The Price of a Heart

Chapter 1

The will

The days, as they went by reminded Anne of her old house. So pretty were the violets outside in the garden, that she almost cried with a pain welling up in her heart. The joy of watching the birds fly by, and even that of holding one in her hand as she stood thoughtfully at the window sill can definitely not be denied.

Anne, in her twenties had been a shy but brave woman of many charms. But, as she entered her thirties, her voice had lost its sweetness, in that she often sobbed with memories of losing her parents in the Japan Tsunami haunted her constantly. Now, while living with her aunt Sheena she could barely understand the things around her; as if she was still living in her own little world of pain, remorse and regret. Yes, regret. Regret because she had not gone back to Japan before the Tsunami even after repeated requests from her parents. Her studies in the United States demanded that she stay there and some conflict with her group members in the project they were doing was too taxing for her. She had decided to stay on for the vacation. But, it was during that vacation that her parents died in the Tsunami. Who knows? She might have been killed in the Tsunami too; or better still , she could have saved her parents and herself had she been in Japan as her parents had wanted her to. So much for doing as she pleased. She knew now that she would never be able to see her dear parents again. Not ever.

She looked up to see the pretty sky – the yellow sunrays and a line of crows flying in a V-shaped line. She sighed. A voice called from outside her room.
“Anne, you’re wanted downstairs” said her aunt, a demure , tall lady with sharp-shaped shoulders and a small mouth. Her hair was tied back in a neat bun, but wisps of hair fell on both sides of her face, and round silver frames of glasses fitted her face profusely.


“Yes, aunty” replied Anne, picking up the bundle of clothes on her soft bed. Her paintings lined much of the wooden walls and a dwarfish cute little cupboard with a rainbow sticker on it stood, in the corner , adjacent to her study table.


She hurried down the steps with her aunt and saw a man sitting on the sofa downstairs. His face had a grave expression on it and , after exchanging greetings, they settled down to the serious talk.


“Miss Flower, you have a whole estate to your name. Your parents had bought it the same year they died. “


The ladies looked at each other in a surprised fit.


“However” he continued. “They also wanted you to meet Peter, a new neighbour they had met in Japan, but who lives in London now.”


“Who’s Peter” gasped Anne.


“Someone your parents wanted you to marry”


Chapter 2

London and its Charms


It was soon decided that the ladies must move to the estate in London together. Under no circumstances did Anne want to travel alone and thought her aunt was very dependable , so they must stay together. She had taken care of her for two long years and Anne wanted to pay her back in some subtle way.


The flight to London was a long one, but on reaching the estate Anne could hardly believe her luck. The bungalow her parents had left her was a brand new huge building in the midst of some sprawling green lands. Just something anyone would have wanted.


Anne’s aunt was quite in awe of this new development. How much ever she tried she couldn’t stop congratulating Anne on her new fortune. But, inwardly, perhaps even she was slightly worried about their future in London. Its new people, its beautiful roads with the old world charm of a story book. Aunt Sheena , who had lived in a small town of Japan for most of her life, couldn’t take it all in without feeling a little awed.


She certainly had her issues with the pollution, though. “How can anyone live in such a smoky place?” she complained. But, Anne , bringing in her quiet , fervent self, would reply “ So much for living in a city. A change like this can never be totally bad, Aunty. Thanks for always being there for me” They cried a little as Aunt Sheena had no one to go back to either. Her husband had died in a car accident.


Chapter 3


A place to be


That sunny summer day Anne was walking in the bright pistachio fields of Charlonne Estate. The warm, dry wind of a crisp mid-afternoon burned her forehead, bringing out the color of the golden highlights in her bouncing medium curls. Her mouth was parched from being a long way away from a water source. Yes, there was very little water in the estate. There was only a single pool, which Anne was approaching.


But, she was surprised to see a man already standing there. He was a handsome man of thirty five or so, messy brown hair swept back over the ears and a loose blue shirt with huge collars. “Such a man as he should not be standing in my estate in the middle of the day, if it is not that he is in some way connected to my circle of relatives”, thought Anne.” But, my parents never spoke of him”.


“Are you Anne?” shouted the man from near the pool of water. “I am her. Well, why do you ask?And who are you, if I may ask”


“I am Peter, the caretaker”


“Oh! “ and Anne suddenly felt like the earth should open and she should bury herself inside it. “How can he be him!”


Peter ran to hold the fainting Anne and to pick her up. But, by the time he reached the beautiful Anne she had already fallen.
Minutes later , she woke up in Peter’s arms as he carried her back to the bungalow. She batted her eyes feeling like a fallen fairy who was lost on planet earth. Peter, as he beheld her face , her dusty brown locks jumping around her cheeks and temples , he knew he was holding a real fairy- one with a broken shoe and a long blue dress he would never forget. “How can someone be so beautiful” he thought


Chapter 4


Peter again


Many days later, as Anette was sitting in her study writing a poem she noticed someone walking up the path that led from the estate’s gates to the main door of the house. It was a woman with a little child. She ran downstairs to tell her aunt, but by that time the woman had already rung the bell and as she landed on the carpet downstairs she found the lady standing and talking to her aunt.
“Yes” she heard her say. Then she squinted at Anette and nodded and smiled a little and then returned to her conversation with Anette. “We are organizing this contest so the community can start to know each other better.”


