The Soul Mate
A Short Romantic Story
By- Sachin kr. Saparia
Copyright Information
This is a work of fiction. All the characters, organizations, and events in this work are either product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Copyright 2015 Sachin kr. saparia
Cover Design by sachin kr. saparia
All rights reserved.
No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
Jassica's hands shivered like parched leaves. Slowly, she felt the weight of her
thighs on bed. Under the sheet, she was covered with sweat. Her bosom was sticky from the sweat-soaked T-shirt and she could hear heartbeats. She moved her eyelids. It was like coming out of a dark, mysterious tunnel at the end of which no light was guaranteed. Her vision improved further with intense swiftness and a blur . . . clearing bit by bit, but not enough to distinguish much. The whole void came into the realm of
her vision, contracting and swelling around the corner of the room. Her vision
eventually met with a shape she had never seen before. It was a transparent silhouette of a man. She could see through him, the painting on wall of her bedroom, the typewriter. He wore a crimson jacket and she felt as if his eyes were piercing her. She must be hallucinating, she thought, before the spasm gripped her and she lost herself once again.
"How much time do you think we have, Dr. Dave?"
"I can't say. Having gone through the reports and from what you have shared with
me, I would say we move her to hospital at the earliest."
Mr. Peter covered his face and began to sob. Josh, a close friend of Mr.
Peter, who stood close by, took the old man's hands and tried to say something comforting. The time both of them had dreaded the most was approaching sooner than anticipated.
Jassica, Mr. Peter's daughter, had been motherless before reaching her
twelfth birthday. Her mother had died as an after effect of convulsive status epileptics - a medical term for prolonged seizure, regarded as a medical emergency, requiring prompt medical care. Mr. Peter's grief was further accentuated when about four years later Jassica had a partial epileptic seizure. Over last three years, in spite of all the medical attention, her condition had worsened.
This particular evening, while returning from an errand, Jassica had yet another
seizure and was brought in by a person now known to Mr. Peter. He introduced himself as Dr. William Dave. Incidentally, Dr. Dave happened to be a specialist in the field. He was still browsing through copies of medical reports left by Jassica's physician.
"Get some rest Mr. Peter, Josh, you, too." Dr. Dave suggested.
"I could stay with her." Mr. Peter said, "I won't sleep, anyway."
"No. You need rest. Here, take this pill. I'm here to look after your daughter. It's past
midnight. Don't be hard on yourself."
Mr. Peter dragged himself from the room.
"Doctor, should you need anything, I'm next door." Josh said. "Sure, my friend," Dr. Dave said.
Their eyes met. It was not easy for any of them.
***
"How do you feel?"
"I'm better. Who are you?"
"A doctor."
"Never saw you earlier. Are you new in town?"
"You could say that. I'm from up north, here to attend a seminar. William Dave." He
said, extending his hand.
"I'm Jassica. What time is it?" "It's almost four in morning."
"Oh, my God! I've been unconscious for ten hours."
"Relax. Don't think too much. You need plenty of rest."
"Why? Would that chase my death away?" She blurted the words out. The next
moment she was weeping slowly, unable to control herself.
"You mustn't talk like that. Now, get some rest while I sit beside you." He sat near her
pillow and held her close, gently stroking her forehead.
"I can't sleep anymore. I feel sweaty all over." She said. "I need a shower."
"Sure you do, but this is not the time. If you don't want to sleep, we could talk."
"No. I need a shower and now."
"Very well!" He smiled, "I will wake your father."
"Don't. He will be worried unnecessarily."
***
"How do I look?" Jassica asked coming out of bathroom.
She wore a gray silk gown printed with white and ivory flowers. Her hair was wet and
she looked charming. She looked young, very young, full of life and innocence. He could not help looking at her longer than just a moment.
"An angel," He replied.
"You're a liar."
"Am I?"
She sat on the bed, close to him.
"I know I'm sick and don't have much time. I am so embarrassed when I get those
seizures. Were you the one who held me as I fell in yard?"
"Yes, I was getting back from the seminar," Will added.
"For a moment I was scared I was going to die."
"You'll be all right. I have seen your medical reports. You'll be just fine."
"We both know it is not true, but that's fine, no one gives me the truth anyway." "I'm sorry," He said.
"You must be a very tired man, Doctor, pardon me, but what did you say your name
was?"
"William Dave. Call me Will. I am tired but I can chat if you want." "Well, where have you been staying?" Jassica asked.
"I'm staying in a motel near airport. It's a weeklong visit."
"I wish you could be our guest in this town."
"You're very generous."
"No, I'm not generous but I do not often have company."
"Don't you have any friends?"
"Not many. So, would you stay with us?" "I'll be glad to." He looked into her eyes. She smiled.
"I think you should sleep now. I can talk for hours but I want you to feel
comfortable."
"I will sleep in the chair," He said. " If you need anything wake me."
"Good night."
He pulled a chair near bed and covered himself with a shawl. She pulled her blanket
and switched the lamp to darkness.
He was fast asleep in a short time but she was restless. She was scared of death
and yet she was thrilled. Why? She could not say. He was close to her, an unknown soul yet so familiar. She pulled the blanket down slightly to get a glimpse of him. He was handsome, social and a gracious young man. She remembered now, it was him she saw in her hallucination, then he was transparent, like a specter, but now, he was real. Was he real? She moved her hand and touched his. She lifted her hand very cautiously and tried to touch him. Something tickled her feelings which were soaring high like an eagle in the sky.
