Silence !

Prompted @ Tell A Tale

(The prompt was to write a story on the theme of 'silence.')

A beautiful Sunday morning!

The sky was slightly overcast with dull grey tufts of clouds.Mariel admired the sudden romantic mood of nature,while getting into the front seat of her rickety car.The poor thing was more than two decades old.It was almost on the verge of giving up,after long years of hard labour and rough handling.As Mariel settled in her seat,fixing her seat-belt ,she noticed David (who was on the wheels) murmuring something in his characteristic tone.

Not wanting to ruin her cheerful mood,she asked him gently,

"What is it,Davy?"

"Nothing.I am just sick of this old car.Want to get rid of it as soon as possible,but why would you care to help me? I am at a loss to understand why don't you just let me dispose it off?" he answered in an authoritative manner.

"Oh! Come on, love.You very well know how much this poor thing means to me,to us! It was in this very car,that we brought our newborn Mary to home from the maternity clinic.It is special for both of us! Isn't it?" She replied in a soothing tone.

"Yeah,yeah.I know.Thanks for reminding me time and again." His voice became softer,as he reached out for her hand,and gently placed his over hers.

Neither of them spoke a single word for the next few minutes.It seemed as if both of them were lost in their treasured memories.Then,just as they were about to reach the airport,David broke the unsettling silence,saying

"Lovely memories,aren't they?"

"Oh! Truly cherishing and simply unforgettable" she answered in a matter-of-fact manner.

He continued further,"Do you remember,how much Mary adored this car as a child? See,these lovely bells were hung by her,when she was just ten." He said,pointing towards the wind chimes,that werehanging on the rear-view mirror.

She reached out to caress them with her wrinkled hands, and said,

"It seems as if time just flew away.One moment,she was our beloved,little girl who couldn't imagine to stay away from us even for a minute,but now she has been living her life all by herself ,for the last 6months in her university hostel. Away from you,from me.Away from Us." At this moment stream of tears flew down her cheeks,as she continued,

"You know why I can't afford to part with this rickety car? Its because,somehow it keeps me connected with the nostalgic memories of my beloved daughter! Though I can't aford to keep her with me all my life,atlaest I can derive some amount of solace,by treasuring a few of her childhood memories through this dumb and good-for-nothing car! We brought her Home in This!" Just then,she felt his left hand on her drooped shoulder,gently caressing it.

This sweet gesture conveyed his silent approval of her heartfelt decision.Wiping away her tears,with an incipient smile on her wrinkled face,she said mockingly,

"See,you made me cry yet again and,the tears ruined my eye make-up! Now would you mind lending me your prized hankerchief,so that I could fix up my make-up?"

Without uttering a single word from his mouth,he passed on his crisp,white hankerchief to his lady-love,and smiled back.

They enjoyed the rest of their journey,in an air engulfed in a beautiful silence!