Fiction

Opportunity knocks once, Temptation leans on the doorbell | Friday Fiction |

Graffitti-mermaid-wallart-mural-fort kochi-friday-fiction-romance-love-children
I took this picture in Fort Kochi in March 2017 during my trip there for the Kochi Biennale! There were some amazing wall art on the streets, each one carefully detailed out! Loved this one for all it symbolizes – love, luck and free to fly into a dream!!!

Quickly draping her saree, she stole a glance at his sleeping profile and almost slipped back into the bed. Collapsing into the waiting cab, she closed her eyes. Images from the night before flashed before her and she licked her lips as if to taste him again.

She still felt it was a dream to not only have met him again after twenty years, but that he felt the same about her too!

How is this even possible? Did he feel something for her back then? How come she never noticed? Why didn’t he sweep her into his arms then? What would life have been like if he had….?

When she opened her eyes, the cab was passing Qutub Minar.

“Another twenty minutes to home.”

Home…..

The sound of children shouting and laughing reached her, as she stepped out of the cab.

Didi didi…….. I didn’t take it, don’t listen to him.

Didi he has hidden it and is now not giving it back.

She smiled as Arav and Daksh continued in the same vein while rushing into her lap.

This was her home; home to several orphaned children whom she had found lost or wandering and brought them here one by one, till their parents were found. Sometimes the search proved fruitful and kids were reunited, but often not. The numbers went up and down and she worked hard to support their upbringing while taking care of her finances too.

She couldn’t say when or why she picked up the first child; just knew that it felt right and she was the one who was meant to take care of them.

Initially, her family was horrified.

What will happen to these children when you get married?

Why not send them to a government home; after all they are not your responsibility?

First few marriage proposals, she had openly told them about her “extended” family, hopeful that mindsets have changed in this world. After the fourth refusal, she had declared she wont get married as this was too important to her.

A global design firm was setting up a regional office in Gurgaon and she got head hunted into a well paid job there. She also found plenty of good Samaritans around her who generously helped her out with funds, food and held collection drives in schools, offices and neighbourhood.

Three of her eldest children were now earning and helping out in the home too. She felt proud of their accomplishments and hoped she would be able to provide well for all of them.

Slowly her family had come around to it, or rather a few of them had especially her nanaji who found great joy in spending time with her children. Sadly he passed away a few months back and when his will was read, it held a surprise for her.

He had some ancestral land and a huge house in the hills, close to Nainital which he had now left to her. The house came with orchards and a bit of farmland, enough to provide for her needs. A part of the house would be converted into a school for children of nearby villages and she would run the entire project while being able to look after and educate her kids too.

Her modest nest egg of twenty years would help her tide things for the time being and she had plans to set up a cottage industry to fund things in the future. She had a few angel investors interested in her project, and things seemed to be settling in.

The clean mountain air, fresh organic food, no traffic or long commutes and loads of open spaces for her kids to run free – all of it appealed to her.

As usual, she heard a lot of flak from all her near and dear ones who thought she had lost it. Cutting herself from the society, city life and comfort sounded close to lunacy to them. Plus no source of income would make her financially vulnerable.

But she was determined as she had nothing left in the city while the hills offered more – so much more……………………until last night!


Well…. what do you think dear readers?

{ No this is not the ending as yet, there is more to come.}

Could she have a future with him?

What must she do – Should she tell him? 

 

This story is in continuation of  Friday Fiction The last swan song

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19 thoughts on “Opportunity knocks once, Temptation leans on the doorbell | Friday Fiction |

  1. Not sure if he is the temptation or the opportunity here. The trouble is we don’t know anything about him. Does he love her? Is he married? Maybe she should just go away with the memory of this last encounter or maybe she should tell him all about herself and her dream and who knows he may want to partner her – so many possibilities.

  2. She talks about his house and about how her children will be able to run free. She hardly mentions this man, so I am thinking, this is a relationship that will never be right. She should needs to get to know him better before getting into a relationship with him.

    1. Yeah she is very passionate about her kids- they have been her life and she wants to do so much more for them! SOme people are like that – they plant trees for others to enjoy the shade!!

  3. The image that you painted could be visualized of Nainital…free space, breathing fresh air and no traffic snarl to beat but innocent kids playing and happiness unfurling through education. The description is vivid, Shalzz and giving strength and character to emotions. Superb story. Can’t wait for the next part.

  4. What I think is she is an amazing soul… Such kindness and selflessness is hard to come by… I hope things end well between them… I already like her character 🙂 and I am really hooked on the story.

  5. Temptation of an old love after twenty years is irresistible, however the children seem to be her priority…great story Shalini..looking forward to the next..

  6. I think she is a weirdo. And she turned to the children only because her love was unrequited. And now that she’s rediscovered him, she will probably kill off the children one by one – and bury them in her silent hills ( much like Indrani Mookerjee)

    1. Ha ha ha Sunita- now thats the weirdest thing I have read on this so far!! I hope you do say tuned to see how this turns out!! 😉

    1. Thanks so much Vinitha – that click was a spur of the moment 🙂

      Yes we do need to tell him, but arent we always beset with so much doubts just when things start going well? 😉 Stay tuned!!

  7. Interesting question, but I don’t think I can answer it just yet, because I hardly know anything about him. But I am glad that this will be continued. Looking forward to it.

  8. Oh I found the story – intriguing person, and her own person. He will have to do a lot of adjusting if he hopes to spend his life with her. She certainly isnt going to make any changes – except shift to Nainital 😉 😀 Good job

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