IT’S OKAY

Monica was shocked to see a little puppy roaming in their kitchen. She shouted at the top of her voice to call her twins. ‘Who brought it here? Don’t you know how much I hate pets? Who will take care of him? How can you bring it here without asking?’ and there she went with her questions while Rick and Shina looked down hoping for a miracle to happen and that they get to keep that adorable golden retriever they have been looking after. To make matters worse, that little doggy pee in the kitchen just when they were being scolded. What a timing, thought Rick to himself. ‘Ruffle! Stop… Don’t!  don’t!’ exclaimed Shina in her sweet toddler voice trying hard to sound strict. ‘You named him?’ interrogated their agitated mother. ‘Isn’t he so cute? He has been with us for 3 days now. He did not cause any trouble. I promise he won’t do any harm. Please let us keep him. Look he is so cute.’ requested Rick hastily ‘3 days! ‘ replied Monica in shock , looking towards that puppy, all she could think of was to put him out of the house. Shina was devastated after Monica put that puppy out of that house. She stopped eating and got very sick .She had been dreaming of keeping him for almost 3 months now. Ruffle used to see them in the park where they played with him.  She thought of him like his little one. The kids were the happiest with him, his smile was like the sunshine which lightened their day and his adorable mannerisms always kept them in his awe. It was the happiest time of their day as they received the affection that has been missing since Monica indulged herself in work to cope from the loss of her husband since his demise

Monica was very concerned for her baby. She finally asked her that why has she stopped eating, in a hope to make her understand by initiating a conversation. Shina replied, ‘Mamma did you eat properly today?’ Monica moved her head in denial and said ‘how I can when you haven’t?’ That little girl held her mother’s hand and said, ‘then how can I till he doesn’t?’ . Ready for redemption, Monica decided to get the dog back. The children led her to the garden where they met Ruffle every day but they were skeptical to see a sight of him since they did not leave their bed for three days in grief and denial. They waited for the doggo to get nothing but disappointment at the end. They tried to find him everywhere near the park but he was nowhere to be found. As few hours passed by, Monica felt a sense of discomfort and concern for the first time, almost like what she had been feeling for Shina these past few days. They did not give up and kept on finding him. As the sun came down, so did the children’s hopes but Monica assured that they will find Ruffle. Almost home, Shina’s Irritation and anger increased and she shouted at the top of her voice ‘RUFFLE WHERE ARE YOU?!’ Baby steps approached her from a box near the sewage outside their home. Monica’s heart melted and she broke into tears because

He never left.

John was going to see her baby for the first time in 3 years . He was in the forces serving his country, it was a hard time for the country where security was of great concern. His wife survived the pregnancy and 3 years after their daughter’s birth without him. It was a beautiful day today, she got ready unlike any other day in years. Jasmine heard stories of her father every day before going to bed. She adored him and always wanted to meet him. Finally the time arrived, Alisa was nervous, excited and filled with so many emotions which have been cooking for all these years, she just wanted to hug him and let him know that she waited for him every day since he left. Every second in station went like a lifetime until she saw her husband. Their eyes locked for a second and there he came running to her in her arms to cry till it’s all let out. Just after 2 mins of his arrival, little hands pushed the lower of his uniform to get noticed.  All the tears, all his sorrow everything flee like it wasn’t the reality of his life for all these years after he saw the apple of his eye. He took her in his arms and kept looking at her like she was the most beautiful flower in a garden. Her eyes were blue and big just like her mother and red cheeks like her father. Weeks passed like a breeze of wind, though the time felt like a day’s time but the bond between Jasmine and John crossed all the years of parting and it developed into something more meaningful than what words can describe. On the final day before his departure, happy family was visiting a mall, Jasmine wanted a red dress which was too expensive for them. John was very sorry for the pay cut and promised Jasmine to buy her this dress when he comes back. It was time to go again, Alisa wasn’t able to stop her tears but like all these years, she was ready to be strong again and wait till they see him again. Jasmine hold his finger entirely with her tiny hand and insisted ‘Please Daddy’.

He planted a kiss on her forehead and moved towards the door abruptly. No bullets could have hurt him more hard.  A year later, he applied for a vacation and it got approved. It was the happiest day and this time two set of eyes waited to see his sight. Ten minutes before the train was scheduled to arrive, the speaker announced ‘Train 00654 has met an accident. All the families are supposed to report to the office immediately.’ She ran to the office with her daughter, almost numb like everything around her has stopped in matter of seconds. There was the list of all the people who died on the spot with John’s name putting that list and their life to an endless pause.

After 3 months of his funeral, Alisa got the courage to open his bag.

And there was the same red dress in that bag with a note saying

‘Daddy always keeps his Promise’.

Mike and his elder brother Lenard lived with their parents in the country side where they owned an apple farm. They grew lots of apples and earned their lively hood from them. Lenard had a habit of taking a bite of the apple before giving to his baby brother. Mike always made faces that time because he felt that Lenard took the sweeter one for himself. As they grew older, Mike being the ambitious and intelligent kid went to the city to make his own name. It took a lot of struggle for him to create an identity from scratch after his college in this new fast moving city while Lenard took care of family farm after their parents died. Both of them settled and used to meet once in a year. Lenard’s habit did not change and it kept on bothering Mike, but being the younger one he never said anything to him.

Years later, it was Mike and Nia’s 25^th Marriage anniversary and it was the first time Lenard visited the city with his daughters and wife to count his presence on his brother’s marriage anniversary celebration. It was a great party, everybody enjoyed the celebration thoroughly.  Lenard decided to stay a little longer. It had a purpose. That Sunday morning, Mike was cleaning the shelf in the guest room where he accidentally happened to see an envelope with his initials. Lenard decided to give it to him while leaving for home.

Mike couldn’t help but open it.

It said

‘Dear Brother,

When you were younger and you wanted to go to city for education, we hardly had any money. You remember the college I always talked about? I cleared it. I said I did not, but I did. The offer letter is still in my safe, safe. But then it was either you or me. So, I stayed back. Today All I ask from you is to help me so that my daughters don’t have to make that choice.

Love,

Len ’

Mike wipe his tears and went out of his room to see his brother on the dining hall offering him bitten apple. ‘It’s fresh and juicy, we got it from the farm.’ said, Lenard.

He stopped him and took the one his elder brother kept for himself,

‘It’s tasteless!’ Mike exclaimed.

‘You always deserve the sweeter apple ’, said his brother.

Hey there it’s Iris,

These stories must have made you vulnerable, move you or maybe there is a tear in your eye right now.

You must be wondering that what’s the purpose?

I know we are taught to be strong and there are times when you take it all in because you never wanted to appear weak . This is to assure you that your vulnerability is your strength to feel more than others could, it is your strength because you aren’t afraid to face your emotions, to accept them and express them.

Most of all, it makes you more human than you were few moments ago.

It is a reminder that you really are a beautiful combination of your emotions and It’s Okay.