Talking brought me here,’ sighed the head.
- N.K
Always Yours (continued)
Cavin looked aside. He could not face Jaqy. What she just said, meant so much. He had hurt her. It was all his doing. There was a time when she was all his. Her life and soul was dedicated to him. She had looked up to him, depended on him and trusted him. It was he who shattered all that. He held the blame, not Jaqy. She had remained pure, but he had cheated, not just her, but himself as well. Cavin cursed himself, for his lack of self control, sense and care. He felt guilty at having asked her to come here. He had no right over her. All the same, she had come. It was clear, her love for him had not died. It glowed within her, it shone in her eyes. He longed to touch her, to comfort her, to belong to her again. But there was a barrier between them. He had built the barrier, now he had to break it first.
Jaqy in her own way, felt sick to the core. “I shouldn’t have come, Cavin, what do we gain out of this?” she felt hopeless. “We could be brought back together.” Cavin suggested, all the time watching her reaction. “That’s impossible!” Jaqy cried; she too longed for the happier days that were lost, but… “things have changed.” She voiced her thoughts. “I don’t have to be told that, I know it only too well. But your feelings, Jaqy, have they changed too?” she faced him.
“I can’t live with you knowing all what had happened. I can’t do that. I can’t fool myself to trust you.”
“Is that it? Lack of trust keeps us apart? Come on Jaqy, you know me better than that!”
“No, I don’t.” she told him the plain truth.
“It’s true, I come back after years; almost a stranger. But Jaqy you were always there within me,” Cavin explained. “… I want a chance so to prove myself; I don’t want to lose you again. I want to be with you.” Cavin was being honest. He came back to be with Jaqy. He could not go any longer without her; she meant so much to him, she was so important in his life. They remained together in silence, then Jaqy spoke, “Am I worth all that trouble?” she was sarcastic.
Cavin only smiled. When David returned to the table, the situation was improved. Things had settled down, making it easier for the three of them. Jaqy later understood that David had a very easy going and comforting manner, which was a point that made them ‘like father, like son.’ Jaqy noticed that David kept a distance from her, but why she did not know. She felt rather ashamed for having shown her dislike so much at first.
Maggy had been waiting from whole evening till night to know what happened. So when Jaqy arrived, there were questions to be answered.
“Has everyone gone to bed?” Jaqy asked first of all.
“Except me.” Maggy was about to burst. She was a mother, older than Jaqy, but she was yet a child at heart. “So, tell me Jaqy, how did it go?” Maggy would have jumped around, for excitement, but she had life growing in her. She was expecting her second child. No one knew yet.
“Nothing out of the way,” Jaqy yawned. She felt tired and began undressing. “Cavin wants a second chance.”
“Well! That’s not surprising… I knew it from the very beginning! And you, did you say yes?”
“Maggy! It’s like some stranger knocks at my door and says ‘will you marry me!’” Jaqy exclaimed.
“he does not have to knock. He is already in there I think?” Maggy returned.
“I am not ready, Mag, not yet.” Jaqy said to her sister.
“How is David? Wasn’t he a charming kid?” Maggy changed the subject a little.
“He is not a kid, Maggy. David is almost a young man,” Jaqy counted, “yes, though he’s still nine.”
To be continued – N.N
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