Till Death Do Us Part : Sad Love Story (2 page)

“
Ha-ha. Good luck, sleepyhead.
I’
m going to take you out today, make you so tired you wo
n’
t even dream tonight. Be prepared
.”
I promised her
.“
Really
?”
She blinked up at me. I nodded
.“
So. Name your very first goal
.
”

“
Get married
.”
She said
.“
Tha
t’
s done, wha
t’
s next
?
”

“
Uh. I think it wa
s…
sexual intercourse
.”
She said, and blushed. I resisted the urge to laugh
.“
Okay. After that
?
”

She hesitated, and I knew it was something that was
n’
t entirely possible. She said it anyway
.“
Children
,”
she said and averted her eyes. I knew they were filled with tears even when I could
n’
t see her eyes
.“
Oh, Alyssa
.”
I murmured and took her in my arms. I could give her joy, happiness and anything she wanted for only so long, before this mysterious cancer killed her.  Wetness spread on my shoulder and I realized she was crying, sobbing, almost.

“
It hurts, Phillip, it hurts so bad
.”
She sobbed into my shoulder, and I felt a hollow pit in my stomach, tenderness for this vulnerable, hurting woman
.“
I wish I could take it all away, Ally, I wish I could. Do you think i
t’
s because of last night
?”
I felt her shake her head vigorously
.“
No, no, it ca
n’
t be
.”
I almost grin at her stubborn-ness. Almost.

Over the next few days, I taught her how to play football, she taught me how to sing, we learnt how to dance, we sang tune-less karaoke at a club, we made prank calls, we celebrated for no reason, and most importantly, we have fun. Lots of fun. The pain got worse over time, and I could see the pain on her face. On the Saturday of the last-but-third week she had left, we visited my parents for the first time after the marriage.

They still did
n’
t know, and I knew my mother was wondering about her alarmingly skinny frame, sunken eyes and hollow cheekbones, but Alyssa was the charming person she always was. Till date, I still do
n’
t know why I fell in love with her. If you asked me why, I would have just blinked at you. But I did. Maybe I still do. All I know is, if she had lived, I would have gladly grown old with her, and died at a ripe old age, with her.

Alyssa

I held the iron bar so tight my knuckles became pale. The rollercoaster ride went so fast I could feel the skin and muscle on my cheeks actually be pulled back by the wind
.“
Phillip
!”
I yelled
.“
Yeah, Ally
?
”
“I’
m scared
.”
My racing heart almost stopped as he bent down and planted a small, quick one on my cheek. It was so chaste, so full of love I almost forgot about the life-threatening ride I was on.

“
Better
?”
He yelled back. I nodded with a silly grin on my face
.“
Okay
.”
He said, mostly to himself, but I heard it. It was as if he was telling himself he put that grin on my face. I was so wrapped up in that kiss; I never realized when the rollercoaster stopped until it squealed to a stop, making me almost bang my head on the iron bar. I then realized that my grip on the bar had slackened, since that kiss. Jeez, it had an effect on me. I stood up, and my knees cracked.

“
That was wild
.”
I said to Phillip, stepping out of the compartment we were sitting in
.“
Yes, it was
,”
He acknowledged. We walked through the Amusement Park, hand in hand, cameras and all equipment in a bag on our backs. By nightfall, we were done with almost all the rides and were on our way home, on a bus, which was actually pretty comfortable. I leaned my heavy head on Philli
p’
s shoulder, and let sleep envelop me.

When I woke up, sunlight was streaming down the window. W
e’
d rented a small flat near my paren
t’
s house, so w
e’
d have some privacy. The rent was paid partially by the money
I’
d saved up and partially by Phillip. H
e’
d gotten a better job since that fast-food restaurant stint, and now he was the manager of a similar restaurant, only bigger and more popular. I had a considerably large sum of money in my account, and I wanted to spend a part of it, and leave the rest to Mum, Daddy and Aurora equally.

Phillip was lying down next to me, his dark hair spilling on his forehead and lips ajar. I watched his even breathing and his flickering eyelids. He was having a dream. Who knows what it was? Maybe it was a nightmare or maybe it was a beautiful dream. I stroked his hair, and his eyes opened
.“
Ally
?
”
“
Hey
,
”
“
Why do
n’
t you sleep
?
”
“
Nah,
I’
m not sleepy anymore
.
”
“
Are you sure
?”
He slid one hand around my waist and pulled me to his chest, my back against his heartbeat. I struggled to escape; playing along
.“
Sleep, darling
,”
He whispered in my ear and made dramatic snoring sounds, and I laughed in spite of myself. Then he let me go. I rolled off the bed and held out one hand
.“
Her Royal Majesty has ordered you, Worthless Sleepyhead to awaken at once
!”
He was up and standing in a second
.“
Yes, m
a’
am
!”
He saluted me
.“
You do
n’
t salute a queen, you idiot
.”
I smacked his head dramatically. He picked me up, dangling me over his shoulder like I weighed no more than a small bag.

We played the rest of the day.

Little did I know what would happen next.

the end

The only sound in the gloomy room is Alyss
a’
s irregular breathing. Next to her, stand her parents, their faces red and eyes teary, but bodies motionless. Behind them sits Aurora holding her one week young son. Even the baby is silent. Sitting next to Alyssa is Phillip, his eyes watching her flickering eyes. He keeps blinking every once in a while, but tha
t’
s all he does. They have been told by the doctors that when she goes, the beeping will cease and become a high-pitched whine. The beeping had become faster, then slower and then just irregular. Phillip held Alyss
a’
s hand in his, squeezing it once in a while. The door flies open, and a nurse burst inside, and stares at all of them, her eyes wide.

“
There is an emergency. The building is on fire in the oxygen chamber. It will burst any second. Please evacuate. The patient will be evacuated separately. Now, please
,”
She waits for a few seconds, accompanying Alyss
a’
s ragged breathing with her own panting
.“
Mamma, come on
.”
Aurora says, at last
.“
You go, dear. You have Victor to look after. We will stay here
.”
Aurora looks at her son with tears in her brown eyes
.“
Mamma, no
,”
She breathes
.“
Go, Aurora. Now
.”
Aurora gasped and sobs one heavy cry. It must have resonated in Victo
r’
s mind because he lets out a wail. That jolts Aurora and she grabs Victor and runs.

Two things happen at once. All the walls come crumbling down together, as fire combines with oxygen and blast. The beeping stops and is replaced with a drone that fills the empty air.

Alyss
a’
s eyes are finally calm, and on her stomach lies her un-breathing husband, and inside it, their dying child