Flower of My Life

It was a radiant summer morning and the sun was blazing mercilessly. Andrew woke up panting. The droplets of sweat were covering most of his forehead and his heart was thumping hard to jump out of the chest. It took him a few minutes to get back in his senses and realize where he was and what he just went through. Though this horrid and somehow relentless nightmare is driving him up the wall for the past few years, it still feels up to the minute and puzzlingly direful as ever. His body was yet shivering in dismay and his feet were resisting to touch the ground.

Unexpectedly, there came a knock from his bedroom door. He wiped his sweat and face all at once in a jiffy. It must be mom, he thought. "Come in," he called on highlighting the dog-eared fold in Sidney Sheldon’s “Tell Me Your Dreams” and placing it on George Orwell's 1984. He has guessed it right. It was Maria, his mom.

Maria is a middle-aged woman, must be in her 40s, with smoky-grey hair and fatigued eyes. Her skin seems loose and darkly wrinkled. Even though old age seemed a distant destination, she looked rather advanced her age. Maria is a professor at Michigan University and teaches a never interesting than ever subject, Quantum Physics. She has always fancied understanding the elements in reality and curious to find the parallels between different forms of energy.

"Hey, Hon..." what happened? You look tired, Didn’t you sleep well? - Asked Maria.

"No! Nothing, I was after something and had to wake up early." Andrew lied.

Maria gave him an uncanny look while placing the coffee tumbler on his work table beside the bed. Her freckles were clearly visible to Andrew from up that close, but what always maddens him is her fading scars evermore reminding him of a drunkard who he never liked to call his father. His father Richard has always been an unsettled, and rather a reckless man, who was never primed to look after his family. He, more often than not, was concerned about finding and bearing up with his job in the first half of the year and used to spend the rest half cursing and abusing Maria.

When he grew himself addicted to massive drinking habits, Maria, with a heavy heart, decided to split with Richard and parted her ways. Battling an emotional turmoil is not as easy as it sounds but Maria thrived it. Maria picked up the clothes which were piled on the chair and left the room by saying - "Don't go so hard on yourself. Alright?" Andrew said nothing but just nodded with a lazy smile.

Andrew didn't desire to attend class today but was uncertain. So, instead of laying up on the bed he just got up and went on to take shower. It was 9 in the morning and he had already missed his first important lecture. In the pretext of going to college, he was settled on to travel to his favorite spot where he can go on to sit for hours and still not get bored. It was his place; actually theirs. 

Andrew reached the Treehouse. He had a lot of memories with this shelter he has constructed with all his love and efforts. Not only had he built it block by block, modeled it to look best even after a decade but had also learned to be safe and sound in the lap of grasses and bemused in the company of Annie.

Annie is Andrew's childhood friend. She is one of those happy-go-lucky girls who instead of being a cry baby over situations always seems confronted with difficulties. Annie has known Andrew since the day she was shifted to Michigan. Initially, they were shilly-shallied to contend with each other but soon became bosom buddies. Either it is about witnessing the beauty of Michigan’s great lakes or looking at birds making nests on the treehouse, they have undergone experiences and delved into emotions together.

They have seen each other turning mature from cute little and petulant child. Andrew still recollects the memories he has spent with Annie, each one of them. Those days he calls the greatest summertime of his life. She had taught him the ABCs of love, the one he still misses to the core. Something lingers in him; he gazes at the treehouse and looks back on memories when they used to cuddle and recite self-written stories to each other. They have grown up to live all those stories, some together while some in solitary. 

Andrew clambered up the stepladder with an easy gait and placed himself in the treehouse. He explores each and every corner of the older shed made up of oak trees whose sides were shuttered with haystacks. The sides were fastened with stacks and the house was constructed quite above the grounds to protect from wild animals which were frequent in the forests of Michigan. Those piles of grass clippings lying in the corner still smell of her.

Andrew laid down there. Tears rolled out his eyes down to the cheek. He never knew it would be that difficult. He never realized how would it feel to be relentless and wanderer for no reason. Andrew misses her so much and is yet not over her. How could he be? He has spent 11 years with her, 6 years as a friend and 5 years; being truly and madly in love with her.

He closed those tiny twinkling peepers filled with tears and rest easier. 

Andrew was jumping, and dancing and was blooming from inside that day. It felt like sunshine flooded his soul and he could hardly contain his happiness. He was standing right in front of Annie's door trying to reach her through numerous calls. All in vain. That's when he started getting pissed. "Pick up," he said to himself. Another round of call attempts backstabbed him. Enough is enough! I am gonna get you, baby, he hinted himself. Annie's bedroom was on the first floor and there was a pipe railing attached to her balcony; appeared to be the water pipe. Andrew has already made up his mind and thus began climbing up the railing to end up on her porch. Though the pipe was sturdy, making grip with each climb was something that seemed to break Andrew's back. But all said and done in the end, he was standing a few steps away from Annie's bedroom. He finally treaded warily to the bedroom making no hush. 

It was the first time he was catching a glimpse of Annie's bedroom. It smelled flowery. The decorative pillows were enough to set the mood for that morning. He looked at the piles of clothes lying on the bed but wait where is Annie? He thought.

She was nowhere to be seen. Before he could make sense of everything, he felt like something stopped. The bathroom door creaked open and Annie was there attired in a bathrobe. She was all wet and that's what tempted Andrew. He was looking at her fixedly. 

"What the ***"? - How did you barge into my bedroom? She asked furiously.

"I.....I tried calling you but!! You look so hot." He didn't know what he said

She came closer and asked - "Are you gonna kiss me then?"

Her face was so close to him and he could smell her damped hair of lavender while her body carried the fragrance of jasmine and plum. He resisted himself as long as he could. Among all, this was turning out to be today's best moment. Andrew pulled her by her waist, looked into her eyes and in the next moment, his lips were exploring hers. They both were sensing the touch of each other's tongues and lips. 

A few minutes later, Andrew sneaked out of Annie’s bedroom, certain of him going unnoticed. He waited for Annie in the backyard and she joined him in a little while. Andrew took her hand in his and said - “You know I want to tell you something and you aren’t gonna believe it.”

“What’s that tell me, something must be crazy!” - She blurted.

“Well, it is but hey, you’ve got to wait. I’ll tell you in the treehouse.” - He said and Annie said - "Okay my love," pecking a kiss on his lips which made his face go a little pink and his cheeks broadening with a flirtatious smile. Annie blushed and her face turned red too.

While they both walked in a deserted lane, Andrew noticed his untied lace of the left shoe. He sat down and called out Annie to wait for him but she, full of herself, set aside his words. She was feeling cheery and engulfed with joy. Annie kept walking absentmindedly and did not realize when she brought herself to the middle of the road, too far from safety. That’s when a huge black truck rammed into her. All this took place as quick as lightning. 

She lost consciousness, everything appeared blurry and dizzy to her. The head, the nose, and the face, all were severely covered in blood. Andrew came running to her calling out her name aloud. He rested her head on his lap. His barley white coloured trouse was almost besmeared with her blood. There was no sign of black truck. His chin trembled and he burst out in tears. 

The little flower of his life who he harvested so preciously was lying shaky and getting weakened every instant. She looked feeble and seemed to have guessed what is about to come for her. Annie opened her mouth and was coping to say something and that's it. She took her last breath in his lap. He screamed his name being with her last time - Annie, loud!!!

He woke up in distress, sweat streamed from his brow. This dreadful incident strikes panic to him every time he sees Annie losing her life. He lied numb in that treehouse. A drop of tear spilled from his left eye.