Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Garden of love


(Image courtesy: Tumblr)

She took to gardening when she was twenty, the age when she got her heart broken for the first time. Though she grew vegetables and flowers as a means of distraction from her non existent social life, it soon grew into a hobby. Something that she found joy in, be it the first tiny rose bud that bloomed during spring or the small strawberry that changed from pale green to a rich red as it grew. She tended for the plants gently, pouring all her heart's love and passion into them.

The garden flourished, filled with the fragrance of honeysuckle and lavender that surrounded it. This was her pride, her reason to show off the world that she had indeed, carved a niche in it.

She installed a swinging bench in the midst of those reds, pinks, blues and greens, where she would sit at the end of a long day and read those letters that had started coming in. Letters from a stranger who always signed off with a sketch of a different flower each time, depending on the one that caught his fancy that moment. She started looking forward to the letters now. Writing a reply and leaving it at the end of the garden from where it would promptly disappear the next morning. 

They discussed their passion for gardening, the secret ways to keep off unwanted intruders from attacking her beloved plants, his favorite flowers- orchids. The letters grew in length as time went by, but never did he ask to see her. She was hurt, initially. Was she not pretty enough? He must have sensed it through her words as he reassured her that it was not her, but him. 

Years went by, the young girl was now a confident woman. Whose calloused hands reminded her of the strength that she was gifted with. Not any more was she bothered by what others thought of her.

On the night of her thirtieth birthday, he finally agreed to meet her. The cake she baked was ready. Frosted with the richest cream and topped with homegrown cherries. The moonlight shone through her garden, playing with the shadows among the blossoms. The wine was chilled and placed in an ice bucket near the swing. They would have their first drink in the middle of her plants, that had witnessed her heart break, the healing and slowly, a love that she had come to yearn over the years. 

She heard a husky male voice clearing his throat and slowly turned around. The hair that escaped from her band danced like tendrils in the gentle breeze. She looked at the man standing before her, a shy look on his face. The man that had won her heart through his letters. The man whose limp on his left leg made him self conscious in the company of people who would stare. She took his hand as they went and sat on the swing, the limp on his leg unnoticed by her. 

This post is written as part of the Ultimate Blog Challenge for July 2014 and NaBloPoMo, where a new post shall be written on every day through the month of July 2014, for Day 1. Fingers Crossed!







33 comments:

  1. Wow Aathira...this was such a touching story. Brilliant narrative and well written!

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    1. Thanks so much Vinodini! Looking forward to reading your posts for UBC :)

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  2. A touching story! Loved the narration :)

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  3. A touching story! Loved the narration :)

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  4. Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. Good that they found each other :)

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    1. That's a nice way to put it :) Thank you Leo!

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  5. Wow! Beautiful and just touched the heart :)
    Love is blind.. and that's how it should be :D

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    1. Thanks so much, Dear :) Love should always be from the heart and without any judgement!

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  6. Very touching and sweet story. True love is above every thing!

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    1. Thanks a lot Ma'am! Indeed, love rises above all :)

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  7. I too loved the narration, Aathira! I'm already looking forward to the 31 posts here ;)

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    1. Thanks so much Soumyaa! Looking forward to your comments on all of them :)

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  8. She found her Imperfectly Perfect man!

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    1. You couldn't have said that in a better way, Red :) Thank you!

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  9. You write wonderful stories do you know that? An absolutely amazing writer.. I'm so glad I discovered your blog through Soumya's.. I keep coming back again and again to read your stories. :)

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    1. Thanks a lot, Anusree! You have made by day with your lovely comments! I hope I can continue to do justice to the stories inside my head :)

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  10. wow love is in the airrrrrr... very romantic lovely story


    Bikram

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  11. You leave me awed. I remembered this story I read about a woman who takes to gardening to nurse her broken heart. And the guy well magically travels to the same place. Some remote town. Of course that was a whole book :)

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    1. Thank you Midnight scribbles! Please pass me the name of the book, it sounds interesting :) Would love to read it.

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    2. Self published ebook online :( I'll try to link it to you if I find it on Facebook :)

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  12. Oh wow! Masterpiece. I'm getting a complex now.

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    1. Thanks, Love! Though I doubt if this can even be compared to the soul shattering posts that I've read on your blog! Like 'Meenakshi', which I read and loved recently :)

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  13. You write wonderfully, Aathira. Glad to have stumbled upon your blog. :-)

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    1. Thanks so much, Uma! Welcome to my blog :)

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  14. She nurtured the garden and in turn it nurtured her heart. Nice story. :)

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