Fireflies (Part XI- Love )

Final chapter 

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I don’t know what more to tell you because no matter how much I write I can never match to express your mother’s love for you neither can I express about those wonderful days I shared with her. I love you my child. I have always have. Never said this to you but it was Grace who made me see the importance of letting your loved ones know that they are loved. The feeling is always beyond words when said from the bottom of your heart. 


I hope you feel it because I have lived a part of my life like Grace watching your childhood and part watching you as a young man with a loving wife. Please tell Casy that she is the daughter I never had and wished every day for. Thank you for letting me live my little Grace’s dream. I must say to the last word of what I remember and even more. The joy and happiness in those times with you and Casy is beyond measures, for in all those times I could clearly see my Grace in you.

It’s too late now and I have been writing for long. I am tired. So retiring to bed. God bless you my child.

 I closed the book.

I was still crying though I could feel a smile on my face.

I walked outside and stood in the fresh breeze that was still flowing.

 I could never thank Aunt Judith for writing about maa to me. For giving back those days I missed. I had a strange guilt of not being there with maa when she needed me the most. I felt bad for not making an attempt to reach her. I felt bad for giving upon her and guilty of being not worth the love I have received. I never in those letters had mentioned that I love my mother. I used to write complaining how she had left me and asking her to return. But there was strange peace within me. For I knew my mother. Her love. Her unconditional love even at her worse phase of life. At the age of 28, I finally found my mother back. Though I had left her, she never did.

It was 5.00 AM.

I walked back inside looked at the picture of me, Aunt Judith and maa again. No picture seemed so perfect. I couldn’t help but smile. I looked at Casy who was sleeping. She looked more beautiful than ever. I kissed her on her forehead and she smiled. She dint open her eyes but she was smiling. I smiled along. I once again started reading the last page of the diary that aunty had written. At the bottom I saw a quote. It seemed she deliberately ended on this page. It said

The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways- I to die and you to live. Which is better God only knows.

Socrates, in Plato’s dialogues’. ‘Apology’

I closed the diary.

Closed my eyes and tried recollecting maa and aunty once again. Thanks to aunty I had more memories of maa that I could live with and I knew deep inside that I have changed. I could feel maa and her love with me. I looked at the calendar for the day my life changed.

24^th September 2007.

Aunt Judith died in her sleep.

24^th September 2007.

I became richer than any man alive. I became what I am today.

24^th September 2007.

I found out love.

I looked at the watch. It blinked 5:30 in the morning. I looked at Casy once again. Quickly picked my cell out and started to type and sent a message to her. A message she would see early morning when she wakes up. I looked at the calendar date again.

24^th  September 2007.

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EPILOGUE

Next day morning when Casy woke up, she found herself wrapped in her husband’s arms. He was sleeping like a baby. The laptop was on the bedside table, and a diary like book to its side. “He did open the package.” She thought. She laid a soft kiss on his check and tried untangling herself. She got up and took her cell phone to check on the messages, if any.

1 new message it showed.

It read-

“Once in our ordinary lives, love does bring a fairy tale”

Thank you, for making my life a fairy tale far better than I could ever dream of. I love you more than what you think or I ever try or say that I do.

Casaurina read that message again, walked back and again lied down next to her husband. Tangling herself back in his arms. Before she closed her eyes, she kissed her husband and whispered in his ears. “Ditto...!”

                  

THE END.

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A few words before we close...
thank you so much for your patience and making it this far... I know its been a rather long story.. quite slow (and i guess I did loose track in the middle) However.. for all those who stuck on and did finish this... Hope you liked it..!!!


Cheers...!!!