Faded Summer Memory

Bella was sitting on a comfy beach chair and she was gazing at the sunset. The sun was about to set at the end of the western horizon. It was turning into a pink ball, then into a yellow and purple ball and finally, it became a dark one and disappeared. But Bell was sitting motionless and it was really difficult to find out whether she was gazing at the sunset or contemplating something.

The sunset was always peaceful and amazing. There was serene tranquility in this part of the earth. It was really beautiful and the more beautiful it was when the image of the setting sun was dangling on the water flow of Rapti river.

Bella had so many things to remember in her life. It was her second visit to that place.

When she had come to that place she was young and her dreams were youthful too.

It was the same beach where she had got a wedding proposal from Victor which she had accepted with little shyness and glues on her face.

In front of her, Victor was there in local dress and he had proposed Bella to be his life. Bella and Victor both were surrounded by the local artists who had gathered there for the cultural program and They were chosen as the team leaders for dance.

Victor engaged her by putting a ring on her finger.

The crowd had offered them flowers and garlands.

Bella smiled at herself when all those goods moments repeated in her eyes but big teardrops rolled down her eyes too. “Victor” she wanted to shout this name so loudly that the river, every stone, the hills, trees, and all-around could hear her call and Victor might come back to her.

Bella had just finished her university studies and she was thinking to go somewhere and spend a couple of weeks on holiday because she had to find a good job for herself.

Bella was born and grew up in Paris one of the most beautiful cities in the world and she was a native French speaker though she tried to learn the English language her pronunciation was not very good in English.

She had better the best opportunities to go around. She could visit entire Europe or could go to adventurous jungle safari in the dark dense forest of Africa or she had some beautiful destinations in Asia like Japan, South Korea, Singapore, or China.

It was her first international trip she was thinking and planning. She was not very sure where to go. She wanted to go to a place that is safe, friendly, and affordable.

She was about to talk about this with her boyfriend Victor.

The very day when she revealed her wish to go for a visit, Victor was not interested to go anywhere though she had already decided to go on the trip.

“Honey, I have a really amazing destination for our holidays and I believe you will never forget this visit in your entire life.” Victor smiled.

Bella couldn’t stop herself from smiling to but impatiently she asked, “Victor where are you going, honey?”

“We are going to visit Nepal. A small Asian country the land of unique culture mystery high Hill adventure.” victor said calmly.

“Nepal! Where did you get this idea? How are the people there?” I do not prefer going there.” Bella seemed annoyed and she spoke in agony.

Victor was rather confident. So he spoke in a loving voice, “Do not worry honey I have a friend from Nepal I know him for two years he’s a good guy. He has invited us to visit his country. I promise you should really enjoy this visit.” Victor tried to persuade Bella. Finally, they decided to visit Nepal.

When Bella and Victor had come to the international airport in Kathmandu it was almost night. They came out slowly through the exit passage and glanced around, it was a small airport.

The crowd was noticeable there and there was a long queue of the taxies there.

Victor and Bella both were sorts of speakers of English but nobody in the airport at Kathmandu understood French so they had a little difficult dealing with the taxi driver but one of the taxi drivers was quite young around 25 years of age approached them and talked to them in French. They felt good. He lifted them to the nearby hotel in which Victor had already made an online booking.

Bella was tired. She didn’t find any interest in the nearby areas that she could glimpse through the taxi window. But from inside the running taxi, she felt the quality of the road is not quite good. Because the taxi was jumping and dipping in every few minutes and the driver has to use the break time and again.

“Hey, Bella wakes up. Come out and an amazing morning is waiting for you. Come, I will show you the first miracle of nature” Victor was sounding at Bella.

Bella was still feeling dizzy and she had a headache too. So she expressed her unwillingness to get up so early. But how could Victor let her idol? He embraced her and got her onto his hands and carried her to the door of the room. They came to the top of the hotel building.

“Look at honey what is that,” Victor shouted with joy.

“It is amazing” Bella shouted too.

The first rays of the sun had smoothly touched the high mountains. The whole mountain range was looking like pink color sooner it’ll become a little and then gray and finally, it became white.

“This is Mt. Ganesh” a local guide pointed to one of the peaks. That one is Mt. Manaslu.” Then he pointed to “Himal Chuli, Pabil, Lang tang, Gang Chhenpo and Sisa Pangma.”

“This is the land of high mountains. Eight out ten highest mountains are in this country.” He concluded.

Bella jumped onto Victor and embraced him tightly. She sealed Victor’s mouth with her warm lips and they kept kissing each other for some time.

The scenic beauty of the mountains had made her fresh. All her lethargy was over.

After having breakfast Victor proposed Bella go around the city which Bella readily accepted. They came out and Victor leads Bella to look around the city. They came to the Patan Durbar squire where amazing sculptures, stone temples, water spouts, artistic window pans, and marvelous wood carving made Bella spellbound. She clicked hundreds of photos there. The local guide explained the myth of every temple and monastery there.

The city area was not a very big city. It was small but it was fantastic.

“What an artistic sculpture,” Bella said.

“Honey, I will take you to some other places you would like and remain thankful to me” Victor giggled.

“I am always thankful to you and will always remain loyal to you.” Bella laughed too.

Victor and Bella both enjoyed local Newari food. Bella had their first experience of Asian spicy and chilly hot meals. She couldn’t eat well because her mouth was burning with chilly heat.

Victor too was having difficulty in eating local Newari dishes. But he didn’t want to show that to Bella so he quietly kept on chewing and swallowing the food.

After spending a couple of days in Kathmandu they came to Pokhara.

Pokhara was amazingly beautiful and the Annapoorna Mountain Range made Bella rethink natural beauty. They visited Pokhara thoroughly and left it for Chitwan.

Their final destination was Chitwan. They came to Chitwan and spent three nights there. They enjoyed jungle safari, local Tharu dance and that was where Bella and Victor sat together and talked for hours.

Bella had so many things attached to her life here. Victor had proposed Bella. He had dressed up in local attire and he looked like the leader of the local dance team.

Bella too was encouraged to dress up in local cultural attire and Bell and Victor danced with the local dance team. Wow, what a joyful time.

They spent their most beautiful time there and returned back to their country.

Bella had started a job but Victor wanted to complete his Ph.D. degree so they had to remain far away.

Bella was busy at her work but especially Victor was very busy in his studies, but they had promised to be together, and they both were honest to their promises.

“Dear, we shall get marry this year.” Victor had assured Bella and Bella was keen too.

“We will to Nepal and get married there in their ritual. I love their culture.” Victor had proposed and Bella jumped with joy, wow great idea, because they had seen the local marriage tradition and they felt it amazingly nice.

They planned and booked the ticket too. But one summer evening Bella got the news Victor got in a car accident and lost his life.

Bella could not believe the news but it was true, as true as the sun in the sky.

That summer had gone. It had taken Bella’s all the happiness and joy. She was alone and she had lost her happiness.

She sat on the bank and gazed at the running water of the Rapti river. The sun rises and sets but Bella’s happiness has set down, no one knows when it shall rise up.