All it took...

The fire crackled in the room...warming the only one there. Warming someone who was not even aware what was happening around her...she was lost in her own world. The rain had finally stopped but it was still too cold. The room was warm, but not warm enough for her. Not today. She was looking out the window, beyond the trees at the snow peaked mountains. Her thoughts, well beyond the horizon. As a kid she had always wondered what lied behind those mountains... all that she could see at the horizon... was it a part of the future? Or did it, like everything else, represent the past? Today, however, she had no thoughts about what was at the horizon. Her thoughts had taken her beyond the horizon...into the past that she had left behind, reminding her of the future that she could have! What had he said? That he will never be able to forget her, even when he was eighty and she was closer to 75! It was so many years ago. At that time, she hadn’t even thought she would live to see herself at the age of 75. She had dreaded getting old, and yet she was getting older every single minute. How things had changed! True, she still hadn’t reached that age... but today, it didn’t seem like impossible anymore. There was a sound at the door. She turned to look at who it was. She hadn’t been expecting her daughter now. It was much too soon for her to be home. So then who was this lady standing at the door?

“Meera, is that you?” she called out. She couldn’t see very well without her glasses. Heaven knew where she had flung them when she had entered the room earlier. As she turned, she realised someone had lit the fire. And there was her favourite cup of coffee and some scones lying on the table. The coffee had turned cold. Someone had brought them when she was busy in her thoughts. As she squinted to get a better look at her visitor, she realised this lady was way too thin to be Meera. Unable to contain hers curiosity, she called out again. “Who is standing there? Why don’t you speak?”

Someone would have thought she was blind! The girl or lady or whoever she was... she was a mere twenty feet away from her... just across the room! She probably should go and see for herself, but what good will that do if she didn’t have her glasses??? Before she could even start looking for them, the girl moved forward. She held out something. Her glasses! Thank god for little mercies! Now that she had put them on she realised it was Isabelle. Sweet Isabelle. There was no other adjective for her!

“What are you doing here Isa? I thought you weren’t going to return till the end of next week. Is everything well?” she asked her. Isabelle had been gone for almost 3 weeks now. She was her best friend cum secretary. It was a relief to have Isa back, she couldn’t deny it. The house seemed very empty without her. But why was she back so soon? She had gone to visit her family in Scotland. She wasn’t due for another 10 days. It worried her that Isabelle had forgone her vacation to be back here.

“I came two days ago. Meera called. She was frantic. I have been here for almost an hour, watching you. What happened Ashley?” Isabelle asked taking her hand and leading her to her favourite chair beside the fireplace. She was cold. Isabelle’s warm touch made her realise she had been shivering. What happened she had asked? How could she even begin to tell her what had happened... when it had happened oh so many years ago. Did it even matter that much today? She was lost in her thoughts again. Thoughts of him. Of his intoxicating beauty. And the feel of his touch. Hadn’t she promised she would meet him once... before her life was over? And hadn’t he told her that day would never come? Then why was she thinking about him now? Why today? He had ignored her at the market. Hadn’t even recognised her! Why then did it matter so much to her? She had a fulfilling life. Meera and Gerald- two lovely kids. Benjamin- a wonderful husband. A full and satisfying career. Audrey and Alex- Two grandkids. What more could she ask from life? Her life seemed picture perfect!

But she was lost... thinking about that one summer, back in France, where she had met him for the first time. It was her sister’s wedding. She smiled ruefully as she realised that there was no apparent reason for her sister to get married in France. Yet she had done that. And he was there. With that intoxicating beauty, that tantalizing smile, those warm brown eyes and a wit as sharp as his knife. Why did he always carry that knife anyways? It would have been love at first sight, had she been looking at all. But as life would have it, she looked but didn’t really notice. They had met again six years later, to celebrate the birth of her sister’s first born-Charlotte. Before she knew it, she was head over heels in love with him. What had it taken? One drink, a few memories and just that one touch!! They had promised to be together forever... as all young do. But that was the end of the story for her. She never saw him... not for the next thirteen years! Where was he? What was he doing? What had happened to all those promises he had made? And the most important question... why hadn’t he ever contacted her???? All these questions were swarming in her mind when she met him by chance at a cafe. He was holding an infant in his arms, a girl who had the same brown eyes. And before she could ask any of her questions, before she could even open her mouth, he had started speaking very fast. He was telling her about his life, why he hadn’t called but she was not interested. And then he had stated that he would never forget her. Not even when he was eighty and she was seventy-five. How strange that all she remember about that conversation was this!

She realised Isabelle was still looking at her, expecting some answers from her. Now that she came to think of it, she was speaking something. Why was she speaking so slowly? Had Isabelle gone dumb? She couldn’t hear Isabelle at all! But it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she had promised to meet him. And two days ago, when she had seen him at the market he hadn’t recognised her! Oh Ethan!!! Why did you not keep the promise? Why did you not recognise me? Millions of questions running around her mind. There was no solution. Probably Meera knew how she could find him? She would ask Meera.

Meera came in just then and seeing Isabelle sitting with her mom, she thought she shouldn’t disturb. But it seemed her mom was again in her own world. It worried Meera. She had been seeing her mother in the same delirious state for the last two days. If things didn’t improve by the end of the day, she will have to call up Gerald, her doctor brother.

Her mother seemed to sense her presence. She was talking about having to meet Ethan. Who was Ethan? Did dad know him? Why was mom so worried about meeting Ethan? And where to even start looking for Ethan??? She tried asking her mom, what was his full name or where did he live... but she refused to give any other information. Meera was worried sick.

Somewhere in the house, today’s newspaper had a small obituary:

Ethan Garnett, Writer, dies at age 72

Ethan Garnett, author of three best seller books died today at his home. He was best known for his book ‘The Jungle called Civilization’ which was nominated for the Magsaysay award. His other two books, ‘Living with Eli’ and ‘Urban Rural’ have been on the bestselling list for more than 3 months. He was known for his satirical writing

Ethan is survived by his wife, Rachael, and two daughters – Jennifer and Tamara.

There will be a family only viewing at the Chapel Hill Funeral Home on Friday February 20, from 3pm to 5pm and a public viewing for friends and family from 7pm until 9pm. On Saturday, February 21, 2009 the service will be held at the Chapel Hill Funeral Home at 10am with the procession to the cemetery to immediately follow. Ethan will be interred at the Chapel Hill Cemetery in the Garnett family plot of four.