She then left hurriedly giving Anne a polite nod again. Anne went up to her aunt and enquired gently “What was…”


“Oh! You don’t worry about it. I’ve chosen your partner for the dance. They are organizing one in the neighbourhood.”


“Oh my God! A Dance? I don’t think I’m fit for it. I can hardly dance”


“Why? Wh-Why not? You’re perfect. You can dance”


“No, I’m just not into dancing”


“Well, it’s your wish after all. But , I’m going to call Peter up to at least take you to the dance”
Anette looked dismally at aunty. She knew it wouldn’t help to argue. It’s just the way things were these days. Her aunt loved her a lot. But, she just couldn’t understand how much she missed her parents, or why the presence of Peter always made her nervous.


She did not want to severe the last ties with her family. Nor did she understand how she would adjust with someone she barely knew, someone whose life had become intertwined with her by sheer fate, by destiny. What was the price of a heart? In such a case, nothing.


Chapter 5


Until we meet again


Love cannot be forced. Love can only be felt. But, for Anette love seemed to be a separate thing compared to marriage. She was sad most of the time; now in those moments, she did not know how she could afford to talk to someone so new , so different, someone who had gotten to know her parents while she was away presumably neglecting them. What was it that had brought these two people together? And what exactly did Peter think on this matter?


Curiously , Anette sat in the porch with a book in her hand as usual. The stars twinkled and winked at her lovingly. Showers of moonlight filled her little porch like in heaven. She felt like she could change this instantaneously by switching on the lantern-like lights in the hallway, but the dim lights at the edge of the roof shone brightly and steadily and she loved the way the greenery of the garden was now blue and how the path that was pink in the morning was now sparkly and glittery with fireflies that had chosen to have an adventure there.

Peter came by, dressed in a suit. She couldn’t believe how handsome he looked. She smiled.
“Let’s go” Peter spoke softly, the sign of a true gentleman.
Soon , she was sitting in Peter’s little car, the windshield wiping the front window glass merrily as if waving goodbye to the house. They were soon in the middle of the city. Anette liked the city lights, the urban pedestrian crowd, the sprays of raindrops falling in the shallow and the deep sides of the grey roads and creating images of reflection. Somehow, it was easier to look at people’s faces that way, just bending the head down, towards where the footsteps fell.
In the dance hall there was chaos. But a beautiful chaos it was. Confetti fell from somewhere Anette couldn’t see without craning her neck madly. “Too much rain today “ she thought.
Dancing with Peter and swaying with the crowd was a beautiful experience. Her heart fluttered a little. Her eyes were lowered for the most part. Not that Peter minded. He never spoke a word except for when 10 minutes had passed and the lights became dull and the singers on the stage had swapped. The mellow sound of old melodies hit the back of the room and echoed and bounced up to their ears like nectar in the mouth.


Peter had a steady hold on her. She was wearing a grey dress with a silver necklace, and Peter probably admired it, for he kept looking at it as if wanting to say something. But he kept to what was civil, and boundaries are not the best friends of the matters to the heart.
Then came the break, and the dancers dispersed and ate cakes and drank delicious tea. The table arrangement was pretty and reminded Anette of how her mother always got upset if she dropped something on the table. But if she cried her mother said sorry before she went to sleep and those were lively little memories of childhood she had learnt to safeguard in her mind forever.
Soon, the dancers changed partners, and this was decided by a draw of luck, in which it was decided that Peter dance with a very beautiful young lady who lived next door to Anette and Anette was to dance with a gentleman from Paris. His were dainty manners she couldn’t understand , but she was still adjusting herself to life in London. Its surprises , its strange ways led her to despise and love it as the same time, though there is nothing about London one can ever totally hate. London’s customs are the sweetest in the world, and Anette had gotten almost used to it by then.
There was no doubt Mr Osbourne was taller than Peter, and more charming , for that matter. He was definitely a prize, for any lady. Her being coupled with him by chance was many a woman’s envy, as he was the richest in the neighbourhood. But, Anette’s mind was occupied by many thoughts of yesteryears and now, of love and betrayal and joy and sorrow mixed together, she was incapable of forming an opinion of him. Their eyes met a couple of times, but Mr Osbourne’s grip was so hard on her waist that it hurt a little, and instead of moving with the music and matching his steps to hers , he was leading her on to a different dance, one that would soon lead her out in the balcony away from the crowd, much as Anette dreaded it.


Out in the open, the two stood sipping on some tea and the cold, cold wind played with her soft clothes and Mr Osbourne eyed her rather inquisitively…

“You live here and I didn’t even know …Had I known before I’d have…” said he

“Uhm..I know. .I mean I know you didn’t know” she was avoiding intimate conversation, but fate would have it its own way.

“Well, then, you must come over some time and meet my sisters” with this he turned and led her onto the dance hall again.

Anette couldn’t help looking at Peter and Mr Osbourne’s cousin talking at the other end of the room.
The evening ended beautifully. Phone numbers were exchanged. They were soon outside walking towards the car and Peter couldn’t help saying

“You like him?”

He avoided eye contact as she could see beneath the shrubbery of a low tree. Even the moonlight was hidden from that corner. They could have kissed there, had they been in love. Any couple would have. But, something had happened that night to ruin all. Ruin everything.

Impressum

Texte: Meghnaa Sonkar
Bildmaterialien: Meghnaa Sonkar
Lektorat: Meghnaa Sonkar
Übersetzung: Meghnaa Sonkar
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 01.03.2013

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