***
A couple of days passed. He visited them every day after seminar. They became
fast friends. She could see it in his eyes. It was something more than just sympathy towards her but she was not sure what. She was sure of only one fact that, she was very happy to see him. Was she in love? Had she lost her heart to him? She had a short life ahead of her and she wanted to make most of it. Every time she was alone with him, she would think of expressing her feelings towards him but again. . .
The laughter she had lost returned like a pleasant surprise. Nothing delighted
her father more than light of life in her eyes though sometimes he wondered about Dr. Dave. To him, William Dave was no less a miracle than arrival of an angel.
The walk and the even
ing:
Next evening, Will and Jassica parked her father's car by the side of a lane and took
stroll.
"So, Will, tell me something very interesting about you."
"There isn't much interesting about me," He said clearing throat to continue, "And yet
there are things so intriguing about me that you would not believe a word of it."
"I'd believe you, try me."
"I was just kidding." He smiled with that and held her by shoulder.
"Where are we heading to?" Will asked Jassica as they ambled around river bank. The
light was falling and it would be dark soon.
"A special place. Very special to me," Jassica said, "I haven't been here for a long time
and want to visit one of my best friends
, before it is too late."
"That's a cemetery. Isn't it?" Asked Will pointing at a nearby graveyard.
"Yes, speed up."
They stood near a grave. The gravestone read,
R.I.P- WILLIAM JOHN-1987 - 1999
"Meet my childhood friend. Your namesake." Jassica said, after placing couple of fresh
flowers at the grave.
Will said nothing. He rubbed the carved letters on the gravestone.
"He was my best friend. Good-bye William." She said turning away from the tomb to
return.
"I'm sorry about your friend," Said Will. "You two must have been very close."
"Thick as thieves." She laughed cheerfully yet her moist eyes expressed something
grave.
"Had he survived, would you have dated him?" Asked Will.
"If he proposed, yes."
"You're such a gentle soul, Macy," Will said.
"Macy? No one calls me Macy."
"Except Will."
"How do you know that he called me Macy?" He was startled.
"I was talking about me," He said holding her hand close to his heart. He had said it
and said it profoundly. She looked into him. Everything around them, the whole
universe was still they moved close to each other. There were no words, no
explanation, no regret as he pulled her lips close to his.
***
The next morning, however, was gloomy. Jassica lay in bed. Her father's eyes
were swollen red. Josh called for an ambulance. Will checked her pulse and found it was diminishing. It was hard consoling her father. He was a lost man.
The ambulance arrived just in time. She was moved, with a saline needle in her arm.
"You carry on with the ambulance, Mr. Peter, Mr. Josh, accompany him." Will said in
a rush, "I shall lock the house and follow."
Siren of the fast moving ambulance filled air.
***
"Mr. Peter, you can speak to your daughter but, keep it short." A doctor said,
coming out of her room.
"Is she okay?"
The doctor said nothing, just patted his shoulder to show his sympathy. He and Josh entered.
"Hi, sweetheart, how are you feeling?" Her father inquired as he held her hand tightly.
"Guess it's time to say good-bye dad, Josh."
"No, my child . . .no . . no. ."
"Where is Will?"
"He left."
"Without seeing me?"
"It was too hard on him," Mr. Peter said. " He was miserable. He said he could not
see you . . . ."
"Dying?" Jassica asked. "Please call him Dad, I cannot leave this world without bidding
him good-bye."
"Whatever you say, whatever . . ."
He moved out to call Will, but the phone just rang. There was no response. He heard
Josh hurry from the room. He rushed back to Jassica.
***
Was she dead? She had no hands, no legs, no face -- just a feeling of being. What
was it? A life after death probably, but that could not be true. She must see herself, touch herself, and feel herself. It was the darkest void and she was traveling along it, in some direction unknown to the living. She tried to feel her hands. They were there, but she could feel herself very lightly, as if some great burden was removed from her existence. It was soothing, almost therapeutic. The silence, the movement and this feeling of being born again.
A tiny, almost invisible light appeared in the dark. It grew slowly, very slowly and she
knew she was moving toward it. It kept coming closer and closer. It was bright but she had no trouble looking in it. What was it? An entrance to Heaven? Or Hell? She came close to the light and became a part of it.
She saw an elegant church ahead of her. She was at the altar the next moment. The
church was filled with people. All transparent, just like her hallucination.
"Welcome Macy."
Will? It was Will, but where was he? Then she saw him, by her side, clad in a tuxedo,
looking as charming as ever.
"Look at yourself, " He said.
She found herself wearing a bridal gown.
"What is this, Will? Where am I? Am I dead?"
"This is the life after life, Macy. We're here for our wedding."
"Wedding?" She was intrigued.
"You said if I proposed, you would date me," Will said holding her close to him. I have
better plans.
"Will you marry me?" Bending on his knees, he proposed her without further delay.
"Will? Are you Will Bush? No! You are Dr. William Dave."
"I am Will. Will Bush, the dave bush." He laughed heartily.
She stared at him for a long time and then kissed him. This was the life she had
secretly wished forever , even though she was living it after death.
" What were you doing at my place?"
"Finding the missing part of my soul."
###
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