Twisted

9:30 a.m. The flight attendant informed the passengers to fasten their belts as the plane was about to land. Mason was in a deep sleep; it was 7 hours journey. One thing Mason never can do is read a book during fly, not even watching anything on the monitor. He has motion sickness. Long flights are like nightmares to him. The harsh reality for many of us, what we don’t like to do, becomes a part of our life. Moreover, this event might harm his marriage; he could avoid it, but sometimes it’s wise to be brave and let yourself float along with the tide … haha!

Tired and standing in the line, Mason noticed her wife a few yards away, smiling at him. A broad smile of triumph! Ahh, she is looking great in a blue dress. That’s Sarah, who is never tired, and always cheerful and talking. Mason was greatly disturbed by her non-stop talking habit and frequent questions after meeting her for the first time in a workshop. He wanted their assignment to end as soon as possible. He disliked her over-friendly approach, especially when he found her so cheerful for no reason, engaging and never tired of talking. Though, the girl had a child-like innocence in her persona. As time went on, he discovered Sarah in many different ways. She knows how to balance the situation. Whenever they were up to their work, he found Sarah the most insightful, cooperative and innovative. Until a job was complete, talking-machine Sarah remained silent, and when done, she must celebrate it with others. Mason didn’t know when he started liking her. He found himself one day asking her for a coffee. Sarah didn’t say a word for a couple of seconds and followed him without saying anything. God bless Sarah! Mason’s barren heart found some raindrops and began to flourish.

“So, you are here!” Sarah, holding his hand, grinned in a welcoming manner. “Yes, your highness. I’m here.” That was the exhausted reply from Mason.

“Are you upset?” Sarah asked in a curious way looking straight into Mason’s eyes.

“No, I’m just tired and defeated,” Mason replied to her in a dramatic tone.

And that says everything. Sarah knows her husband very well. It’s been three years since they got introduced and married. Just a few people were present at their wedding. Mason doesn’t make many friendships with others though he knows how to keep people close to him. It’s something he got by born. Wherever Mason is, it becomes his place. He attracts people with a few words. People find him a good listener.

From his family, only a few people were present at the wedding. But Sarah found herself in a great abyss. Even after making a short list of guests, it’s like she will end up inviting the whole community! Many of her kins couldn’t join them as they are in Canada and everybody has a busy schedule. However, they are married.

“Here we are.” Sarah shows Mason the house. Mason came with good preparation, but whenever he saw the house, he felt his hands numb and legs. Oh! he was super nervous. That couldn’t escape from Sarah’s eyes.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah”.

“But you don’t look so. Anything wrong?”

“Well, it depends”, says Mason smiling faintly.

Confused Sarah doesn’t ask him anything because she knows Mason will tell her everything right on time if anything goes wrong.

Having looked around, Mason notices that the place the place essentially identical, except now the walls are completely covered with honeysuckles and some strange creepers he hasn't seen before. The main door opens. Mason hears a voice, “Where is your husband, Sarah?” He starts trembling as he hears ‘the voice.’

There wasn’t a single day he didn’t hear this voice. Everyone used to say it was her smile that, made her look so pretty, but to Mason, it’s her voice. Right after Michelle’s graduation, the Clark family threw a small party. Mason was invited, not by them, by chance. He drove Michelle (his sister) to this house. When he was about to leave, someone stopped him. It was Amy’s mother who asked him to get inside. Mason hesitated but didn’t avoid her. There Mason got introduced to the Clark family. Such a friendly family. Mason was social shy. He couldn’t fit himself comfortably as he knew nobody there. So, he mostly talked to Mrs Clark. They spent a lovely evening together. As Mason is a good listener, he listened to the party. So much laughter, nonsense jokes, leaking each other’s secrets … nothing escaped his ear. But the most soothing was ‘the voice.’ He tried to understand who was that! He looked at the girls carefully; none of them was ‘the voice.’ Whoever the girl was, she wasn’t in that room, or maybe she was there. He failed to figure her out.

She was busy talking on the phone from the balcony. Mason still was not able to see her face as she walked back and forth between the balcony and the main entrance. Her face was half-covered with long hair, and she was too busy in her conversation. At one point, Mason directly walked to her. The girl cut the line being abruptly interfered with, turned back and looked at him. He saw her pretty face.

Mason looked awkward and smiled nervously. She looked bewildered but quickly pulled herself back. “Hi” … I’m Amy!

It did not take Mason much time to fall in love with Amy ... that's quite unlike him. 'Book worm' Mason has his world where he never allows others to invade, but Amy made a place for her. He often tried to find a chance to meet her. Amy was friendly though a bit introverted like him. He felt he was spending his time with another part of his soul. Mason was so spell-bounded by her charm; that he fostered his crazy feeling like a new mother overwhelmed for being blessed with the firstborn; and never noticed her occasional mood swings. He wasn't sure whether it was her soothing voice or, her presence that compelled him to confess his love. All he knew was he loved her.

It’s true, a hundred per cent true, what wise people say. Don’t rush in when you are in love. Amy’s heart was never empty. It was only disturbed as she fought with Neil, and he wasn’t picking up her phone calls. Her grief rose high when he didn’t show up to the party. It was like a punishment to her to keep smiling at the guests at the party. Then she remembered her cousin could be the best help for her as she always proved herself as a tonic to get Amy rid of her calamity. And that was when she was talking over the phone with her and caught Mason’s attention. When Amy heard a few slow footsteps behind her, all she wished it would be Neil! She turned around and saw a gentle guy with clear blue eyes and a nervous smile on his face.

Amy liked Mason a lot. He was someone who should be on her friend list. Sometimes, she felt her mother adored him over her. Even her two kittens liked him more than her. Amy was super jealous of losing everybody’s love! Damn Neil!

“I’m all guilty, I know.” Said Neil. Amy cried, and threw the things at him, Neil tried to calm her, but she wasn’t listening to him, and he was begging her to forgive him … Mason saw, but this time he couldn’t hear anything. He dropped his bouquet unconsciously on the floor, and, ran out of the place, and never met Amy again. Neither Amy ever tried to contact him.

“All you have to do is let them meet my husband at least once, and we'll be able to return home on the same day.” It is the third time Sarah trying to convince Mason to attend her favourite cousin’s wedding. And then again, she starts saying all the sweet, sour, bitter memories with her cousin. Sarah needs not to say all these. Mason can tell better as he has been hearing these for a couple of days. And what he learnt from her terrifies him.

How can Mason go there? It’s not that he doesn’t care about his wife’s feelings. He understood, Sarah’s favourite cousin is no one else but Amy! She missed Sarah’s wedding as she was busy with her “Fashion Show” in Paris. She nowadays stays there. How can Mason meet her again? He doesn’t want to open up the wound which healed after a long struggle. He doesn’t want Sarah to be upset either. He doesn’t want to make a wall between Sarah and Amy. How to avoid this situation? Mason thought a lot and made up his mind. Let’s attend the wedding.

“Amy, this is Mason,” my sweet wife is so happy to introduce her boring husband to Amy.

“Why did you leave that day? Mum saw you. She told me.” Amy makes a false angry face and punches Mason in his chest. Sarah is laughing while holding Amy.

“Well, Sarah. You got a lovely husband.” Mrs Clark comes and gives Mason a tight hug. Mason feels awful but much relieved at the same time. A heavy load just dropped from his heart. So, everybody knows everything! He looks at Sarah. She blinks an eye at him.